GOAL NOT ACCOMPLISHED SHARKS WIN SHOWS KINGS STILL MUST FIND ANSWERS IN NET SAN JOSE 2, KINGS 1.Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer Two hockey teams with different goaltending goal·tend·ing n. 1. Sports The act of protecting a goal, as in hockey and other such sports. 2. Basketball stories met Tuesday night at Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. for the first time this season. The goalies lined up 174 feet away from each other, but their differences were miles apart. San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. had Vezina Trophy The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position".[] At the end of each season, the 30 General Managers of the teams in the National Hockey League vote to determine the goaltender who was candidate Evgeny Nabokov. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. entrusted Steve Passmore Steve Passmore (born January 29, 1973 in Thunder Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques as their ninth-round pick in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. with hopes he could end the Kings' two-week winless streak. It shouldn't be surprising to know who prevailed. Given the way the Kings have played of late, the method shouldn't shock, either. A deflected shot with 4 minutes, 32 seconds remaining in the game sent the Kings to a 2-1 loss before a standing-room-only sellout crowd of 18,460 fans, the largest crowd to ever see a hockey game in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . ``In the end, it ends up being a small, little deflection,'' Passmore said, ``which I heard is typical of what's been happening.'' The Kings (15-13-7) haven't won since Dec. 10, a span of six games (one tie, five consecutive losses). Coach Andy Murray has attributed much of the problem to goaltending, which he said has helped the team ``play good enough to lose.'' Passmore was recalled from Chicago of the AHL AHL American Hockey League AHL Action Half-Life (Half-Life modification) AHL Acyl Homoserine Lactone AHL Aramark Harrison Lodging AHL Acylated Homoserine Lactone AHL Association for the History of Language AHL Architects Hawaii Ltd after Stephane Fiset Stephane Fiset (born June 17, 1970 in Montreal, Quebec) is an ice hockey goaltender who is retired. Playing career Fiset was drafted in the 2nd round 24th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques. was placed on injured reserve with yet another knee injury. Murray started him over Jamie Storr Jamie Storr (born December 28, 1975 in Brampton, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the DEG Metro Stars of the DEL. Storr is half-Chinese and has Chinese dragons on his mask to honor his mother. in an attempt to shake things up, and Passmore responded with 30 saves, including five on the power play and a couple of breakaways. But he couldn't handle a rebound Patrick Marleau knocked in five minutes into the second period for a 1-0 lead. And when L.A.'s Brad Chartrand accidentally deflected Alexander Korolyuk's shot from the right circle over Passmore's left shoulder, it was another instance in which the Kings' goaltending fell short. And now, they take to the road to play St. Louis, Dallas, Detroit and Colorado. These teams, along with San Jose, comprise the top five teams in the Western Conference. The Kings are ninth, two points behind idle Edmonton, for the eighth and final playoff spot. True, the playoffs are months away, but the goaltending problems are present and Tuesday's effort left Murray frustrated. ``He gave us a chance to win tonight,'' Murray said of Passmore. ``We've got to keep battling. We put in efforts like this, it will be appreciated and recognized.'' Sort of the way Nabokov is for the Sharks (22-8-4). Most outside of San Jose probably didn't know much about the 25-year-old from Kazakhstan before this season. He was just 2-2-1 in 11 games last year, yet the Sharks might have known he was something special when he shut out St. Louis on Jan. 19 in his first NHL NHL Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, see there start. His fame has spread throughout the league this season, and the Kings finally saw why Tuesday night: he doesn't let much get by. ``He played real well,'' Luc Robitaille said of Nabokov, who stopped 29 shots in improving to 8-1-1 in his past 10 decisions and 20-4-3 overall. ``He moves across the crease as fast as anyone in the league.'' Nabokov was most critical in the first period, stopping four shots while the Kings were on a two-man advantage for 1:50. ``You look at that 5-on-3. We had two or three really good chances,'' Murray said. ``We were getting shots, but when you haven't played good for a bit, you have to keep playing good until you get a reward.'' The next chance was at the end of the first period. The Kings again were on the power play, and Nabokov frustrated them with two rapid-fire saves that left him sprawled on the ice but the puck out of the net. ``Penalty killing is our key, and we were outstanding,'' Nabokov said. ``The defense picked up rebounds when I had them.'' His only error was 1:20 into the third period, when he couldn't handle a Craig Johnson wrist shot that flipped up and off Nabokov's glove to tie the game. Johnson later had surgery at Centinela Hospital to repair a lacerated lacerated /lac·er·at·ed/ (las´er-at?ed) torn; mangled; wounded by a jagged instrument. lac·er·at·ed adj. Cut or wounded in a jagged manner. right ankle. ``I call this a Mike Ricci goal,'' Nabokov said with a laugh. ``He usually shoots like that.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The Kings' Ian Laperriere, right, takes a punch to the face by the San Jose Sharks' Shawn Heins on Tuesday at Staples Center. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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