LOS ANGELES — The Kings were cruising along with a four-goal lead. Then came an offensive barrage by the San Jose Sharks so swift and stunning that Los Angeles never could answer.

Devin Setoguchi scored 3:09 into overtime to give the Sharks a 6-5 victory and a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.

“This is a game that you don’t expect to happen. I don’t think it will repeat itself,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. “We were very fortunate to come back from that deficit. We’re excited about it, but we also know the mulligan we used won’t be available to us again.”

It was San Jose’s second overtime win in three games after taking the series opener 3-2.

Setoguchi’s wrist shot beat Jonathan Quick to cap the Sharks’ rally from a 4-0 deficit in the second period, when the teams combined for seven goals.

“The second you hang your head and feel sorry for yourself then it turns into six, seven, eight to nothing,” Setoguchi said.

“We got that goal in the second period and all of a sudden the light turned on that we can do it, we can get pucks past this guy. We got it deep, worked hard, we beat guys off the wall. We got the second and third opportunities that led to the goals.”

Game 4 is Thursday at Staples Center.

After all the scoring in the second period, both teams failed to convert scoring chances in the third, when there were no penalties.

Antero Nittymaki stopped 11 shots after replacing Antti Niemi, who was pulled early in the second after the Kings scored their fourth consecutive goal.

Quick made 30 saves for the Kings, who had no shots in overtime while the Sharks had two.

“It stings right now. We got to let it go right away,” Matt Greene said. “You give yourself tonight, you feel bad about it, but tomorrow’s a new day. It would have been the same way if we’d won 4-0. We have to try to get back and get this series tied up.”

Patrick Marleau triggered three straight goals and five altogether by the Sharks in the second when he tipped in a shot at 3:08 for his first point of the playoffs. He and Niclas Wallin assisted on Setoguchi’s game-winner.

“It’s definitely a little bit of a confidence booster for us,” Setoguchi said. “They’re going to be hungry and they’re going to be ready to avenge this game.”

San Jose’s Ryane Clowe scored the game’s lone power-play goal to make it 4-2. The puck went off Willie Mitchell’s left hand and into the net at 6:53. Logan Couture pulled the Sharks to 4-3 with a shot that found the upper right corner of the net at 13:32.

The Kings answered 5 seconds later, with Ryan Smyth’s goal at 13:37 keeping them ahead 5-3.

‘Hawks 7, Canucks 2

Dave Bolland’s long and difficult road just to get back on the ice landed him in the playoffs. And his Chicago Blackhawks teammates were singing “Welcome Back” after he made sure they’ll get to play at least one more game.

Bolland returned after missing 17 games with a concussion and had an immediate impact for a desperate team, scoring a goal and assisting on three others Tuesday night as the defending Stanley Cup champions routed the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 to avoid elimination.

Vancouver still leads the series 3-1, headed home for Game 5 on Thursday night.

“Obviously, he (Bolland) helped a lot tonight, but he’s not a guy who is going to change the series,” said Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who was pulled in the third period shortly after giving up his sixth goal.

On March 9, Bolland took an elbow to the head against Tampa Bay — and for 5Z\x weeks, he dealt with physical problems and bouts of depression stemming from the concussion.

“There was a time when I didn’t think I was gonna come back. You never know when you’re going to get out of the headaches, the fuzziness,” Bolland said.

He passed a final test Tuesday morning.