The set-up: The Anaheim Ducks owned home ice advantage over the San Jose Sharks in their first round series but not only lost Game 1 at home 3-0 but followed with a 3-2 loss in Game 2. Anaheim now finds itself in an '0-2 hole,' having lost the first two games of playoff series at home for the third time in its last five postseason appearances. Anaheim closed the season with five consecutive wins to overtake San Jose by one point for second place in the division, but that's now moot. "We've been down (0-2) before. They have to win four. The series isn't over," Anaheim defenseman Brandon Montour said. However, the Sharks are 5-0-1 against the Ducks this season and have limited them to two regulation goals or fewer in eight consecutive meetings. That said, San Jose is not taking anything for granted. "We've all been around this league a long time and know that team over there has been in this position before and they have been able to claw their way back into a series," San Jose forward Logan Couture said. "We know how important the next game is."

Anaheim: The Ducks entered the postseason with the fewest goals of any of the 16 teams (235) and is now tasked with having to duplicate last season's series against Edmonton, when they dropped the first two at home before rally to prevail in seven games. Rickard Rakell, the team's leading goal (34) and overall scorer (69 points), has been limited to two shots on goal through the first two games.Goaltender John Gibson has allowed six goals on 69 (.913 SP) and has now lost six consecutive starts to the Sharks.

San Jose: Gibson's counter, Martin Jones, won only once in his final five starts of the regulation season but he has turned away 53 of 55 shots in the series (.964 SP) and has surrendered only seven goals in five matchups against the Ducks this season. Captain Joe Pavelski (his 66 points were 2nd-best during the regular season for the Sharks) has collected three assists in the first two game and said a key factor for San Jose was to not get rattled by the relentless physical play of Anaheim. Logan Couture led San Jose this season with 34 goals and had a goal and an assist in Game 2.

The pick: Not sure I see Anaheim duplicating its comeback vs. Edmonton from last year, considering the Sharks are 5-0-1 against them this season. The series shifts to Silicon Valley, where the Sharks won 11 of their final 16 games en route to a 25-13-3 home record. San Jose goalie Jones is 'in a zone' and I say NO comeback this year for the Ducks. Make San Jose a 10* play.