Drew Doughty fires back at TJ Galiardi, defends Jonathan Quick

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty dismissed the notion, put forth by San Jose Sharks forward TJ Galiardi, that goalie Jonathan Quick engages in “a little embellishment.”

Not only did Doughty stand up for Quick, he said the San Jose player was a noted diver. He took issue with Galiardi’s comments and said they went beyond the usual playoff back-and-forth.

“It’s not even playoff talk,” Doughty said Thursday before Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. “It’s just funny to even hear that from a guy who is the biggest diver on their team. Like it’s just ridiculous he can even say that, to be honest.

“But I don’t want to get involved in that stuff. I don’t think you have to watch many [Sharks games]. You can just watch three of his shifts and you’ll see how many times he dives. There’s been times where even the refs are telling him, just get up, because he’s diving so often.”

Galiardi was not prompted by a specific question about Quick when he made the comments at Sharks practice Wednesday.

”...You [media] guys see it,” Galiardi told the San Jose Mercury News. “The thing is, with video, something we like to say around here is ‘ball don’t lie.’ It’s an old basketball term. But when you watch the video, the video doesn’t lie. So I’m skating by and I barely touch him and he’s throwing his hands in the air; it’s kind of one of those things — he looks bad on video, not me.”

Doughty, looking annoyed Thursday, had more to say about Galiardi.

“For him to call Quickie out like that, it’s just not right, and we all know Quickie is an honest hockey player,” Doughty said. “He’s not diving. He’s not flopping. Quickie is as tough as nails.”

Quick was also tough enough against San Jose, stopping 24 shots in the Kings’ 3-0 victory.

Getting physical

Despite a season wrecked by injuries, Kings defenseman Matt Greene needed to be physical against San Jose.

He knew it too. Didn’t matter that Thursday was only his second game since April 24.

“It’s the way I play,” he said beforehand. “You’ve got to stick with your strengths, and that’s just kind of get in the way and try to get physical on some of their forwards, throwing down a little bit.”

So he did.

A few minutes into Game 5, Greene took out Galiardi as the Sharks winger stood in front of the Kings’ net. Then he drilled James Sheppard a few minutes later with the puck in the Kings’ offensive zone.

He drew another cheer from the Staples Center crowd in the third period, checking Galiardi into the Sharks’ bench.

Greene was also on the Kings’ first penalty-kill unit despite a noted lack of playing time. A sign of desperation by the Kings? Perhaps. A sign of Greene’s importance to them? Absolutely.

Sunday’s faceoff

There are two possible start times for Game 6 Sunday in San Jose.

If Pittsburgh finishes off Ottawa on Friday, the Kings and Sharks play at 5 p.m. If Pittsburgh doesn’t eliminate Ottawa on Friday, the Kings and Sharks are the late game Sunday with a 7 p.m. faceoff.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

Twitter: @reallisa

Twitter: @Mike_Bresnahan