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Doughty says Kings are ‘ready to reset’ after another seven-game series

Los Angeles Kings v Anaheim Ducks - Game Five

in Game Five of the Second Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on May 12, 2014 in Anaheim, California.

Jeff Gross

If the New York Rangers proved anything on Saturday, it’s that a team can shake off two seven-game series and win a Game 1 on the road in the conference finals. Of course, the Los Angeles Kings won’t enjoy anywhere near as much rest as the Rangers did when they begin their series against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, so will they be able to switch gears quickly enough to avoid an early deficit?

Drew Doughty told LA Kings Insider that he believes they will ... and it’s not exactly as if they have much of a choice.

“You don’t have a choice,” Doughty said. “You just have to do whatever it takes to just get back, reset, start focusing on a brand new team, forget about the win last night already and you really have no time to celebrate or anything like that. You just have to do it. That’s the bottom line. If you don’t do it, you’re going to lose the series. I think all of our guys are ready to reset. We have a few days in between games throughout the series, so we should be fine.”

The Kings dispatched the Anaheim Ducks in Game 7 of that second-round series on Friday and will face a Blackhawks team that hasn’t played since they eliminated the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. With that in mind, Chicago is likely to be better rested coming in, but perhaps Los Angeles can carry momentum into this series?

Doughty seems aware that going down in another series - particularly against the defending champions - is far from ideal. With that in mind, quickly “resetting” things is indeed ideal.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins