Well, it was a good run but in the end the Los Angeles Kings just couldn’t get it done against the Chicago Blackhawks. In this new episode we discuss Game 5 & why the Kings aren’t moving on, show a final Playoff Beard update, present our Stanley Cup Final picks, present a SeeYa! for the 2013 LA Kings and look ahead to a critical Off-Season. Thank you for all of your support! GO Kings!
Featured Music: “Burban, Herb, ‘n Turban” by One Eye Open and “Gameshow” by Suburban Rhythm.
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#Ten
“Tommy’s dropping by”
One of Los Angeles’ greatest sports icons graced Kings fans with his presence when dropping the ceremonial first-puck prior to a contest at Staples Center earlier this season.
In the process of his pregame appearance, he managed to also leave former Kings defenseman Jack Johnson hanging stale like a clothing rack at a restaurant gift shop.
Talk about ‘still having it‘.
Tommy Lasorda was in the building for “Los Angeles Dodgers Pride Night” at Staples Center, which was celebrated during the Kings’ home contest on March 18th, 2013 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Lasorda brought his old-fashioned, hard-nosed attitude to the ice that night at the age of 85, showing any existing doubters that time hasn’t shaved any competitive instinct off of the veteran’s shoulders.
Ironically, the youngsters stole the show that night with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Staples Center, with Drew Doughty starting the show, and Kyle Clifford putting it to rest.
The Kings donned Dodgers-style uniforms during warm-ups for the occasion.
A Whole New Blue
Tommy Lasorda didn’t just sneak in a private chat with Kings’ Captain Dustin Brown during the game’s opening ceremony at the faceoff circle, but he made his overall presence clear.
He expressed it in a way words couldn’t.
Call him a gamer, and consider the opposition helpless.
I think Jack Johnson‘s hand might still be out for that awaited hand-shake. Holy f*ck did he get burned.
Jack’s got no chance
“You do not talk to the opposition.”
Atta boy Tommy
Go grab yourself a beer
Who Loves It
Either Jeff Carter is happy to see the player he was traded to the Kings for when coming from the Columbus Blue Jackets get worked by Tommy Lasorda, or he somehow knew ahead of time that his Dodgers warm-up jersey was going to sell for $2,500.00.
Stick with us here at KingsCast. Peruse the links below, especially our new Digital Short, and look out for moment #Nine of the 2013 season in the coming hours.
NEW Exclusive KingsCast TV Digital Short: 2012 VS 2013 HERE
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If it’s grim, it’s only going to get worse the longer you look.
For the Kings, thoughts and actions must be simplified immediately, because if you dare attempt to look up the mountain that is a 3-1 series deficit, your mind and confidence will eliminate you before the opposition even has the chance to do so.
There’s a one-game series starting Saturday night.
It’s in Downtown Chicago, Illinois at the United Center.
That series is Game 5 of the Kings’ Western Conference Finals matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. To look past tomorrow night’s contest won’t do you a lick of good.
It would be as detrimental as listening to Tim Leiweke run his mouthpiece.
*NEW KingsCast TV: Episode 203: LAK-CHI Game 4 WCF RECAP
What you can look to, but certainly do so with a grain of salt, is that the Chicago Blackhawks overcame a 3-1 series deficit to get here, winning three straight contests to beat the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Quarterfinals in seven games.
That in itself is a trap.
Detroit is a team much more capable of faltering in such a fashion than the opponent the Kings must pull their magic against, the team that did it against the Detroit Red Wings.
All one really knows is that the Boston Bruins await.
And that, well, a few key names haven’t quite been looking like their old selves.
Boston Brewin’
Captain in Ruin
Game 5 Lookin’
Milk the last leg: The Kings are battered, exhausted, and bruised like no one has seen them in recent time. They’re without Mike Richards indefinitely, and are seeing some ghastly uncharacteristic play from some names that are simply, and sickeningly not playing up to the standards they withhold.
Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Drew Doughty are needed. Tyler Toffoli can chip in, but he ain’t going to do it. The Kings, even with their key healthy scratches, are far from playing and producing at a level that meets the %100 mark.
But excuses are a farce. It’s weak.
Don’t lower yourself, even if you’re already down.
One.
Puck drops for Game 5 of the NHL‘s Western Conference Finals series Saturday evening against the Chicago Blackhawks in Downtown Chicago, Illinois at the United Center at 5:00PM PST.
Episode 203 KingsCast TV: LAK-CHI Game 4 WCF RECAP – HERE
Episode 202 KingsCast TV: LAK-CHI Game 3 WCSF RECAP – HERE
Follow the blog on Twitter HERE
Get your Official KingsCast Apparel HERE
KingsCast Hockey Podcast on — Facebook - Twitter - Youtube
It’s the team no one wanted to face. The bruised and battered LA Kings traveled to the United Center to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Finals. And, in typical Kings fashion, the team couldn’t get it done on the road. In this episode we talk about Games 1 and 2, address our Conference Finals picks, give a playoff beard update, present our Top 10 Things We Would Have Rather Done Than Watch Game 2 and we’ll preview Game 3 at Staples Center. Go Kings!
Featured Music: “Gameshow” by Suburban Rhythm, “Animal” by Tracy Jupiter and “Sumfin’ 4 Da Quincy” by One Eye Open.
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It was just as much an exhale as it was a scream of joy.
After getting pushed around for two games at HP Pavilion, and welcoming San Jose back into this Western Conference Semifinals series, the Kings shoved back.
They shoved back with authority, pushing the San Jose Sharks to the brink of elimination.
The Kings’ convincing 3-0 victory against the Sharks in Game 5 at Staples Center stopped San Jose’s surge before the Sharks could take control of the series. The Kings did so by taking control themselves. It was a matter of the Kings’ early efforts Thursday night, which not just settled the game’s pace into the Kings’ favor, but into their complete command as well.
*NEW KingsCast TV: Episode 199: LAK-SJS Game 5 WCSF RECAP
It’s about winning the small battles. If you can control the tempo in the simple facets of the game, the tide will flow in the direction best suited for you.
That’s what ultimately decides the big picture.
The “big picture” killed the Kings in Games 3 and 4 in San Jose at HP Pavilion. The mindset was altered after the Kings built a 2-0 lead in the series. Instead of concentrating on thorough play, the Kings concentrated on a win.
It’s play-by-play in the NHL‘s postseason. Every encounter on the ice matters.
Ever heard of it coming down to a bounce?
For the Kings, Game 5 was a bounce-back. For Anze Kopitar, it was a scoresheet comeback.
Eleven’s Bounce House
Seeing Red
Finding Red: The Kings undoubtedly played their best game of the Western Conference Semifinals in Game 5 Thursday night at Staples Center, and it was arguably their best performance of the entire postseason thus far.
The organization’s appointed leader, Dustin Brown, was demoted to Darryl Sutter‘s third line for Game 5. The team took notice, and the entire Kings’ roster shouldered leadership, with all cylinders clicking on every line, at every position.
Like mentioned before, it’s the small, simple battles that paint the big picture.
It’s when being stingy is the best thing.
Without Stoll’s Gold
Jarret Stoll‘s injury situation worsened on Saturday after the preliminary assumptions were a concussion to the Kings’ veteran, and all-important forward.
He skated with the Kings at Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo Saturday with harsh instructions to not be included in any contact-inducing drills or plays.
To call Stoll’s skate with the Kings on Saturday a “head game” would be too soon. Although, call it mentally stabilizing for Jarret Stoll and the Kings’ roster as a whole.
The mental game, this time, is huge.
The Kings’ faceoff-wizard, and special teams specialist Jarret Stoll is down with an apparent brain injury.
Strollsy Ain’t Here
And Vancouver Still Ain’t There
Man-Down and Gunning: The Kings, still without Jarret Stoll, finally upped the San Jose Sharks in the faceoff circle Thursday night, winning 37 of the 72 referee puck-drops in Game 5.
Physical was their name, their game. The Kings came out in full-force physically early and often, laying a foundation to the game that put the San Jose Sharks back on their heels, eliminating the Sharks’ intensity and confidence they had in Games 3 and 4 of the series at HP Pavilion.
It was rapid-fire for the Kings. It was all-day, all night, as the Kings more than doubled their hit-count against San Jose, laying the body 51 times to the Sharks’ 24.
Kings’ sticks were on fire, with Darryl Sutter‘s roster peppering San Jose Sharks‘ goaltender Antti Niemi with 29 shots in what was an extremely tight defensive battle. A detrimental theme was starting to grow before Thursday night’s contest, and that was San Jose’s ability to land more shots on net than the Kings, especially so in the 1st and 2nd periods of their contests this series.
They shut down San Jose’s powerplay in Game 5, which as we’ve discussed, is the Sharks’ Achilles heel if they can’t put the puck past the goal line in at least one man-advantage situation during a contest.
Both of the Kings’ losses in this series have come when they have surrendered a goal to the Sharks on the powerplay.
Voynov’s Key
The only thing more astounding than Vyacheslav Voynov‘s stat-line is himself.
Don’t Look At Me
Good god is #32 in true form right now.
History at HP
Sometimes you don’t play on the most hospitable sheet of ice.
The San Jose Sharks have played 28 games to-date on home ice at HP Pavilion this season. Number 29 comes Sunday evening against the Kings. San Jose has lost in regulation at home only twice this season.
If that isn’t a tough going, consider the Kings’ recent reputation in Northern California. It ain’t too swell. The Kings haven’t won a contest in regulation at HP Pavilion since December 27, 2010.
And to specify the setting’s meaning to the series’ trend, every single contest in this Western Conference Semifinals series has been won by the home team.
And all of that, at this point, means nothing.
It’s even sweeter when you do it on the road.
What you have to do, is act like it’s home.
Puck drops up North for Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals at HP Pavilion against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday evening at 5:00PM PST.
Episode 199 KingsCast TV: LAK-SJS Game 5 WCSF RECAP – HERE
Episode 198 KingsCast TV: LAK-SJS Game 3&4 WCSF RECAP – HERE
Follow the blog on Twitter HERE
Get your Official KingsCast Apparel HERE
KingsCast Hockey Podcast on — Facebook - Twitter - Youtube
And like that, the series is tied. The Los Angeles Kings lose a difficult game on the road 2-1 to the San Jose Sharks to net the series at 2 games a piece. In this new episode, Keith makes his triumphant return as we breakdown Game 4, give a Playoff Beard update, present our Top Ten fun facts about San Jose, California and preview Game 5 at Staples Center. GO Kings!
Featured Songs: “Battlelines” and “The People” by Bella Novela and “Gameshow” by Suburban Rhythm.
What a game! In dramatic fashion, the Los Angeles Kings storm back to stun the San Jose Sharks in Game 2, pushing their series lead to 2-0. In this installment Alex and Chris discuss all that was Game 2, give a Playoff Beard update, breakdown the impact of the Stoll & Torres situation and preview Game 3 in San Jose. Go Kings!
The 2nd round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs has begun and the Kings start off strong with a shutout W. In this episode we breakdown Game 1 between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks, discuss the similarities and history between the 2 teams, give a Playoff Beard update and preview Game 2 at Staples Center. Go Kings! http://www.kingscast.net
For the second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Kings have defeated the St. Louis Blues to advance in the NHL Playoffs. In this new episode, Chris is once again joined by hockey blogger Alex Kinkopf to discuss Game 6, present a Playoff Beard Update (sort of), give an official See Ya! to the Blues and breakdown the Pros & Cons of playing the Sharks or Ducks in the next round. Go Kings!
The tide has turned! In a series momentum shift the Los Angeles Kings have taken a 3-2 lead after a tight OT win against the St. Louis Blues. In this episode, KingsCast blogger Alex Kinkopf co-hosts as we discuss Game 5, breakdown the scoring, goaltending & physicality of the series, present a Playoff Beard update, preview Game 6 and read the best post-win comments from Facebook. Close it out Kings!
