Justin Williams figures he gets his knack for Game 7 heroics from the same source as the Los Angeles Kings' resilience throughout their grinding seven-game victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Williams thinks the Kings all drew their inspiration from that Stanley Cup championship banner hanging over the Staples Center ice, and it carried them through to the Western Conference finals.

"It comes from the hunger of winning one and having that drive for another one," Williams said. "You don't want anyone else to raise the Cup but you."

Williams scored two goals in the second period, and the Kings advanced with a 2-1 victory over San Jose on Tuesday night.

Jonathan Quick made 25 saves as the defending champs finished off this agonizingly even series with their 14th consecutive home victory over the past two months, including seven straight in the postseason.

Not much separated the teams in this thrilling all-California series, but the Kings cited last season's trophy for their poise and persistence in another nail-biting clincher.

"I certainly enjoy pressure situations," said Williams, whose goals were 2:57 apart. "I know everyone in this dressing room does. We pride ourselves on being a team that, push comes to shove, we're going to get it done. We've been through it before, and we know we can do it."

Williams scored on a power-play tap-in and a one-timer, putting the Kings on top to stay. The veteran wing came in with an eight-game, goal-scoring drought, but the two-time Stanley Cup winner has scored nine points in his four career appearances in a Game 7.

The Kings will face Chicago or Detroit when they attempt to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time. The Blackhawks will host the Red Wings in Game 7 on Wednesday night.

The home team won all seven games in the series, as did the team that scored first. The fifth-seeded Kings barely rode their home-ice advantage to victory in their first potential elimination game in the past two years.

"They were as good as us," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said. "We just scored."

(China Daily 05/30/2013 page22)