Entering Saturday, only one trio spent more time together than the Los Angeles Kings’ top line of rookie Alex Iafallo, captain Anze Kopitar, and his predecessor Dustin Brown. Just three combinations scored more goals than Iafallo, Kopitar, and Brown’s 17, and they’ve given the Sharks particular trouble.
Kopitar and Brown scored four of Los Angeles’ five goals in their first two match-ups with San Jose. Three of those came in the first game, a 4-1 drubbing of the Sharks in their second game of the season.
The fourth was the Kings’ lone goal in a 2-1 loss to the Sharks on November 12. That, at least in part, came down to matchups.
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The first time around, Justin Braun and Marc-Edouard Vlasic spent no more than two minutes of five-on-five ice time against Los Angeles’ top trio, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Kings’ first line controlled the puck away from the Sharks’ shutdown pairing, and dominated in terms of puck possession.
Even without the benefit of last change, San Jose head coach Peter DeBoer was able to hard match Vlasic and Braun against each player for about 10 minutes in the second matchup last month. Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, and Joe Pavelski were the forwards that lined up against them most, as DeBoer threw his lines into the proverbial blender.
There’s little doubt DeBoer will continue to rely heavily upon Braun and Vlasic, but it’s a bit of a mystery which forward line he’ll utilize. With Couture still recovering from a concussion, it’s likely shutdown duties will fall to his old linemate, Tomas Hertl, based on what the Sharks have done in his absence.
On Thursday, Brock Boeser led the Canucks in five-on-five ice time. Boeser also leads the Canucks in scoring, and spent nearly half of his night against Hertl.
San Jose Sharks
Matched up head-to-head, the Sharks controlled 70.83 percent of the shot attempts and 69.23 percent of the scoring chances when Hertl and Boeser were on the ice. Each line scored a goal, but the ice was clearly tilted in San Jose’s favor.
The Sharks have controlled possession when Hertl lines up against the Kings’ top line this season, but in only two of those matched up minutes did the 24-year-old man the middle. If Thursday was any indication, he’ll see Iaffalo, Kopitar, and Brown for a lot longer.
The Kings are dangerous aside from their top line, of course, but stopping them is key to limiting Los Angeles. As long as they see plenty of Vlasic, Braun, and Hertl, the Sharks will be in a strong position to do just that.