TYLER TOFFOLI

Sharks Escape at Home Behind Askarov

Kings ring iron as Kempe drives the push in a 5-4 defeat at SAP Center.

The Los Angeles Kings had the better looks all night, but the San Jose Sharks walked off with the win.

By the chances ledger, this tilted toward L.A.: the Kings’ opportunities added up to 4.4 expected goals to San Jose’s 1.97 — expected goals meaning how much their chances were worth — yet the scoreboard flipped. Part of the answer was in net. Yaroslav Askarov turned aside 32, keeping San Jose afloat while Anton Forsberg’s night went the other way with a goals saved above expected of -3.04.

Iron told the rest of the story. There were five posts and two crossbars, and most of them belonged to L.A.: Adrian Kempe twice, plus Alex Laferriere, Artemi Panarin, Erik Haula, and Scott Laughton each pinged one. San Jose wasn’t spared — Tyler Toffoli clipped iron once — but the bounces favored teal. Kempe still drove play with six shots, and Panarin and Quinton Byfield each chipped in on the sheet.