Patrick Marleau News

On one level, it was a tale of two Thorntons that set the tone for Tuesday night's NHL playoff action.

While the Sharks may have dodged a huge bullet by winning game three in overtime on Saturday, they still have some significant work to do.

Neatly framed but almost forgotten, a front page from the San Jose Mercury News sits against the wall in a room above the Sharks' practice rink.

San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi , of Finland, blocks a goal attempt against Los Angeles Kings center Mike Richards as San Jose Sharks defenseman Justin Braun looks on during the second period in Game 3 of their second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Saturday, May 18, 2013, in San Jose, Calif.

Logan Couture, Doughty's childhood pal and now a rival as a center for the San Jose Sharks, stayed behind the camera, deliberately beyond reach of the revered prize.

The Sharks played half the game on guts Saturday night. But they finished in style.

A lottery official says 1 winning ticket has been sold in Florida for a record Powerball jackpot of more than $590 million.

It's been less than 10 months since the world record for a lottery prize. On Saturday night, it could conceivably fall once again.

The Sharks are hoping for a lift from the notoriously loud HP Pavilion crowd Saturday night for a vital Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Kings.

Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles fought back from a goal down with less than two minutes to play to stun the San Jose Sharks 4-3 in a frenzied finish to Game Two of their Western Conference semi-finals series on Thursday.

Sharks forward Raffi Torres was suspended for the rest of San Jose's second-round playoff series against Los Angeles on Thursday for an illegal check to the head of Kings forward Jarret Stoll during the opener.

After a quick exit, Habs fans find themselves without a team to cheer for in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Pittsburgh Penguins still look like the team to beat in the Eastern Conference as Stanley Cup playoff second-round series get under way.

As is usual when the Sharks and Los Angeles Kings meet, much is already being made of the friendship between Sharks forward Logan Couture and Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.

The defending Stanley Cup champions will kick off the second round on home ice, as the Los Angeles Kings host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals.

So We Meet Again- The San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings, two teams separated geographically by 395 miles.

San Jose finally learned Sunday night that it will face the Los Angeles Kings in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs after the Detroit Red Wings ousted the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in their Game 7 showdown.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi bumps helmets with Patrick Marleau after a win over the Vancouver Canucks at HP Pavilion in San Jose during their NHL first-round playoff series on May 5, 2013.

In addition to the contributions of newly-acquired wing Raffi Torres, Roenick praised goaltender Antti Niemi and forwards Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski.

Now that they know they'll be facing one of two teams -- the Chicago Blackhawks or Los Angeles Kings -- in the next round, the Sharks are factoring in the opposition in their ongoing practices, but only to a degree.