Sharks looking for bigger contributions from lines that don’t have guys named Joe on them

6:26 PM ET

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Perhaps lost in the awesome play of Joe Thornton’s top line through three games of this series is that the San Jose Sharks could use a little more from the rest of the crew if they’re going to knock off the Los Angeles Kings.

“That’s a bit of an understatement,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said Tuesday, his team up 2-1 in the series, with Game 4 going Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET.

“I think that’s been consistent here over the years. The big guys are here. The one thing we’ve tried to create here is the depth underneath to be able to support that. For most nights this year, we’ve got it. I don’t think we got enough of it last game.”

Logan Couture knows his line is expected to produce more. Don Smith/NHLI/Getty Images

The fourth line centered by Chris Tierney in Game 3 took three minor penalties, a total no-no for an energy line.

Logan Couture, whose second line was on the ice for Tanner Pearson’s OT winner Monday night, answered before the question was finished on Tuesday when asked if non-Thornton lines need to step up. Playing with Thornton these days are wingers Tomas Hertl and captain Joe Pavelski.

“Yes, I think so, yeah,” Couture quickly responded. “I mean, Jumbo’s line has carried us so far. If you’re playing on my line, the third line or the fourth line, you want to step up and do something. You can’t sit on the bench and watch Jumbo’s line go out there and carry the play. …

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