Jarret Stoll News

Previewing the Los Angeles Kings' 2012-13 season: West Semi Final, Game 4 @ San Jose; May 21/13, 7pm PST 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 ... (more)

With two days off in an all-California series, the Los Angeles Kings seized the opportunity to fly home for two days of practice before Game 4. The Kings went through a short workout at their training complex Sunday after sleeping in their own beds following a 2-1 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.

To say that the middle of a second-round playoff series amid one of the NHL's most hostile environments makes for an improbable rookie inaugural setting would be an understatement.

The National Hockey League on Saturday issued a $100,000 fine to the San Jose Sharks organization for comments made by general manager Doug Wilson regarding the suspension levied to Raffi Torres earlier in the week.

Although Trevor Lewis knows all about postseason heroics after scoring two goals in a Stanley Cup-clinching victory last season, even he was a bit overwhelmed by the Los Angeles Kings' latest spectacular playoff feat.

Dustin Brown slumped in front of his locker and contemplated the final minutes of Game 2 with the same bewildered wonder felt by all those joyous Kings fans streaming out of Staples Center.

The NHL suspended Torres for the duration of the series Thursday, saying that when the Sharks left wing hit Kings center Jarret Stoll late in the second period of Game 1, the head was the principal point of contact even though a "glancing blow" to the shoulder preceded it.

The Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their lead in the Western Conference semifinals, as they host the San Jose Sharks in Thursday's Game at Staples Center.

"The way I was brought up was, you've got to keep your head up," said Joe Thornton.

Maybe Raffi Torres hasn't changed his ways after all. The San Jose Sharks winger is once again generating negative headlines after a high hit on centre Jarret Stoll in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stops a shot by San Jose Sharks' Justin Braun as Los Angeles Kings' Rob Scuderi, left, looks on during the third period in Game 1 of their second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series in Los Angeles, Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

Streamers rain down as the Kings celebrate beating the St. Louis Blues 2-1 to take the first round of the playoffs on May 10, 2013, at Staples Center.

After their opening-round victory over the St. Louis Blues on Friday night, the Los Angeles Kings knew that whoever they were to play in the second round, it would be a Battle of California .

May 30, 2012: Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils during Game 1 of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Final.

Entering Game 5 , something had to give. Either the Los Angeles Kings ' winning would be snapped or the unbeaten streak of the home team in the series would come to an end.

Goaltender Jonathan Quick can't score goals for the Kings, so if you want to blame him for anything, there's that.

Diehard Yorkton hockey fans should be cheering for the Pittsburgh Penguins out of the Eastern Conference and the Los Angeles Kings out of the Western Conference in this year's National Hockey League playoffs.

Introspection and navel-gazing are not Darryl Sutter's favorite activities. The Los Angeles Kings' coach is blunt, more likely to look ahead than to over-analyze the past in search of great cosmic meaning.

The Kings can clinch fourth place in the Western Conference and home-ice advantage for the opening round of the playoffs with a victory tonight over the San Jose Sharks in regulation play, overtime or a shootout and a loss by the St.

There are three games left in the 2013 NHL regular season and the Kings are a postseason contender.