Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks FREE Live Streaming Online NHL PLAYOFF Hockey from the SAP Center at 10:30 PM ET
For more than a decade there have been no questions about who will start in goal for the Sharks come playoff time.
Whether it was Evgeni Nabokov or Antti Niemi the Sharks have had a clear-cut No. 1 goalie and stuck with him through good and bad.
While Niemi started 64 games in the regular season, Stalock put up better numbers, especially down the stretch. That led to questions about whether Niemi will start the opener and whether McLellan will stick with him if he struggles at all against the Kings.
"Either way you've got to prepare yourself to be ready to play," Niemi said.
Niemi has started all 34 playoff games since joining San Jose in 2010-11, including 13 against the Kings. But with Niemi struggling late in the season (3.11 goals-against average in his final six games) and the emergence of Stalock (12-5-2, 1.87 goals-against average, .932 save percentage) McLellan has a tougher choice than usual.
There are no questions about who will start for Los Angeles as Quick leads the NHL in playoff wins (25), shutouts (6), goals-against average (1.62) and has a .940 save percentage the past two postseasons.
Quick won the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP after leading the Kings to the Stanley Cup in 2012 and was outstanding in knocking out San Jose in the second round last year.
The game will be live streaming nhl.aoso.ru/
