Give this much to the Los Angeles Kings: They're not going down without a fight. They nearly completed a comeback from down 3-0 on Wednesday night on the road against the San Jose Sharks. Still, close doesn't count for anything this time of year, and the Kings still find themselves with a 3-1 series hole to climb out of beginning with an elimination Game 5 on Friday night back at the Staples Center.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Even though the Sharks have won three of the first four games between these instate rivals, you can bet the Kings are going to be massive favorites in this game. They were -143 and -149 in the two games at home last week, and they were only very short underdogs of +103 and +108 in San Jose. Now in a must-win game, the price could top -150 when the betting lines debut.
The total will once again be hanging out at a flat 5 with the vig showing the under as the distinct favorite.
GOALIE REPORT
Jonathan Quick has had to stand on his head at times in this series, but all things considered, he's been a brutal disappointment. The vet has just a 2.51 GAA and a .905 save percentage, and those stats aren't going to cut it in the second season against a team as good as San Jose.
Meanwhile, Martin Jones has been everything his former mentor hasn't been in this series. The old LA backup has a 1.97 GAA and a .922 save percentage, and though he had some moments for sure, especially in Game 4 where we wondered if it was all going to come crashing down on him, he got the job done with the help of some big time defending to improve to 3-1.
LIVE BETTING
If the Kings don't stay out of the penalty box in this game, they might be as good as dead. All three San Jose goals were scored on the man advantage on Wednesday night, two of which came from Joe Pavelski, the hottest player in this series.
For years and years, the Sharks would always come up flat with their biggest stars, but in the battle of stardom in California, it's Pavelski who is shining brightest with his four goals and five total points in just four games.
QUICK PICK
Much is going to be made about the Sharks blowing a 3-0 series lead to the Kings two years ago en route to LA's Stanley Cup run. Those are the same people who will write the narrative suggesting the Kings' comeback in Game 4, though not enough to win the game, will be a stepping stone to greater things in this series.
Though it's tough to ever really write off one of the grittiest teams in the league, these Sharks are just so much different, it's not even funny. The San Jose club of two years ago would've finished blowing that 3-0 lead in the third period and would've lost in overtime because it didn't know how to pick itself up off the mat. That San Jose team also would've punted that home game after taking that big 2-0 NHL series lead at home.
These Sharks are different though, and we love the fact that they just flat out know how to win these tight games all of a sudden. New coach. New players. New results. The newest result? A series-clinching victory over a team no one figured they would have a real shot at beating, especially in just five games.
NHL Odds: Sharks 2, Kings 1
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