2014 NHL Playoff Schedule, Standings, & Stanley Cup Analysis: Kings Have Chance to Win at Home in Game 5
It's going to be a tough task for the Rangers to come back in this series. After trailing zero games to three, the team came back with a desperate 2-1 victory in game four to force a Game 5.
The Kings were 23-14-4 at home during the regular season.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been good, but Jonathan Quick has been better in the Finals. Quick is averaging just two goals against per game in this Stanley Cup so far. His defense has certainly been helping him by limiting shots against. In Game 4, the Kings out-shot the Rangers 41-19 and more importantly out-shot them an eye-popping 15-1 in the third period. But that was offset by Lundqvist who only allowed one goal.
The Kings are in a bit of familiar territory here. In the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals the Kings took a commanding 3-0 series lead against the New Jersey Devils. The Devils gave the Kings a little scare when they won the next two games, forcing a Game 6, but the Kings eliminated the Devils in Game 6 at home. It would be really beneficial for the Kings to close this series out in Game 5 because, if they don't, they will have to play Game 6 in Madison Square Garden.
Former Rangers right winger Mariàn Gáborik has been the leading goal scorer for the silver and black with eight goals in the playoffs. Anze Kopitar is chasing his second Stanley Cup Championship with the team and currently leads all players with 26 points (5 goals, 21 assists). Kings captain Dustin Brown has been one of the leading candidates for the Conn Smythe because of his timely goals and leadership.
The Rangers and head coach Alain Vigneault have to approach this one game at a time. The odds of overcoming an 0-3 deficit are almost impossible since only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs have accomplished that. If the Rangers can somehow win Game 5 in Los Angeles, they will host Game 6 at home. Of course this will not be easy, but again, they must take it one game at a time.
"It comes down to how much you want to battle, how much you want it," Lundqvist said.
The Kings have played seven games in every series so far, so they are certainly battle tested. There's nothing better than winning the Championship in front of your home crowd, and the Kings have that opportunity.
Game 5 will be played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.
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