The Kings successfully defended the Fragile Psyche Cup, needing only one round to win it for the second time in as many years. The Sharks competed valiantly, taking numerous stupid penalties and spotting the Kings’ early (theoretically insurmountable) leads in multiple games, but were overmatched by the Kings’ impenetrable and ruthlessly efficient lead-blowing assault. The Sharks repeatedly started and pulled confused goaltender Antti Niemi in an attempt to force a game seven, but in the end, the law of averages finally caught up with the them. Two-time Cloutier Award (Fragile Psyche Cup MVP) winner Joe Thornton inadvertently scored his first career OT goal, crushing his team’s hopes for a record fifth cup. The timing could not have been worse. San Jose can still save face if they fall apart in round two, but for many in the fan base, it’s already too late.
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