Free Republic

“People have been waiting a long time for this,” said Ducks forward Emerson Etem, who grew up rooting for the Kings in his native Long Beach. “It’s huge for the game down here.” And it’s huge for the Los Angeles sports scene, which has never experienced a matchup quite like the series that begins in Orange County on Saturday night. The Lakers and the Clippers have never met in the NBA postseason. The Dodgers and the Angels have never reached the World Series together. The Rams and the Raiders never reached the Super Bowl at the same time when they...

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Anaheim Ducks aren't called mighty anymore. Now they can simply answer to Stanley Cup champions. The 14-year-old Ducks captured their first NHL title with a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night, ending the series in five games in front of the home folks yet again. For the first time, the Stanley Cup resides in California and at the expense of Canada, which hasn't boasted a winner since Montreal in 1993. Calgary, Edmonton and now Ottawa — in its first trip since the Senators were reborn in 1992 — each had a chance the...