The fifth-seeded Los Angeles Kings attempt to continue their home dominance on Thursday when they host the sixth-seeded San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of their Western Conference second-round series. Los Angeles ended the regular season with seven consecutive wins at Staples Center and has kept on rolling in the playoffs, winning all three home games against the St. Louis Blues in the first round. The reigning Stanley Cup champions, who have home-ice advantage for the first time since 1992, made it 11 in a row on Tuesday as they posted a 2-0 victory over San Jose in the series opener.
Jonathan Quick made 35 saves for his sixth career playoff shutout - and second this postseason - as he has maintained the form that won him the Conn Smythe Trophy last year. Teammate Slava Voynov is emerging as a challenger for the award this postseason. The defenseman netted his third goal of the playoffs - all game-winners - and added an assist on Tuesday, while Mike Richards also scored and set up a tally. The loss in Game 1 was the first of the postseason for the Sharks, who swept the Northwest Division champion Vancouver Canucks in the first round. San Jose registered 16 of its 35 shots in the third period but could not avoid being shut out for the 17th time in franchise playoff history.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE SHARKS: Raffi Torres is at it again. After delivering an illegal hit to the head of Chicago's Marian Hossa while a member of the Phoenix Coyotes during last year's playoffs that drew a 25-game suspension, Torres appeared to make contact with the head of Los Angeles' Jarret Stoll in the final minute of the second period on Tuesday. Torres, who earned a charging penalty, also may receive some sort of punishment from the league for the hit on Stoll, who did not return to the game afterward. "To be honest, I didn't really think it was even going to be a penalty," Torres said. "I still feel like I got shoulder to his shoulder, and then it looked - because he was leaning over - that I came up a little high. I hope he's alright." Coach Todd McLellan doesn't feel Torres should be disciplined by the league. "Clean hit, not even a charging penalty, in my opinion," he said. Center Bracken Kearns received 6:05 of ice time and registered one shot in his first career playoff game. Kearns, who turned 32 on Sunday, has appeared in six NHL regular-season contests.
ABOUT THE KINGS: Richards increased his team-leading point total to seven with his goal and assist on Tuesday. The former Philadelphia Flyers captain has recorded multi-point performances in three of his last four games. "He just steps up," coach Darryl Sutter said. "It's refreshing to see guys like that, that when it's a big game, they step up. He did it last series (too)." The Kings have not lost at home since suffering back-to-back shutout losses to the Dallas Stars and Vancouver on March 21 and 23, respectively. Sutter did not give an update on Stoll but admitted, without actually saying it, that the center was injured. "Well, we weren't resting him and he didn't come back," Sutter said. Richards' tally 12 1/2 minutes into the second period of the series opener gave the Kings their first two-goal lead this postseason.
OVERTIME
1. D Matt Irwin led the Sharks with six shots on goal in the series opener, while C James Sheppard and D Justin Braun were the only members of the team who failed to register at least one.
2. With three game-winning goals, Voynov has set a franchise record for a defenseman in a single postseason.
3. Los Angeles has won five straight playoff games, including a franchise-record four in a row at home.
PREDICTION: Kings 3, Sharks 1