Being thumped by a flashy opponent early in a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, as the Kings were flattened in losing their second and third games against the Edmonton Oilers by a cumulative 14-2, wasn’t anything new for them.
The 2014 Kings faced a worse situation after they lost the first two games to San Jose by a combined 13-5 and the first three by an aggregate 17-8. After a better performance in an overtime loss in the third game, then-coach Darryl Sutter said he saw signs it wasn’t the end for his team but the beginning of an opportunity to show their staunch character.
“It’s a tough hill,” he said, “and we won’t go quietly away, that’s for sure.”
They didn’t go away until they had the Cup in their arms. They gained life and confidence while the Sharks froze in the moment, helping the Kings to become only the fourth NHL team to erase a 3-0 deficit in winning a best-of-seven postseason series. That dramatic reversal launched them on a long and sometimes perilous path to their second championship in three seasons.
The Sharks’ coach in that series was Todd McLellan. Now in his third season as the Kings’ bench boss, he gave them the tools for a series-tying comeback by making lineup changes on Sunday that were key factors in their 4-0 victory over the Oilers at Crypto.com Arena. Goaltender Jonathan Quick made 31 saves for his 10th postseason shutout and first since 2014, sending the series back to Edmonton for Game 5 on Tuesday even at two games each and ensuring there will be a sixth game at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday. Both players McLellan brought into the lineup made significant contributions, with defenseman Troy Stecher scoring and winger Carl Grundstrom scoring twice, the second time into an empty net.
Kings defenseman Troy Stecher, center, celebrates with teammates Blake Lizotte, left, and Alex Iafallo after scoring in the first period Sunday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Asked if he had seen hints that the Kings might…