The view from San Jose

Here’s what Sharks coach Todd McLellan said about the Kings this morning..

MCLELLAN: “They’re very impressive. They’re obviously playing with a tremendous amount of confidence. When they got to the start line this year, they felt good about themselves. Kopitar, Ryan Smyth (is) as good a pair as there is in the league right now. But I like their commitment in the D zone. They don’t give up very much. Goaltending has been very good. They’re not — and this is said with ultimate respect to their organization — they’re not the L.A. Kings from three or four years ago. They have a tremendous amount of youth that has grown a long way. Coach Murray has done a tremendous job with them, and they really believe right now. So they’re as good as any team in the league.”

McLellan was asked about the key to getting a better result against the Kings than in their previous meeting, on Oct. 6 at Staples Center, when the Kings took a 4-0 lead in the second period and held on for a 6-4 win…

MCLELLAN: “One, you better be ready. If your mindset isn’t prepared to play against an elite team in the National Hockey League, which they are, you’ll fall behind three, four, five goals. I’d like to think the players will adjust. They’ve had the first test, in L.A., and certainly didn’t pass when it came to it. I’d like to think they’re better prepared when they step on the ice tonight.”

Here’s how the Sharks are expected to skate up front tonight…

Heatley-Thornton-Clowe
Malhotra-Marleau-Ferriero
Ortmeyer-Nichol-McGinn
Shelley-Couture-Staubitz

As previously posted, the Sharks are without Devin Setoguchi, Ryan Vesce, Joe Pavelski and Torrey Mitchell. For more about the Sharks, including a note about Dan Boyle playing with a broken thumb, check out the San Jose Mercury News blog item by David Pollak here.

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