SAN JOSE – An NHL team’s compete level is difficult to quantify, but there are a few stats that are typically reflective of it on any given night.
One of them is blocked shots. In Monday’s 2-1 Kings win in Game 3, Los Angeles got in front of 27 San Jose attempts, its most in a playoff game since blocking 28 on April 19, 2010 against Vancouver.
Pete DeBoer noticed.
“It definitely is an indicator of where your game is at and your desperation level is at,” said the Sharks’ coach. “That tells me theirs was in a must-win spot, and ours was a little bit below that.