Meier scores franchise-record 5 goals as Sharks rout Kings

SAN JOSE (AP) — Timo Meier set a San Jose franchise record with five goals on Monday afternoon, and the Sharks used a huge first period to beat the Los Angeles Kings 6-2.

Meier, a sixth-year winger who made his first All-Star team this season, notched a hat trick before the first period even ended. He then scored his fourth goal less than two minutes into the second period and broke the Sharks' record with his fifth just 27 seconds before the second intermission.

With fans chanting “Timo!, Timo!” at different points throughout the third period, Meier had a chance for his sixth goal midway through the period when he took the puck down the left side with open ice ahead of him, but Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson knocked the puck from his possession as Meier approached the net.

Joe Malone holds the NHL single-game record with seven goals, which he achieved with the Quebec Bulldogs back in 1920. Seven players have had six-goal games over the years.

According to NHL records, the New York Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad was the last NHL player to score five goals, which happened on March 5, 2020, against Washington.

Meier also notched the 11th single-period hat track in Sharks history.

Tomas Hertl had four assists for the Sharks, who had scored just one goal combined over their past two games. Erik Karlsson had three assists, including the 500th of his career, and Rudolfs Balcers had a goal and assist.

James Reimer, making his first start in net since Jan. 4 for San Jose due to a lower-body injury, had 39 saves.

Anze Kopitar and Anderson scored for Los Angeles, which had a four-game winning streak snapped.

MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT

With the Kings' leading goal-scorer Adrian Kempe entering the league’s COVID-19 protocol Sunday, rookie Samuel Fagemo joined Kopitar and Alex Iafallo on Los Angeles’ top line. A second-round pick in 2019, Fagemo made his NHL debut four days earlier against Pittsburgh.

BARABANOV OUT

Sharks winger Alexander Barabanov remained sidelined in COVID-19 protocol, despite an initial thought that he might be able to rejoin the active roster Monday.

UP NEXT

Kings: Host Tampa Bay on Tuesday, looking to avenge a mid-December 3-2 overtime road loss.

Sharks: At Seattle on Thursday; the Kraken won 3-1 in mid-December.

___

More AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports/