Ducks Owner Suspended by NHL

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli was suspended indefinitely by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday. Samueli's suspension comes one day after he pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission. He is scheduled to be sentenced by the U.S. Federal District Court on August 18. His status will be reviewed by the league after sentencing.

"I respect the decision made by Commissioner Bettman and will abide by the terms of the suspension," Samueli said. "I'm confident the team will be in great hands in my absence." During his suspension, Samueli is not allowed to be involved in club matters or activities. "While Mr. Samueli has been an exemplary owner, we hold NHL personnel to the highest standards and this plea requires the imposition of discipline under league rules."

In Samueli's absence, chief executive officer Michael Schulman will be responsible for the club's day-to-day activities. "As an organization, we continue to support Henry 100 percent," Schulman said. "Our goals and day-to-day operational structure remain the same." Co-owner Susan Samueli also has advised the league she will abide by the terms of her husband's suspension.

Stanley Cup Capsule

PITTSBURGH 3, DETROIT 2 -----------------------

Detroit Leads Series, 2-1

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The drought is over for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sidney Crosby scored a pair of goals and Adam Hall netted what proved to be the winner as the Penguins skated to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Marian Hossa notched two assists and Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves for the Penguins, who trail in the best-of-seven series, two games to one. Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson tallied for Detroit, which had blanked Pittsburgh in each of the first two games of the Finals.

The Penguins, who improved to 9-0 at home this postseason, host Game Four on Saturday. Unbeaten at Mellon Arena since a 2-1 shootout loss to San Jose on February 24, Pittsburgh entered having not scored a goal in its last 135 minutes, 57 seconds of action this postseason

Stanley Cup Preview

Detroit at Pittsburgh, 5:00 pm, NBC
Stanley Cup Finals, Red Wings lead, 2-0

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins will need more than a change of scenery to get back in the Stanley Cup Finals. Captain Sidney Crosby, All-Star Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins will look to finally generate some offense when they host the Detroit Red Wings in Game Three on Wednesday. Seeking his third Stanley Cup ring, Chris Osgood stopped all 22 shots he faced Monday for his second consecutive shutout as the Red Wings skated to a 3-0 triumph over the Penguins in Game Two.

Crosby and Malkin, who combined for 13 goals and 40 points through the first two rounds of the postseason, have been unable to get Pittsburgh rolling in the Finals. Crosby managed nine shots with a minus-1 rating and Malkin has been a non-factor - recording just one shot with a minus-3 rating.

Osgood, who made 19 saves in Game One on Saturday, is the first goaltender to post shutouts in the first two games of the Finals since three-time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils did so in 2003 against the Anaheim Ducks. "I try not to think about that or other things," said Osgood, who has not allowed a goal in 137 1/2 minutes. "If I do happen to pass things, I usually don't know about it. I like it that way. I need to be told after. "I like to keep my mind on the game and what I have to do during the game and not let my mind wander into things that really matter the most when I'm done playing."

Defenseman Brad Stuart and Valtteri Filppula each had a goal and an assist and Tomas Holmstrom also tallied for Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit in Game Two of the best-of-seven series. Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 31 saves for Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh, which is looking to become the second team in Finals history to lose the first two games on the road and win the Cup. The 1971 Montreal Canadiens also accomplished the feat, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games.

The Penguins must be happy to be returning home. They are 8-0 at Mellon Arena this postseason and have a 16-game winning streak there dating to February 24. Pittsburgh will need to dramatically improve its play to keep that streak alive. The Penguins have been thoroughly dominated through the first two games of the series. The Red Wings have outshot the Penguins by a 70-41 margin while holding Pittsburgh's dynamic power play scoreless on eight opportunities. "It's a team effort, it's not strictly defensemen," Stuart said. "It's forwards getting back, not getting caught deep, and making smart reads. When the forwards are doing that, it makes it easier."

"We have the forwards coming back real hard, the D can stand up and that's the way we've been playing pretty much the whole season," said Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom, a Norris Trophy finalist who is looking to win the award for a sixth time. "That's something we have to stick to as well." Despite seeing his team blanked for the second straight game, Crosby said his team isn't too far removed from finding its scoring touch. "We just have to execute," he said. "Did they really get that many scoring chances on us? I don't think they did. They got a few and put them in. We hit a post, and pucks go through us by the net that we don't put in. That's the difference."

Stanley Cup Capsule

DETROIT 4, PITTSBURGH 0 -----------------------

DETROIT (Ticker) -- After Marc-Andre Fleury literally stumbled out of the gate, the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins followed suit against the Detroit Red Wings. Mikael Samuelsson scored twice and Chris Osgood made 19 saves as the Red Wings skated to a 4-0 victory over the Penguins in Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday. Daniel Cleary and Henrik Zetterberg also tallied for the Western Conference champion Red Wings, who host Game Two on Monday.

Detroit, which outshot Pittsburgh, 25-7, over the final 40 minutes, improved to 8-1 at home this postseason. Fleury made 32 saves for the Penguins, who went 0-for-5 on the power play and allowed a shorthanded goal. While leading the Penguins down the runway prior to the start of the game, Fleury tripped as he stepped onto the ice. Little did he know that would be indicative of things to come.

Stanley Cup Preview - Piitsburgh vs. Detroit

By Scott Erskine
PA SportsTicker Hockey Editor

There is no shortage of stars in this year's Stanley Cup Finals. The best-of-seven series likely will not be lacking its share of goals either. The top two offensive teams this postseason begin their final step to the championship Saturday as the Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings host the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins in Game One. After finishing first in the Western Conference and third overall in the NHL with 257 goals during the regular season, the Red Wings enter the Finals with a league-leading 55 playoff tallies, averaging 3.44 per game. Johan Franzen is leading the way with a league-high 12 goals, fellow Swede and Selke Trophy finalist Henrik Zetterberg is right on his heels with 11 and Selke and Lady Byng Trophy contender Pavel Datsyuk has nine. However, Franzen - who also has scored a playoff-best five game-winners - is doubtful to play in the series opener after missing the final five games of the conference finals against the Dallas Stars with a concussion. Detroit, which finished first in the NHL for the third time in four seasons, trails only Pittsburgh in postseason potency. With reigning Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby leading the playoffs with 17 assists and Evgeni Malkin - a finalist for the Hart this year - and Marian Hossa netting nine goals apiece, the Penguins are averaging a league-high 3.64 tallies per contest. Offense aside, the teams also have been impressive in their own end. But once again, Pittsburgh has the edge, allowing a postseason-low 1.86 goals per game to Detroit's 1.94 average - the second-best mark of the playoffs. The first overall pick of the 2003 draft, Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins is the postseason leader in wins (12), shutouts (three) and save percentage (.938). Counterpart Chris Osgood, who began his tenure as Detroit's starter in the playoffs with a nine-game winning streak, is tops with a 1.60 goals-against average. Osgood's nine-game run also was a record for the franchise, which posted eight-game winning stretches in 1952 and 1995. Experience is decidedly on the side of the Red Wings, who have 10 players with their names already engraved on the Stanley Cup, including five - captain Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom and former "Grind Line" members Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty - who played on Detroit's championship teams in 1997, 1998 and 2002. The Red Wings' group of 10 have combined for 23 titles. Conversely, the Penguins have three players - Gary Roberts, Petr Sykora and defenseman Darryl Sydor - who have won a total of four Cups, all of which were captured with other teams. But Pittsburgh - which was the second seed in the East - has other factors in its favor, namely youth and size. The average age of a Penguin is 27.9 years, while the Red Wings check in at 32.3 - nearly five years older. Pittsburgh also has the edge in stature, with the average player measuring in at 6-2 and 208 pounds as opposed to Detroit's figures of 6-foot and 195 pounds. The intriguing matchup is the first postseason meeting of teams from Motown and the Steel City since the 1909 World Series, when the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Detroit Tigers in seven games. The Red Wings and Penguins have not faced off since October 7, 2006, when Franzen scored the decisive goal and Dominik Hasek made 13 saves in a 2-0 triumph by Detroit. Currently a consultant for the Red Wings, the legendary Scotty Bowman coached both Detroit (2002) and Pittsburgh (1992) to their most recent Stanley Cup championships.

DETROIT RED WINGS -----------------
WHAT'S RIGHT: With Franzen on the sidelines after his sizzling start to the playoffs, Zetterberg has kept the Red Wings from missing a beat. The 27-year-old is tied with Crosby for the league lead with 21 points and is just one goal behind "The Mule" for first in the postseason. Zetterberg also is tops in the NHL with a plus-15 rating and three shorthanded assists while sharing the lead with a pair of shorthanded goals. ... After having his nine-game winning streak halted by consecutive losses to Dallas in the conference finals, Osgood bounced back with a strong performance in Game Six, allowing just one goal on 29 shots. With the victory, the All-Star passed Hall of Famer Terry Sawchuk for first place on the franchise list with 48 career playoff wins. ... Draper has been superb on faceoffs, winning 154 of his 243 draws for a league-best winning percentage of 63.4. ... The 2001-02 Red Wings were the last team to win both the Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season. ... Despite a record of just 5-3 on the road this postseason, Detroit has been fueled by Datsyuk, who has scored all nine of his playoff goals away from home.

WHAT'S WRONG: If the Penguins are able to slow down Zetterberg and Datsyuk, the Red Wings could be longing for Franzen. Dating back to March 2, he has scored 27 goals in his last 27 games, setting or tying numerous franchise playoff records along the way. ... Zetterberg and Datsyuk scored nearly half of Detroit's goals in the conference finals, combining for eight of the club's 17 tallies. Of the eight other Red Wings to score, only Jiri Hudler (two) netted more than one. ... Other than the conference semifinals against Colorado, Detroit has allowed its opponent to get back in series by dropping consecutive games. Continuing that pattern against Pittsburgh likely would end its championship dreams.

WHAT'S BEEN SAID: "You start out with 30. I believe in our league now, everybody's good. For two to be remaining, they must be very good. Their transition is fantastic. They have a bunch of kids that can really skate. It's going to be a huge challenge for us. But we're excited about the opportunity." - coach Mike Babcock
INJURIES: D Chris Chelios (leg), C Johan Franzen (concussion), RW Tomas Kopecky (knee-IR)


PITTSBURGH PENGUINS -------------------
WHAT'S RIGHT: After notching five points in each of the Penguins' first two series, Hossa nearly matched the two-round total in the conference finals against the Philadelphia Flyers, erupting for four goals and five assists in the five-game set. ... Pittsburgh has been unbeatable on home ice, going 8-0 in the postseason after winning its final eight games at Mellon Arena during the regular season. ... Fleury has been even more successful at home, winning each of his last 18 starts - including the playoffs - at the "Igloo." The netminder has not lost at home since a 2-1 setback to New Jersey on November 21. ... Pittsburgh enters the Finals with a 12-2 mark in the postseason, becoming the 11th team since 1980 to begin the championship round with two losses or fewer. The last club to accomplish the feat was the 2003 Anaheim Ducks, who also were 12-2 through three series. ... Crosby has recorded a point in 10 of the Penguins' 14 playoff games. Of those 10 contests, nine have been multi-point performances.

WHAT'S WRONG: Other than experience, absolutely nothing. The Penguins made short work of the defending conference champion Ottawa Senators in the conference quarterfinals, took out the New York Rangers in five games in the semifinals and made it look easy in a five-game romp over the Flyers in the third round. However, it is the first trip to the Finals for most players on the roster, as opposed to the wealth of championship experience owned by the Red Wings. ... One of Pittsburgh's few Stanley Cup winners, Roberts again is having health problems. The rugged veteran, who missed 43 games with a broken leg before returning for the regular-season finale, sat out five contests earlier this postseason with a groin injury before missing the last three of the conference finals with a touch of pneumonia. Having the grizzled left wing back in the lineup would be a great help in physically wearing down Detroit's defensemen.

WHAT'S BEEN SAID: "I think both teams are very similar. I think the way we played through our playoffs, I think we earned our chance out of the East. I think the same for them. I think we match up pretty similar, which is kind of scary. It's going to come down to those little bounces you might get or might not get, the penalty that might get called. As a fan watching, I think it's going to be great for hockey, great for the sport. You have so many world-class players playing, it's going to be some fun hockey to watch." - LW Ryan Malone

INJURIES: D Mark Eaton (knee-IR), LW Gary Roberts (pneumonia)

HEAD-TO-HEAD PLAYOFF HISTORY ---------------------------- None

Media Credentials: Inside Sports Media

NEW YORK - NBC has agreed to continue televising NHL games through the 2009 season. The network decided to exercise its option to extend the contract, it announced Wednesday.

"There have been positive signs for the league, both on and off the ice," Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, said in a statement. "Ratings were up this year; the Winter Classic in Buffalo was a huge success; advertising sales were healthy; and the product on the ice has never been better, led by young, marketable stars such as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. We believe this is a sport that will continue to grow."

Ratings for the regular-season Sunday games on NBC were up 11 percent from last year. NBC will continue to televise the Sunday afternoon games and some playoff games. Last year, NBC extended what had originally been a two-year deal.

"This is great news for the NHL and its fans," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "NBC has been a great partner and its innovations to the broadcasts have helped bring fans inside the game like never before."

SoCal Stanley Cup Playoff Preview

Dallas at Anaheim, 7:30 pm

Western Conference quarterfinals

Stars lead, 3-1

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - The Dallas Stars are one win away from ousting the defending Stanley Cup champions from the postseason, the fifth-seeded Stars try to close out the best-of-seven series against the fourth-seeded Anaheim Ducks during Game Five on Friday.

Stu Barnes had a goal and an assist and Marty Turco made 28 saves as the Stars pushed the defending Stanley Cup champion Ducks to the brink of elimination Thursday with a 3-1 victory in Game Four. Not since the Detroit Red Wings won their second straight championship in 1998 has a team won back-to-back Stanley Cups in the NHL.

While many believed Anaheim had a chance to end the drought this postseason, Dallas is on the verge of ending the Ducks' hopes. "We're shocked (to be down three-games-to-one), not because we are the defending Stanley Cup champions but because we feel we have a good hockey team," said Anaheim goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who made 17 saves on Thursday. "It's disappointing now the situation we're in. "It's a challenge, but the reality is we have to win the next game. We can't think what it takes to win the series we have to think what it takes to win the next game."

Turco, who owns a 1.76 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage over the first four games of the series, stopped seven shots in the first period, 10 in the second and 11 in the third on Thursday. He came within eight seconds of his second shutout this postseason and the fifth of his playoff career before Ducks defenseman Mathieu Schneider spoiled the bid. "I just know it's going to be a big night every night," Turco said. "I expect to play well and feel well. It doesn't always go your way, but I just like my chances."

Despite Turco's strong play, the Stars realize it will be difficult to win a fourth game and eliminate the Ducks. "It's always tough, there's a lot more fight left in that group," Dallas center Mike Modano said. "It's not going to be (an) easy task." "We've had some success early, I think everybody is determined to make sure we stay grounded," Barnes said. "Guys have been good at staying focused."

SoCal Stanley Cup Preview

Anaheim at Dallas, 5:00 pm
Western Conference quarterfinals Stars lead, 2-1

DALLAS (Ticker) - The Anaheim Ducks stopped the bleeding, but have a lot of work to do if they plan on defending their Stanley Cup title. The fourth-seeded Ducks on Thursday will try to even their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series with the fifth-seeded Dallas Stars at two games apiece.

Defenseman Chris Pronger scored a pair of goals and added an assist for Anaheim, which avoided going down three-games-to-none by posting a 4-2 victory in Game Three on Tuesday. "In these situations you want to keep it as simple as possible," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "There was pressure to play a good hockey game. We had to play our best game of the series and we did. "Are we going to have to play better? For sure. We were fortunate to jump out to an early lead. But we found a way to keep it exciting at the end." Todd Marchant and Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Ducks, which trailed the Detroit Red Wings two-games-to-one in last season's Western Conference finals before claiming the series in six games. "We've got to have our big guys step up," Pronger said. "You expect your star players to raise their level of play at the top of their game." "Right now, we need to move on and focus on Game Four," said goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who made 31 saves on Tuesday. "We're still down (two-games-to-none) and we need to win some more games."

The Stars had a chance to take a commanding lead in the series, but wasted their first opportunity to capitalize on home ice. Despite the loss, Dallas isn't panicking. "This is a little bump for us," Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas said. "I think we got what we deserved and this is a good wake up call for us. Next game we need to be ready to compete from the beginning." "I'm very disappointed in the outcome but we're in 'fix-it' mode, not 'angry' mode," Dallas coach Dave Tippett said.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

By PA SportsTicker
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are ready to exact some revenge. The Penguins will host the Ottawa Senators as the Stanley Cup playoffs begin Wednesday with four conference quarterfinal series openers. The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers also get their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series underway Wednesday. In the West, the San Jose Sharks host the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche visit the Minnesota Wild in their quarterfinal openers.

OTT v. PIT
Eliminated in five games by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Senators in the conference quarterfinals last season, the Penguins enter this postseason rematch with home-ice advantage as they captured the Atlantic Division. It was the first division title for Pittsburgh since 1997-98, when they finished atop the Northeast. Despite missing 28 games this season due to injury, Crosby managed to finish second on the Penguins in scoring with 72 points. The superstar trailed only All-Star Evgeni Malkin, whose 106 points were six behind Washington's Alex Ovechkin in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. After their quarterfinals loss to Ottawa in 2007, Pittsburgh added some proven scoring depth to its young duo of Crosby and Malkin, signing former Stanley Cup champion Petr Sykora during the summer and acquiring Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers at this season's trade deadline. The Penguins also received a strong campaign from Ryan Malone, who posted career highs of 27 goals and 51 points. The Senators will be hard-pressed to repeat as conference champions as they limped into the playoffs with a 2-5-1 record down the stretch. They also figure to be without captain Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher for at least the early part of their series against the Penguins due to knee injuries.

NJ v. NYR
New Jersey looks to build on its 3-2 shootout victory over New York in Sunday's regular-season finale. The Rangers had won the first seven meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals this season. The Devils also hope to get back in the habit of winning in regulation. The team has not been victorious in 60 minutes since posting a 4-2 triumph at Colorado on March 15, going 4-5-1 over its last 10 games of the season, with three victories coming in the shootout and one in overtime. New York captain Jaromir Jagr seems to be peaking at the right time. The veteran Czech recorded seven goals and four assists in his final eight games to finish one point ahead of former Devil Scott Gomez (70) for the team lead in points.

CAL v. SJ
After putting together a streak in which they earned at least one point in 20 consecutive games (18-0-2), the Sharks lost their last two regular-season contests. Joe Thornton had another strong season with a team-leading 96 points, but the Flames also need to be aware of clutch scorers Jeremy Roenick and Milan Michalek, who finished second and sixth overall in game-winning goals with 10 and eight, respectively. Captain Jarome Iginla once again paced Calgary this season, leading the club with 98 points while becoming one of just three players in the league to reach the 50-goal plateau.

COL v. MIN
The Wild claimed the first division title in franchise history this campaign as they finished three points ahead of the Avalanche in the Northwest. The teams met twice over the last eight days of the regular season, with each claiming three of a possible four points. Minnesota and Colorado faced off in the 2003 conference quarterfinals, with the Wild overcoming a three-games-to-one deficit to win the series.

Three other quarterfinal series begin Thursday. The top-seeded Montreal Canadiens host the Boston Bruins in the East, while the Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings face the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars visit the Anaheim Ducks in the openers of their Western Conference matchups. On Friday, the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals meet for Game One of their quarterfinal series in the East.

SoCal NHL Preview

Phoenix (38-37-6) at Anaheim (46-27-8), 5:00 pm, FSNPT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- While home ice has treated the Anaheim Ducks kindly against most teams, it hasn't mattered against the Phoenix Coyotes. The Ducks conduct their final regular-season test before defending their Stanley Cup title on Sunday when they host the Coyotes.

Anaheim, which has secured the fourth seed in the Western Conference, is 27-9-4 at the Honda Center and trails only Detroit for most home wins (28). However, home ice hasn't made a difference against the Coyotes, who have taken the last four games here against the Ducks. At least momentum will be on its side after Anaheim secured its second straight win in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Teemu Selanne scored twice while Jean-Sebastien Giguere turned away 28 shots to notch his 35th win this season.

Phoenix's success at the Honda Center runs contrary to the team's recent struggles on the road, where they had dropped four straight until the Coyotes skated past Dallas, 4-2, on Friday. Rookie Daniel Carcillo notched his first career hat trick in the win.

SoCal NHL Preview

Anaheim (45-27-8) at Los Angeles (32-42-7), 1:00 pm, FSN

EDT LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - The Anaheim Ducks haven't played since last Sunday, but a meeting with the lowly Los Angeles Kings should get them back in sync before the start of the playoffs.

The Ducks, locked in as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, look to continue their dominance against the Kings when the teams face off on Saturday. Anaheim is 6-2-0 over its last eight games, including a 3-2 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Despite not playing for six days, Anaheim should have no problem getting back on track against the Kings after posting a 5-2-0 record during the first seven meetings this season.

However, Los Angeles will bring their best effort in its season finale on Saturday as it hopes to avoid finishing at the bottom of the NHL standings. The Kings(32-42-7) enter the contest tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning (31-41-9) for the worst record in the league with 71 points. Los Angeles is already assured a last place finish in the Pacific Division for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign. Despite their dismal season, the Kings managed to forge a 4-2 victory against the Pacific Division champion San Jose Sharks on Thursday

SoCal NHL Preview

San Jose (49-21-10) at Los Angeles (31-42-7), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Evgeni Nabokov understands that the San Jose Sharks' goal is to win the Stanley Cup. Nabokov makes a rare appearance on the bench Thursday when the Sharks visit the Los Angeles Kings in the finale of a home-and-home series.

The 32-year-old Nabokov picked up his 46th win of the season on Tuesday, making 16 saves to help San Jose forge a 5-2 victory over the Kings. With the win, the Sharks goaltender is just two wins away from equalling the NHL single-season wins record of 48 - set by Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils during the 2006-07 campaign.

However, with only two games remaining and the Pacific Division title already in hand, coach Ron Wilson has decided to rest Nabokov in preparation for the playoffs. "I wouldn't play him just to tie Brodeur's record," Wilson said. "The plan now is for (backup Brian) Boucher to play in LA and (Nabokov) in Dallas. (The plan has) been in place for a while. "If I play (Nabokov) in both games looking for a record, it comes back to haunt you, because Boucher goes into the playoffs not having played for a long time." Boucher is 3-6-0 with one tie in 11 career appearances against the Kings, but did win his lone start against the Sharks cross-state rivals on March 18, making 29 saves en route to a 2-1 victory.

Patrick O'Sullivan and Raitis Ivanans both scored goals on Tuesday for the Kings, who fell to 3-2-1 over the last six games.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (31-41-7) at San Jose (48-21-10), 7:30 pm, FSN

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - The San Jose Sharks will try to keep rolling Tuesday when they host the lowly Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks are 17-0-2 since losing a season-high five straight games from February 12-20. They wrapped up their third Pacific Division title with Friday's 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Trailing the Detroit Red Wings (52-20-7) by five points with just three games left, San Jose will most likely be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Captain Joe Thornton leads the club with 28 goals and 93 points this season. He has been a major factor in the Sharks' recent success, totaling eight goals over the last five games. The Kings remain in last place in the West, where they have been for the majority of the season. Anze Kopitar has a team-high 30 goals this season for Los Angeles, which is coming off a 7-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.

SoCal NHL Preview

Dallas (43-29-6) at Anaheim (44-27-8), 5:00 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - After suffering through their worst stretch of the season, the Dallas Stars broke out in a big way on Saturday. They will look to hang on to that momentum when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.

After climbing to within four points of the best record in the Western Conference less than a month ago, the Stars had fallen on hard times, going 1-7-1 in nine games before Saturday. They had managed just 17 goals in those nine contests, never scoring more than three in a game. But Saturday was a different story as Dallas jumped all over the lowly Los Angeles Kings, 7-2. Just 5-of-41 on the power play in their previous nine contests, the Stars converted 3-of-5 opportunities with the man advantage against the Kings. Loui Eriksson tallied twice and Mike Ribeiro assisted on three goals while Brendan Morrow scored for the 31st time this season. They also turned up the defensive pressure in the victory, limiting Los Angeles to 14 shots on goal in the game, the fewsest they had allowed since December 21, 2005. Though its hopes of a Pacific Division title were lost when its rough stretch coincided with the San Jose Sharks' 8-0-2 10-game stretch, Dallas can still grab second place in the division and the No. 4 seed in the West playoff picture if they can get by the Ducks.

Anaheim has won five of its last seven games and currently holds a four-point edge over Dallas for the fourth spot. Anaheim has three games left, one fewer than Dallas. The Ducks fell to the Sharks, 3-1, on Friday and have not posted more than two goals in any of their last five games. Their defense has made up for the drought, with Scott Niedermayer improving his play to make up for the loss of former Hart and Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger, who is not due back from an NHL-imposed eight-game suspension until April 6. The Stars have had their way with Anaheim this season, posting a 5-2-0 record against their division foes. The Ducks, however, took the latest matchup, 2-1, on March 19.

SoCal NHL Preview

Dallas (42-29-6) at Los Angeles (31-40-7), 1:00 pm

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars finally earned a point in their last game. They'll need a few more if they want to wrap up a playoff spot. The Stars try to snap a five-game winless streak Saturday, when they visit the lowly Los Angeles Kings.

Dallas, which had lost four games in a row in regulation, notched its first point since posting a 3-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on March 9 by forcing overtime against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. However, in the extra session, the Stars got into penalty trouble as goaltender Marty Turco was given a double-minor for high-sticking at 1:15 and defenseman Trevor Daley was whistled for hooking 91 seconds later. Joe Thornton proceeded to score the game-winning goal during the 5-on-3 power play with 2:02 left to play. Despite the loss, the one point was good enough to draw Dallas (42-29-6) even in points with the Calgary Flames (40-27-10) for fifth place in the Western Conference. Colorado made it three teams with 90 points on Friday by recording a 5-4 shootout victory over Edmonton.

Meanwhile, the Kings, who are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the lowest point total in the NHL with 69, improved to 3-0-1 over their last four games with a decisive 4-0 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. Rookie Erik Ersberg made 38 saves for Los Angeles, registering his second career shutout in just his 10th NHL start. The 26-year-old Swedish netminder is 5-3-3 with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage since being recalled from the American Hockey League on February 21.

SoCal NHL Preview

Phoenix (37-34-6) at Los Angeles (30-40-7), 7:30 pm, FSN

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - With just five games remaining, the Phoenix Coyotes have to be perfect to make the playoffs. The Coyotes go for their second consecutive win and try to keep their slim postseason hopes alive on Thursday when they visit the Los Angeles Kings.

Phoenix (37-34-6) is tied with the Chicago Blackhawks (36-33-8) for 11th place in the Western Conference and trails the Vancouver Canucks (38-29-10) by six points for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Coyotes earned two crucial points on Tuesday, escaping with a 5-4 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks. Martin Hanzal scored the game-winning goal in the extra session after the team's combined to score five goals within two minutes, 38 seconds early in the third period. The 21-year-old Hanzal, who is sixth on the team with 34 points, has just seven goals this season and notched his first tally since January 30 on Tuesday, helping the Coyotes snap a 0-4-1 stretch over their previous five games.

The Kings, who own the worst record in the league, had a rare two-game win streak snapped on Wednesday, suffering a 2-1 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Rookie goaltender Erik Ersberg made 39 saves for Los Angeles, which failed to complete just its third three-game win streak of the season.

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (30-40-6) at Anaheim (43-26-8), 7:00 pm

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - A pair of clubs heading in opposite directions meet Wednesday when the Anaheim Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings. The Ducks, reigning Stanley Cup champions and virtually in the playoffs, will be looking to extend their team-record nine-game home winning streak. The Kings are simply hoping to avoid finishing last in the NHL.

Anaheim, 25-8-4 at home, is one win away from matching the franchise record for home victories in a season. "If it wasn't for our home record, we wouldn't be sitting where we are right now," Ducks' center Rob Niedermayer said. Anaheim has surged into fourth place in the Western Conference with a 16-4-1 record since February 5. The Ducks haven't lost at home since a 4-2 defeat to Dallas on February 15. Anaheim is coming off a 2-1 victory over Phoenix on Saturday despite the absence of No. 1 goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere because of back spasms. The Ducks have lost four of their last five games against the Kings, but have won three straight at home in the series.

Los Angeles, which has a league-low 66 points, has won two straight for the first time since early February. The Kings can avoid finishing last in the league if they can catch the Tampa Bay Lighting, who are two points ahead. "Our fate has kind of been written," Kings' defenseman Rob Blake said. "We're out of the playoffs. We want a little respect."

SoCal NHL Preview

Los Angeles (29-40-6) at Dallas (42-28-5) 3:00 pm

DALLAS (Ticker) - The Dallas Stars know that now is not the time to start losing games in bunches. The Stars will try to break out of their recent slump when they host the lowly Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Dallas (42-38-5), which currently owns the fifth spot in the Western Conference, is just three points ahead of Vancouver (38-27-10) and Calgary (38-26-10) - with Colorado (39-30-6) owning eighth place with 84 points.

The Stars had an opportunity to move into fourth place in the West on Wednesday, but instead fell to 1-6-0 in the month of March after a power-play goal by Todd Bertuzzi with 28 seconds remaining in the third period allowed the Anaheim Ducks to skate to a 2-1 victory. "We're finding ways to lose rather than ways to win," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "It's a break here or there, but it's a break you have to make." The Stars should rebound against the Kings (29-40-6), who own the worst record in the NHL with just 64 points.

Despite the dismal record, the Kings ended a two-game losing streak with a narrow 6-5 shootout victory against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday. Tom Preissing scored two goals to lead Los Angeles, which is 3-3-0 against Dallas this season - with two of those victories coming after regulation.

SoCal NHL Preview

Anaheim (42-26-8) at Phoenix (36-33-5), 7:00 pm

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - The Anaheim Ducks haven't had any success against the Phoenix Coyotes recently. That trend could continue on Saturday if Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere is unable to play.

Anaheim has lost four consecutive games against the Coyotes, including a 3-2 shootout setback during their last meeting on March 11. Giguere made 37 saves in the loss as Phoenix overcame a two-goal deficit to rally for the win. However, Giguere was not in net for the Ducks during a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Friday after suffering an injury during pregame warm-ups. Jonas Hiller made 41 saves for Anaheim, which was outshot 43-13 and did not register a single shot in the third period.

Giguere, 30, has been terrific for the defending Stanley Cup champions this season, posting a 33-17-6 record with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. The Coyotes fell to 0-3-1 over their last four games on Thursday, enduring a 6-5 shootout loss to the lowly Los Angeles Kings. Five different players notched goals for Phoenix, which outshot the Kings, 20-5, in the third period before failing to record a shot on net in overtime.

SoCal NHL Preview

Anaheim (42-25-8) at San Jose (44-21-9), 7:00 pm

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) - The San Jose Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL, but success against the Anaheim Ducks has been hard to come by. The Sharks are 13-0-1 in their last 14 games and are the second team in the league to clinch a playoff berth.

San Jose, now in second place in the Western Conference, has not lost a game in regulation since a 3-2 loss at New Jersey on February 20. Sharks' goaltender Evgeni Nabokov is 42-20-8 on the season with a 2.15 goals-against average. Nabokov has a 1.92 GAA versus the Ducks in five games, but only has one victory to show for it. Center Torrey Mitchell has four goals against Anaheim this season.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Ducks have also been playing well of late, posting a 15-3-1 record in their last 19 games to move into fourth place in the West. Anaheim has won three straight, including a 2-1 victory at Dallas on Wednesday. Right wing Corey Perry has three goals against the Sharks. Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere is 5-0-1 with a 1.44 goals-against average versus San Jose.