Ducks defeat Kings, 4-3, in Game 5 to take series lead

The Ducks are one victory from advancing to the Western Conference finals.

The Kings are one loss from elimination.

Both those scenarios could play out when the two teams play Game 6 at Staples Center on Wednesday.

The Ducks gritted out a 4-3 victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at Honda Center on Monday.

Goaltender John Gibson stopped 40 of 42 shots for his second career playoff victory. Devante Smith-Pelly had two goals, while Nick Botino and Jakob Silfverberg each scored. Marian Gaborik had two goals and Trevor Lewis one for the Kings.

The Ducks built a 4-1 lead in the second period, then had to outlast Gaborik’s efforts in order to take a 3-2 series lead.

With Smith-Pelly serving a double-minor for high sticking, Gaborik buried a wrist shot to cut the lead to, 4-2, 18 minutes 42 seconds into the second period. Gaborik’s redirection 14:12 into the third period trimmed the Ducks’ lead to 4-3.

Gaborik has eight goals in the playoffs.

The Ducks scored three goals during a seven-minute stretch of the second period.

The Kings’ Justin Williams was sent off for hooking and, moments later, Teemu Selenne chased a puck down deep in the Kings’ zone. He circled behind the net and sent a centering pass to Mathieu Perreault. His shot went off Smith-Pelly’s toe and into the net for a 2-1 lead 1:11 into the second period.

A minute later, Ryan Getzlaf zipped a pass to a streaking Smith-Pelly, who seemed to mesmerize goaltender Jonathan Quick. Smith-Pelly got Quick to commit, then tucked in a backhand shot for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

It was the second time during the playoffs that Smith-Pelly has scored two goals. He had two against Dallas in Game 6 in the first round.

The Ducks took a firm grip on the game on when Silfverberg got a lunch-bucket goal 8:23 into the period. Silfverberg crashed the net and found the puck at his feet. He flicked it past Quick.

Ducks 4, Kings 3 (14:12, third period)

The Kings creep closer.

Dustin brown’s backhander defected off the stick of Marian Gaborik, who scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the playoffs.

Ducks 4, Kings 2 (third period)

There has been a change to the Ducks’ second goal.

Official scorer ruled that the puck hit Devante Smith-Pelly’s toe before going into the net. The power-play goal had originally been credited to Mathieu Perreault.

Ducks 4, Kings 2 (end of second period)

Kings fans may remain at Honda Center. But the “Go Kings Go” chants have left the building.

A stream of offensive consciousness in Game 5 gave the Ducks a 4-2 lead through two periods of the Western Conference semifinal

Devante Smith-Pelly and Jakob Silfverberg had second-period goals to send Ducks fans into a frenzy.

The Kings, meanwhile, were back to being baffled by Ducks’ goaltender John Gibson, who had five saves … on one 15-second sequence. He has stopped 26 of 28 shots through two periods.

The Ducks scored three goals during a seven-minute stretch.

The Kings’ Justin Williams was sent off for hooking and, moments later, Teemu Selenne chased a puck down deep in the Kings’ zone. He circled behind the net and sent a centering pass to Perreault, who chipped a shot that went off the toe of teammate Devante Smith-Pelly for a 2-1 lead, 1 minute 11 seconds into the period.

A minute later, Ryan Getzlaf zipped a pass to a streaking Smith-Pelly, who seemed to mesmerize goaltender Jonathan Quick. Smith-Pelly got goaltender Jonathan Quick to commit, then tucked in a backhand shot for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

The Ducks took a firm grip on the game on when Silfverberg got a lunch-bucket goal 8:23 into the period. Silfverberg crashed the net and found the puck at his feet. He flicked it past goaltender Jonathan Quick.

The Kings managed to salvage something from the period after Smith-Pelly received a double-minor for high sticking. Marian Gaborik buried a wrist shot for a power-play goal 18:42 into the period.

Ducks 4, Kings 2, 18:42, second period

The Kings resurface, with Marian Gaborik providing a little CPR.

The Ducks Devante Smith-Pelly received a double-minor for a high stick that clip defenseman Drew Doughty in the mouth. Gaborik made that a costly penalty by burying a wrist shot.

It was Gaborik’s seventh goal of the playoffs.

Ducks 4, Kings 1 (8:23, second period)

The rout seems on. The Ducks have four goals on 17 shots.

This one was a grinder. Jakob Silfverberg crashed the net and found the puck at his feet. He flicked it pasty goaltender Jonathan Quick.

Ducks 3, Kings 1 (2:34, second period)

The “Beat L.A.” chants escalate at Honda Center. The “Go Kings Go” ones have vanished.

Ryan Getzlaf zipped a pass to a streaking Devante Smith-Pelly, who seemed to mesmerize goaltender Jonathan Quick. Smith-Pelly got Quick to commit, then tucked in a backhand shot for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

Ducks 2, Kings 1 (1:11 second period)

The Ducks cash in on a power play.

With the Kings’ Justin Williams off for hooking, Teemu Selenne chased a puck down deep in the Kings’ zone, then circled behind the net. A shot by Mathieu Perreault off a centering pass by Selanne went off Devante Smith-Pelly’s toe and into the net. Francois Beauchemin also had an assist on the goal.

Kings 1, Ducks 1 (end of first period)

A brisk first period ended with the Ducks and Kings tied, 1-1, in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals at Honda Center Monday.

The Ducks’ Nick Bonino and the Kings’ Trevor Lewis had the goals. Both teams played with some urgency offensively, only to be denied by the goaltenders.

Ducks’ goaltender John Gibson sprawled to stop a Tyler Toffoli shot early in the period. Gibson made a glove save on a wrist fired Jake Muzzin through traffic off a faceoff. The Kings’ Dustin Brown tipped a shot at the crease, but Gibson was again quick to snag the puck with his glove. Kings’ goaltender Jonathan Quick turned away Ryan Getzlaf’s backhand try from the slot. Corey Perry crashed the net, only to have Quick make a toe save on his backhand try. Quick also deflected Teemu Selanne’s tip in the crease late in the period.

The Ducks came out with purpose, and it paid off with Bonino’s goal 2 minutes 15 seconds into the game. They had nearly scored moments earlier when a shot bounced off Quick and trickled toward the goal line before being cleared by Alec Martinez.

Bonino then beat Quick with as wrist shot. Daniel Winnik assisted on Bonino’s goal.

A turnover at center ice helped get the Kings even.

Justin Williams picked up a loose puck and slipped a pass to Trevor Lewis, who went around one Duck defender and got off a wrist shot that beat Gibson glove side 9:12 into the period.. The Kings had a 14-12 edge in shots.

Ducks 1, Kings 1 (9:12, first period)

A turnover at center ice helped get the Kings even.

Justin Williams picked up a loose puck and slipped a pass to Trevor Lewis, who went around one Duck defender and got off a wrist shot that beat goaltender John Gibson glove side.

Ducks 1, Kings 0 (early first period)

That didn’t take long.

The Ducks came out with purpose, and it paid off with a Nick Bonino goal at 2:15 of the first. The Ducks nearly scored moments earlier when a hot puck bounced off Kings’ goaltender Jonathan Quick and trickled toward the goal line before being cleared by Alec Martinez.

Daniel Winnik assisted on Bonino’s goal.

Pregame

The Ducks and Kings are trying to create a bitter, playoff-induced rivalry. It just hasn’t happened yet, at least among the players.

Kings’ forward Jarret Stoll gave it another try Monday morning, hours before Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals.

“I don’t like them and I’m sure they don’t like us,” Stoll said.

Fighting words. Except it was delivered in a voice that seemed to require a shrug. Stoll even admitted that the dislike was more rooted in a desire to win and advance in the Stanley Cup playoffs.