This might be a little bit late for those of you on the way to the game, but for a final preview in advance of tonight’s 7:00 p.m. puck drop, here’s my weekly LAKings.com feature. It’s called Game 7 Mentality – referencing a Jonathan Quick quote – and it uses the 2001 series against Detroit and the 2013 series against St. Louis as examples of how teams can come back from 2-0 deficits. Those two series are the only times in 13 opportunities that the Kings have won a playoff series in which they trailed 2-0; both times they won the next four games to advance.
With a split, San Jose returns home with its own boost in momentum. Home teams are 22-1-1 in the last 24 games between the two teams, and the Sharks have lost eight straight games at Staples Center since playing the puck from the bench became a viable late game strategy. Should these teams split the next two games, San Jose will have exorcized the Curse of Ryane Clowe and will return home to the SAP Center with not only confidence and momentum, but an opportunity to close out their rivals in a setting that to this point has produced an aggregate 13-5 score in favor of the home team.
Yes, the Kings will be focusing on Game 3 only, and Darryl Sutter’s prescription blinders will shield them well from any potential thinking ahead.
“Every game is a Game 7 mentality. Game 1, 2, 3, right up and down,” Jonathan Quick said. “Obviously they won the first two Game 7s, and we have to win [Tuesday’s].”
LAKings.com: Game 7 Mentality
Previous LAKings.com features:
Northern Roots
Great Expectations
Alec Martinez: Ready to Play
Ice Chirps
Rogie and Quick
Their Move
Jumping Off Point
Weekend in Manch
Silver and Black Lining
Winter’s Spell
Culture Shift
Five-Ringed Granger
Loosened Reign
Halfway There
Robyn’s Flight
Net Gains
Mark Morris: An Open Door
Darryl Sutter: Playing Hardball
Influencers
Another Go
Dining Out with Willie Mitchell
Kings of CHLA
West is Best
Their Words
Numbers Aside
Follow Me
Talk About It
Padded Down
Little Time for Rest
Make Them Better
Comfort Level
Getting There
Will to Win
Buying In
Fine Tuning
Battle Tested
Smooth and Selke
Up, Up and Away
In Their Eyes
Work in Progress
Committed
Scuderi’s Actions Speak
Brown’s Model a Path for Doughty
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