Sherwood accuses Kings of disrespect, demands team action after power-play unit’s conduct

The Kings scored three goals in the first period and never trailed. Kempe opened the scoring 83 seconds in on a breakaway set up by Artemi Panarin, then added a power-play goal before Quinton Byfield’s man-advantage tally made it 3-0 after 20 minutes. Macklin Celebrini scored his sixth goal of the season early in the second period to cut the deficit, but Los Angeles responded with two more goals in the frame, including Kempe’s third, and pulled away for the 7-2 final. The Sharks fell to 7-9-1 and lost their third straight game; the Kings improved to 5-7-2.

Sherwood calls Kings celebration ‘disrespectful’

With Los Angeles leading 6-2 and roughly five minutes remaining, the Kings put their top power play unit on the ice. Sherwood took exception to how they conducted themselves during that stretch.

They’re up 6-2. Put their top power play out. Panarin’s blocking shots, celebrating to his bench. It’s disrespectful…things aren’t going to change unless we man up & do something about it.

Sherwood also made clear the frustration was aimed at the players, not the coaching staff. It's unacceptable. It's not good enough, he said, adding that to a man and to a team, the group was not winning its battles or making plays.

Sharks hold players-only meeting in locker room

After the game, San Jose players gathered for a closed-door meeting in the dressing room. Sherwood confirmed the session and said the group would remain united. We're gonna stick together, he said.

Captain Macklin Celebrini declined to share specifics of the meeting but said the team needed to turn things around. It's got to change. We can't let it seep into our game, but we've got to be frustrated and not happy with the way we're playing, Celebrini said. We know what we have in this room, and we believe in each other. We're a team first and foremost.

Sherwood pointed to a need for a mental shift. Just work. When you work, things open up, (the) game slows down a little bit, he said. We show bits and spurts of that, and we have a lot of good players, but it's about being a good team right now. I think it's a mindset. It's a maturity that we need to get going here.

Warsofsky’s job under scrutiny after latest loss

Speculation about head coach Ryan Warsofsky intensified following the defeat, with the Sharks now losers of five of their last six games. Pierre LeBrun, reporting on RDS, noted that Warsofsky signed a new contract in September.

One of the things that has started in the last few days is speculation regarding head coach Ryan Warsofsky. Are the Sharks perhaps thinking of changing coaches?… (Don’t forget) he just signed a new contract in September. I’m not saying they can’t change coaches if this continues, but I’m just saying it’s less straightforward with a coach who just signed a new contract.

On The Fin Factor podcast, guest Alan Hoshida suggested the situation could reach a breaking point quickly.

I think sanity-wise, if they go five more games or lose six games in a row, that can’t happen, and they’ve gotta do something. (Sharks team owner) Hasso Plattner has lots of money, so paying Ryan Warsofsky whatever his extension is… Hasso has that (money).

Paul Sunseri. But

Sharks head to Minnesota and Dallas to end road trip

San Jose will look to stop the slide on a three-game road trip, visiting the Minnesota Wild on Friday and the Dallas Stars on Saturday. The Sharks next host the Kings on Dec. 9 in the second game of a home-and-home series.

Darcy Kuemper stopped 30 of 32 shots for Los Angeles. Kempe’s hat trick tied him with Jimmy Carson and Charlie Simmer for ninth-most in franchise history, according to LA Kings Insider. Kenny Connors, recalled from the AHL’s Ontario Reign for his season debut, recorded his first career NHL point.

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