The Bum's NHL Regular and Stanley Cup Playoff's Best Bets !

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/13/13 0-*3-*1 0.00% -*1690 Detail
05/12/13 2-*3-*1 40.00% -*915 Detail
05/11/13 1-*1-*0 50.00% 0 Detail
05/10/13 4-*4-*0 50.00% -*625 Detail
05/09/13 3-*3-*0 50.00% -*215 Detail
05/08/13 3-*3-*2 50.00% -*125 Detail
05/07/13 5-*2-*1 71.43% +*1640 Detail
05/06/13 4-*3-*1 57.14% +*450 Detail
05/05/13 4-*3-*1 57.14% +*620 Detail
05/04/13 7-*1-*0 87.50% +*3185 Detail
05/03/13 2-*5-*1 28.57% -*2370 Detail
05/02/13 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*935 Detail
05/01/13 3-*2-*1 60.00% +*600 Detail

Totals 43-*36-*9 54.43% +1490


Tuesday, May 14

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Ottawa - 7:30 PM ET Ottawa +174 500 POD # 1


Pittsburgh - Over 5.5 500 POD # 2



San Jose - 10:00 PM ET Los Angeles -144 500


Los Angeles - Under 5 500 POD # 3

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Wings (0-0) at Blackhawks (0-0)

Date: May 15, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


CHICAGO (AP) - The top of the list includes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa. Patrick Sharp is coming off another great playoff series, and Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland have come up with big postseason goals in the past.

The Chicago Blackhawks have waves of talented lines, making them a difficult matchup for any team. Months after Nicklas Lidstrom retired, they pose quite the challenge for the Detroit Red Wings.

When one of the NHL's biggest rivalries resumes in the playoffs on Wednesday night, there will be a lot of talk about the play of goalies Corey Crawford of Chicago and Jimmy Howard of Detroit. The Blackhawks are going to have to find a way to shut down the Detroit trio of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen.

But Chicago's deep group of forwards against Detroit's refurbished defense could go a long way to deciding the 16th postseason series between the proud Original Six franchises.

``There's going to be a test there for them,' Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. ``We just try to keep making progress. We've had good growth on our team all year long and it has to continue to happen.'

Detroit lost decades of experience when Lidstrom announced his retirement a year ago. The seven-time Norris Trophy winner helped the Red Wings to four Stanley Cups and is among the best defensemen to ever play the game.

Lidstrom's absence left a giant hole in front of Howard, but Detroit then decided to trade Brad Stuart to San Jose in June because he made it clear that he wanted to be closer to his family. Down Lidstrom and Stuart, the Red Wings had to rely on a mix of young and unproven defensemen to provide key minutes.

Due in part to the evolving lines in the back, Detroit's annual appearance in the playoffs was in jeopardy until it won the last four games of the regular season to secure the seventh spot in the West and extend the longest active postseason streak in major professional sports to 22 straight seasons.

``They got better as the season went on, and they got better as the playoffs went on,' Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ``They always play a really responsible team game and I think their whole team game helps their defense as well.'

While the Red Wings squeaked past the Ducks in the first round of the postseason, Chicago rolled over Minnesota in five games. Eight players had at least one goal and 15 recorded at least one point as the Blackhawks outscored the Wild 17-7, including an 8-1 margin over the final two nights.

It was a continuation of the regular season for Chicago, which finished second to Pittsburgh with 149 goals while rolling to the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage for as long as it's around in the NHL playoffs.

``I think we know it's going to be a tough series,' Zetterberg said. ``They played well all regular season. They took care of Minnesota pretty quick and they've been resting for a few days. It's going to be a challenge for us, for sure, but the same way, if we play the way we want and do all the little things right, we have a chance.'

The series opener against Detroit will be the first game for Chicago since it closed out Minnesota with a 5-1 victory on Thursday. The Blackhawks used all that time to rest, but it also allowed Quenneville to take a look at a couple different line combinations - providing even more material for Detroit to consider.

Bolland is healthy again after he missed the first-round series with a lower-body injury, and he is expected to center Chicago's third line. Quenneville also said Michal Handzus is fine after he missed two days of practice. Viktor Stalberg, one of the fastest skaters on the team, has been working outside of the top four lines in practice, so his role against Detroit is up in the air.

``I really don't have anything to say about it,' Stalberg said. ``Ask Q.'

Asked about what Stalberg can do to get back in the lineup, Quenneville responded: ``Stay ready, stay ready. Nobody said he's out of the lineup, but keep yourself, make decisions tough on us.'

Stalberg had nine goals and 14 assists in 47 games this season, then had a big assist and a plus-2 rating while playing all five games in the first round against Minnesota. It's quite a luxury for Quenneville to consider leaving him off the top four lines, but such is life for the Blackhawks this season.

It's also quite the problem for Detroit.

``It should be a fun series,' said Kane, who led the team with 55 points this season. ``We're really looking forward to the challenge.'

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Detroit at Chicago
The Blackhawks look to open up the series and take advantage of a Detroit team that is 0-11 in its last 11 games when playing with 2 days rest. Chicago is the pick (-200) according to Dunkel, which has the Blackhawks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-200). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

Game 7-8: Detroit at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 11.657; Chicago 12.962
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-200); 5
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-200); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Wednesday, May 15

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DETROIT (28-18-0-9, 65 pts.) at CHICAGO (40-7-0-6, 86 pts.) - 5/15/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 2-11 ATS (-10.0 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
DETROIT is 20-27 ATS (-17.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 40-13 ATS (+40.0 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 21-5 ATS (+12.1 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 15-3 ATS (+10.0 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
CHICAGO is 327-341 ATS (-52.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 40-13 ATS (+14.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 16-2 ATS (+12.2 Units) vs. division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 12-4 (+7.0 Units) against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 12-4-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
12 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+9.3 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, May 15

Chicago won its last seven games with Detroit, winning four meetings this year by a total score of 14-5; under is 13-3-1 in last 17 series meetings. Blackhawks had pretty easy time in first round, dispatching Minnesota in five games, while Red Wings played four OT tilts in a 7-game marathon with Anaheim, which also included four long plane trips. Chicago is 9-1 in its last ten home games; Red Wings lost last three visits here, all by a single goal. Detroit is 5-7 in its last dozen road games overall.




NHL

Wednesday, May 15

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. CHICAGO
Detroit is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 9 games


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NHL

Wednesday, May 15

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Wednesday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know
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Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks (-195, 5)

While the Eastern Conference has the Boston Bruins facing the New York Rangers, the West has its own second-round series involving Original Six teams as the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks host the seventh-seeded Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. The showdown is the opener of the set between the Central Division rivals. After beginning the lockout-shortened season with an NHL-record 24-game point streak, Chicago went on to win the second Presidents' Trophy in franchise history. The Blackhawks made short work of Minnesota in the first round of the postseason, eliminating the Wild in five games.

Detroit waited until the final day of the regular season to extend its streak to 22 consecutive playoff appearances, sneaking into one of the last spots in the West. The Red Wings upset Pacific Division champion Anaheim, posting overtime victories in Games 2, 4 and 6 before edging the Ducks 3-2 on the road in Game 7. Detroit and Chicago are meeting in the postseason for the 16th time, and first since the Red Wings rolled past the Blackhawks in five games in the 2009 conference final. Chicago, which won all four regular-season meetings with Detroit, holds the all-time edge in postseason matchups, 8-7.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS

ABOUT THE RED WINGS: Captain Henrik Zetterberg recorded a team-high eight points against Anaheim and shared the goal-scoring lead with Johan Franzen, who also tallied three times. All three of Zetterberg's goals came in the final two games of the series. While he may have been battling a hamstring problem, Jimmy Howard played well enough for the Red Wings to oust the Ducks. But the netminder certainly doesn't think he performed at his best, as his 2.74 goals-against average and .911 save percentage can attest. "I still think I can be better for the guys," Howard told the Detroit News. Coach Mike Babcock could make a change to the team's fourth line on Wednesday as Mikael Samuelsson is a bit banged up. Cory Emmerton and Jordin Tootoo are options to replace the veteran Swede.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Patrick Sharp scored a team-best five goals in the first round and shared the club lead of six points with former Red Wing Marian Hossa. Despite his team needing only five games to defeat Minnesota, coach Joel Quenneville was not happy with the effort from some of his players. Viktor Stalberg appears to be his main target as the right wing did not have a spot on any of the top four lines during practices leading up to the series opener against Detroit. "I don't really have anything to say about it," Stalberg said. "Ask (Quenneville)." Tempers flared during Tuesday's practice as Daniel Carcillo and Jamal Mayers exchanged words and slashes and appeared ready to drop the gloves before defenseman Duncan Keith intervened. Quenneville was not concerned. "I've seen it escalate to a different level. I thought that was kind of on the friendly side," he said. "I wouldn't consider it that bad."

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0-1 in the last five meetings in Chicago.
* Under is 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings.
* Road team is 14-6 in the last 20 meetings.
* Red Wings are 1-4 in the last five meetings in Chicago.
* Red Wings are 0-7 in the last seven meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. Chicago went 21-0-3 during its season-opening point streak.

2. Detroit scored only five goals in its four regular-season games against Chicago, with Franzen and Emmerton each tallying twice. Captain Jonathan Toews led the Blackhawks in the series with five points.

3. The Blackhawks have won seven consecutive meetings between the teams since suffering a 3-2 overtime loss on Jan. 13, 2012.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, May 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Detroit - 8:00 PM ET Detroit +175 500 POD # 1


Chicago - Over 5 500

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

NY Rangers at Boston
The Bruins look to open the series and build on their 9-2 record in their last 11 home games versus a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Boston is the pick (-135) according to Dunkel, which has the Bruins favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-135). Here are all of today's picks.

THURSDAY, MAY 16

Game 5-6: NY Rangers at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Rangers 11.971; Boston 12.903
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 1; 4
Vegas Line & Total: Boston (-135); 5
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-135); Under

Game 9-10: San Jose at Los Angeles (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Jose 12.423; Los Angeles 11.224
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Los Angeles (-150); 4 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (+130); Over




NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, May 16

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NY RANGERS (30-19-0-6, 66 pts.) at BOSTON (32-17-0-6, 70 pts.) - 5/16/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 9-18 ATS (-12.9 Units) after shutting out their opponent in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 7-12 ATS (-13.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 212-195 ATS (-93.9 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 8-3 (+6.0 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 8-3-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.1 Units)

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SAN JOSE (29-17-0-7, 65 pts.) at LOS ANGELES (32-17-0-6, 70 pts.) - 5/16/2013, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN JOSE is 3-10 ATS (-7.6 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
SAN JOSE is 15-27 ATS (-13.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5 or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 21-37 ATS (-18.5 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 23-5 ATS (+16.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5 or less this season.
LOS ANGELES is 10-1 ATS (+8.3 Units) in home games after a win by 2 goals or more this season.
LOS ANGELES is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LOS ANGELES is 31-16 ATS (+12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LOS ANGELES is 23-5 ATS (+14.5 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
LOS ANGELES is 13-4 ATS (+8.8 Units) when leading in a playoff series over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 13-10 (+0.0 Units) against the spread versus LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 13-10-0 straight up against LOS ANGELES over the last 3 seasons
11 of 19 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.8 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, May 16

Rangers won seven of last nine games with Boston, winning 4-3 in OT/SO last two times they met; New York blanked Washington last two games, rallying back from 3-2 deficit in series to eliminate Caps second year in row. Bruins were down 4-1 with 10:00 to play in Game 7, scored twice in last 1:22 to force OT, then stunned Leafs with OT goal to get to this round. Boston is 4-6 in its last ten home games, with last two wins in OT. Rangers are 2-5 in last seven road games, with last two losses both on OT. Under is 10-4-2 in last sixteen series games.

Kings allowed total of six goals during current five-game win streak that started after they fell behind 2-0 in St Louis series. Home teams won 10 of last 11 San Jose-LA games, five in row this year; Sharks lost five of last six in Staples Center. Game 1 loss ended 4-game San Jose winning streak- their last two losses have both been in Staples. Over is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Under is 7-1-2 in last ten Los Angeles games; defending champs are 3-2 vs San Jose this year. Game 1 had total of only eight penalty minutes; would expect more here. Home teams won first three games of second round, all by 2+ goals.




NHL

Thursday, May 16

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
NY RANGERS vs. BOSTON
NY Rangers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
NY Rangers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Boston is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing NY Rangers
Boston is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against NY Rangers

10:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. LOS ANGELES
San Jose is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Los Angeles
San Jose is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Los Angeles is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Jose
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Los Angeles's last 10 games when playing at home against San Jose


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NHL

Thursday, May 16

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Thursday's NHL playoff action: What bettors need to know
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San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (-143, 4.5)

Los Angeles leads series 1-0.

The fifth-seeded Los Angeles Kings attempt to continue their home dominance 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 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 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 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 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 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.

TRENDS:

* Sharks are 1-4 in their last 5 Conference Semifinals games.
* Kings are 5-0 in their last 5 overall.
* Under is 7-1-2 in Kings last 10 overall.
* Home team is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings.

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.



New York Rangers at Boston Bruins (-127, 5)

With little margin for error, Henrik Lundqvist offered none. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner - and finalist for this season's award - registered back-to-back shutouts to propel the New York Rangers into the Eastern Conference's second round. Lundqvist and the sixth-seeded Rangers will look to get the upper hand on Thursday, when they visit the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins in Game 1. New York recorded a 2-1-0 mark in the season series between the Original Six rivals, who are meeting in the postseason for the first time since 1973.

After stopping all 27 shots he faced in New York's 1-0 victory in Game 6 on Sunday, Lundqvist made 35 saves as the Rangers breezed to a 5-0 triumph to close out third-seeded Washington one day later. While New York hardly was challenged in its Game 7 tilt, Boston overcame a three-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime in its final contest versus fifth-seeded Toronto. Selke Trophy finalist Patrice Bergeron netted the game-tying goal with 51 seconds remaining before scoring 6:05 into the extra session as the Bruins posted a 5-4 victory over the Maple Leafs.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE RANGERS: While Lundqvist was keeping goals at a minimum, stud first-liner Rick Nash failed to find the net in the first round. Former Columbus teammate Derick Brassard registered a team-leading nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his first playoff series. "This is the best I've felt in a long time," he told NHL.com. "... Why I play in the NHL is because I make plays, and now not only is my confidence high, it's the best I've felt in a long time."

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Boston may be without defensemen Andrew Ference, Wade Redden and Dennis Seidenberg, as the trio did not practice on Wednesday following absences in the latter end of the first-round series. Ference missed the final two contests, Redden sat out Game 7 and Seidenberg made an early exit in the pivotal tilt - all with undisclosed injuries. Coach Claude Julien did not provide an update following Wednesday's practice. Torey Krug, who was recalled from Providence of the American Hockey League, has played in three NHL games and could make his postseason debut.

TRENDS:

* Under is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings in Boston.
* Rangers are 5-1 in the last six meetings in Boston.
* Rangers are 7-2 in the last nine meetings.
* Under is 14-5-2 in the last 21 meetings.

OVERTIME:

1. Lundqvist boasts a 21-7-2 mark with six shutouts and a slim 1.67 goals-against average versus Boston.

2. Boston went 1-for-16 on the power play versus New York, while the Rangers failed to score on all 14 opportunities with the man advantage against the Bruins.

3. The Rangers will play their own version of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in 2014. They will face New Jersey on Jan. 26 and the New York Islanders three days later as part of the league's outdoor stadium series.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Short Sheet

Thursday, May 16

Conference Semifinals, Game One (Series Tied, 0-0)
NY Rangers at Boston, 7:35 ET NBCSN
NY Rangers: 2-8 SU off a road win
Boston: 15-5 Under off a combined score of 9+ goals

Conference Semifinals, Game Two (Los Angeles Leads, 1-0)
San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:05 ET NBCSN
San Jose: 6-16 SU away vs. division opponents
Los Angeles: 10-1 SU at home off a win by 2+ goals

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (0-0) at Bruins (0-0)

Date: May 16, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


BOSTON (AP) - Putting the puck past Henrik Lundqvist is a huge challenge for the Boston Bruins.

Of course, they have to get it to him first and that's a tough task against the shot-blocking New York Rangers.

``They're definitely going to be laying down to block those shots,' Boston forward Patrice Bergeron said after practice for Thursday night's series opener. ``We have to be aware of that. I think it's about finding ways to get that puck to the net and faking shots and moving more.'

On Monday night, it seemed the Bruins wouldn't have to worry about that. They were close to elimination.

Then they rallied from a three-goal deficit in the last 11 minutes of the third period and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on Bergeron's overtime goal in Game 7.

``You don't give up,' Bruins forward Jaromir Jagr said Wednesday, but ``if you try to do it again, you're probably not going to do it even if you try 100 times, but it happened.'

Now it's time to forget that unforgettable comeback. It's time for the Eastern Conference semifinals, the first playoff meeting between the teams in 40 years.

Lundqvist, last year's Vezina Trophy winner and finalist for that award this season, enters the series with consecutive shutouts in Games 6 and 7 against the Washington Capitals. He stopped 62 shots in those games while facing elimination.

The key to the shutouts?

``Box them out before they get (near the goal) so they can't provide a screen,' Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said. ``If we can't box them out, the biggest thing is getting (at) their sticks. Hankie is going to stop that shot if he sees it. We have to do a good job of letting Hankie see those first shots, make sure there's no tips.'

Girardi led the NHL this season with 125 blocked shots, just under three per game. The Rangers were sixth with 16.1 per game. And in the playoffs, they have three of the top seven shot blockers - Girardi in second place with 24, Ryan McDonagh in fourth with 20 and Ryan Callahan in seventh with 18.

And even though Bruins captain Zdeno Chara can slap the puck at more than 100 mph from the point, they're not likely to shy away.

``Anything they can get to, they're going to block,' Rangers coach John Tortorella said. ``If they have a chance to block a shot, they are going to block a shot. Everybody.'

If they do, Chara could make it painful.

``I'm certainly not going to ask him to take anything off his shot because they're blocking,' Bruins coach Claude Julien said.

He wants his players to keep their heads up and watch where they're shooting instead of just looking down and hitting the puck as hard as they can.

``We're going to have to work extra hard to get those pucks through and then get them to reach the net,' Julien said. ``At the same time, I don't think it's a big secret to know that they got a pretty good goaltender, and that traffic in front of the net is going to be something we're going to want to do a lot.'

Boston's Tuukka Rask, a more aggressive goalie than Lundqvist, also has been outstanding in the playoffs.

But he could be without three injured veteran defensemen. Andrew Ference missed Games 6 and 7, Wade Redden sat out Game 7 and Dennis Seidenberg played just 37 seconds of the finale before being sidelined. None of them practiced Thursday.

``Sometimes it's better not to practice and just to play,' said Julien, careful not to tip his hand.

Rookies Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug all could be active.

``It's going to be a challenge for us,' Rask said. ``It gives these new guys an opportunity to step up and show what they've got. If I was in their shoes I'd be really excited.'

Both teams' leading goal scorers in the regular season - New York's Rick Nash (21) and Boston's Brad Marchand (18) - were shut out in their first series. But Marchand assisted on Bergeron's series-winning goal and Nash seems to be making progress.

``He certainly wasn't totally on but he's very close,' Tortorella said. ``I thought he played very well in Game 7. He's playing and I think he's going to be a really big part of this as we enter into Boston.'

Both teams snared some much-needed rest after playing two games in two days Sunday and Monday.

Bergeron expects a low-scoring series. Girardi expects it to be physical.

``Both teams want to get on the forecheck,' he said, ``create some momentum that way.'

Julien wants his team to fight for position in front of Lundqvist, who allowed just 12 goals in seven games against Washington.

``They protect their goaltender fairly well,' Julien said. ``You know he's good enough to stop what he sees. They box out extremely well, so we've got to work hard to take away that vision that he needs in order to stop pucks. There's going to be a lot of battles, I think, in this series.

``By the end of it, I think you're going to have some exhausted teams.'

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Bruins
Thu, May 16 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 2
Rangers at Bruins
Sun, May 19 - 3:00PM EDT

GAME 3
Bruins at Rangers
Tue, May 21 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 4
Bruins at Rangers
Thu, May 23 - 7:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Rangers at Bruins
Sat, May 25 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 6
Bruins at Rangers
Mon, May 27 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 7
Rangers at Bruins
Wed, May 29 - 12:00AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sharks (0-0) at Kings (0-0)

Date: May 16, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


LOS ANGELES (AP) - Raffi Torres spent the past year in Phoenix and San Jose trying to shake his reputation as a dangerous player.

His hit on Los Angeles center Jarret Stoll might have erased much of that work and put both players' postseason futures in doubt.

Stoll is likely to miss Game 2 of the Kings' second-round playoff series against the Sharks on Thursday night. The valuable two-way forward didn't return to the series opener after a hard hit from Torres late in the second period of Los Angeles' 2-0 victory.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter implied Wednesday that Stoll could be out for a significant length of time. Torres also might be sidelined for a stretch after he travels to New York for a disciplinary hearing Thursday with the NHL's Department of Player Safety, which suspended him until the hearing is completed.

``I thought it was careless,' Sutter said of Torres' hit, which occurred near the sideboards after the puck rolled away from Stoll.

A lengthy suspension wouldn't make Sutter feel any better about Torres' play, either: ``Our player is quite a bit more important than theirs.'

During the defending Stanley Cup champions' 2-0 victory over the Sharks, Stoll was bent forward when Torres approached him from the side for a shoulder-to-shoulder hit. Stoll's head also snapped back violently before he fell forward onto the ice. Torres was called for a minor penalty for charging, and Stoll didn't return to the game.

Most of the Kings declined to weigh in on the hit's legality after Wednesday's light practice, claiming they hadn't seen replays. Stoll attended the Kings' team meeting before practice, but wasn't on the ice.

The Sharks had much stronger opinions about the play: Torres, captain Joe Thornton and coach Todd McLellan all said the hit was perfectly legal, and shouldn't even have resulted in San Jose's only penalty in Game 1.

``We questioned the call of a charging penalty,' Thornton said. ``So we were kind of shocked to hear he has to fly to New York for the hearing, because we didn't see anything wrong on the play. ... It's unfortunate that Raffi has to go through this again.'

Further complicating matters, Stoll and Torres are friends after three seasons as teammates with the Edmonton Oilers from 2005-08.

The Kings would lose plenty without Stoll, a stalwart on their championship team last summer. Stoll is their third-line center and a top penalty-killer and faceoff specialist, playing a valuable two-way game while also logging time on the power play.

Although he doesn't score many points, getting just one assist in seven playoff games this spring, Stoll scored the series-winning goal in last season's upset of top-seeded Vancouver in the first round on the way to the title. He also has a history of apparent concussions earlier in his career.

``He's a big loss, one of our most valuable guys,' Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. ``Everybody else will have to step up if we want to keep going forward.'

Torres' absence isn't likely to affect the Sharks' offensive efforts against goalie Jonathan Quick, who shut them out on 35 shots in the series opener. But Stoll's absence on defense changes the mix for Los Angeles, which must entrust additional ice time to role players without one of its leaders.

Brad Richardson, who played 13 games during the Kings' championship playoff run, is likely to replace Stoll in the lineup for Game 2. Richardson hasn't played in this postseason since Game 1 of the Kings' first-round series with St. Louis.

``It's huge, because he's one of our clutch players,' Richardson said of Stoll. ``He's the first guy on the penalty kill, and he's a power-play guy.'

Even if it is deemed legal, the hit ignites another round of trouble for Torres, the journeyman forward whose ugly reputation has surfaced again.

While playing for Phoenix last season, Torres received a 21-game suspension - initially 25 games - for a high hit on Chicago star Marian Hossa in the first round of the playoffs. That play cemented Torres' identity as a cheap shot artist and dangerous player in many NHL minds.

But the former No. 5 overall draft pick insists he has cleaned up his game during a season of largely trouble-free play with San Jose, his sixth team in six seasons.

``If he is going to miss some games, we're going to miss him,' said Sharks forward Logan Couture, who thought the hit was clean from his on-ice viewpoint. ``But it's an opportunity for other guys to step up the physical play and try to take over his role. We're going to support Raffi, and whatever happens, happens.'

Kings forward Dustin Penner thought Torres' hit was objectionable mostly because it was unnecessary. He sees little comparison to the hit by Ottawa's Eric Gryba on Montreal center Lars Eller in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, resulting in a two-game suspension for a blow that left Eller with a concussion and a broken nose. Eller didn't return to the series as the Senators advanced.

``I think that hit (in Ottawa) was fine,' Penner said. ``I know some people don't, but it's a split-second decision. You guys can slow it down to .001 milliseconds, but he's got to make that hit, and this one (by Torres), he probably didn't need to make that hit. That's where I see the difference.'

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Sharks at Kings
Tue, May 14 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Sharks at Kings
Thu, May 16 - 10:00PM EDT

GAME 3
Kings at Sharks
Sat, May 18 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 4
Kings at Sharks
Tue, May 21 - 10:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Sharks at Kings
Thu, May 23 - 10:30PM EDT

GAME 6
Kings at Sharks
Sun, May 26 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 7
Sharks at Kings
Tue, May 28 - 12:00AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/15/13 0-*1-*1 0.00% -*500 Detail
05/14/13 2-*2-*0 50.00% -*50 Detail
05/13/13 0-*3-*1 0.00% -*1690 Detail
05/12/13 2-*3-*1 40.00% -*915 Detail
05/11/13 1-*1-*0 50.00% 0 Detail
05/10/13 4-*4-*0 50.00% -*625 Detail
05/09/13 3-*3-*0 50.00% -*215 Detail
05/08/13 3-*3-*2 50.00% -*125 Detail
05/07/13 5-*2-*1 71.43% +*1640 Detail
05/06/13 4-*3-*1 57.14% +*450 Detail
05/05/13 4-*3-*1 57.14% +*620 Detail
05/04/13 7-*1-*0 87.50% +*3185 Detail
05/03/13 2-*5-*1 28.57% -*2370 Detail
05/02/13 5-*3-*0 62.50% +*935 Detail
05/01/13 3-*2-*1 60.00% +*600 Detail

Totals 45-*39-*10 53.57% +940


Thursday, May 16

Game Score Status Pick Amount

NY Rangers - 7:30 PM ET Boston -120 500


Boston - Under 5 500 POD # 2



San Jose - 10:00 PM ET San Jose +134 500 POD # 1


Los Angeles - Under 5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Senators (0-0) at Penguins (0-0)

Date: May 17, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


PITTSBURGH (AP) - Even as numbers on a roster, the Pittsburgh Penguins' power play appears intimidating.

At times on the ice, it looks borderline unfair.

Start with two NHL MVPs in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Add a future Hall of Famer like Jarome Iginla and a Norris Trophy finalist in defenseman Kris Letang. Throw in a grinder to do the dirty work in Chris Kunitz and the Penguins have a unit that's an electric mix of skill, speed and grit.

Give them 2 minutes to work and they can quickly turn a game into a mismatch. It's a lesson the Ottawa Senators painfully learned during a 4-1 loss to the Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday.

Despite dictating play at even strength for long stretches, the Senators were practically blown out on the scoreboard after the Penguins went 2 for 3 on the power play and even added a shorthanded goal to seal it in the third period.

Pittsburgh made it look easy against the NHL's best penalty killing team. The Senators stopped 88 percent of the power plays they faced during the regular season, easily tops in the league.

All power plays, however, are not created equal. And if the Senators want to even the series in Game 2 on Friday night, they have to either stay out of the penalty box entirely or find a way to stop a unit that's scoring 38 percent of the time in the playoffs when it goes a man up.

The key to Pittsburgh's success doesn't rely on Xs and Os as much as remarkable talent that few - if any - teams can match. An eye-popping 37 percent of Penguins' power plays in the playoffs have ended with an opponent skating slowly out of the penalty box after the red light behind their goal flicks on.

``They have basically five All-Stars on the first (power play) and it's tough to chase them and get hits on them when they're moving the puck properly,' Ottawa defenseman Marc Methot said. ``We've got to be better.'

It might already be too late.

The Senators have won just two playoff series in franchise history after dropping the first game, and none since 2003 and have never rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the postseason.

Yet Ottawa remains upbeat, pointing to the way it was able to tilt the ice at even strength, peppering Pittsburgh goaltender Tomas Vokoun with 36 shots. A bounce here, a bounce there and a little more production on the power play - where the Senators were 0 for 6 in the opener - and Ottawa believes it can head home with things all tied up.

``We're a confident group in here,' Methot said. ``We know we can hang in there with them.'

And Methot and his teammates insist it won't take a perfect game, just a smarter one. While three penalties is hardly a ton, the Penguins proved in Game 1 that even a single shift with the advantage is enough to take firm control of things.

``If we break even on the special teams battle it gives us a good chance to win,' Ottawa coach Paul MacLean said.

After dealing with some jitters on Tuesday while making its first appearance in the second round of the postseason since making the Stanley Cup finals in 2007, Ottawa believes it has found its legs.

The Senators will need them more than ever with burly defenseman Eric Gryba likely out with an upper body injury sustained after a collision with Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik

Gryba's job was to try and clear space in front of Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson. Without him there will be a little more room for Crosby and company to work.

It's a group that is finally starting to get comfortable with each other. Pittsburgh picked up Iginla, forwards Jussi Jokinen and Brenden Morrow and defenseman Doug Murray at the trade deadline to gear up for a Cup run. Yet injuries to Crosby, Malkin, Orpik and defenseman Paul Martin late in the regular season made it difficult for coach Dan Bylsma to get a look at what he really had on his hands.

In a way, Bylsma still doesn't know. He continues to tinker with lineups during games, trying to search for the right mix. The Penguins found enough in the first round to dispatch the New York Islanders in six sometimes-frantic games. They may have taken the next step in Game 1, playing more soundly defensively and more patiently offensively in perhaps their most balanced game of the playoffs.

Take Pittsburgh's third goal of the night, a power play score by Kunitz. Letang found himself working in the left circle and instead of moving to his left instead turned to his right and slipped a pass to Iginla. Kunitz pounced on the rebound and the Penguins had things well in hand.

It started with a move Letang doesn't typically make and ended with Pittsburgh's ninth power-play goal in seven playoff contests. While the goal was timely, the message it sent, however, was just as important.

``When you get that power play ultimately you do want to score,' said Iginla, who has two goals and eight assists in the postseason. ``But a big part of our focus is to just go out there and get some momentum, get some shots, put some pressure on them.'

It's working vs. the Senators.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Senators at Penguins
Tue, May 14 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Senators at Penguins
Fri, May 17 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 3
Penguins at Senators
Sun, May 19 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 4
Penguins at Senators
Wed, May 22 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 5
Senators at Penguins
Fri, May 24 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 6
Penguins at Senators
Sun, May 26 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 7
Senators at Penguins
Tue, May 28 - 12:00AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Playoff Results - Second Round

May 17, 2013


Overall Game Results

-- Home teams are 5-0
-- Favorites are 5-0
-- Favorites that won are 3-2 on the puck-line
-- The 'Under' is 2-1-2

Away Home Score ATS Result Total Result


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Ottawa Pittsburgh (-185) 4-1 Favorite Under (5.5)

San Jose Los Angeles (-155) 2-0 Favorite Under (5.5)


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Detroit Chicago (-200) 4-1 Favorite Push (5)


Thursday, May 16, 2013

NY Rangers Boston (-115) 3-2 (OT) Favorite Push (5)

San Jose Los Angeles (-150) 4-3 Favorite Over (4.5)


Friday, May 17, 2013
Ottawa Pittsburgh - - -

Saturday, May 18, 2013
Detroit Chicago - - -
Los Angeles San Jose - - -

Sunday, May 19, 2013
NY Rangers Boston - - -
Pittsburgh Ottawa - - -

Monday, May 20, 2013
Chicago Detroit - - -

Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Boston NY Rangers - - -
Los Angeles San Jose - - -

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Pittsburgh Ottawa - - -

Thursday, May 23, 2013
Boston NY Rangers - - -
Chicago Detroit - - -
*San Jose Los Angeles - - -

Friday, May 24, 2013
*Ottawa Pittsburgh - - -

Saturday, May 25, 2013
*NY Rangers Boston - - -
*Detroit Chicago - - -

Sunday, May 26, 2013
*Pittsburgh Ottawa - - -
*Los Angeles San Jose - - -

Monday, May 27, 2013
*Chicago Detroit - - -
*Boston NY Rangers - - -

Tuesday, May 28, 2013
*Ottawa Pittsburgh - - -
*San Jose Los Angeles - - -

Wednesday, May 29, 2013
*Detroit Chicago - - -
*NY Rangers Boston - - -

*If Neccessary

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, May 17

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Ottawa - 7:30 PM ET Pittsburgh -190 500

Pittsburgh - Over 5.5 500 POD # 1

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Wings (0-0) at Blackhawks (0-0)

Date: May 18, 2013 1:00 PM EDT


CHICAGO (AP) - Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk is one of the NHL's most feared scorers, a wizard with the puck who is equally adept at setting up his teammates for easy plays. Chicago's Jonathan Toews has at least 23 goals in each of his six seasons in the league.

If you want to stop a Datsyuk or Toews, well, it sure helps to have a Datsyuk or Toews.

Two of the three finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the NHL's best defensive forward are taking center stage as the Red Wings and Blackhawks tangle with a berth in the Western Conference finals on the line, and it's no coincidence. The league's top teams count on their forwards to come back and pressure the opponent's top scorers, not only for defensive purposes but also to create chances on the other end.

"You need those kind of players to win, to be successful. Because you're going to have times, usually half the time in your shift you're going to be in your own end or you're going to have to be defending,' said Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, a former NHL defenseman, "and knowing where you have to go and coming up with loose pucks or forcing these guys to make indirect plays where you get the puck back, there's a skill involved there and there's some work that's involved.'

Datsyuk and Toews will be back on the ice when Chicago hosts Detroit in Game 2 on Saturday afternoon.

The Blackhawks used a dominant final two periods to beat the Red Wings 4-1 on Wednesday night, shutting down Detroit's leading trio of Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. Datsyuk played more than 21 minutes, but was held without a point and did not attempt a shot after he had two goals and five assists in the first round against Anaheim.

Datsyuk's struggles against the Blackhawks are nothing new. He didn't have a point in four regular season games versus Chicago and also failed to register a shot in the final two. Combined with the opener, Datsyuk has now gone almost exactly 60 minutes of ice time without putting a shot on night against the Blackhawks.

"He's going to be a top player in this series. We know that. They know that,' forward Patrick Sharp said after Chicago practiced on Friday. "It's just hopefully we can contain him in some way.'

Datsyuk had 15 goals and 34 assists in 47 games this season, helping Detroit reach the playoffs for the 22nd straight season. The three-time Selke winner also tied Toews for the NHL lead with 56 takeaways and won 55 percent of his faceoffs.

The 34-year-old Russian center, who was selected in the sixth round of the 1998 draft, is way more than just an offensive wizard.

"He can come out of nowhere and steal the puck from you and make a play, and before you know it, it's in your net,' Toews said. "He's as skilled as they come on both sides of the puck and obviously a tough guy. You've got to go out there and try to outwork him every shift, because it's tough to outclass him any other way.'

Toews is coming off another solid season, when he tied Patrick Kane for the team lead with 23 goals and also contributed 25 assists in 47 games. The captain also had career-high plus-28 rating as Chicago captured the Presidents' Trophy awarded to the team with the most points in the regular season.

"We play same type of game,' Datsyuk said. "We fight every year against each other. It's not easy. When a good player plays against a good player every time they make each other better.'

The Red Wings are desperate for anything to make themselves better after being outshot 42-21 - 36-14 over the final two periods - in the opener, and they may get a boost up front Saturday. Forward Drew Miller has pronounced himself ready to return after missing four weeks with a broken thumb.

Though he says he doesn't feel 100 percent, Miller - one of Detroit's regular penalty killers - believes he can help.

Coach Mike Babcock isn't sure whose spot Miller would take - fourth-liners Todd Bertuzzi or Patrick Eaves would be likely candidates - but he's certain of one thing.

"If Drew Miller's in a position to help our team (Saturday), he'll play," Babcock told the team's official website.

Detroit needs to figure out why it seems to wear down toward the end of games. Fifteen of the 25 goals the Red Wings have allowed in the playoffs have come in the third period, including three Chicago tallies on Wednesday.

"I saw us practice (Tuesday) and I wasn't surprised when I saw us (in Game 1)," Babcock said. "I didn't think we were very quick and executed. We're not trying to take anything away from them. They were better than us. The score (Wednesday) was more than fair as far as I'm concerned. They were better."

Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith and forward Michal Handzus missed practice Friday, but Quenneville said both are fine and should play.

It's unclear if Viktor Stalberg will join them in the lineup. The speedy winger worked outside of the top four lines in practice once again after being benched for Game 1, and he said Quenneville wants him "to produce more and be more effective.'

One area where Detroit would like to be more effective is on its power play, which produced six goals in the first round. But the Red Wings went 0 for 3 in the opener as Chicago extended its impressive streak of successful penalty kills to 29 dating to April 22.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Wed, May 15 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Sat, May 18 - 1:00PM EDT

GAME 3
Blackhawks at Red Wings
Mon, May 20 - 7:30PM EDT

GAME 4
Blackhawks at Red Wings
Thu, May 23 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Sat, May 25 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 6
Blackhawks at Red Wings
Mon, May 27 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 7
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Wed, May 29 - 12:00AM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Kings (0-0) at Sharks (0-0)

Date: May 18, 2013 9:00 PM EDT


SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - A dizzying 22-second span that led to a pair of Los Angeles power play goals turned what appeared to be destined to be a tied series into an 0-2 hole for the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks players say it didn't take much longer than that for them to put their Game 2 collapse behind them and turn their focus to defending home ice the next two games so they can tie their second-round series with the Kings.

``Coming in today, we could have been hanging our heads and moping around,' defenseman Brad Stuart said Friday. ``But I don't sense that at all. Obviously, guys aren't feeling good about what happened last night but when you look at the big picture, we feel good about knowing what we have to do and what we can control.'

So instead of looking back at the two late penalties that led to the two power-play goals that turned a 3-2 lead into a 4-3 loss, the Sharks would rather bank on the fact that they managed to score three goals against Jonathan Quick, outplayed the Stanley Cup champions for much of the night and now have home-ice advantage for the next two games beginning Saturday night in Game 3.

San Jose lost just twice in regulation at home all season, winning both meetings against the Kings and both games in a first-round sweep against Vancouver.

``We did a lot of really good things,' forward Logan Couture said. ``I thought we deserved to win that game. But we're down 2-0. It's time to come into our building. It's going to be loud. The fans are going to be into it. We have to find a way to win.'

The biggest areas of concern for San Jose are on the special teams that dominated the first round. The Sharks are 0-for-7 on the power play although they did score 5 seconds after Alec Martinez came out of the box Thursday night and allowed three power-play goals to the Kings in Game 2.

The Sharks appeared on their way to tying the series when they took a 3-2 lead into the closing minutes in Los Angeles on Thursday night. But that all changed after Stuart was called for tripping Tyler Toffoli with 2:41 to play.

The situation only got more dire seconds later when San Jose defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic flipped the puck into the stands for a two-minute delay of game penalty that irked the Sharks because they thought the puck deflected off Jeff Carter's shoulder.

``It clearly changed directions,' Vlasic said. ``I'll leave it at that.'

Dustin Brown then converted a rebound on a 5-on-3 advantage to tie the game with 1:43 left. Before the Sharks could even settle down, the Kings scored the game-winner when Trevor Lewis scored on a rebound 22 seconds later.

The Kings became just the third team since at least 1987-88 to win a playoff game in regulation when losing in the final two minutes, according to STATS LLC. Los Angeles knows it can't always count on a late-game escape to win.

``It was one of those games where we weren't as sharp as we wanted to be, but in the end, we pulled it off,' center Anze Kopitar said. ``Sometimes that happens, but we realize we've got to play better.'

The Kings have plenty of experience building on a 2-0 playoff lead, having won the first three games in all four rounds last year on the way to the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

They were on the other end in the first round, having dropped the first two games in St. Louis in rather painful fashion when they allowed a short-handed goal in overtime by Alexander Steen after a misplay by Quick and a game-winning goal by Barret Jackman in the final minute of Game 2.

Los Angeles answered with four straight wins to eliminate the Blues followed by the two wins over the Sharks.

``We've had that experience this playoff already. I mean, we were down 2-0 in the last series. We were out of the series,' coach Darryl Sutter said. ``We were down 2-0 early in Game 4. We were out of the game. That's what playoffs are about. It's sort of frustrating to answer those questions, quite honestly, because our playoffs are four out of seven series, which means generally, when you break it down, every series goes six games, which means somebody wins four and if you do your math, somebody loses two. You don't win every period, you don't win every shift, and you don't win every game.'

NOTES: Kings injured F Kyle Clifford skated with the regulars at practice, but Sutter wouldn't say whether he would travel to San Jose. ... Sharks F Marty Havlat said he is getting closer to returning from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him since Game 1 in the first round. ... Sharks coach Todd McLellan said D Jason Demers (lower body) is close to being able to return for the first time since April 18.

------------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Sharks at Kings
Tue, May 14 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Sharks at Kings
Thu, May 16 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Kings at Sharks
Sat, May 18 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 4
Kings at Sharks
Tue, May 21 - 10:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Sharks at Kings
Thu, May 23 - 10:30PM EDT

GAME 6
Kings at Sharks
Sun, May 26 - 12:00AM EDT

GAME 7
Sharks at Kings
Tue, May 28 - 12:00AM EDT