The Kings wanted a better start. They got it.
They wanted to dictate the play to the San Jose Sharks. They did it.
They wanted an early lead. Well, two out of three wasn’t bad.
Final: Kings 3, Sharks 0
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Game 5 final: Kings 3, Sharks 0, Kings lead series 3-2
The Kings extend their home win streak to 13, including all six in the playoffs, with a 3-0 victory over the Sharks in Game 5 that gives them a chance to close out the series Sunday night in San Jose and advance to the Western Conference finals.
Jonathan Quick’s seventh career playoff shutout gives him 27 post-season wins, passing Kelly Hrudey for the franchise record.
Slava Voynov’s third-period goal 53 seconds into the frame came after Anze Kopitar’s goal late in the second period. Voynov’s slapshot from the point made it through traffic after Trevor Lewis won a faceoff against Joe Thornton and slid the puck from his stomach back to Voynov.
Kopitar’s rebound goal finally broke the scoreless game where the Kings continued to dominate, but failed to push anything across. It was Kopitar’s first goal of the series and second in 11 playoff games – this for a player who had 20 points in 20 playoff games last year.
“We needed it and came out big in this one,” Kopitar said after the game.
Jeff Carter added an empty-net goal with 31 seconds left to finish the scoring.
Game 5 second period: Kings 1, Sharks 0
KINGS 1, SHARKS 0
Anze Kopitar’s rebound goal with 1:52 left in the period finally broke the scoreless game where the Kings continued to dominate, but failed to push anything across. Kyle Clifford and Rob Scuderi were given the assists in a scramble that saw Sharks goalie Antti Niemi lose his stick, then get handed one by a teammate just as Kopitar put it in. It was Kopitar’s first goal of the series and second in 11 playoff games – this for someone with 20 points in 20 playoff games last year. The Sharks went nearly 15 minutes without a shot spanning the first to second period. A Kyle Clifford penalty gave the Sharks another prime scoring opportunity but to no avail. The Kings have the shot advantage, 18-11 and will start the third period on the power play thanks to a TJ Galiardi crosscheck penalty on Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. The Kings also have more than twice as many hits recorded than the Sharks, 39-18.
Game 5 first period: Kings 0, Sharks 0
KINGS 0, SHARKS 0
The Kings’ defenseman set the tone early and played a key factor in keeping the puck away from Jonathan Quick and crashing the net on Antti Niemi, keeping the pressure on the Sharks zone. Jeff Carter’s missed open net was about the best scoring chance the Kings had all period. Carter also drew the period’s only penalty due to a check after a whistle blew that he apparently did not hear. The Kings outshot the Sharks, 9-6, and won on the hits, 24-12. And a shot of Tom Cruise on the scoreboard video got almost no reaction.
Fundraising for Oklahoma
The Kings are having a fundrasier to benefit the Red Cross Tornado relief efforts at the Kings Care booth in the main concourse tonight. The Kings are matching all donations made plus adding an additional $10,000. Nice assist!
Looking forward to Game 5 of the Kings-Sharks second-round playoff series
Kings coach Darryl Sutter was bound and determined to shake things up for what loomed as a pivotal Game 5 of their second-round playoff series Thursday against the San Jose Sharks at Staples Center. How much actual shaking remained to be seen, however.
For starters, hard-nosed left winger Kyle Clifford was expected to move from a checking line to a skilled line to join center Anze Kopitar and right wing Justin Williams. Team captain Dustin Brown appeared to be shifted to a checking line to join center Trevor Lewis and left wing Dwight King.
Winger Dustin Penner was set to play with center Mike Richards and winger Jeff Carter.
“Every game is desperate this time of year, but Game 5 is a pivotal game in a long series,” Brown said of trying to break a two-victories-apiece deadlock in the best-of-7 series. “You look at the last series, we squeaked one out in St. Louis and it just brings momentum.
“You have that mental edge going into Game 6. We’re on home ice. It’s important for us to prepare to do the right things to give us a chance to win. … Probably the biggest difference (in Sutter’s new line combinations) is me playing on the right side.”
The Kings won Games 1 and 2 at Staples Center, but then dropped the next two by matching scores of 2-1 at HP Pavilion in San Jose. Game 6 is Sunday in San Jose. Game 7, if necessary, would be played Tuesday at Staples Center.
The Kings were 5-0 at home in the playoffs going into Game 5, but only 1-4 on the road.
Inside the numbers
The Kings are 20-0 in the playoffs the last two seasons when scoring two goals or more in a game. They are 2-8 when scoring one goal or no goals. All five of their losses the last two postseasons have been by scores of 2-1, including all four this year. Crack research provided by the NHL via the Elias Sports Bureau.
Darryl Sutter shuffles line combinations … for Wednesday’s practice, anyway
Dustin Brown went from playing left wing on a line with center Anze Kopitar and right wing Justin Williams to skating with third-liners Dwight King and Trevor Lewis during Wednesday’s practice. It remains to be seen if they’re together for Game 5 of the Kings’ second-round playoff series with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Here’s what Brown had to say:
Justin Williams talks about the Kings’ scoring woes, including his own
Justin Williams hasn’t been shy about addressing the Kings’ lack of scoring punch during their second-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks. The Kings have scored eight goals in four games for the same two goals-per-game average they had during their first-round victory over the St. Louis Blues. Williams wasn’t sure what to say when a reporter asked him about the struggles of line-mate Anze Kopitar.
Here’s the exchange:
Question: You’ve played alongside Kopitar and known him long enough, you’ve seen him go through slumps before, goal-scoring slumps before, do you see anything different in him now in terms of goals not going in?
Answer: (After about five seconds) Um.
Q: I mean he’s playing against some big boys, too, (the Blues’ David) Backes and the others.
A: (After about five more seconds) Um. Do I see anything different? I don’t know. I always think … I mean … Kopi’s our best player. I think he’s … regardless of whether he’s on the score sheet or not, he’s doing something to help the team. Just because he doesn’t score … I put a lot of the responsibility on myself, as well. It’s not as though you’re going to pass up a shot to give him one. Recently, we all haven’t done the necessary things to score goals come playoff time. He’s included in that, and a lot of players are. Yeah, I couldn’t say one way or another.”
Q: This is the time the best players have to be the best players. Is this happening for this team right now.?
A: “Obviously, not. We have some guys who are stepping up. But … I mean, it’s pure broken record is what it is. Scorers’ got to score. If they don’t score, they’ve got to create more offense. We’ve been out-played so far, top line to top line, in the series. We’re a proud bunch, and it’s 2-2. We’re still in a good spot here.”
Q: Do you think there will be any carryover from the way you ended Game 4?
A: “Every game’s different. Every game’s got its own story of ups and downs, momentum swings, push back. It’s in our building. We’ve had success here. We need to maintain that, obviously, because they’ve had success at home. We won the last game of the regular season for a reason. Let’s make it worth our while.”
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is not winning them over in San Jose
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Here’s the story from our sister paper, the San Jose Mercury News.
SAN JOSE — Sharks forward TJ Galiardi said Wednesday that Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is guilty of “a little embellishment every now and then” in this Western Conference semifinal series as he tries to draw penalties on San Jose forwards.
“What kind of bugs me about him, I don’t know if I should say it, but a little embellishment every now and then,” Galiardi said before the team left for Los Angeles for Game 5 on Thursday at Staples Center. “You skate by and you don’t even touch him or you barely even touch him and he’s throwing his hands in the air. So that’s one of those things.
“It’s the playoffs. Everyone’s trying to draw a penalty. Whatever.”
Galiardi was referring to an incident in Game 3 when Quick momentarily lost his footing after Galiardi made contact with him in front of the Kings net. Quick lobbied for an interference call, but no penalty was assessed.