SAN JOSE, Calif. Jason Heyward Jersey . -- It should come as no shock that the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks are preparing for a Game 7 of their first-round series considering how tightly contested this fierce California rivalry has been over the last few years. The surprise is how the teams got to Wednesday nights win-or-go-home game. The Sharks were dominant early, winning the first three games and making former playoff MVP Jonathan Quick look rather pedestrian as he allowed 16 goals in those losses. But the Kings responded to win three straight games by three goals to force the showdown in San Jose for a spot in the second round against Anaheim. "We understand whats at stake," Sharks forward Joe Pavelski said. "There was the possibility the series was going to go to seven. We probably didnt think it was going to get there this way, but were here now and guys will be ready to play. The Kings are the ninth team to force a Game 7 after losing the first three games. Three of the previous eight finished the job although the Sharks can take solace in the fact that they avoided that same collapse in 2011 when they rebounded from three straight losses to beat Detroit 3-2 at home to advance to the Western Conference finals. San Jose jumped on top early that game with two first-period goals before holding on for the win. "We were a confident bunch," Sharks captain Joe Thornton recalled. "We felt like our game was missing in a couple games, but then we slowly got it back. This year is kind of the same way." Getting an early lead Wednesday would most definitely ease any nerves as the Sharks havent had a lead at any point in those three losses. That has allowed the normally stingy Kings to tighten things up even more defensively, and eliminate all those odd-man rushes that fueled San Joses 13-goal outburst in winning the first two games. "I think our attitude has changed within the last three games," Kings forward Justin Williams said. "Our backs are against the wall. Its win or go home, so we have a lot of character, weve stepped up so far, and we need to keep doing it." Williams scored two goals apiece in games 4 and 6. He also scored both Los Angeles goals in a 2-1 win in Game 7 of a second-round series against the Sharks last year, giving him five goals and four assists in four career Game 7s that were all won by his team. Another performance like that could help the Kings join Philadelphia (2010), the New York Islanders (1975) and Toronto (1942) as the only teams to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. "I think history is something we look at, look back when were done playing and say, We did that, but thats not really something were thinking about," Williams said. "Weve spotted them three games, and weve been able to come back to tie it, but it doesnt mean anything to us if we dont win it." This series has played out in stark contrast to last years roller-coaster seven-game series won by Los Angeles when goals were at a premium and the home team won every game. The Sharks outscored the Kings 13-5 to win the first two games at home and took a stranglehold on the series when Patrick Marleaus overtime goal gave them a 4-3 win in Los Angeles in Game 3. But the Kings responded with a 6-3 win in Game 4 and a 3-0 victory in San Jose in Game 5 before scoring three goals in a span of 2:46 midway through the third period to win 4-1 on Monday night. Los Angeles has held San Joses stars like Thornton, Pavelski, Marleau and Logan Couture in check the last three games. "We have to get a winning performance out of a lot of players who maybe have not had that over the last little bit but were counting on it tomorrow," coach Todd McLellan said. McLellan would not say which goalie he will be counting on. Rookie Alex Stalock replaced Antti Niemi in goal to start Game 6 and stopped 26 of 30 shots but kept San Jose in the game early. NOTES: McLellan did not have an update on the status of star D Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who missed Game 6 with an upper-body injury. ... The Kings could be without D Willie Mitchell, who left in the second period Monday with an undisclosed injury. Mike Montgomery Cubs Jersey . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Albert Almora Jr Cubs Jersey . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Kerry-Wood-Kids-Jersey/ . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3.MINNEAPOLIS -- Yoenis Cespedes knew how to pace himself in this rain-delayed home run derby, drawn out further by a new format. The Oakland Athletics outfielder simply trusted his own strength. Cespedes became the first repeat winner of the All-Star skills contest in 15 years, powering his way past Cincinnatis Todd Frazier 9-1 in the final round Monday night. Ken Griffey Jr. took the title in 1998 and 1999. With a serious, determined look on his face the whole time, Cespedes finished with 28 homers. That was four fewer than last year, when he beat Washingtons Bryce Harper 9-8 in the final round. The 28-year-old Cuban even told Athletics teammate Josh Donaldson he was doing this wrong. "I knew he wasnt going to win because his mentality was to take the ball out of the stadium, and I told him that is not the way you win this competition," Cespedes said through an interpreter. He added: "Im somebody whos very conscious of the power that I have. So I dont need to put more of a swing or more of an effort in order to hit a home run. I just have to look for a good pitch and put a good swing on it, and it usually takes care of it." Cespedes saved his best for last, a 452-foot blast to the third deck above left field that officially measured as the longest of the night. As third base coach Mike Gallego again pitched to Cespedes, who went deep 32 times in last years derby at Citi Field in New York. Gallegos arm looked nearly out of gas by the final round, which started after 10:30 p.m. local time. "Maybe next year Ill put up a better showing at the end," Frazier said. "Now that I understand, maybe Ill do a couple of more push-ups." Cespedes topped Torontos Jose Bautista, and Frazier surprisingly beat Miamis Giancarlo Stanton in the semifinals. Bautista and Stanton each earned a bye to the semifinals under the new bracketed format, which gave each player seven outs and pitted the survivors from each side in the final round. Bautista went deep 10 times in the first round, keeping the fans in the second deck above left field on their toes, and Stanton hit six. That was all for him, though. After a long wait for his next turn, Stanton put up a zero in the semifinals and let Frazier advance with only one. Oh, but Stantons six were beauties. One landed in the thirrd deck above left field, about a half-dozen rows shy of the very top of the ballpark. Mark Grace Jersey. Another reached the second deck above the centre field batters eye, a place never touched by a ball during an actual game here. Bautista, the AL captain, has 11 home runs in 14 regular-season games here, the most by any visiting player. Thats only one less than Twins cornerstone Joe Mauer, who has played 284 career games at Target Field. Cespedes, who beat Donaldson in a tiebreaker after each finished with three in the first round, breezed by Baltimores Adam Jones in the second round. Frazier topped NL captain Troy Tulowitzki on the other side. Colorados Justin Morneau, the fan favourite after 10-plus years and four All-Star games for the host Twins, was eliminated in the first round. Morneau returned to his roots, and so did the event itself, considering the inaugural contest was held at the Metrodome before the 1985 All-Star game. Admission then was a mere $2, slightly less than the $200-and-up price tags on the derby these days. The original form was actually a 1960s-era television show, featuring sluggers like Harmon Killebrew of the Twins. Morneau is from New Westminster, B.C. Delayed 54 minutes by light rain on an unseasonably cool night -- even for Minnesota -- with a start-time temperature of 59 degrees, the contest began with a rainbow protruding from the clouds beyond left-centre field that framed this limestone-encased ballpark that opened in 2010. Frazier went first, and while he went deep twice, he didnt quite reach the rainbow. Neither did Twins second baseman Brian Dozier, the smallest of the participants who had the backing of the crowd with chants of his last name during his two-homer round. "Even my brother he said he got chills," said Dozier, one of seven first-time participants. His brother, Clay, was his pitcher. The loudest roars were for Morneau, the only left-hander in the event his year. His third derby appearance brought the fans to their feet with AC/DCs "Thunderstruck" blaring in the background, and he hit two in the first round before Frazier beat him in the three-swing tiebreaker. The only player shut out? Dodgers sparkplug Yasiel Puig. He was the first homerless participant since Robinson Cano two years ago in Kansas City. ' ' '