NHL Playoffs: Five Things the San Jose Sharks Must Do to Beat the Kings in LA

The Sharks were outworked in Game 2 and it showed up on the scoreboard.

A 4-0 loss is deflating at any point in the season, but its especially so when it relinquishes home ice advantage and comes right before two games at the STAPLES Center.

San Jose is capable of winning Game 3 and regaining control of the series.

The following are five things the team needs to do to take a game or two in LA.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials from the San Jose Sharks.

5. The Sharks Must Channel Emotions Effectively

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SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 16: Ryane Clowe #29 the San Jose Sharks gets a penalty for cross checking Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the HP Pavilion on Apri

In the first game, the Sharks used the energy of their home crowd and the playoff atmosphere to their advantage.

In the second game, San Jose became frustrated and took seven penalties.

"The most important thing is that we don't end up in the box," said forward Patrick Marleau. "And give the other team too many chances."

The Kings took advantage and scored two power-play goals.

"You have to be emotionally-attached, you have to have a little fire in your eyes and in your belly," said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan. "But you have to play with controlled emotion and smart emotion."

Defenseman Dan Boyle was upset about the team's discipline issues.

"We had dumb penalties in the first," said Boyle.

"We saw them all and the replay on all of them and they were all pretty stupid. Whether it's being too pumped up or not, you have to control your emotions out there. Two power-play goals, that isn't very good."

4. Get Control of the Puck in the Dirty Areas

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SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 16: Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings gets called for a tripping penalty on Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the HP Pavilion

The Sharks were not competitive in the dirty areas along the boards and in front of the net against the Kings.

They must have control of the puck and make plays from those areas in order to regain control of the series.

"When you are along the boards you have to compete as hard or harder than they do," said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan. "When you get to the net and talk about net play, which have been very good for the past three months, you have to be very competitive in that area and we weren't tonight."

3. The Top Line Must Show Up in the Scoreboard

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SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 23: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks after scoring a goal celebrates with teammates Patrick Marleau #12 and Dany Heatley #15 against the Phoenix Coyotes during an NHL hockey game at the HP Pavilion on December 23, 2010 in Sa

Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have yet to record a point in the playoffs and are a combined minus-3.

Both players are leaders on the team and must get to Kings netminder Jonathan Quick in LA.

"I'm not so much worried about an individual line," said McLellan. "I'm just disappointed in our team."

Even if McLellan is not going to pinpoint an individual player or line in front of the press, he has to have said something in the locker room.

These men must perform.

"We made our mistakes," said forward Patrick Marleau. "We had our chances on the power play too."

2. Shut Down Drew Doughty and the Kings Defense

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 02: Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings looks on against the Dallas Stars at Staples Center on April 2, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Drew Doughty was unstoppable in Game 2.

He netted two goals from the blue line and had four points.

"His upside is unlimited as far as I'm concerned," said Kings head coach Terry Murray. "Doughty has always shown that ability to make the play at the right time, to step up, to try to be assertive and get things turned around if necessary."

"I always knew he was gonna go somewhere," said Sharks forward Logan Couture, speaking on behalf of his childhood friend. "He was so skilled, so gifted."

Now it is time for Couture and his Sharks to shut Doughty and his fellow defensemen down.

1. The Sharks Must Move on from Game 2

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PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 23: Head coach Todd McLellan of the San Jose Sharks watches from the bench during the NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center on February 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Sharks defeated the Pe

Simply put: the Sharks need to take the positives from the first two games (mostly the first game) and forget about the rest.

With complete focus on Game Three they can win in LA and take control of the series.

The team has a precedent of bouncing back after a tough loss from the regular season.

"We had one of these in Chicago," McLellan said. "We had one in Anaheim not a long time ago where we were out-competed and outplayed.

"The good thing is, following those games we gathered our composure a little bit, we regrouped and we came out. That's fully what I expect our group to do."

"You have to take away from the game what's going to help you," said  Marleau. "And then just leave the rest and move on."