pt. The Kings, of course, were dow

The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will aim for a seventh straight victory and a 3-0 lead in their second round Western Conference series when they host the Anaheim Ducks in Thursdays Game 3 battle at Staples Center. Dontari Poe Elite Jersey . Watch the Ducks vs. Kings live on TSN tonight at 9:30pm et/6:30pm pt. The Kings, of course, were down 3-0 in the opening round against San Jose before becoming only the fourth team in NHL history to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three meetings. L.A. hasnt slowed down a bit since completing that first-round comeback with a Game 7 win in San Jose, claiming the first two games of this series on the road. The Kings posted a 3-2 overtime win in Anaheim on Saturday before grabbing a 2-0 series lead with Mondays 3-1 triumph at the Honda Center. The Kings have gone on a few long playoff winning streaks in recent years. The club won eight straight at one point in 2012 en route to winning the franchises first Stanley Cup title and had a six-game winning streak last spring before falling in the conference finals to Chicago. "We just take it one game at a time, shift at a time, period at a time. All those things like that," said head coach Darryl Sutter of his teams current winning streak. Anaheim, meanwhile, hopes it can halt L.A.s hot streak on Thursday and avoid falling behind 3-0. A seventh straight win by the Kings would give them a chance to close the series with a sweep Saturday at the Staples Center. The top-seeded Ducks finished 16 points ahead of Los Angeles in the Pacific Division standings and went 4-0-1 against the Kings during the regular-season series, but so far that success hasnt translated to the playoffs. "We know we can beat this team," said Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy. "We feel weve had pretty even games, and theyve come out on top. I truly believe the playoffs are all about momentum. Right now, we need to put a seed of doubt in their mind. If we win (Game 3), its a 2-1 series and we have momentum. We can do that." The Kings jumped on Anaheim early in Game 2, with Marian Gaborik scoring just 34 seconds into the contest. Anaheim tied it near the midway point of the first, but Alec Martinez scored the game-winner for L.A. at 12:07 of the first. The score remained 2-1 until Dwight King added an empty-netter in the closing minute of the third period. "Well enjoy this one night, but we have a lot of work to be done still," said Martinez. Jonathan Quick turned away 36 shots to anchor the win for the Kings. The 2012 Conn Smythe winner had stopped 69-of-72 shots sent his way in this series for a save percentage of .958. Gaborik also is having a strong series for L.A., recording three goals and an assist over the first two games to give him nine points (6 goals, 3 assists) in nine games this postseason. The Slovakian sniper was the hero of Game 1, tying it late in regulation before scoring the winner 12:07 into overtime. Anze Kopitar has been on fire for the Kings as well, notching at least one point in all nine of the clubs postseason games this spring. The star centerman had an assist on Monday and leads all skaters in the playoffs with 14 points (4g, 10a). Kopitar has reached the scoresheet in all nine games this postseason. Patrick Maroon scored the only goal of Game 2 for the Ducks, who had won all three of their home games in a 4-2 series win over Dallas in the opening round. Jonas Hiller gave up two goals on 16 shots in the loss. "This series isnt over. We can go to Staples Center, get a few bounces and bring this series back tied," said Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau. The Ducks were 3-0 on the road against the Kings during the regular season, but one of those wins came outdoors at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25. Thursdays battle will mark the first postseason game between the clubs at the Staples Center, as this series marks the first playoff encounter between L.A. and Anaheim. The Kings played Monday without defensemen Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr in the lineup and both players could be out again with undisclosed injuries. Mitchell last played in Game 6 against San Jose, while Regehr has been out since leaving in the first period of Game 1 against Anaheim. Matt Greene has filled in for Mitchell in the lineup, while Jeff Schultz replaced Regehr on Monday. Travis Kelce Womens Red Jersey . The former world No. 1 Djokovic, who is the top seed here despite being ranked No. 2, snuck past 35-year-old Czech showman Radek Stepanek in four high- quality sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), on Centre Court. Djokovic appeared relieved when he converted on his first match point by swatting a cross-court forehand winner that just caught the line to end an affair that featured only two service breaks. Sean Smith Jersey . - Wednesdays lightweight bout between Canadian Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout and K. LONDON -- Jermain Defoe retained his place in the England squad for the friendly against Denmark despite his impending move to Canada, but playing in Major League Soccer might harm his chances of making the World Cup. Defoe, who has 19 goals in 55 England games, has appeared in only two Tottenham games in two months as he prepares to head to Toronto FC for the start of MLS next month. "You cant deny of course that playing for Toronto cant be put on a par with playing in the Premier League -- nobody would expect me to say that," England coach Roy Hodgson said on Thursday. "And all these factors will be taken into consideration when we make a (squad) decision." But Hodgson stressed that playing for Toronto "wont necessarily count against" the striker if his goal-scoring touch also travels with him. "I would judge it on the player, what the player brings, what I think he will add to the squad, and there will be an element of his form and how hes playing at the moment," Hodgson said. Defoe was included in the 30-man squad for Wednesdays Denmark game at the expense of Andy Carroll, who made five appearances for West Ham since returning from a foot injury in January before being suspended for a red card. "Carroll has hardly played but we will be keeping an eye on him," Hodgson said. Also, Southampton defender Luke Shaw was called up for the first time ahead of the World Cup. The 18-year-old Shaw has a chance to stake his claim for a place in the World Cup squad in the last friendly before Hodgsoon names his players in May. Alex Smith Elite Jersey. "Anyone who has watched him play recently will not deny he deserves a place in a large squad like this," Hodgson said. "He has played extremely well and is a very exciting talent." Shaw, one of four Southampton players in the squad, will be competing for a place at left back with veteran Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines. After the Denmark game, England has three friendlies before the World Cup -- against Peru at Wembley on May 30 before heading to Miami to play Ecuador and Honduras. At the World Cup, England plays Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in Group D. ------ England: Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Joe Hart (Manchester City), John Ruddy (Norwich), Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion) Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Steven Caulker (Cardiff), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Luke Shaw (Southampton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham) Midfielders: Ross Barkley (Everton), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Manchester City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool), Andros Townsend (Tottenham), Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) Strikers: Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Jay Rodriguez (Southampton), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United) ' ' '