Los Angeles Kings v San Jose Sharks (SAP Center)
Time: 7:00 PM
TV: CBC, RDS, NBCSN, Fox Sports West
Enemy reading: Fear the Fin
Sharks (projected) lineup:
Pavelski-Thornton-Burns
Marleau-Couture-Nieto
Hertl-Sheppard-Wingels
Torres-Desjardins-Brown
Vlasic-Demers
Stuart-Braun
Hannan-Boyle
Niemi
Injured: Adam Burish; Scratched: Martin Havlat, Tyler Kennedy, Matt Irwin, Matt Tennyson
Kings (projected) lineup:
Gaborik-Kopitar-Williams
King-Richards-Carter
Toffoli-Stoll-Brown
Clifford-Lewis-Nolan
Muzzin-Doughty
Regehr-Voynov
Mitchell-Martinez
Quick
Injured: n/a; Scratched: Tanner Pearson, Linden Vey, Matt Greene
Game Notes:
- Well, let’s try this again. As you may have heard, the Kings were, technically speaking, “extremely bad” in game 1. The ideal situation would be for them to be not as extremely bad during this game 2! There isn’t much more useful analysis to be had – the Kings were so thoroughly, holistically terrible, that to point out one weakness in their game would be unfair to all the other weaknesses. They need to be better at everything tonight.
- That being said, Jonathan Quick needs to be better. He will be better. I’m not worried, and you shouldn’t be either. It’s fine. Better he had a blooper reel of a game one than a blooper reel of a game seven.
- #FREETANNERPEARSON (The bottom six was uniformly atrocious on Thursday – I’m not sure what Darryl Sutter thinks anybody’s “veteran presence” is adding or how he thinks Tanner Pearson might do worse in those minutes. This is becoming extremely aggravating.)
- Kyle Clifford’s partner Paige gave birth to a son on Friday night. They named him Brody Hudson, which seems about exactly right. Perhaps unfortunately, Kyle Clifford will not be taking any time off from hockey to celebrate the birth of his child.
- I forgot how boring these playoff previews are. It’s the same team, and you all know exactly what happened last time, and what needs to happen this time, and what all of my pet peeves are, and how much we all hate Raffi Torres, so there’s not much new content to be had here. Sorry. Feel free to discuss the embarrassment of allowing a goal to Raffi Torres below.
- ~Fun With Numbers~ from Extra Skater.
- Prediction: Kings win the game like they’ll win the series, 4-1. YEAH, I SAID IT.