2013 - 2014 NHL Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Walter Kittel]

Well, I did say there were exceptions.

- Walter.

 

[davidmatychuk]

Milan Lucic disagrees.

That's the East Vancouver way.

 

[Carlo_M]

Hilarious! And noteworthy because it is the rare exception. In the NFL that's called lining up on every play (the I'm going to F'in kill you part)

 

[Carlo_M]

Game 1 = OT
Game 2 = 2OT
Yikes, this trend is alarming...

 

[Walter Kittel]

Note to Websters. Under the definition of the word resilient place a picture of the Kings.

Pretty amazing how this team keeps getting down early and keeps bouncing back.

- Walter.

 

[Carlo_M]

Two amazing stats from post-game report:

[*]The Kings haven't led within a game since Game 5 vs. Chicago (which they lost). All four games since they've been losing or tied the entire game before scoring the game winning goal in OT for the last three games, and losing Game 6 vs Chicago.
[*]The Rangers over the playoffs were +14 goals in periods 1 and negatives in periods 2 and 3, and the Kings were reverse, being heavily negative in period 1, +1 in period 2, and +13 in period 3. So I guess the first two games are just confirming what has been happening all playoff, the Rangers get off to fast starts, and the Kings finish off games well.
[/list]

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I wish the Kings would stop fooling around and win a game in regulation so I could see the end. I made it to the end of the first overtime last night, but just couldn't stay awake any longer.

 

[Ockeghem]

The royal cockroaches of the NHL!

http://espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/11050441/cockroach-los-angeles-kings-proving-hard-kill

This is interesting:

"Per information provided by the Elias Sports Bureau, the Kings became the first team in NHL history to win three straight playoff games after trailing each game 2-0."

 

[davidmatychuk]

I wish the Kings would stop fooling around and win a game in regulation so I could see the end. I made it to the end of the first overtime last night, but just couldn't stay awake any longer.

My brother lives in Michigan and follows the Canucks, so I hear this kind of thing all the time. Last night's game ended before 9 P.M.. Time for dinner, drinks, and a movie after that! On a seriousish note, Kings' finals home games (like Canucks' finals home games three years ago) start at 5 P.M. local time, which is 2 to 3 hours earlier than usual. After a normal NHL season of insane amounts of travel compared to, say, teams from New York (or Boston), why are we on the West Coast unable to keep one of the few natural advantages we might have? I know, for TV back East, where they're all asleep at 10 P.M..

 

[Ockeghem]

Carlo (and other fans of the Kings),

You'll just love this. This series is most definitely over. Congratulations on winning the Stanley Cup! It's not like any team comes back from 0-3 in the playoffs to win a series.

 

[Carlo_M]

Thanks for the attempted jinx Scott but thankfully all of the Kings, during their postgame interviews, looked and sounded like they were down 0-3. Having been one of the teams that came back from 0-3, they know better than most that they haven't accomplished anything yet.I'm a big believer in Sutter. His attitude has infected all of the Kings players, and I don't think any of them are visualizing how they're going to hoist the cup quite yet. Kings were outshot 32-15, and each of their goals today were deflections or (un)lucky bounces, Henrik really didn't get much "puck luck" tonight. And Quick stood on his head today, a lesser netminder would have let in 2-4 goals with the quality scoring chances the Rangers had today. Sutter will be sure to point out that they could have lost this game 3-0 just as easily.While those who want more revenue (and more TV hockey) will want a longer series, I'm hoping the Kings can end it on Wednesday. Rangers will be playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain, and that's when a team is most dangerous.

 

[Ockeghem]

Congratulations to the 2014 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Carlo (and other fans of the Kings),

You'll just love this. This series is most definitely over. Congratulations on winning the Stanley Cup! It's not like any team comes back from 0-3 in the playoffs to win a series.

Well, it hasn't happened in the Stanley Cup Finals in a very long time -- I think it was Toronto over Detroit in the 1940's.

Yes, this series is over. You could tell by the look in the eyes of the Rangers late in the 2nd period after that third LA goal -- they looked completely beaten. The only remaining question is whether the Rangers can show enough heart to keep the Kings from sweeping in their own building.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,

Several days ago, when the series was 1-0 in favor of the Kings, Mike Knuble was interviewed on a sports radio program that I listen to often. He said the Rangers would win no more than one game in this series. I was surprised by that comment at the time!

Anyway, I went 11-4 overall in the NHL playoffs this year. I was 8-0 in the first round, 2-2 in the second round, 0-2 (ouch) in the third round, and now 1-0 in the Stanley Cup finals as I picked the Kings to win it all.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,

A short series doesn't shock me, either. The Rangers had a fine playoff run, but overall the Kings are a much better hockey team. That being said, the series is a little closer than the 3-0 LA lead on the surface, as the first two games did go to overtime.

Watching this series makes the Habs loss in the ECF easier to accept, too, as there is no way the Canadiens would have done any better against the Kings.

 

[Ockeghem]

Scott,I am left to wonder how the Bruins or Canadiens would have fared against the Kings. Having defeated Chicago though was no small task. And to win game seven on the road -- and especially in Chicago -- was very impressive.

You're right about the Kings being a much better team. And it was several months ago, I think, when you predicted that this year's winner of the Cup would come out of the western conference.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,You're right about the Kings being a much better team. And it was several months ago, I think, when you predicted that this year's winner of the Cup would come out of the western conference.

When I looked at the West, I just thought that Chicago, Anaheim and LA were all better than any teams in the East this year. The Bruins, with their playoff experience, may have given the Kings a tougher contest, but I think they would have struggled, too. It's something we will never know for sure.

 

[davidmatychuk]

After their near-death experience in the first round, and 21 brutal games against tough opposition, L.A. sure came out of the West honed like a knife.

 

[Carlo_M]

After their near-death experience in the first round, and 21 brutal games against tough opposition, L.A. sure came out of the West honed like a knife.

Definitely lends credence to the saying "what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger"

 

[Scott Merryfield]

With the Kings this close to clinching the Cup, the race for the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) seems to be wide open. Top candidates include Gaborik, Justin Williams, Jeff Carter, Kopitar and Quick. So, what are the group predictions for the winner?

I'll say Justin Williams. I believe he would be the first Plymouth Whalers alumnus to win a major award.