Game Previews

15: Preview, Sharks @ Kings, Western Conference Round 1, Game 5

I guess this is gonna have to be another "uphill battle" kind of postseason.

Time: 7:30 PM Pacific
Location: Staples Center
TV: CNBC, Prime Ticket, CSN-CA
Radio: KABC 790 AM
Live Stream: NBC Sports

Projected Lines

San Jose Sharks

Hertl - Thornton - Pavelski
Donskoi - Couture - Ward
Nieto - Marleau - Karlsson
Spaling - Tierney - Wingels

Vlasic - Braun
Martin - Burns
Dillon - Polak

Jones
(Reimer)

King - Kopitar - Gaborik
Lucic - Carter - Toffoli
Pearson - Lecavalier - Brown
Clifford - Lewis - Versteeg

Scuderi - Doughty
Muzzin - Schenn
McNabb - McBain

Quick
(Enroth)

Scratched: Andreoff, Shore Injured: Martinez, Nolan, Greene

Game Notes:

Same lineups. Hopefully, a different result. You can read some thoughts on the lineup here.
In the last preview, we discussed (OK, I wrote about) the fact that it wasn't a must-win game. That particular section ended with the cautionary point that "asking LA to win three straight is still a tall order." Sure is!
Trevor Lewis is the leading goal-scorer for the Kings in this series. No one has more than three points. Luke Schenn was the offensive star in Game Four. This is where we are.
Fear the Fin pregame reading: Brent Burns showcased the defensive improvements that have made him even more difficult to play against. He and Paul Martin might still be easier to crack than Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun, but both pairs are tough.
Which offers a contrast from LA's three pairs, all of which are vulnerable. Jake Muzzin and Drew Doughty have to play their best games of the series tonight.
Thanks, as always, for reading. Here's to the Kings making sure there are more previews this season.
PREDICTION: Kings win.