Shane Doan, Mike Smith Help Phoenix Coyotes Survive, Force Game 5

Los Angeles Kings Tip Cap To Phoenix Coyotes, But Victory Is Inevitable

Odds were the Kings would finally lose a second game at some point. Coyotes stars Shane Doan and Mike Smith made sure that happened before it was too late.

PHOTO: Staples Center Transformation Underway

Shane Doan's Second Goal Confirmed After Review; Coyotes Lead, 2-0

As soon as the puck made that sound, you knew it was in. That’s not a sound we hear often when pucks strike hockey goals, so you knew it had to hit something inside the net. It wasn’t the post -- that’s for sure.

Shane Doan ripped a shot on net off an offensive zone face off win. It struck Rob Scuderi’s stick in front of the net and beat Jon Quick over the shoulder, entering the net and striking the TV camera inside. It bounced right back out as a few Coyotes players celebrated, but the sequence happened so quickly that the play continued. Los Angeles took the puck down the other end of the ice and even wound up with a shot on goal, but that’ll be stricken from the official record.

It’s the first time the Kings have allowed back-to-back goals from their opponent since Game 4 against the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Quarterfinals. That also happened to be their last (and only) loss in these playoffs.

The goal is really just a result of the Coyotes dictating this game. The Kings have been doing just that all series long, but if Phoenix keeps this up in Game 4, they’re going to live to see another day.

Coyotes Not Going Down Easily In Game 4

We knew the Coyotes wouldn’t go down easily, and they haven’t in Game 4. Maybe you could call the Kings flat here in the second period, but the Coyotes are strong on the forecheck and have generated perhaps more sustained zone time than they have in the entire series to date.

As a result, the Staples Center crowd looks completely dead.

Kings-Coyotes First Period Update: Shane Doan Puts 'Yotes Up 1-0

The captain came through for Phoenix, as Shane Doan beat Jonathan Quick on a power play -- only the fourth goal the defensively dominant Kings have allowed this series.

Doan's tally came somewhat against the run of play, to borrow a term from soccer. The Kings had more shots, leading 9-4, and had a variety of good opportunities, but the Coyotes capitalized on their second power play of the day. Justin Williams got called for a somewhat unfortunate interference call, and a miscommunication between Jonathan Quick and his defenders on a potential icing call led to Ray Whitney earning the puck.

Whitney shoveled the puck to Doan, who was behind net, and maneuvered in front of the goal before going high and stick-side with a backhand to beat Quick. The Kings have had a knack for bouncing back after giving up goals -- they went down first in Game 3 -- we'll see whether the Coyotes can keep up with their good start and hand the 8-seed their second loss of the Stanley Cup Finals and maybe provide a challenge in an unbelievably smooth playoffs for Los Angeles.

For all news and information regarding the Phoenix Coyotes, please visit Five for Howling or stop by SB Nation Arizona. For updates and perspective on the Los Angeles Kings, head on over to Jewels From The Crown and SB Nation Los Angeles.

Coyotes Vs. Kings Score: Shane Doan Gives Phoenix 1-0 Lead

Shane Doan’s never been this deep in the playoffs, so you know he’s not going to lie down despite his team’s 0-3 hole. First, Jonathan Quick made a bit of a mental error, playing a puck behind the net that would have been whistled down for icing. Sure, perhaps the Coyotes would have gotten to the puck first, but Quick probably should’ve allowed the race to play out.

Instead, he tried to wheel it around the boards, and that’s where Doan was to meet him. Doan leapt off his skates to try and stop the puck, but it snuck by to Ray Whitney. Whitney gave it back to Doan, who skated in on goal and whipped a backhand shot past Quick to give Phoenix the 1-0 lead.

Was it a bad penalty called against Justin Williams to put Phoenix on the power play? Absolutely. But the fact that they were a man down had just about nothing to do with the goal. Just a wonderful effort from Doan and Whitney to capitalize on a silly mistake from Quick.

Darryl Sutter Doesn't Like Talking

“Play in their zone. We’re doing a good job of it. Keep it up.”

-- via NBC's bench interview with Darryl Sutter

The Los Angeles Kings coach is a man of few words, but … well, that sums up this game so far and this series pretty well for L.A.

Illuminati Clearly At Work For Los Angeles Kings

The Kings came out of nowhere late in the regular season, picking up their game just in time to grab the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. Since the end of the season, they've been a dominant force in the playoffs, going 11-1 through 12 postseason games thus far. They rolled through the No. 1 seed in five games, the No. 2 seed in four games and now, it looks like they're making easy work of the No. 3 seed Phoenix Coyotes.

Clearly, this is more than just a turn of fortune for the hockey team. There must be some higher force at work. Somebody is pulling the strings here, and even as you watch Game 4 from your seat at Staples Center or from your couch somewhere in the world, they're controlling things more than you realize.

See, you're witnessing a 0-0 game early in the first period. You watched the Coyotes kill off a penalty with ease. But according to the NHL's official game log -- the actual, official record of the game -- that's not what really happened. Behold, and click to enlarge:

We first noticed this "mistake" about six minutes prior to hitting the publish button on this post. It's yet to change. Clearly, the fix is in. #illuminati

Coyotes Penalty Kill Continues To Be Solid

As bad as Ray Whitney’s penalty was, the Coyotes penalty kill is really, really solid. It has been all series and all playoffs — as NBC points out, they’ve killed 22 straight penalties on the road now — and they only allowed two shots to get through to the net on the power play.

Ray Whitney Takes Ill-Advised Roughing Penalty

The lack of discipline has hurt the Phoenix Coyotes all series long, and that’s apparently going to continue into Game 4. Ray Whitney took a hit from Slava Voynov along the boards in the Kings end of the ice, and the hit didn’t please Whitney all that much.

He grabbed Voynov in a head lock and while it appeared as though the officials were going to let it go initially, he held on far too long and was whistled for a deserved roughing penalty.

Not the start Phoenix needed. A veteran like Whitney — who’s played more playoff games than anybody in a white jersey today — should know better.

Coyotes Welcome Martin Hanzal, Adrian Aucoin Back To Lineup In Game 4

The Phoenix Coyotes face elimination in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon, but they'll at least have some reinforcements. Phoenix gets Martin Hanzal back into the lineup after the forward served his one-game suspension in Game 3. Hanzal was forced to sit after his hit on Kings captain Dustin Brown in Game 2.

The Coyotes will also get defenseman Adrian Aucoin back in the lineup as well. He's missed the entire Western Conference Final thus far, and hasn't played since Game 5 of the Western Semifinals against the Nashville Predators. Aucoin's veteran presence and his defensive skill certainly boosts the Phoenix defense.

And, we're under way.

NHL Playoffs 2012, Kings Vs. Coyotes Game 4: Game Time, TV Coverage And More

The Los Angeles Kings will try to complete the sweep as they face the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Sunday's Game 4 will be played in Los Angeles, the Kings lead the best-of-seven series 3-0.

The Kings have dominated the series through the first three games, holding a 10-3 goal advantage over the Coyotes. Los Angeles is 11-1 in the playoffs including winning their last eight games. Dwight King leads the Kings in this series with four goals. Jonathan Quick has allowed just three goals in the three games, saving 67-of-70 shots.

The Coyotes will try to send the series back to Phoenix by winning Game 4. If Phoenix is going to have a chance, they are going to need better play from goaltender Mike Smith. In the first three games of the series, Smith has allowed nine goals, saving 106-of-115 shots.

Sunday's Game 4 is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC.

For all news and information regarding the Phoenix Coyotes, please visit Five for Howling or stop by SB Nation Arizona. For updates and perspective on the Los Angeles Kings, head on over to Jewels From The Crown and SB Nation Los Angeles.