Live discussion: Sharks vs. Kings, Game 5 preview

Join Times Kings writer Lisa Dillman and hockey Hall of Famer Helene Elliott at 1:30 p.m. today as they discuss tonight’s Kings-Sharks playoff game.

The best-of-seven series is tied, 2-2, after San Jose held off the Kings, 2-1, in Game 4 on Tuesday.

As Elliott wrote Wednesday,

“Anze Kopitar suspected something might be up. In two games at San Jose the Kings had scored two goals and lost twice to the Sharks, dropping into a 2-2 tie in the teams’ Western Conference semifinal playoff series. The Kings perfected the art of playing taut, low-scoring games last spring but that scoring pace probably won’t get them out of this round.

“Kopitar’s suspicion was confirmed when he saw his practice jersey wasn’t the same color as the jersey given to longtime linemate Dustin Brown. The switch was one of several revised combinations Coach Darryl Sutter auditioned Wednesday, hoping to create offensive sparks in Game 5 on Thursday at Staples Center.

“Sometimes after games like the last two you almost need a little bit of change,” Kopitar said, then paused.

“Not that you need it,” he said, “but you can kind of see it coming.”