Los Angeles Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks FRee Live STreaming Online NHL PLayoff Hockey from the Honda Center at 10:00 PM ET
When John Gibson flew across the continent from Newfoundland a few days ago, he knew there was a good chance he would make his NHL postseason debut shortly after he finally landed in Southern California.
The Ducks' 20-year-old goalie didn't exactly fidget in his seat or claw at the armrest, though.
"I got some sleep," Gibson said.
Gibson is not the type of guy who is easily disturbed, and he woke up the NHL when he arrived in the Stanley Cup playoffs, shutting out the Kings on the road Saturday to even the series.
The prodigy from Pittsburgh will get another chance in Game 5 on Monday night when the Ducks see how far they can go with a goalie who yawns at his youth and inexperience.
Coach Bruce Boudreau said Gibson will make the fifth start of his entire NHL career in a game to decide which team moves to the brink of the Western Conference finals.
Gibson would be under a mountain of pressure -- if he actually noticed that sort of thing.
"It's not a difficult decision (in Game 5)," Boudreau said. "He came in. He played great. ... We knew L.A. hadn't seen him, so they probably wouldn't have a good scouting report on him."
Gibson was imperturbable while winning the first showdown of his career with Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick who got pulled by Kings coach Darryl Sutter after allowing two first-period goals in Game 4. Gibson claims he was having fun, but his teammates and coaches certainly couldn't tell.
"Knowing his personality, I knew he would be all right. He just goes out and plays his game. Never gets rattled. He just comes in and does his routine. He's so relaxed, like it's a preseason game for him."
The Ducks kept Gibson in the minors this year to keep him active but he made his NHL debut with a shutout in Vancouver last month. He still hasn't lost for the Ducks, going 4-0 while stopping 111 of 115 shots.
No NHL goalie had recorded a shutout in his first playoff game since Hiller, who did it in 2009.
A quick primer on the goalie who rocketed to prominence by winning a bronze medal with the U.S. national team at last year's world championships:
Gibson got into hockey when his father took him to Penguins games, and he gravitated to goalie after a few games as a defenseman.
Gibson didn't even design his own loud mask, instead allowing famed mask artist David Gunnarsson to pick basically whatever he wanted as long as a shoutout to Pittsburgh was on the back.
Gibson's aggressiveness and ability to cut down shooting angles remind many players of Quick. Others see Montreal's Carey Price in Gibson's size, precociousness and ability to make tough saves look routine.
"I think he's got a nice sense of confidence about himself for a young goalie that hasn't accomplished much," Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said. "He carries himself real well. You see that a lot from Quick, so that's a good comparison."
While the Ducks enjoyed their success Sunday, the Kings regrouped after their six-game postseason winning streak ended with back-to-back home losses. Los Angeles has little doubt it can recover during its third straight impressive postseason run.
Despite a strong start against their local rivals, the Kings have scored just three goals in the past eight periods of the series: One into an empty net, another on a power play, and a third with Quick pulled for an extra attacker.
The game is live streaming online at gofirstrowus.eu/sport/ice-hockey.html