Series Preview: San Jose Sharks - Los Angeles Kings

Season Series

San Jose Sharks

These teams battled hard against one another in the regular season, with four of the games being one-goal games. The Kings came out on top winning the season series 3-1-1. Both teams play a hard style of hockey and have incredible goaltending. Expect low scoring games with lots of overtime.

Regular Season

The Sharks had a quiet regular season for the first time in years. They avoided the spotlight while still finishing second in the Pacific Division with 111 points on the season. The quietness of this season should benefit San Jose. In years past the pressure of being Stanley Cup favorites has worked against them. This year they have managed to play incredible hockey, yet are not considered the favorites to win the Cup.

The Sharks came out of the gate strong this season with just two losses in their first twelve games. They have a very strong group of forwards that thrive in physical games. Joe Pavelski led the way offensively with 41 goals and 79 points. Joining Pavelski in the 70-point club were both Joe Thornton (76 points) and Patrick Marleau (70 points). These strong seasons were a big factor for the Sharks, and when injuries struck they were always able to count on these big three to provide offense. San Jose was incredible on home ice all season long going 29-7-5, so having home ice advantage in this series is huge for them. The Sharks finished the season on a two game winning streak and look to carry that momentum into game one.

Keys to Victory

San Jose will need three things to win this series; first they need Joe Thornton to take over games and dominate offensively. Thornton has been criticized often in the past for his playoff performances, but with the pressure lower than ever it may finally be Thorntons time to shine.

Second they will need Antti Niemi to perform at a Vezina level. With Jonathan Quick lining up at the opposite end of the rink, Niemi cannot afford to be the hole in this Shark team. He will need to string together the best hockey of his career and keep pace with Quick save for save.

Finally, home ice. The Sharks fought all season long and wound up with home ice advantage in this series. They need to take advantage of this, with 29 wins at home on the season the Sharks are one of the best home teams in the entire league.

Key Players

Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle, Marc-Edouard Vlasic Logan Couture, Antti Niemi. These guys need to be the leaders offensively and defensively. Vlasic in particular has become a premier NHL defenseman and he needs to carry his impressive season into the playoffs.

Key Injuries

Adam Burish (Out indefinitely), Raffi Torres (on IR, could be available) These two players are your prototypical playoff performers. Raffi Torres plays a physical game, sacrifices the body, and has the ability to put the puck in the net. He doesn’t hurt you when he is on the ice so it will be a huge boost if he is available for any of this series. Burish brings a Stanley Cup ring to the dressing room from his time in Chicago. This valuable experience cannot be ignored and could provide a steady presence in the locker room.

Los Angeles Kings

Regular Season

The LA Kings finished 3rd in the Pacific Division this season with 100 points. Their best hockey has come since the Olympic break, they have only 6 losses in the 23 games they have played since February 26th. That is impressive hockey and is due in large part to the improved play of Jonathan Quick. Quick missed a chunk of games this season due to injury. He is back now and is playing some great hockey, heating up just in time for the Kings to do some damage in the playoffs.

At the trade deadline the Kings set out to add a one-shot scorer. They targeted Thomas Vanek, however Montreal won that bidding war. So GM Dean Lombardi targeted his next best option which turned out to be Marian Gaborik from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Since being acquired Gaborik has found instant chemistry with Anze Kopitar. In the 19 games he has played for Los Angeles he has 16 points and 1 60.0% CF. He was a great addition to this Kings team which has always been so strong defensively.

Keys to Victory

For Los Angeles to beat the Sharks they will need Gaborik and Kopitar to stay hot. The Kings are widely known for winning games 2-1 or 1-0, but with Gaborik in the lineup they have increased their goal scoring ability. They now have two lines that are a threat to score every time they hit the ice, and yet will give up nothing defensively. Anze Kopitar is a premier two-way player in the NHL. He brings Selke level abilities to the table, and the Kings will be relying on him to continue his strong play. With their newfound offensive abilities, the Kings have taken some pressure off of both the defense and Quick. Against San Jose they will be in an all-out war. They cannot afford to back down to the Sharks, and will need to use their size and experience. The Kings bring Stanley Cup pedigree and experience to the table, and in a long drawn out series that can be the edge needed to come out on top.

Key Players

Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik, Jeff Carter, Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin and Mike Richards. Richards in particular has had an average season, but he is a guy that always brings his best hockey to the table in the playoffs. He can be a strong two-way player and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty. If the Kings are going to have success they will need Richards to play like he did when they won the Stanley Cup in 2012.

Key Injuries

Drew Doughty is the only player questionable for game one. Doughty has a bruised left shoulder but could be ready to go for game one. Doughty is one of the top puck moving defenseman in the entire league and having him in the lineup gives the Kings an edge from the backend.

Schedule

Thursday, April 17 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles at San Jose NBCSN, CBC

Sunday, April 20 10 p.m. Los Angeles at San Jose NBCSN, CBC

Tuesday, April 22 10 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles NBCSN, CBC

Thursday, April 24 10:30 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles NBCSN, CBC

*Saturday, April 26 TBD Los Angeles at San Jose NBCSN, CBC

*Monday, April 28 TBD San Jose at Los Angeles CBC

*Wednesday, April 30 TBD Los Angeles at San Jose CBC

Prediction

For the first time in years the Sharks have completely flown under the radar, and because of this they will feel less pressure to win; with less pressure will come success. If Niemi can keep pace with Quick, the Sharks will come out on top. This will be an all-out battle, and whichever team emerges will not do so unscathed.

Sharks in 7.

All images sourced from Getty Images.