Dustin Brown, middle, and his Kings teammates are one win away from clinching the team's first Stanley Cup final berth since 1993, despite a 2012 playoff-worst power play that has converted only six of 70 chances. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Three things you need to know about Game 5 of the NHL Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Kings and hometown Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 9 p.m. ET). Kings lead the best-of-seven series 3-1.
Kings can set a Stanley Cup playoff record with their 8th consecutive road win
Los Angeles became only the third team to begin a playoff run with seven consecutive road wins, matching the 1980 New York Islanders and 1999 Colorado Avalanche. The Kings can set the record by closing out the Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on Tuesday. They also have won nine in a row on the road, dating back to last year.
"You know what, we've had to be," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said. "That's a fact. You're not a home-ice team you've got to be. When you're a team that doesn't score many goals, you've got to be. You've got to manufacture and find different ways to do it.
"We found it. I know what the talk is, because of our road record. When you look at all the different ways the teams have won, it's won by your goalie being great, or your power play, or the other team taking a bad penalty, your penalty killing, overtime. There's so many different ways to it. It's not just, 'That's how you did it, that's how you do it.' There are so many different ways of doing it.
"The biggest thing we do is, win or lose, try and play the same way. That's the most important thing."
A struggling power play hasn't hurt the Kings
The Kings have the worst power-play efficiency of the four conference-final teams at 6-for-70, including only a pair of 5-on-3 goals in a 2-for-23 dry spell in their series against Phoenix. But it obviously hasn't hurt their cause this spring.
In fact, Sutter believes it's a good sign that his team has been able to draw 70 power plays in only 13 games. Here is the breakdown of the other three remaining teams in the playoffs: Phoenix 6-for-44 in 15 games; New Jersey 11-for-61 in 16 games; N.Y. Rangers 13-for-68 in 18 games.
We should also note that the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup a year ago with a poor 10-for-88 mark in man-advantage situations.
Aucoin will be a game-time decision
Coyotes 38-year-old defenceman Adrian Aucoin finally made it to the conference final for the first time in his 17-year NHL career, when he returned from a nagging groin injury on Sunday.
He played well despite a two-week layoff, but after only three shifts in the third period he headed for the dressing room. Aucoin did not skate with his teammates on Monday or Tuesday morning, but appeared confident he will be able to suit up for Game 5.
Kings projected lines
Dustin Brown - Anze Kopitar - Justin Williams
Dustin Penner - Mike Richards - Jeff Carter
Dwight King - Jarret Stoll - Trevor Lewis
Brad Richardson - Colin Fraser - Jordan Nolan
Starting goalie: Jonathan Quick
Coyotes projected lines
Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata
Mikkel Boedker - Antoine Vermette - Shane Doan
Taylor Pyatt - Daymond Langkow - Lauri Korpikoski
Kyle Chipchura - Boyd Gordon - Marc-Antoine Pouliot
Starting goalie: Mike Smith
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
