Game 5 Preview: Los Angeles at San Jose

(3) Los Angeles Kings (1-3) at (2) San Jose Sharks (3-1)
Saturday, April 26, 2014, 7:00 p.m. PT
SAP Center, San Jose, CA
Referees: #25 Marc Joannette, #33 Kevin Pollock
Linesmen: #55 Shane Heyer, #83 Matt MacPherson
FSW, CNBC, CBC, KEIB 1150 AM

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick
2013-14 Playoffs: 4 GP (4 GS) / 1-3 record / 5.05 GAA / .871 Sv% / 0 SHO
Career, Playoffs: 54 (54) / 30-24 / 2.23 / .924 / 7
Versus San Jose, Playoffs: 17 (17) / 7-10 / 2.87 / .916 / 3
2013-14 Playoffs, Away: 2 (2) / 0-2 / 7.22 / .824 / 0

San Jose Projected Starting Goaltender – Antti Niemi
2013-14 Playoffs: 4 GP (4 GS) / 3-1 record / 23.45 GAA / .889 Sv% / 0 SHO
Career, Playoffs: 60 (60) / 35-24 / 2.70 / .908 / 2
Versus Los Angeles, Playoffs: 17 (17) / 10-7 / 2.91 / .895 / 0
2013-14 Playoffs, Home: 2 (2) / 2-0 / 2.51 / .917 / 0

2013-14 Los Angeles Leaders
Total Points: Jeff Carter (1-3=4), Anze Kopitar (0-4=4)
Goals: Marian Gaborik (3-0=3)
Assists: Anze Kopitar (0-4=4)
Plus/Minus: Jake Muzzin (+3; 2-1=3)
Penalty Minutes: Kyle Clifford (30; 0-0=0)
Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (26:23; 0-3=3)

2013-14 San Jose Leaders
Total Points: Patrick Marleau (3-4=7)
Goals: Patrick Marleau (3-4=7)
Assists: Patrick Marleau (3-4=7), Joe Pavelski (2-4=6), Dan Boyle (0-4=4)
Plus/Minus: Matt Nieto (+4; 2-3=5)
Penalty Minutes: Mike Brown (26; 1-1=2)
Time On Ice: Dan Boyle (22:03; 0-4=4)

Rankings and Statistics
Goals/Game: LAK – t-3 / 3.50; SJS – 1 / 5.00
Goals Against/Game: LAK – 16 / 5.00; SJS – t-12 / 3.50
Power Play: LAK – 7/ 23.1%; SJS – 6 / 23.5%
Penalty Kill: LAK – 11 / 76.5%; SJS – 10 / 76.9%
Shots/Game: LAK – 11 / 30.5; SJS – 1 / 38.0
Shots Against/Game: LAK – 16 / 38.0; SJS – 6 / 30.5
Faceoffs: LAK – 8 / 50.4%; SJS – 9 / 49.6%
Save Percentage: LAK – 16 / .868; SJS – 14 / .885

Los Angeles Projected Lines

Marian Gaborik – Anze Kopitar – Dustin Brown
Tanner Pearson – Jeff Carter – Tyler Toffoli
Dwight King – Jarret Stoll – Justin Williams
Kyle Clifford – Mike Richards – Trevor Lewis

Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Robyn Regehr – Slava Voynov
Willie Mitchell – Alec Martinez

Jonathan Quick
Martin Jones

Level of confidence in projected lines: A-. All indications are that the Kings will roll with the same lineup used in Game 4, but this is the playoffs, and changes are always possible. Expect a full assortment of players to take the ice for warm-ups.

Notes and milestones: Los Angeles is 7-10 all-time against San Jose in the playoffs, a mark that includes a road record of 2-6. The Kings are 95-129 all-time in the playoffs and 40-77 on the road. They have lost eight consecutive road playoff games since their 3-2 overtime win at St. Louis on May 8, 2013. … Los Angeles is 16-13 all-time in Game 5s and 16-20 all-time when facing elimination. … Though only three NHL teams have come back to win a series it trailed three-nothing, the Kings are 1-11 all-time in series in which they trail three games to one. The only series win was the 1989 Smythe Division Semifinal against Edmonton, in which Los Angeles held home ice advantage. Last year, the Kings trailed the Blackhawks three games to one and lost Game 6 in double overtime, 3-2. … Los Angeles has held the lead for 81:07 of the series (32.9%), San Jose has held the lead for 103:01 of the series (41.8%), and the game has been tied for 62:12 (25.3). … Including playoffs, home teams are 23-2-1 in the last 26 games between the Kings and Sharks. … Including today’s afternoon game, home teams are 16-2 in the Western Conference and 8-9 in the Eastern Conference. … Jeff Carter has recorded points in eight straight playoff games (2-7=9). … Anze Kopitar has assists in all four games in the series (0-4=4) and a five-game playoff point streak (1-5=6). … San Jose has outscored Los Angeles 20-14 in the series (5.0 to 3.5 per game). … The teams have combined for 395 hits in the series. Dustin Brown finished with a game-high 10 hits.

San Jose Projected Lineup

Joe Pavelski – Joe Thornton – Brent Burns
Patrick Marleau – Logan Couture – Matt Nieto
Tomas Hertl – James Sheppard – Tommy Wingels
Raffi Torres – Andrew Desjardins – Mike Brown

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Jason Demers
Brad Stuart – Justin Braun
Scott Hannan – Dan Boyle

Antti Niemi
Alex Stalock

Notes and milestones: With 8.5 goals per game, this is the highest scoring first round series. Columbus-Pittsburgh (7.0 goals per game) and Montreal-Tampa Bay follow Los Angeles-San Jose. … With 60 career playoff goals, Patrick Marleau ranks second in goal scoring by an active NHL player, trailing only Jaromir Jagr (78). … Of the 18 skaters San Jose has used in the series, only Brad Stuart has failed to record a point. … Patrick Marleau (3-4=7) has recorded a point in every game this series.