After a tough loss in Game 3 at San Jose on Saturday, the Los Angeles Kings hope to get back to their winning ways in Game 4 as face the Sharks again at the HP Pavilion hoping to return the series to Los Angeles where they will be in a position to finish off their state rivals. But one step at a time.

For a team who only lost two regulation games on home ice during the regular season, the Sharks did exactly bring their A-game on Saturday despite peppering Jonathan Quick with 40 shots. They scored early in the game but came up with very few scoring opportunities since before ending the game in overtime. The Kings, meanwhile, weren’t much better as they couldn’t generate as many scoring opportunities as they hoped.

Either way, Game 3 was a close game and we should expect the same from Game 4.

May 18, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Tyler Toffoli (73) and center Trevor Lewis (22) celebrate after a goal by Toffoli against the San Jose Sharks during the first period in game three of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

After Game 3 ended with some controversy with two late penalties against the Kings followed by Jonathan Quick’s alleged abuse of an official following the game, it should be assumed that the Kings will enter Tuesday night with a collective chip on their shoulders as nothing would satisfy them more than leaving the Shark Tank with a 3-1 series lead.

While Jarret Stoll still remains sidelined, the Kings did get a big boost as they discovered that Kyle Clifford will be making his series debut on Tuesday. The addition of Clifford should bring a significant amount of intensity to the Los Angeles side and it may be even be a spark offensively as the Big Red Dog has been known to find the back of the net every so often.

Given the abuse he took in Game 3, Kings fans hope their team will come out a little hungrier on the defensive side of things, helping out their goaltending a little more.

For fans of both the Kings and Sharks, these few days have been agonizing as both sides just want to see the puck dropped for Game 4. Will the Kings return home with the upper hand or do the Sharks have what it takes to turn this series into a best-of-three?

We’ll find out on Tuesday evening.

Enjoy the game!

SAN JOSE – The Los Angeles Kings were dealt a raw deal with a couple of questionable penalties very late in regulation and it cost them as the San Jose Sharks took Game 3 in overtime to get back into this series.

Like Game 2, Game 3 started off with the home scoring quickly as Dan Boyle blasted a point shot past Jonathan Quick to make it 1-0 San Jose just 1:34 into the game. But the Kings weren’t deterred as just past the halfway point of the first, they tied the game on a steal by Tyler Toffoli who backhanded it up and over Antti Niemi. After assisting on the game-winner in Game 2, Toffoli continued his solid play in Game 3 with his first-career playoff goal.

Despite a fast start, there was no more scoring for the remainder of regulation as neither team generated an abundance of scoring chances. Both goaltenders were great but the opportunities were few and far between. Niemi stopped 26 shots while Quick turned away 38 in a losing effort.

May 18, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (39) is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of game three of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately for the Kings, they were called for a couple of penalties in the final minute of regulation.

First, Robyn Regehr was called for hooking and then with five seconds left in the third, Trevor Lewis was called for goaltender interference.

In overtime, Los Angeles had done what they could to kill off their penalties but it was Logan Couture who ended the game at the 1:29 mark to put the Sharks back into the series, leaving Jonathan Quick very upset leaving the ice. Quick was so upset that he was handed a game misconduct. Why he was given that when the game had ended is beyond me but nevertheless.

Surely entering overtime, the Kings were determined to win but it wasn’t to be on this night as the San Jose Sharks use home-ice advantage in their favour and make this series a little more exciting.

Both teams will now have an extra day of rest before returning to the HP Pavilion for Game 4 on Tuesday night.