San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings Game 7 Preview
By Josh Sanchez
The San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings are set for a do or die Game 7 tonight with a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line. To prepare for the important game, we took some time to speak with Ryan Bayer of FanSided’s Sharks website Blades of Teal and Ryan Cowley of FanSided’s Los Angeles Kings website Rink Royalty.What did our resident experts have to say about the upcoming game?
Here are their thoughts:
From Blades of Teal:
The Battle for California takes center stage in a winner take all game seven.
What to expect: If anything what the previous six games have shown us is that it’s going to be a game of inches. The physical play from both clubs will be on display and most of all the star players will have to be the star players.
Match up to watch: In the series, is been the battle of Sharks Antti Niemi and Kings Jonathan Quick. Niemi for San Jose has posted 7 wins and three losses which includes a 1.85 GAA and .932 Save Percentage, while LA’s Quick managed a slightly better GAA with 1.54 and a .947 Save Percentage. Quick has the same number wins as Niemi does, however he does have two more losses to his credit with 5 in this years postseason. Antti Niemi has yet post a shutout is this years playoffs so tonight could be the night he gets his first.
Key Player: It has to be Scott Gomez. Gomez will be entering his 10th game seven of his career. “You can’t change your game. Do what got you here. Obviously, emotions are going to be running high.” – said Scott Gomez
Prediction: Sharks win in regulation by one goal.
From Rink Royalty:
The tide will be crashing the Pacific Coast tonight as the Battle of California comes down to a winner-take-all Game 7 with a spot in the Western Conference Final on the line. Will it be the Los Angeles Kings back to the final four a second-straight year or will the San Jose Sharks make it three three trips in their last four years to the West Final? We’ll find out tonight!
What to expect: Don’t expect anything less than a chippy affair with both teams going at each other like Armageddon’s approaching. There will be nothing left on the table as the Kings are determined to keep their home unbeaten streak going while the Sharks simply want to dethrone the defending champions and make some noise of their own.
Match up to watch: Tonight’s matchup to watch out for will be Los Angeles’s Anze Kopitar against San Jose’s Joe Thornton. Kopitar may be a forward but his defense prowess stands him about the fray in terms of shutting the opposition down. With a keyu goal in Game 6, expect Thornton to be covered all night, especially by the silver-and-black’s reliable Number 11.
Key Player: While Los Angeles’s sophomore defenseman Slacva Voynov has two goals and an assist in three home playoff games against the Sharks this series, look out for Captain Clutch, Dustin Brown, as he has a notoriety of stepping up his game when it matters most. Look for Brown to have a huge impact on tonight’s game, leading to a Kings win.
Prediction: When tonight’s Game 7 is all said and done, expect the Kings to come out on top, beating San Jose in a close game by a score of 3-1
Who do you think will be victorious in Game 7? Sound off in the comments section and share your thoughts and predictions.