Kings facing first adversity of playoffs
The Kings have to do something they haven't done in this postseason: play Game 6 of a series.
On the cusp of the franchise's first Stanley Cup just a few days ago, the Kings are 0-for-2 with a chance to win the Cup. They lost Game 4 at home on Wednesday and Game 5 on the road on Saturday, when the New Jersey Devils won 2-1.
New Jersey, a gritty team, has won two games to keep the Stanley Cup final alive, send the series back to Los Angeles for a Game 6 and put the Kings in a tough situation.
In the first round, the Kings beat Vancouver in five games. In the second round, they swept St. Louis. In the conference final, they beat Phoenix in five games. Never before had the Kings had to win a game to prevent playing a seventh game in a series.
The Kings took a 10-0 road record into New Jersey for Game 5 but lost. Now, in order to avoid a Game 7, they must win on home ice, which hasn't been the easiest of things. Before the Game 5 loss, the Kings' only three playoff losses had come at home.
The Kings have a 5-3 record at home in this postseason, and now they will be at home for a Game 6 for the first time.
"If we win, I could care less where we win," defenseman Rob Scuderi said before Game 5.
