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Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are down to their last game of the season and it is a big one! This is the biggest game of the season which will eventually determine who will get home ice in the Playoffs. Dustin Brown is out for the rest of the season on a bogus suspension for elbowing Jason Bominville of the Wild. The Kings have been hurting without him the past two games and Saturday's game versus the Sharks will be a fight to the finish of the season with home ice on the line.
With 3 goals and 1 assist, Dustin Brown has had an impressive year when facing San Jose. His goals are pretty consistent whether the Kings win or lose with 9 in each category but the main factor is his assist numbers for the year. Brown has 10 assist with the Kings winning with only 1 in the loss column.
With the Kings coming off some terrible games against the Wild and the Red Wings, one can only hope someone will fill the assist void left by Brown. This means that Kopitar (31), Williams (21) and Richards (20) need to step it up if the Kings want to make it out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Home ice was not important last season but that was a different goalie in Quick, whom has struggled with a back injury throughout the year, leaving the versatile Bernier to pick up the slack with wins and average (1.87).
Although Quick had more wins this season with 17, his 13 losses are no where near Bernier's impressive 9-3 record. The main problem that the Kings have faced this month (April 2013) is staying steady with their defense throughout the game. After catching up with a goal, the defense has let down their guard by allowing 2 or more in their last 2 games. Most of the other losses this month come against Anaheim and San Jose in shootouts.
The Kings defeated some notable teams this month, but losing to some sub par is somewhat concerning to their consistency. One of the more prominent wins came against the Dallas Stars with Jeff Carter smacking the game wining goal in OT with 51 seconds left. Their overall ability to fight to the end has been this team’s theme for the past two seasons. The saddest loss came against the Wild who fought off 23 shots most of which had come late in the 3rd period. It was certainly a nail bitter of the game that the Kings should have won or at least had tied to go into OT to gain one more point.
Now it comes down to two teams tied with 57 points, both who have had rough games this month but have come through after regulation play. Expect some big time assists saves and goals Saturday with a heated rivalry renewed again!
For more up-to-the-minute updates on your #LAKings Stanley Cup Playoff run, follow us at @SportSpeakLA
Well, it's a good thing for the LA Kings that there are no shootouts in the playoffs. Over the past two games they have played ending with a shootout. Bernier and Quick have not stopped a single shot.
The silver lining to the Freeway Face-off Sunday night was the late 3rd period goal by Dustin Brown giving him 3 on the year versus the 2nd seed Ducks. This at the very least kept the Kings in 4th place in the Western Conference by holding off Anaheim and taking the game into overtime.
The biggest threat by the Kings going into the playoffs would be Jeff Carter, who is currently 4th place in the league in goal-scoring with 22, only 3 behind current leader Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Carter has been the Kings’ top shooter and he only seems to be getting hotter as the season wraps up - getting 4 goals in the past 5 games. He is impressing everyone with his ability to get the puck in the net with the smallest margin as seen Sunday with his hard-to-believe, side shot goal against the Ducks.
Carter leads the team in goals and is only 7 points from current leader, Anze Kopitar.
On the other side of the ice is without-a-doubt MVP of the season - Goalie Jonathan Bernier. It is hard to believe his name was in trade talks at the beginning of the season with Quick to be the regular starter. Bernier’s 9-2 record and 1.77 goals against average would place him at 2nd in the league if he had started enough games to qualify. Overall his defensive efforts have made the Kings one of the top ranked teams in the West and a contender for Lord Stanley’s Cup through saves against elite teams in the conference.
The biggest threats against the Kings, teams we do not want to face in the 1st round of the playoffs, continues to be the Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks. In general it would be better and far more entertaining to face the Ducks first, although the game against the Blackhawks might have been their best of the season. The Kings proved they can beat the best on their home ice just like last years’ Cup run.
The best team to face in the 1st round would be the St. Louis Blues, a team the Kings swept in the season series. At the moment, the Kings would face the San Jose Sharks in the opening round. The Sharks were 1-1 versus the Kings this year, and given the playoff history and intrastate rivalry, would be the most ideal team to face in the 1st round. There are a lot of unknowns with other teams Los Angeles may face but the main component and the end of the season fight should be for home ice.
In other news, it has been reported today the Kings will be hosting an outdoor game January 25, 2014 at Dodger Stadium. Yes, you read that right, outdoor hockey in Los Angeles! Let’s just hope it’s not another 90 degree plus Winter like this year. Concept photos of the event circulating the internet have the Kings set to play against the NY Rangers but something tells me that the Ducks would be a better pick and an outdoor Freeway Face-off would be much more entertaining.
In related news - an NHL insider has informed me the league is planning on six outdoor games next season with the New York Rangers playing the NY Islanders and the New Jersey Devils at Yankee Stadium. With one outdoor game (The Winter Classic) already announced Sunday for next year, these additional games should generate some much needed national attention to the NHL after a dismal lockout which almost derailed the entire season.
The Winter Classic will be played at Michigan Stadium, pitting the Detroit Red Wings against the Toronto Maple Leafs on New Years Day. Other big market teams will be the focus next season, bringing some exciting outdoor match ups - utilizing some of the bigger sports venues and making some NHL fans dreams come true including yours truly.
When the NHL trade deadline approaches some may think, “Who is the next big nameto be in the spotlight and who will be making headlines all over the sports world?”
The Kings made headlines this week by acquiring Robyn Regehr from the Buffalo Sabres. He is a veteran defenseman that had played with Darryl Sutter for 11 seasons with the Calgary Flames. Naturally he was a perfect fit with the LA Kings needing someone with a long history of leadership and a drive to take the team on another adventurous Cup run.
Even though his numbers are extremely low this season (2 points) can be excused for the shortened season and playing for a below .500 team. Robyn should adjust and find his groove that has given him 30 goals and 140 assists over his impressive 13-year career. With defensemen Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell and now Dustin Penner out, most likely until the playoffs or longer, Robyn should be a big help filing those gaps despite the lower stats this year.
Jonathan Quick made 33 saves versus the Sharks on Tuesday night putting up a valiant effort against a team that will most likely face the Kings in the first round of the Playoffs.
If anything was shown during this game was the weakness (Defense by Penner) and the strengths (Saves by Quick) and the resilient effort but the 1st and 2nd lines. The 12th overall penalty kill might also be a factor if the Kings want to get past the first round against the 4th penalty kill percentage Sharks. Niemi's 41 saves gave them the edge over a great performance by Quick and the Kings.
Bernier and Quick can prove very useful versus the Sharks who are ranked 25th overall in goals per game. The shootout percentage by both is a huge concern of effort by each but fortunately will not be a factor in the playoffs but fatigue could be the culprit with most of the overtime losses.
The Sharks have a 2-1 advantage from regular season play with the last game being the most evenly matched with many entertaining saves and hits with these two highly aggressive teams. With their last matchup on the 27th we can only expect more of the same with the crowds heartily rooting every big play. With the loss the Kings still remain with the home ice advantage gaining one point over the rival Sharks.
The Kings have played very well as of late and show that fire (like last year) that will take them deep into the playoffs showing no mercy to the highest ranking teams in the West. The triumphant return of the defense over the Ducks last Saturday shows that they can beat any of the leading teams in the West especially by capitalizing on big breaks and offensive opportunities. The road to the playoffs and home ice will not be easy.
The Kings will face three probable playoff teams with the Wild, Red Wings, and Sharks. They will also face the Stars who are currently in 10th place. LA has looks very good against the Red Wings this year and I don't see that game as a challenge even though it is in Detroit. The Wild upset the Kings in shootout victory on March 30th which was a demoralizing loss. LA came back and shut out the WIld with an impressive defensive victory with the help of newcomer Robyn Regehr. Bernier made 23 saves in that game and continues to challenge Quick for the Playoff protection the Kings need going into the first round.
Saturday the 27th will be the most anticipated matchup of the rest of the regular season showing what most likely will be a Playoff preview of interstate rivals. Every Kings fan should tune in and expect big plays, hits, and goals from both sides. The history of these teams in the Playoffs should only provide a great game and hopefully a redemptive win by the Kings for all the heartbreak from the first round of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I look forward to all these games and more with the final stretch and a quest to keep the Cup on the horizon for the Kings.
For more up-to-the-minute updates on your #LAKings, follow us at @SportSpeakLA
Quick's 40 saves in Tuesday's loss was not enough to beat an overly aggressive Blues team with a chip on their shoulder.
One can only image how tough it has been to be for the Blues facing the Kings - 8 straight losses to the Kings including a season series sweep, along with a humiliating Stanley Cup 2nd round appearance last year with the same result.
What is puzzling from the Blue's revenge? What happened to the offense?
Outside of Justin Williams' explosive game-tying goal with 31 seconds left in the 3rd - it did not exist on the ice for LA.
Anze Kopitar has zero goals and only 3 assists in the last 5 games. Jeff Carter has 2 goals and an assist in the last 5 as well. He was 4th in the league in goals with 26 this season and needs to find that same spark and step it up if the Kings want to win this series.
There is probably your answer to the lack of points and big game-changing shots.
The other cause for concern could be the Blues goalie Brian Elliott. He saved 28 of 29 with most of those being in the last few minutes of the 3rd and overtime periods by a finally hungry Kings front line. Was St Louis's Alex Steen sharp with his two goals or just the left wing in the right place in the right time? The game-winner being Quick's miscue, in my opinion.
Since last year's Smythe winner was pretty sharp throughout the game I can't see Sutter making making moves. That brings me to my real question that would poise for Sutter: When do they want to start Bernier? If Quick comes up short in the next game you would almost have to give Bernier a chance with him only losing in regulation one time since mid-March. The risky imposition for Sutter is playoff experience - which Bernier has none in the NHL although has put up some impressive numbers with the AHL.
In his last AHL Playoff appearance in 2010 with the Manchester Monarchs, Bernier had a 10-6 record with 1.81 GAA. What could make Sutter think twice is the 3 shootouts during that span. With the Blues bringing a heavy hitting atmosphere with a swarm of shots, it might be best to keep the Stanley Cup MVP Quick right where he is but just a tad closer to the front of the net.
A few things to look for in what might argue is the best matchup in the Western Conference is whether or not the Kings leading scorers (Kopitar, Carter, Richards) show up on the ice. If Quick can move passed the emotional game-winning goal against him, Regehr must step it up to a playoff level defense. Muzzin must be a game-changer, and Sutter must make any moves in his lines against a hungry St Louis team with a redemptive spirit. Los Angeles needs to locate where they hid that Cup magic which made them the most feared comeback team in the NHL this year.
Thursday's matchup could be a pivotal one. The Kings did not lose in any of the first 3 games of last year's Cup run - Emotionally wiping any of the competition into an early end. By bringing it back to LA with a 1-1 series the Kings can find that energy (with the help of the crowd) that propelled them into 5th after a very patchy (Cup Hangover) start. Bring it back to LA with some pride and Go Kings Go!
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No So Quick: Kings Downed by Blues
written by Nick Angilello
@LAKingsFanZone
Last Friday's game should have been put in it's entirety on hockeyfights.com - One of the most tense Playoff games maybe ever for the Kings and their fans!
This brutal matchup between the Blues has been all about Quick. The netminder has stopped 93 of 97 shots in this series. He has kept this team in every game so far in this series with his psychical powers knowing where each puck will go.
Quick's 30 saves gave the Kings a much needed shutout, closing out the game very nicely by avoiding some insane penalties against LA.
His .959 is third best behind Elliott who has been almost a carbon copy of Quick from last year's Playoffs. Braden Holtby of Washington is ranked highest with a stunning .47 GAA.
This series has lived up to the defensive hype that was expected from these two goaltenders. Quick recorded his first win with a brilliantly executed shutout to let Kings fan exhale.
Thanks to ugly goal by Voynov fighting through many Blues players and a few Kings that would be the decisive lone goal in the game. Hopefully in Game 4 the big scorers can find some chances through the fast and furious Blues defensemen. The Blues have not given very many opportunities throughout the series that was seen especially in Game 3.
Robyn Regehr finally showed his strength in game 3 - battling on both ends to keep the puck out of the Kings' zone. He brought his veteran leadership onto the ice leading what was at one point 5 defensive players and Quick. When he brings that kind of energy into the game its not hard to imagine why the Blues were shutout. The Blues could not get a good shot in and the ones that were close were handled magnificently by Quick or Doughty who used his body to deflect the puck.
Although the commentators called this a desperation play it more than likely keep this from going into overtime. Drew was a beast in the game smashing and deflecting in all 60 minutes of the match. His aggressiveness ultimately costing the Kings a double minor for repeatedly bashing David Perron in the head with his fist for interfering with Quick by getting in the net. It was a outrageous call seeing how the refs let almost anything else slide in this matchup of big hits and checks by both sides.
Going into Game 4 one can only expect more of the same. It was interesting to see Sutter go with basically one shooter either Kopitar or Richards and the rest were defensive players. It keep the game close by not allowing many good scoring opportunities but it also hindered any chance of scoring more than one goal. This gave every fan watching the game a nervous breakdown and I can only imagine how the players and coaches felt during that nail biter of a game.
I would expect more scoring chances hopefully by the snipers Kopitar, Richards, or Carter. None who have been of great importance in this series. LA thrives at home winning 19 games at Staples this season and 8 straight!
Stay tuned to SportSpeak Radio for all your Kings updates and Go Kings Go!
Resurgence of the Champs
written by: Nick Angilello
@LAKingsFanZone
In a pivotal Game 5 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, the Los Angeles Kings proved their moxie by winning their third straight game, 3-2, in overtime against the St. Louis Blues. The win gives LA a 3-2 series lead with Game 6 looming large in Los Angeles Friday night.
Defenseman Slava Voynov got his second game-winning goal of the series on a three-on-two rush, beating St. Louis goaltender Brian Elliot on a pair of passes from Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.
Despite being outshot 36-25 by St. Louis, the Kings - behind stellar play from their goaltender Jonathan Quick - will have the chance to close out the Blues for the second straight year at Staples Center.
Both teams in overtime were playing at the same speed and intensity since the start of the contest. Even with such ferocity, neither team wanted to make a mistake and kept it simple making safe passes off the walls with a lot of dumping and chasing on both ends.
St. Louis’ James Schwartz set the tone early in the overtime by drilling Kings defenseman Drew Doughty and followed that by a deflection in front of Quick.
LA’s Justin Williams had a chance earlier in the overtime when he was parked in front of the St. Louis net and had a wide open net but was canceled out by Barret Jackman.
The Kings had the game in hand until St. Louis head coach Ken Hitchcock called a timeout with 49 seconds left in the third period. It only took four seconds before Alex Pietrangelo fired a wrist shot from the right point into the right corner, beating Quick to send the affair into overtime.
In a series that has been as evenly matched as any other in the playoffs, the defending champions broke a 1-1 tie early in the third with a power play goal scored by Jeff Carter on an open net after a lapse in coverage by St. Louis.
When St. Louis forward Vladamir Sobotka lost sight of Carter who was the trailer on the three-on-two rush, Carter took a backhand pass from Anze Kopitar, caught goaltender Brian Elliot off-guard and Carter potted it home for his second of the evening.
Carter also scored the first goal of the game early in the second period on a deflection off a Drew Doughty blast from the right point.
St. Louis dominated puck possession throughout regulation, generating numerous chances from behind the net with both backhands and set plays in the slot.
Their persistence was rewarded when Alex Steen scored on a wrap around wrist shot in the slot that was initially a dump-in and tied the score 1-1 at 6:46 of the second period.
The Kings will fly back to Los Angeles for game six at Staples Center at 7 P.M PCT Friday night.
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Voynov a Hero: Kings Win Game 5
written by: Lars Lewis
@LarsLewis12
They don’t ask how you win, all that matters in the end is that you won. The Los Angeles Kings fit that description to a tee tonight.
Los Angeles defeated the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, in front of a sellout crowd at Staples Center and have eliminated the Blues for the second straight year in that very building.
The Kings will await the winner of the Anaheim Ducks vs. Detroit Red Wings series that will enter a seventh game in Anaheim Sunday night.
L.A’s Dustin Penner scored the game-winning goal right at 19:59 of the second period on a slap shot from behind the right faceoff circle - beating goaltender Brian Elliot and sealing the victory for the defending champions.
Defenseman Drew Doughty scored his first goal of the playoffs to open up the scoring at 12:37 of the first period with assists from Colin Fraser and Dwight King.
Despite a furious late rally by St. Louis, who outshot the Kings 8-to-3 in the third period and 22-16 in the game, Los Angeles showed toughness behind their blueline even with their offense lagging in the final period.
Scoring chances were at an absolute premium tonight as both clubs combined for only 38 shots-on-goal in an absolute slugfest of a series that nearly every contest went down to the final seconds.
Blues defenseman Jay Boumeester, with nearly two minutes left in the third, fired his only shot of the game off the crossbar that would have tied the game for St. Louis and would have potentially set up the third overtime game of the series.
St. Louis’ only goal came at 4:39 of the second period from defenseman Roman Polak scoring his first goal of the playoffs from the left point that snuck through Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick with assists from captain David Backes and Chris Porter.
It wasn’t pretty, but the Kings got the job done in a series that was so evenly matched, it seemed that one team was playing a mirror image of each other.
In the words of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man.” And right now - Detroit and Anaheim - Los Angeles, until eliminated, is still the man.
Stat For Thought: Only 5:01 of this entire series had a team with a lead of more than one goal which was St. Louis when they were up 2-0 on the Kings in the first period of game four in Los Angeles.
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The San Andreas Fault Faceoff
written by: Nick Angilello
@LAKingsFanZone
Every Kings fan should have two shots of their best Russian vodka in honor of tonight’s hero, Slava Voynov. His two goals tonight were the only scoring for the game with one coming at the very end of the 1st period with the help of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Quick's 35 saves gained him his second shutoff of the Playoffs.
His masterful performance in the 3rd kept the Kings in the game after the Sharks outshot the Kings 16-4. Overall the Kings put 20 shots on goal with 8 in each of the first periods.
The Kings fought off a tough team in the Sharks who just came off a sweep of the Canucks with no mercy. LA's defense shut down the main offensive components in Pavelski and Marleau who each have 4 goals from the 1st round series. But not allowing any goals LA showed the Sharks that round 2 would not be more of the same.
Slava Voynov has become the offensive fury with 4 goals now and showing the rest of the hockey world that this team is bigger than Kopitar, Richards, and Carter. The missing piece to this offense has been Anze Kopitar who has yet to show up to the Playoffs only posting 1 goal and 3 assist. When he gets back into his grove again expect that same breakaway acrobatic nightmare that every team LA faced last year in the Playoffs witnessed firsthand.
The expectation going into game 2 is greater goaltending by Quick who has progressively gotten sharper throughout the Playoffs. Look for an assist boast from Carter and more chances from Kopitar and Williams.
The Kings won't be able to shut out the Shark's offense for much longer and expect Pavelski scoring in the next couple games. Marleau will be a greater threat in the next games as well and you can only think that after that shut off of power from game 1 they will be looking to step it up.
Overall it was a great effort highlighted by Voynov and Quick’s focus. This team is only getting hotter, as they look for more unsung heroes to come through for the Kings on their road to repeat.
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An Unlikely Hero
written by: Nick Angilello
@LAKingsFanZone
After some appalling calls against the Kings late in the 3rd Period in Game 3, it was apparent the Kings were not going to get the win despite a resilient effort by Quick.
In the same way the double minor calls helped the Kings win Game 2, coming back from a 2-4 deficit, the Sharks came through only needing one in overtime, proving the Sharks can bite back.
Logan Couture's power play goal in OT gave the Sharks some hope in regaining poise in the series - trying to take another win away from LA tonight to even it up.
These teams have kept it close throughout each game only having a one-goal lead for a majority of the gameplay. The fact that game 3 was tied for almost the entire game shows how great both of these teams are defensively.
The Sharks will not go down without a fight, and they all know - as evident by their coach - that they haven't done anything yet to help them this series despite winning Game 3.
They also must realize that if they don't win Game 4, the series will most likely end in LA with Game 5, since LA's home record has been outstanding. The Kings' home wins stretch back almost two months and they don't look like they are about to break that streak any time soon.
For the Kings, Anze Kopitar has yet to show up offensively in this series, and after he was hit in the mouth by Brown's shot in the 3rd period of Game 3, he remains a question mark. He was escorted to the locker room but returned soon after and brought a much needed physical presence not typically seen by him. His 2 shots on goal were the only attempts at breaking out of his slump. If the Kings want to make it down the Road to Repeat, he must step it up with assists or at the very least, a goal or two.
The Sharks defense have shut down an otherwise sharp offense that surged late in the year to give the Kings the home ice edge for the Playoffs. If LA wants to take control of the series and avoid a Game 7 situation, the leading men will have to make some big goals. Quick has been extraordinary and only continue to see the same Conn Symthe performance the world witnessed last year.
Brown, Williams, and Carter should bring some pressure early so expect some big plays in the 1st period. Don't expect a blow out by any means. This is the nail bitter series and the most exciting so far these NHL Playoffs!
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Kings Look to Bounce Back vs Sharks
written by: Nick Angilello
@LAKingsFanZone
San Jose twice in this series has risen from a series deficit and now has the opportunity to advance to the Western Conference final for the third time in four years. With the Sharks defeating the Kings 2-1 in game six, the million-dollar question in this game seven is will the Kings be able to stay out of the penalty box? L.A’s penalty troubles have cost them essentially all three games in the HP Pavilion.
San Jose in their three victories went 4-for-11 on the power play, scoring at least one PPG in all three contests. If there is anything that the Kings need to desperately do in order to advance would be to stay disciplined and not allow the power play dynamos of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture to control the tempo throughout the game and keep Staples Center quiet.
One thing that the fans in L.A can rest easy on is that the Kings are undefeated at home in this year’s postseason, sporting a 13-game playoff win streak at Staples Center. Yes of course it is the battle for California and the rivalry between these two clubs has been intense over the years. But what few are talking about is that San Jose has the chance to upend former head coach Darryl Sutter, who coached the Sharks from 1997-to-2002.
Sutter, who came in as an interim head coach last season in L.A and ended up winning his first Stanley Cup, coached the Sharks to their first ever Pacific Division Championship in 2001-2002. Although the Sharks of this year would not have much motivation behind beating him, Sutter I think might relish the opportunity of ousting the club who fired him in 2002 after setting the table for San Jose’s decade of success throughout the 2000’s.
For six games, each team has followed its own script. The Kings for their three games at Staples Center have held court in their kingdom with multiple displays of brilliance by their incredibly talented goaltender. The current rulers of the hockey world are looking to add more hardware on-top of last year’s conquest for Lord Stanley.
For three games, The Sharks climbed out of holes that teams of Sharks’ past had not. Their record, while not as good as their dominant past, tells a similar story to last year’s Kings, standing alone at the top of the Golden State and in the Western Conference final.
Prediction: I’ll buck the trend of the home ice advantage throughout the series and say the Sharks will carry their dominant performance in game six at home and beat the penalty prone Kings 3-2 with Joe Thornton scoring the winner.
A Shutdown at Staples
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In game’s one and two of the Western Conference final against the President’s Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks, the defending champions looked about as lost as a man with a wet match in a dark cave.
They were soundly hammered in their own zone, with even star goaltender Jonathan Quick unable to escape the hook for the first time in his playoff career in game two.
All in all it looked like Quick held the hopes of a repeat in the palm of his hands throughout the playoffs. But in the lyrics of Kanye West’s single “Power”, sometimes when you lean on one player too much, everything around you crumbles.
No one man should have all that power.
But last night Quick and his legion returned to form in their kingdom against the powerful Blackhawks winning 3-1 and cutting the series deficit in half 2-1. Quick made 19 saves on 20 shots to prevent Chicago from taking a nearly insurmountable 3-0 advantage in the series.
The Kings won their 15th straight postseason game at Staples Center last night and is now presented with an opportunity to extend that streak and somehow even the series with Chicago tomorrow night for game four.
With both postseason heroes Slava Voynov and Justin Williams getting on the scoreboard last night, it has proven that the Kings will need those two who have been clutch for the defending champions in this year's playoffs.
Williams has been crucial in keeping the Kings afloat with two goals in game seven against San Jose and also giving the Kings the lead in three of the last four games.
Voynov scored two points in last night's win, but the defensive core's ability to tighten up in their own end and forcing Chicago to pass more often than going towards the net was the key for Los Angeles getting back in this series.
For Los Angeles to even up the series against Chicago, they need to continue the heavy pressure on the forecheck to keep the Blackhawks at bay when advancing the puck in the neutral zone. Chicago carved up the Kings in the neutral zone with L.A allowing frequent puck movement facilitated by defensemen Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith who is awaiting a hearing from the league for his hit on Jeff Carter last night.
Even with the victory last night, Los Angeles continues to struggle scoring outside of the usual suspects in Voynov and Williams. Captain Dustin Brown has only four points (1G 3A) in the playoffs, including 0 points in the first three games of this series. With Brown scoring 20 points (8G 12A) in last year's run to the Stanley Cup, he has to prove that he can regain his scoring touch in order for Los Angeles to get back to the Final.
Another prominent King who has faltered in the scoring department has been Anze Kopitar. The 25-year-old Slovenian has only one assist in his last five games and has scored only one goal in his last 12 games. The struggles of both men have forced head coach Darryl Sutter to constantly change his lines to see if something will stick. With game four looming tomorrow night, Sutter might want to keep his third line consisting of Kopitar, Dwight King and Trevor Lewis.
The unit shut down the Chicago attack with Kopitar keeping Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp on the outside and doing their damage in front of Quick.
For Los Angeles its cut and dry, if they win, it is a whole new series with pressure hanging over Chicago at the "Madhouse on Madison". If they lose, it's cut and print for the heroes of Hollywood.
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On the other end of the spectrum the Kings traded away fan favorite defenseman Davis Drewiske and Andrei Loktionov for a 5th round pick in the 2013 draft. Kevin Westgarth and Simon Gagne were traded for a 4th round pick.
Anthony Stewart was part of the Westgarth trade as well and is a highly productive right wing with 9 goals, 11 assist, and 20 points this season with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Kings also gained Keaton Ellerby from the Florida Panthers. Keaton who was number 10 in the 2007 draft should be added depth to the overall spotty defense that has been displayed this season by the Kings.
He is not a to be considered a high scoring defenseman (only 3 assist this year) so don't expect anything other than some big hits although he had an assist against Chicago this year. Which any point against the Blackhawks is impressive this season. His youth will add some energy to the defense that is already plagued by injuries from the past couple weeks.
Defense has been the focus of the trade deadline and I believe the Kings came up big without any regrets in the process of letting some players go for just draft picks. Although the draft could significant help the team in the long run not just for the playoffs this season.
Most fans probably wondered why the Kings would trade away Gagne for just some draft picks. Well I am here to tell you that it was a good move overall for the Kings and allows not only money to be better used on defense players who will have a larger impact on the playoff push but also getting rid of some dead weight.
A seven time 20 goal scorer had not scored a goal for the kings in the last 28 games including the 4Stanley Cup finals he played. Overall I see a bright future for Ellerby and Regehr withtheir new home here in SoCal.
One's veteran leadership followed by a youthful uprising should help the Kings tremendously in the next few weeks leading up to the Playoffs and hopefully provide the Kings with another magical run to keep the Cup here in sunny Los Angeles.
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If you missed the Blues/Kings series - you missed out on one of the best series in the NHL Playoffs.
A majority of the games were a dead heat, tied match almost throughout. Wednesday's road rage was owned by the Blues as they came up big with less than a minute to go, sending the game to overtime with a while making every Kings fan's heart sink into their stomach.
The Kings out-shot and out-played St. Louis coming back from a 0-2 deficit to winning 4 games in a row to do a reverse sweep. Williams (2 Goals), Jeff Carter (3 Goals) and surprisingly Slava Voynov (2 Goals) all came through with clutch goals behind Quick's masterful performance. He has basically been showing why he was last year's Conn Smythe Winner with his step it up attitude.
The series might have been the most physical some had ever played, including Drew Doughty who was quoted saying so after winning the series. He proved to be the bigger man on defense and helped with a goal in game 6.
Any goal from any of these games would be considered a big deciding factor on which team would win since both Blues netminder Elliott and Quick were shutting down anything that came their way.
The more intriguing information will be decided Sunday - who will be the California team that the Kings will face? If the Ducks lose game 7 vs the Red Wings the Kings will play at home versus the Sharks. If the Ducks win the Kings would travel 30 miles south to Anaheim to start the series on the road. This is the matchup I have been waiting for since the Ducks became Southern California's second team. This heated freeway face-off has been the highlight of the shortened season.
The Sharks would be a great matchup as well, providing another low-scoring, goalie infused, defensive juggernaut. The Kings beat the Sharks at home last time but the series was pretty evenly matched throughout the year. The edge has to bewith the Kings having played great at home versus the Sharks all year and having it start on the Kings turf. This would be the most optimal situation for the Kings coming off a tough Blues series - they could use a break especially while traveling.
Either matchup will benefit the Kings by not having to travel a long distance. The way the Kings have played at home for the past two months has to help going into either but the Sharks coming off a sweep and having more rest might could make them thirsty for some revenge.
Results of the regular season games this year:
LAK (3) - SJS (4)
SJS (2) - LAK (5)
LAK (2) - SJS (3) SO
SJS (2) - LAK (3)
The tougher of the two possibilities is the Anaheim Ducks. Anaheim should have wrapped up their series around the same time as the Kings if it wasn't for collapsing in overtime in two games of the series versus the Red Wings. The Ducks looked tired and overplayed. If they win today, they will have to start against a confident Kings defense and a heated up offense.
Between the Kings and Ducks, the home team has won every game this season.
The Ducks/Wings series has gone to overtime in 4 out of 6 games. This could either be from the Red Wings persistence or the Ducks getting some bad calls that end up hurting them with power play goals.
The Ducks have played well on the road all season and in Detroit as well. I would give the Ducks a slight advantage in getting home ice versus the Kings but this series could go into 7 games with a advantage to Quick for having more resting time with a unused Bernier waiting to prove himself Playoff worthy.
This series will only intensify the outdoor game which was officially announced last week with the Ducks playing the Kings at Chavez Ravine which is home of the Dodgers.
The regular season results for the Freeway Face-off and one of the best rivals in sports is listed below.
LAK (4) - ANA (7)
ANA (2) - LAK (5)
LAK (3) - ANA (4) SO
ANA (1) - LAK (2)
Remember to stay tuned to @SportSpeakLA for all your latest #LAKings news! It's the Freeway Cup Face-off or bust!
This Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde playoff run has been frustrating for all Kings fans. Hopefully some of that road warrior instinct from last year might kick in like it did for a brief minute in the Blues series.
However, the Chicago Blackhawks are a much stronger team than St. Louis was. They have speed unlike any team I have seen the Kings face this season or maybe ever. Chicago was a thorn in the Kings heal from the beginning of the season - they spoiled the banner-raising first game of the shortened season with a 5-2 disheartening loss.
After beating up on our weak defense throughout the early season, the Kings finally won a very big game in Chicago proving that the Stanley Cup Champs were back in high gear.
Staples Center has been very good for the Kings this season - their last lost at home was back in April. They continued that success after Tuesday night's win with an NHL record-tying 8 straight home playoff wins. They need to continue that quest and break that record if they want to advance against the tough 'Hawks squad.
The main focus of the Kings has to be slowing the 'Hawks speed. The offense has been beat up with Mike Richards out, Kopitar playing through the pain, and Carter getting smashed in the face with Duncan Keith's stick. Keith will miss Game 4 for that incident, which he tried to apologize to Carter for. However, 20 stitches and a couple of chipped teeth is hard to forgive.
Williams and Voynov have been the offense for the Kings with Carter coming through with some assists. The Penner-Carter-Toffoli line has been the most productive so far this series and Sutter's latest maneuver seems to be paying off big for LA. Penner has been the heart of this team with his big hits. Carter is starting to heat up and something tells me he is going to be on fire for Game 4.
Toffoli's late empty net masterpiece shot in goal helped Kings fans rejoice and breath. This kid is something the NHL has not seen in a very long time. Expect some great plays from him throughout this series and beyond. With time he will mature and become smarter with the passing which has illustrated that he is still a rookie.
Game 4 will be the most important of the series. Not only to break that playoff home record but to even the series and gain some momentum to take back to Chicago. If they can take advantage from some big plays and goals from Williams, Carter, or Brown (who has been dormant) they can bring the series back to LA where the Kings shine.
If they move on to the Stanley Cup Finals they will be faced with an even bigger obstacle of either the Boston Bruins or the Pittsburgh Penguins. Boston has that champion style of play so far.
The main weapon who has been critiqued more than any player on the Kings has been the outstanding Jonathan Quick. He broke down in Game 2 after what I would call fatigue from playing so brilliantly against the Sharks. His late 3rd Period heroics were no doubt the highlight of the game. By extending his legs he pretty much saved the game from going to overtime. You can only expect more of the same from him like I have stated many times before, but look for Sutter to give him more rest in the future - especially if he starts to fade fast on the road. I can't think of a better goalie I would want defending the Cup but Bernier did not allow a goal after Quick allowed 4 in Game 2. Bernier could provide some much needed support as a quality backup if the situation presents itself.
Look for an entertaining path of destruction from here on out from both squads.
Be sure and check back with @SportSpeakLA for all your Kings Playoff updates.
The Kings have effectively come back from deficits in both Monday night’s game and the series with a thrilling offensive spark breaking through the illusive Elliott at the right time. Kopitar and Carter (finally) got their first goal of the Playoffs. Justin Williams scored to take the lead for the first time with a game winner only one minute sixteen seconds after Kopitar's clutch shot.
Staples Center erupted (in the same fashion it did during last year magical run) after Williams and Kopi's goals providing one of the louder games of the series. It also brought the Blues back down to earth after taking a 2-0 lead (1 win from the Hockey Gods) that this series is far from over.
The Kings offense came together after a cold and rough start for the Stanley Cup Champs. Surprisingly Dustin Penner came through for the defense (1 goal, 3 shots) but the offensive big men kept LA in this game. Quick showed resilience in the 3rd Period fending off 22 shots on goal with some huge stops especially in the last few minutes.
It came down to the wire with only a one goal lead but Quick and LA finished strong after a sloppy 1st in which Backes and Oshie took charge of the game early for the Blues. Mike Richards woke up to make some great passes providing two assists and earning the first star of the game. King provided some entertaining sequences but had most of his shots broken up by blues defensemen or stopped by Elliott.
There were some good spot opportunities left open which paved way for an LA comeback. In my opinion the only reason why this series is 2-2 is due to the lack of effort to create big plays so the likes of Kopitar and Carter could be more compelling with scoring chances on the breakaways.
If the Kings can take one away from the Blues on the road I can see them taking this series and possibly the west if they can handle the Sharks who are 3-0 on the Canucks. If they do not win in St. Louis then the series could dramatically go to a game 7 that would favor the Blues by playing at home. If they can continue their cool under pressure mentality then it’s hard to see them losing this series. With Quick still very capable of taking this team into round two, then why not save Bernier for a rainy day?
Regher has stepped up to elite status breaking up anything that gets near the zone for LA. He has showed any skeptics out there (mostly in the sports media) that he has been more than potent enough of an acquisition that might just make this Kings team even more feared than before as a defensive juggernaut.
Going into Game 5 on Wednesday night, look for a powerhouse of offensive pressure. Quick and Elliott finally cracked in the first and second periods but only one reminded everyone who the Conn Smythe Winner was last year and why Bernier is still sitting on the bench after a great regular season of play. The main attraction to look for in this sensational match up is what everyone has been waiting for since the start in monstrous fight.
Expect some heated players and some walloping hits throughout its entirety, particularly from Drew Doughty and Robyn Regher. The Kings will not go down to the Blues without a fight or maybe even a brawl. Fans should believe in the power of Kopitar, Carter, Richards and (surprisingly) Williams to be the offensive leaders for the rest of the series.
At least one of those four will earn a top star performer of game 5 if the Kings prevail. Don't forget to check back to SportSpeak Radio for all your Kings and LA sports updates. Go Kings Go!
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