The Los Angeles Kings are now just 1 victory away from lifting perhaps the most prized possession in all of sports. Whatever it was, something sparked them in the final weeks of the season and they never turned back. Since March 11th, the Kings went 9 wins and 5 losses entering the postseason and had a legitimate chance to be the third seed. Who got them into the position for the late season push? Jonathan Quick. But once the team really started playing good hockey, that's what got things going for them.
And then they got to the playoffs. That combination of a hot goaltender and a team that was rolling, was just too much for the opposition. As Vancouver fans, Blues fans, and Coyotes fan (singular tense intended) can tell you, this team was going to be a tough handle for the upstart team from Jersey.
But they sure as hell tried.
So, as a Devils fan, I have two choices. I can either take the easy route and blame this tough series on the Kings being nearly unbeatable. Or I can take the just-as-easy route and blame it on the fact that the Devils didn't show up to play.
I'll save the latter one for a future post.
Holy crap, the Kings are good.
Just to start, I'm a fan who doesn't quit until one team has four wins. That hasn't happened yet.
That being said, this series appears to be all but over. It's not a new situation for the Kings. This is the fourth time (which IS the maximum) that they find themselves up 3-0 in a series with a chance to close it out on home ice (first time in NHL history a team has done that). They swept once and won in 5 the other two. Just to review, only 3 teams in NHL history have come back from down 3-0 to win the series, once to win the cup. But the Devils are facing, in my opinion, a tougher opponent than the '42 Leafs, '75 Islanders, and the '10 Flyers had to overcome. So ya. This series is pretty much all but over.
So what makes these Kings so good? Why is literally every other fan base out of the 28 (perhaps prematurely) consoling me, saying things like "Thank GOD my team didn't make it that far just to get embarrassed by LA" or "Don't worry. The Kings would have beaten anybody they played at this point"? What has been there motivation or push? What is there key to success?
Well first off, their coach is a genius.
That's right, Darryl Sutter may not look as sharp as some of the other coaches in the league, but he's pressed all the right buttons since being hired in December.
Before Sutter was brought in, Terry Murray was running things for the Kings and things were not so great. The team was underachieving and they weren't quite buying in to what he was selling. Bring in Sutter and everything changed.
In the first few weeks, the younger players eased into their rolls and the team relaxed a little. Whatever Sutter did early on seemed to help, as they went 25-13-11 under Sutter, clinching a playoff berth in the final week of the regular season and coming within three points of winning the Pacific Division.
The difference in strategy between the two coaches was astronomical. Murray stressed a tight-defensive game, which worked, but resulted in miserable offense for the Kings. Sutter came in preaching a hard forecheck and a never-quit attitude.
The result? Well before Sutter came in, the Kings were tied in last place in goals per game with a 2.18. For the last 49 games once Darryl came in, that number sky rocketed to 3.69 goals per game (and in case you're wondering, the highest ranked offense this year (Pittsburgh) averaged 3.33 G/G. LA finished 29th with a deceiving 2.29).
Darryl felt that his team was too strong to just sit back on defense the whole time. He figured that this team had the potential to be great and didn't want to waste their talent. The fans were frustrated with the defense-first mentality also, so Sutter felt it was about time to let them loose.
One quote that they mentioned during NBC's telecast tonight really caught my attention. It's a quote from coach Sutter that really shows the identity of this team.
And then they got to the playoffs. That combination of a hot goaltender and a team that was rolling, was just too much for the opposition. As Vancouver fans, Blues fans, and Coyotes fan (singular tense intended) can tell you, this team was going to be a tough handle for the upstart team from Jersey.
But they sure as hell tried.
So, as a Devils fan, I have two choices. I can either take the easy route and blame this tough series on the Kings being nearly unbeatable. Or I can take the just-as-easy route and blame it on the fact that the Devils didn't show up to play.
I'll save the latter one for a future post.
Holy crap, the Kings are good.
Just to start, I'm a fan who doesn't quit until one team has four wins. That hasn't happened yet.
That being said, this series appears to be all but over. It's not a new situation for the Kings. This is the fourth time (which IS the maximum) that they find themselves up 3-0 in a series with a chance to close it out on home ice (first time in NHL history a team has done that). They swept once and won in 5 the other two. Just to review, only 3 teams in NHL history have come back from down 3-0 to win the series, once to win the cup. But the Devils are facing, in my opinion, a tougher opponent than the '42 Leafs, '75 Islanders, and the '10 Flyers had to overcome. So ya. This series is pretty much all but over.
So what makes these Kings so good? Why is literally every other fan base out of the 28 (perhaps prematurely) consoling me, saying things like "Thank GOD my team didn't make it that far just to get embarrassed by LA" or "Don't worry. The Kings would have beaten anybody they played at this point"? What has been there motivation or push? What is there key to success?
Well first off, their coach is a genius.
That's right, Darryl Sutter may not look as sharp as some of the other coaches in the league, but he's pressed all the right buttons since being hired in December.
Before Sutter was brought in, Terry Murray was running things for the Kings and things were not so great. The team was underachieving and they weren't quite buying in to what he was selling. Bring in Sutter and everything changed.
In the first few weeks, the younger players eased into their rolls and the team relaxed a little. Whatever Sutter did early on seemed to help, as they went 25-13-11 under Sutter, clinching a playoff berth in the final week of the regular season and coming within three points of winning the Pacific Division.
The difference in strategy between the two coaches was astronomical. Murray stressed a tight-defensive game, which worked, but resulted in miserable offense for the Kings. Sutter came in preaching a hard forecheck and a never-quit attitude.
The result? Well before Sutter came in, the Kings were tied in last place in goals per game with a 2.18. For the last 49 games once Darryl came in, that number sky rocketed to 3.69 goals per game (and in case you're wondering, the highest ranked offense this year (Pittsburgh) averaged 3.33 G/G. LA finished 29th with a deceiving 2.29).
Darryl felt that his team was too strong to just sit back on defense the whole time. He figured that this team had the potential to be great and didn't want to waste their talent. The fans were frustrated with the defense-first mentality also, so Sutter felt it was about time to let them loose.
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| Attitude of most Kings fans early in the season |
Darryl Sutter: "I just tell them to win the battles on our side, there side, along the boards, and to up the tempo. We've been able to do that so far."
So that leads me to my next point, the fight of the Los Angeles Kings.
As a Devils fan, I'm experiencing it first hand, but it's something that they've been doing throughout the postseason. Frustrating the opposition. We saw it peak a little during game 2 in Vancouver. We saw it peak in game 1 in St. Louis. We saw it peak in game 2 in Phoenix. And for the first time really, we saw it peak in game 3 against New Jersey. The LA Kings just frustrate the crap out of their opponents
First you have to put up with a tremendous forecheck to get the puck out of the zone. Then you have to get the puck in deep past a strong, speedy defensive core. Then you have to somehow get set up against a physical defense in there zone. And then if you do all that and somehow manage to get a good opportunity, Jonathan Quick will undoubtedly make the save (unless you shoot it from centre ice). And by the way, this is just another reason the Kings are so effective on the kill (92.8% right now!)
So put a media-proclaimed "favourite" against a team that does the above, affectively, for all 60 minutes, and you'll get frustrated as well. So that's why a lot of teams resort to cheap play and dirty hits but that hasn't shaken the Kings off one bit. That's essentially what the Canucks, Blues, and Coyotes did up until now, and I hate to say it, but the Devils almost fell into the same trap as well.
And nobody reflects this more than King's captain, Dustin Brown.
Dustin Brown is a guy who A) will give 100% night in and night out B) is sickly gifted offensively C) strong willed D) a HUGE physical presence E) did I mention he tries really hard? and F) pisses off all of his opponents.
It's true, Dustin Brown is pretty much the complete package. He does just about everything right. We've seen him score multiple big, beautiful goals in these playoffs, we've seen him throw big (clean) hits and lay out opponents, and most importantly, we've seen him utilize the lead-by-example role that he's so good at. His team see's him doing it all out there on the ice and they follow suit.
As for the frustrating the opponents part about his game.
Dustin Brown has a certain (confirmed) reputation amongst NHL players. Dustin Brown is known as a hit-and-run specialist.
That is, Dustin Brown supplies a physical presence and throws his body around, yet scurries away from dropping the gloves and fighting with opponents. Do you want proof of this? Well let's first think of a reasonable hits-fights ratio. Let's say that a hockey player gets into 1 fight for about every 60 hits. That seems fair, no?
Well in the past 3 seasons, Dustin Brown has over 900 hits. Yet has only fought 3 times...
This behavior really doesn't sit well with the opposition because they have no way of responding to a big hit in a game.
This aspect of Dustin Brown's game is perhaps the most infuriating, bothersome, and effective.
And nobody reflects this more than King's captain, Dustin Brown.
Dustin Brown is a guy who A) will give 100% night in and night out B) is sickly gifted offensively C) strong willed D) a HUGE physical presence E) did I mention he tries really hard? and F) pisses off all of his opponents.
It's true, Dustin Brown is pretty much the complete package. He does just about everything right. We've seen him score multiple big, beautiful goals in these playoffs, we've seen him throw big (clean) hits and lay out opponents, and most importantly, we've seen him utilize the lead-by-example role that he's so good at. His team see's him doing it all out there on the ice and they follow suit.
As for the frustrating the opponents part about his game.
Dustin Brown has a certain (confirmed) reputation amongst NHL players. Dustin Brown is known as a hit-and-run specialist.
That is, Dustin Brown supplies a physical presence and throws his body around, yet scurries away from dropping the gloves and fighting with opponents. Do you want proof of this? Well let's first think of a reasonable hits-fights ratio. Let's say that a hockey player gets into 1 fight for about every 60 hits. That seems fair, no?
Well in the past 3 seasons, Dustin Brown has over 900 hits. Yet has only fought 3 times...
This behavior really doesn't sit well with the opposition because they have no way of responding to a big hit in a game.
This aspect of Dustin Brown's game is perhaps the most infuriating, bothersome, and effective.
People are also speculating that the Kings run is also thanks to a late season pick up of Jeff Carter.
Mike Richards was having a decent-ish season with the Kings before his ex-linemate/lover from Philly came along for the ride. The two hit it off pretty well, and together on a line with Dustin "Pennzoil" Penner, have been able to do some damage in these playoffs.
While Carter may not directly have to do with this surge, he's definitely helped chipped in. To begin with, this line alone has really turned heads. They pretty much are the 2012 version of Ray Bourque, if they go on to win the cup.
Carter and Richards were both party animals in Philly and were believed to be the cancers in the locker room that prevented further success. So they shipped them both out. And now, reunited, they're in the Finals to sort of piss all over Philly's face.
As for Penner, he was always viewed as kind of an underachieving bum who didn't have any heart. He was the guy who was worth too much and never really put in the effort needed to raise his game.
But now the three of them are playing some great hockey and have been playing great against Jersey. The big bodies have done a good job messing with the Devils. Additionally, when Jeff Carter isn't elbowing Devil players in the head, he's lighting the lamp against them, something he was able to do in OT in game 2 (in which he walked into the zone, asked a few of the Devils to dance, did the Walze with them, regained control of the puck, and put it past Marty), a goal that, perhaps, sealed things for the Kings.
Oh, and by the way, Jonathan Quick is playing ridiculous hockey for the Kings right now. The man is literally in the zone at every moment (yes, even when his team has the puck), and if it weren't for a bounce off his own teammate's chest and a deflection from 9 feet out, he'd have a clean slate in these Finals.
The dude is playing out of his mind right now and the Devils can't seem to shake him. While NJ eventually figured out a way to beat the then-seemingly-unbeatable Henrik Lundqvist last round, the LA defense has given them quite the opportunity to do that. And even if they did get there chances, I'm not even so sure they'd be able to figure him out anyway.
So right now the Kings appear to be unbeatable. At least definitely not in a best of 7 series. They've begun the process of turning LA back into the hockey city they once were (slowly but surely) and have been making it pretty fun to watch.
But let's face it.
At this rate, if it weren't for the fact that there's a 4 month break before the next season, the Kings could have easily gone 82-0 in 2013.
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