Game Thread: Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks 1/27/14 | 10:00pm

[Cobiemonster]

vs.

at

Game Time: 10:00pm EST/7:00pm PST - NBCSN​

KINGS (29-18-6) at SHARKS (34-12-6)

TV: TSN2, NBCSN

Last 10: Los Angeles 3-5-2; San Jose 8-2-0

Season series: This is the fourth game this season between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. The Kings beat the Sharks, 4-1, in their most-recent meeting on Dec. 19, 2013 at Staples Center to take a 2-0-1 lead in the season series.

Big story: After the playing under the bright lights of Dodger Stadium in the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series on Saturday night, the Kings will have to find a way to return to normalcy, but adapting to life in regular NHL venue is hardly their biggest problem. Los Angeles is in the midst of a five-game losing streak, which it will attempt to snap Monday with a visit to San Jose against the red-hot Sharks, winners of six in a row.

Team Scope:

Kings: The Kings got to participate in a rare spectacle on Saturday when they faced the Anaheim Ducks outside and under the lights, and while the experience may have been a memorable one, the fact remains that L.A. gave up two points to a division rival and remains mired one of its longest skids of the season. The team's offense continued to struggle as it was shut out by Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller, marking the sixth time in the Kings' past eight games in which they failed to score more than two goals.

The Kings have averaged just 1.83 goals per game in January, well below their season average of 2.38, which is already in the bottom sixth in the League.

"We had some really good chances," Kings captain Dustin Brown said after the team's loss to Anaheim at Dodger Stadium. "But we've gotta bear down on our chances. We've gotta start finding points."

Their recent skid has cost the Kings considerable ground in the Pacific Division standings, but they remain in third place and are in line to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After visiting San Jose, the Kings travel to face the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday before settling in for a four-game homestand ahead of the Olympic break.

Sharks: While their in-state rivals have struggled, the Sharks have flourished over the past two weeks. San Jose recently swept a three-game cross-country road trip with games against the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning before returning home and winning the first three games on a four-game homestand.

While six wins in a row is impressive, however, only two of those wins came against teams currently in the playoff field. Even in the Sharks' last game, a 3-2 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, coach Todd McLellan felt the team's performance was not up to snuff.

"We sure weren't very sharp," McLellan said afterward. "I thought we started the game well. For the first eight minutes, we were fine. We were playing the kind of game we wanted. We had the turnover in the neutral zone, and after they scored, we never regained any type of momentum until later in the second period.

"We can't fall into a trap where we get sleepy, lazy, nonchalant just because we're at home. Teams are competing hard, and we have to match that."

After facing Los Angeles, the Sharks will make a quick two-game road trip to face the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames before opening up another four-game homestand.

Who's hot: There may be no one in the League hotter than Joe Pavelski, who has scored seven goals and added three assists in the past five games. In three of those games, Pavelski netted the game-winner.

Injury report: Kings defenseman Matt Greene (concussion) is out indefinitely. … Sharks forward Martin Havlat (lower-body injury) is questionable while forwards Logan Couture (hand surgery), Tomas Hertle (right knee surgery), Raffi Torres (ACL surgery) and Adam Burish (back surgery) as well as defenseman Scott Hannan (concussion) are all out.

Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks - 01/27/2014

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Should be a good one tonight.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Kings need to learn to score again. 0,1 goals per game won't cut it in this one.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Alec Martinez out of the lineup tonight and tomorrow at least, with a hyper-extended elbow - Matt Greene will return to the lineup

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[Cobiemonster]

Gooooooooooo Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiingsssssssssssssss Gooooooooooooo!

 

[Jims_Doors]

Quick, with the sick glove save

 

[Cobiemonster]

Hard work in the offensive zone leads to a Kings power play - now cash in

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[Cobiemonster]

No score after one period - keep playing physical Kings! Go Kings Go!

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

I put all my cash on the under....so far so good.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The Kings powerless play to work now

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Kings will win, as I predicted earlier

 

[Cobiemonster]

Koooooooooooooooopiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! 1-0 Kings!!!!!

 

[Cobiemonster]

Kings have a lead after two periods - Go Kings Go!!!

 

[davnlaguna]

Kings need to learn to score again. 0,1 goals per game won't cut it in this one.

looks like you were wrong

 

[Cobiemonster]

Kings get their first win in San Jose in almost three years!!!!!

 

[Destroydacre]

Watched the Sharks for the first time in ages tonight and now I remembered why I quit watching this team. What a boring ass game.

 

[Slimpikins]

In all fairness John, that game was not indicative of their level of play this year. They have had some exciting games.

I had a beer league game tonight, looks like I didn't miss out on much.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

Kings get their first win in San Jose in almost three years!!!!!

You're welcome Called that one.