Los Angeles Kings Let It All Skate Away Against San Jose

April 29, 2011 1 Comment

LOS ANGELES — Four days after the Los Angeles Kings were eliminated in six games from the first round of 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the San Jose Sharks, the Kings dressing room at Staples Center has probably been cleaned out, not to be used (at least, not by the Kings), until next season.

Despite losing in six games, the Kings came close to, not just extending the series to a seventh game, but to advancing to the second round. Indeed, when they were on top of their game, their forecheck, defensive zone coverage and goaltending gave the Sharks fits.

“We had opportunities to win this series,” Kings right wing and team captain Dustin Brown lamented. “We had a 4-0 lead at home in Game 3, and two other overtime games. We were right there.” Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News, NHL, Post-Game, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New On KingsCast: Episode 106 – Kings/Sharks Game 6

April 29, 2011 Leave a Comment

KingsCast looks back at Game 6 of the Los Angeles Kings’ first round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks, in Episode 106 – Kings/Sharks Game 6. Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News, Post-Game, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Los Angeles Kings Getting Offense From Surprising Source

April 25, 2011 Leave a Comment

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Going into the Los Angeles Kings’ first round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks, if someone predicted that their third line of Kyle Clifford, Brad Richardson and Wayne Simmonds would account for six goals and seven assists for 13 points after five games, they would be quickly dismissed as being insane.

Kyle Clifford (left), Brad Richardson (right), and Wayne Simmonds
(center, facing away) are the unexpected leaders of the Los Angeles Kings’
offensive attack in their first round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.
Photo: David Sheehan

Further, if anyone predicted that Clifford, a wet-behind-the-ears, twenty-year-old rookie who is known for more for throwing his weight around, would lead the team in playoff scoring with three goals and two assists for five points, they would probably be laughed at.

But those nutty predictions have proven to be prescient, as Clifford, Richardson and Simmonds have been the Kings’ top line, not their third line that is only expected to be an energy line, a checking line. Indeed, they have led the way offensively for the heavily defensive-oriented Kings, who trail the Sharks in the series, 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for tonight at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News, NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KingsCast Looks Back At Games 3-5: LA Kings vs. San Jose Sharks

April 24, 2011 Leave a Comment

KingsCast has been taking a close look at the Los Angeles Kings’ first round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks, releasing a new episode following each game. Read more of this post

Filed under News, Post-Game, Audio/Video, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LA Kings On Short Road To Recovery After Game 3 Flop Against San Jose

April 21, 2011 1 Comment

The Los Angeles Kings gather around head coach Terry Murray on April 20, 2010, at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California, as
they prepared for Game 4 of their first round playoff series against
the San Jose Sharks on April 21, 2011.
Photo: David Sheehan

EL SEGUNDO, CA — The morning after the worst come-from-ahead loss in their playoff history, the Los Angeles Kings hit the ice at their practice facility, not to mention the road to recovery, after Game 3 of their first round playoff series on April 19, a game that may be remembered as the Flop On Figueroa.

In case you missed it, the Kings had a 4-0 lead early in the second period, and then got complacent. They allowed five goals in the period, along with another in overtime, gift-wrapping a 6-5 win for the San Jose Sharks, who now hold a 2-1 series lead going into Game 4 tonight at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News, Post-Game, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

They Must Use A Dart Board To Make Decisions At NHL Headquarters

April 16, 2011 5 Comments

LOS ANGELES — The first two days of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs are now in the books, but, disappointingly, one of the most memorable aspects of the playoffs so far is the fact that how the National Hockey League handles supplementary discipline is still little more than a joke.

Logo courtesy National Hockey League

Before you start rolling your eyes, this is not really about the merits of Los Angeles Kings center Jarret Stoll’s hit from behind on San Jose Sharks defenseman Ian White in Game 1 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal series on April 14. It is also not about if Sharks defenseman Jason Demers should have been suspended for his hit on Kings left wing Ryan Smyth in the same game. Even the punishment Anaheim Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan should receive for stomping on Nashville Predators defenseman Jonathon Blum’s’s foot in Game 2 of their first round series on April 15 is not what this story is about.

These incidents shine an ultra-bright spotlight on the haphazard way the NHL hands out fines and suspensions. Indeed, it often seems that whether or not the incident results in an injury, along with the severity of the injury, dictates whether or not a suspension is handed down, not to mention the number of games. Read more of this post

Filed under News, NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,105 other followers