Kritik und Anregungen » at Sha Tin on Sunday.There was still an Aust

LOS ANGELES -- From his first big save to his flawless final minutes, Jonathan Quick showed the San Jose Sharks theyll have to do much better to dethrone a champion. Quick made 35 saves in his sixth career playoff shutout, and the Los Angeles Kings opened their second-round series with a 2-0 victory over the Sharks on Tuesday night. Slava Voynov and Mike Richards each had a goal and an assist in the Stanley Cup winners 11th straight victory at Staples Center since March, but the Kings all thought the win rested squarely on Quick, who delivered yet another dominant playoff performance. The Sharks superior speed and passing couldnt get anything past last seasons Conn Smythe Trophy winner. "We wanted to get off on a good foot, no matter how we had to do it," Quick said after his 25th career playoff victory, one shy of Kelly Hrudeys franchise record. "We got better during this game, but weve got some work to do." Game 2 is Thursday. Los Angeles opened the NHLs fourth all-California playoff series with its fifth straight victory after an 0-2 start to its title defence. Opening a playoff series at home for the first time in 21 years, the Kings got just enough offence from Richards and Voynov, the Kings promising Siberian defenceman, who had the first multipoint playoff game of his short career. But the Kings scorers directed any praise to their defence and Quick, who yielded just 10 goals in the six-game first round against St. Louis before frustrating the Sharks. "We didnt have our best first period, and it could have got out of reach quickly if Quickie wasnt back there making some big saves," said Richards, the Kings leading post-season scorer. "You could just tell he was seeing the puck well." Antti Niemi stopped 18 shots for the Sharks, who scored 15 goals while sweeping third-seeded Vancouver -- but Quick has playoff poise that the Canucks two goalies still havent achieved. With help from a few fortunate bounces, Quick stayed in control during long stretches when the Sharks largely dominated play, particularly in the frantic opening minutes and again while outshooting Los Angeles 16-4 in the third period. "Its about getting it done," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "When the night ends, you have to have the job done. You can have as many good looks as you want. You can be in all alone. You have to find ways to finish, and we have players that are very capable of doing that. We have players that are capable of scoring greasy, dirty, playoff-style goals." The Sharks and Kings are meeting in the post-season for the second time in three years, accentuating their already strong in-state rivalry. San Jose eliminated Los Angeles in 2011 on the way to the conference finals, but the Sharks years of steady excellence were surpassed by the up-and-down Kings when they raised Californias second Stanley Cup. The Kings had not-so-secretly hoped for a second-round Freeway Faceoff with the Anaheim Ducks, who lost to Detroit in seven games -- but after Game 1, its clear the Sharks have the champs full attention. Los Angeles beat San Jose 3-2 in both clubs regular-season finale to finish in fifth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Sharks. Thats how Los Angeles got home-ice advantage in this series, starting at home in the post-season for the first time since the 1992 opening round against Edmonton. "(Quick) made the saves he had to, (but) we have to find a way to score," Sharks centre Joe Pavelski said. "We have to produce and create more movement. We feel we can play with them. We felt we played a good game. After tonight, everyone in this room feels they are beatable. Its not going to be easy, obviously. They are Stanley Cup champs, a team that has learned how to win." The Sharks began Game 1 at a furious pace, generating numerous early scoring chances and keeping the Kings on their heels. Quick immediately had to make a handful of remarkable saves before Los Angeles matched the tempo, and Voynov put the Kings ahead with 12.9 seconds left in the first period when he ripped a slap shot through traffic on a rush. Voynov scored two goals in the opening round against St. Louis, and both were game-winners -- including the clutch overtime score in Game 5 that allowed Los Angeles to finish off the series at home two days later. "He gets shots through, and theyre not going to give you much," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said of Voynov. Quick turned aside several good Sharks chances in the second period before Los Angeles doubled its lead. Voynov ripped a long shot that redirected off Richards for his seventh point in seven games. The goal gave the Kings their first two-goal lead of the entire post-season, and the Sharks had their first two-goal deficit of the playoffs. Shortly after the Kings first power play early in the third period, the puck ended up coming to a complete stop next to Niemi in his crease without the goalie knowing where it was. Scott Hannan dived to knock the puck away with his hand. NOTES: Sharks RW Marty Havlat missed his fourth straight game with a lower-body injury. ... Jarret Stoll was hit illegally by San Joses Raffi Torres late in the second period, and Los Angeles veteran centre didnt play in the third. Sutter declined to critique the call, but said the Kings "werent resting" Stoll while he sat out. McLellan said: "Clean hit. Not even a charging penalty, in my opinion." ... Sutter coached current Sharks Patrick Marleau, Hannan and Brad Stuart during his tenure in San Jose from 1997-2003. Marleau, the franchise scoring leader, was an 18-year-old rookie on Sutters first team in San Jose. Babe Ruth Jersey Large . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota. John Smoltz Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. http://www.custombravesjersey.com/custom-tyler-flowers-jersey-large-1427z.html . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Mark Wohlers Jersey . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Custom David Justice Jersey . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Australias two representatives have finished out of the placings in the Hong Kong Sprint won by eight-year-old Aerovelocity, winner of the race two years ago.Takedown finished sixth while Rebel Dane was 11th at Sha Tin on Sunday.There was still an Australasian flavour to the 1200m-race with the winner trained by expat New Zealander Paul OSullivan and ridden by Hong Kong-based Australian Zac Purton.Its a good feeling, Purton said.He gives everything hes got. I had a lovely run and he ambled up. Hes all heart.Aerovelocity beat Lucky Bubbles by a short head with last years winner Peniaphobia, who led for much of the race, three-quarters of a length third.Earlier the much-travelled Highland Reel had to settle for second as Japanese horse Satono Crown caught him just strides from the line in the Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m).Aidan OBriens charge was atttempting to repeat his victory of last year and Ryan Moore was positive from the start, establishing a definite lead passing the post for the first time.ddddddddddddoore appeared to have the field covered only for Satono Crown to unleash a telling late charge under Joao Moreira.The Noriyuki Hori-trained colt passed Highland Reel in the shadow of the post, winning by half a length with more than six lengths to the French runner One Foot In Heaven.I thought I had a big chance before the race, and it worked out, Moreira said.New Zealander Benzini, the Brisbane Cup winner, finished sixth.We didnt get away too well and he pulled a bit hard but he kept trying so I really enjoyed the experience, Benzinis jockey Rosie Myers said. ' ' '