SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Milan Michalek scored less than three minutes apart in the second period Thursday, boosting San Jose to a 4-2 win over Los Angeles.
The game was tied at 2-2 when Vlasic scored on the power play with 9:09 to go in the second. Michalek followed 2:20 later with a slap shot that got past Erik Ersberg.
Evgeni Nabokov made the lead stand up by stopping 32 shots and bringing the Sharks their fourth victory over the Kings in as many meetings this season.
San Jose increased its lead to three points over Detroit in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles, which began the night just three points out of a playoff position, failed to record a point for only the second time in nine games this month. The Kings are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
The teams combined for 22 minutes of penalties in a rough third period.
