2014 NHL PLAYOFFS - LIVE THREAD

NHL web site ^ | 4/15/14 | various

[airborne]

EASTERN CONFERENCE - ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS

BOSTON BRUINS (1) vs DETROIT REDWINGS (4)

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (2) vs MONTREAL CANADIENS (3)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (1) vs COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (4)

NEW YORK RANGERS (2) vs PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (3)

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WESTERN CONFERENCE - ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS

COLORADO AVALANCHE (1) vs MINNESOTA WILD (4)

ST. LOUIS BLUES (2) vs CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (3)

ANAHEIM DUCKS (1) vs DALLAS STARS (4)

SAN JOSE SHARKS (2) vs LOS ANGELES KINGS (3)

[dfwgator]

That was the only way a goal was going to be scored, a perfect redirection.

[airborne]

LA got a lucky break. They should have been called on the “delay of game” for clearing the puck out of the defensive end.

Instead they go down and score soon after.

The goalie interference on Lundqvist could have been called too.

That being said, the Kings are up 2-0 and headed for Madison Square Garden.

[Alberta's Child]

I'm not so sure about that. Both of those goalies looked ordinary at times throughout that game, and I thought for sure that the game would end on some kind of miscue by either one of them.

"No way Lundqvist gives up 3+ goals a game against the Kings the way Crawford did." -- Every Rangers fan who predicted the outcome of this series

LOL.

[mikrofon]

Just watched the finish on the NHL replay – what an incredible game... The Rangers are throwing their best at the Kings & still coming up short, I don’t think a comeback at this point is very likely. LA seem to be getting stronger as the games progress, and their coaching is totally in sync. Lundquist has been pretty good so far (although perhaps not at the mind-blowing level from the previous Series’) but New York’s missed opportunities to steal one of the first two games will haunt them.

[Alberta's Child]

It's interesting how your perspective about a series like this may change when you look at the big picture instead of game by game. When yesterday's game went into OT I was telling a friend of mine who is a big Kings fan that it didn't matter whether the Kings won or lost Game 2. My rationale was that even if the Rangers were going home tied 1-1 instead of down 2-0, there are a number of things that jump out at me from Games 1-2 that weigh heavily against New York:

1. Los Angeles is big, fast and has a relentless forecheck that makes even the best teams in the NHL crumble over a long series. More on that later.

2. It's obvious that Los Angeles can win even when they don't play their best, while the Rangers have to play nearly perfect hockey to beat this team.

3. The Rangers' style of play simply doesn't match up well against this Kings team. They can use their mistakes to take advantage of mistakes and expose some flaws in LA's game, but they don't do that often enough to make up for the overwhelming dominance of the Kings up front.

4. The Kings have the following four guys playing center: Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Jarret Stoll and Mike Richards. That may be one of the best groups of centers to play on an NHL team together in decades. There's no way even a solid playoff opponent can match up against all of those guys.

5. Brad Richards, Rick Nash and Marion Gaborik have all disappeared in clutch situations for the Rangers in recent seasons. Gaborik now plays for the Kings and is the leading goal-scorer in the playoffs. The Rangers may be filing missing persons reports for Richards and Nash soon.

7. The Kings' depth up front eventually battered even the best teams in the Western Conference into submission. They seem to get better in a long series. The Bruins were probably the one team from the East that could have matched up well against any of the top Western teams, but even then I don't think the Bruins would have beaten any one of these three teams from the West: Los Angeles, Chicago or Anaheim.

8. Here in New York there was a lot of press coverage coming into this series about how Ryan McDonagh has emerged as a dominant force in these playoffs and may now be one of the best defensemen in the NHL. It's funny how quickly that changes ... I've seen him on the ice for so many big Los Angeles goals in these first two games -- even in situations where the Kings were outnumbered down low by the Rangers. Perhaps not coincidentally, the last time I saw him on the ice for a big goal in the playoffs was when he was flailing around desperately in front of Henrik Lundqvist while Adam Henrique was scoring the game-winning OT goal for the New Jersey Devils in the clinching game of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.

[Alberta's Child]

Sorry about that ... Point #2 should read:

They can use their speed to take advantage of mistakes and expose some flaws in LA's game, but they don't do that often enough to make up for the overwhelming dominance of the Kings up front.

[mikrofon]

It’s hard to argue with any of those points … As far as the Kings are concerned, I’m reminded of some dialog (paraphrased) from one of my fave ST-TNG episodes:

“You can’t outrun them. You can’t dominate them. If you damage them, the essence of what they are remains — they regenerate and keep coming... eventually you will weaken — your energy reserves will be gone... they are relentless!”

Similarly, RE playing in the NHL in general:
“If you can’t take a little bloody nose — maybe you had better go back home and crawl under your bed. It’s not safe out there. It’s wondrous — with rewards to satiate desires both subtle and gross — but it is NOT for the timid.”

[Alberta's Child]

LOL -- good post.

One thing I really like about these Kings is that they play with the mindset of one of my favorite coaches of all time: Fred Shero. His philosophy about hockey was: "Take the shortest path to the puck and arrive in ill humor."

[mikrofon]

Thanks... I'll have to give Fred his props, despite the role he played in the outcome of the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals ;( Shero did bring the AHL championship to the old Buffalo Bisons five years earlier during their last year of existence – this helped lead to the Sabres' entry into the NHL the following season, and was also about the time that I started to become interested in the sport.

(RE the previous Trek comparison, I would say though that that the Queen looks a bit less alien & somewhat better than the Kings' driving force :)

[Varda]

We can all look forward to a 60 minute game from LA; 2nd period, 3rd period and overtime.

[airborne]

At least 4 periods of hockey tonight!

Wouldn’t seem right ending in regulation.

[Varda]

While that would be great I hope it’s just one overtime, I’ve been yawning too much at work!

[mikrofon]

---

Is the sun setting on NY's Cup chances? The Rangers trail the LA Kings 3-0 at the 2nd Intermission of Game 3 @ MSG.

[airborne]

Good night!

It’s a 3-0 win and it wasn’t even close!

[Varda]

Yup they looked like the 2012 Stanley Cup Kings. There’s no beating that!

[airborne]

Hockey Ping!

(let me know if you want on or off the ping list)

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MONDAYS RESULT

KINGS - 3 RANGERS - 0 (Kings lead series 3-0)

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2013030413&navid=sb:recap

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WEDNESDAYS GAME

LA KINGS @ NY RANGERS - 8 PM

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=722237&navid=nhl:topheads

[dfwgator]

I called it on May 1st, after they put away the Sharks, that the Kings would win the Cup again.

[StoneWall Brigade]

It’s over for the Rangers.

[airborne]

Looks like it.

They’re fast, but fast gets tired.

The Kings are big - and big doesn’t get smaller.

[rfp1234]

That’s all, folks. I expect game 4 to be as ceremonial as the last stage of the Tour de France.