WATCH: Dustin Brown's massive hit helps set up Kings' OT winner

The Los Angeles Kings have life.

After Tanner Pearson’s overtime game-winner in Game 3, the Kings avoided falling into the dreaded 0-3 series hole against the San Jose Sharks . While the goal itself was nice, everything leading up to it showed the desperation Los Angeles needed to get the important Game 3 win.

First off, the Kings did an incredible job on the forecheck. Pearson himself got in the Sharks' zone and delivered a big hit on Logan Couture, who was still able to get rid of the puck before getting bowled over. Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi picked it up and was immediately hounded by Vincent Lecavalier. Donskoi still was able to corral the puck and get it out of the zone, just barely. Then… BOOM.

Kings captain Dustin Brown came in and launched Donskoi right off the puck, won a battle along the boards with Brenden Dillon and shoveled the puck ahead to Pearson, who had just gotten himself back on side.

That sprung the Kings forward with just enough space and he made it count with a quick release, sneaking a shot through goalie Martin Jones’ legs and cutting the series deficit in half.

There was some question as to whether or not this goal was scored after an offside play, but according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, review showed no evidence of the play being offside. He also noted that goals in overtime get automatically reviewed.

Getting back to the play that led to the goal, “grinding” can be a bit of a taboo term as it tends to indicate a general lack of skill, therefore the player has to use brute force instead. That style of hockey also tends not to lend itself well to being good in puck possession, a necessity when it comes to winning championships. In this specific instance and for this specific team, grinding and physical play led to a meaningful change in possession, ultimately ending with a goal.

A lot is made about hits in the postseason and the teams that play a physical brand of hockey. Most don’t do it as effectively or efficiently as the Kings, however. Their physicality, as has been the case for the last five years, is with purpose -- to gain possession of the puck.

This was a prime example of how they do it so well and it just helped them climb back into this series.