The San Jose Sharks are glad to be returning home.
Sharks coach Todd McLellan anticipates a few minor adjustments and no big personnel changes as San Jose looks to rebound from Thursday night's 3-0 loss at the Los Angeles Kings in their Western Conference semifinal series.
The Sharks, who held a team meeting and optional ice time Friday, return home down 3-2 to the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Game 6 is Sunday night. The home team has won the first five games of the series.
''We're good at home,'' San Jose forward Joe Pavelski said. ''We want to take care of business on home ice and then roll the dice in Game 7 because I think we can bring it.''
McLellan called Thursday's loss the team's weakest effort yet in the playoffs and was determined to reverse that in time for a chance to force Game 7.
''We have been resilient the last month and a half,'' McLellan said. ''We've brought it when needed. This is another chance for that. The true advantage at home is your fans. They give you extra energy, extra step.''
McLellan said the poor effort has ''something to do with Los Angeles and a lot had to do with San Jose,'' he said. ''We didn't have our legs. Some days you wake up and know you have it. Other days you can't walk around the block. It's just magnified in the playoffs.''
There are a few options available for McLellan. Veteran forward Adam Burish, out since Game 2 against Vancouver, has been practicing and could be available. Defender Jason Demers had his first action of the playoffs Thursday night, though it was a limited appearance as a forward.
Sharks forward Logan Couture credited Kings goalie Jonathan Quick with limiting scoring opportunities.
''He takes a lot of them away from you,'' Couture said. ''We still had enough chances, but we shot it into him too. When you score zero you're never going to win and it has happened twice already. It doesn't matter if you're playing a little or a lot, you have to find a way to score.''
The Sharks were one of the top power-play teams in the league during the regular season and carried that over into the playoffs, until they ran into Quick.
Only the Pittsburgh Penguins have scored more power-plays goals (12) than the Sharks (10), but the Kings never allowed the Sharks breathing room.
''They did what they had to do and now we have to respond,'' Sharks center Scott Gomez said. ''We have guys who have gone through this before. We still can't try to do too much. We have to stick with the game plan.''
TJ Galiardo said no one was happy with the way they played.
''This is the one we didn't deserve to win,'' Galiardo said. ''Their defenders were active and jumped in to finish the forecheck. It seems the way the power play has gone, that's the way the games have gone. It's just execution. We have to be ready for whatever they throw at us.''
McLellan said there is a possibility for some lineup changes.
''You just don't show up and start throwing numbers,'' he said. McLellan said. ''Burish is very close and may be an option for Sunday. He'd give us another experienced player who has been in big games. We didn't use Demers very much and there wasn't much to evaluate him a lot.''
