Kings: 5 things to know about Anze Kopitar
May, 25, 2012
May 25
12:22
AM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Name: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6 foot 3, 227 pounds
Seasons with the Kings: 6
What’s his role? Playoff teams need consistent playmakers and Kopitar fits that description like the skates on his feet. He glides like the wind, shoots with power and precision and slides passes into areas not much bigger than a shoebox. His large frame allows him to protect the puck along the boards, and his on-ice awareness makes him one of the top two-way centers in the league. A two-time All-Star selection and the first Slovenian to play in the NHL, Kopitar hasn’t scored fewer than 20 goals or 60 points in a season since he debuted as a rookie with the Kings in 2006-07. Even more amazing, he’s still just 25 years of age.
Victor Decolongon/Getty ImagesAnze KopitarWhat has he done lately? Kopitar has scored at least one point in 11 of 14 playoff games this spring and has totaled six goals and nine assists overall. As the Kings have marched deeper into the playoffs, Kopitar has continued to heat up, totaling five goals and six assists in the last eight games. He has been a key component on L.A.’s stifling penalty-kill unit, even scoring his second shorthanded goal of the playoffs Tuesday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference final against the Coyotes. He’s plus-13 for the postseason, tying him with linemate Dustin Brown for the league lead, and he’s seventh among all NHL forwards in average ice time this postseason at 22:09 a game.
Where will you find him on the ice? What makes Kopitar so valuable to the Kings is he plays all 200 feet of the ice. He’s just as skilled at swiping the puck in the defensive end as he is at setting up a teammate with a perfect pass from the side wall. He’s one of the primary faceoff artists on the team, and is a special teams extraordinaire. Not only does he man the No. 1 power-play unit, but when the Kings need to kill a 5 on 3, he’s the man in the middle of the ice.
What does he do best? Outside of Dustin Penner, nobody is better at creating space on the Kings than Kopitar. He has the rare double-edge sword of being able to maintain possession in tight quarters and still create scoring chances. He’s especially dangerous behind an opponent’s net, using his big frame and the end boards to protect the puck. His power and foot speed allows him to spin off opponents and his quick hands can release the rubber in the blink of an eye, usually putting it right where he's aiming.
Another comparable athlete: The New York Giants of the NFL were only as good as Eli Manning last season. Much can be said about L.A. and Kopitar. Like the Kings, the Giants underachieved during the regular season and nearly missed the playoffs. They slipped in, Manning got hot and they rode him to Super Bowl title. Kopitar won’t have to put the Kings on his back the way Manning did, there’s too much talent in L.A. for that, but when Kopitar’s playing well, the Kings have a much better chance of winning. Not surprisingly, both have been playing well for three months now.
Position: Center
Height/Weight: 6 foot 3, 227 pounds
Seasons with the Kings: 6
What’s his role? Playoff teams need consistent playmakers and Kopitar fits that description like the skates on his feet. He glides like the wind, shoots with power and precision and slides passes into areas not much bigger than a shoebox. His large frame allows him to protect the puck along the boards, and his on-ice awareness makes him one of the top two-way centers in the league. A two-time All-Star selection and the first Slovenian to play in the NHL, Kopitar hasn’t scored fewer than 20 goals or 60 points in a season since he debuted as a rookie with the Kings in 2006-07. Even more amazing, he’s still just 25 years of age.
Victor Decolongon/Getty ImagesAnze KopitarWhere will you find him on the ice? What makes Kopitar so valuable to the Kings is he plays all 200 feet of the ice. He’s just as skilled at swiping the puck in the defensive end as he is at setting up a teammate with a perfect pass from the side wall. He’s one of the primary faceoff artists on the team, and is a special teams extraordinaire. Not only does he man the No. 1 power-play unit, but when the Kings need to kill a 5 on 3, he’s the man in the middle of the ice.
What does he do best? Outside of Dustin Penner, nobody is better at creating space on the Kings than Kopitar. He has the rare double-edge sword of being able to maintain possession in tight quarters and still create scoring chances. He’s especially dangerous behind an opponent’s net, using his big frame and the end boards to protect the puck. His power and foot speed allows him to spin off opponents and his quick hands can release the rubber in the blink of an eye, usually putting it right where he's aiming.
Another comparable athlete: The New York Giants of the NFL were only as good as Eli Manning last season. Much can be said about L.A. and Kopitar. Like the Kings, the Giants underachieved during the regular season and nearly missed the playoffs. They slipped in, Manning got hot and they rode him to Super Bowl title. Kopitar won’t have to put the Kings on his back the way Manning did, there’s too much talent in L.A. for that, but when Kopitar’s playing well, the Kings have a much better chance of winning. Not surprisingly, both have been playing well for three months now.
Kings: Plenty of rest for the weary
May, 24, 2012
May 24
11:24
PM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesWillie Mitchell, the Kings' oldest player at 35, says the rest between series can only help his team.EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – The Los Angeles Kings hit the fast-forward button through the first three rounds of the playoffs, becoming the seventh team since the league expanded its postseason format in 1987 to advance to the Stanley Cup finals in just 14 games.
One of the biggest carrots that comes with the 12-2 surge is plenty of rest and recovery from one series to the next.
Two days after the Kings eliminated the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 5 of their Western Conference final, most of the players were able to take another day off the ice Thursday.
Before the Stanley Cup finals begin May 30 in New York or New Jersey, the Kings will have had seven full days to get their legs refreshed, allow their bumps and bruises to heel and build some intelligence on their next opponent.
This comes after they enjoyed five days between games following their opening-round victory against the Vancouver Canucks, and six days to recuperate after their second-round sweep of the St. Louis Blues.
“What’s happened for this team, for now and forever, it’ll probably never happen again,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said of the playoff spacing.
Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell, the oldest player on the team at age 35, said the extra rest is a welcome reward for the team’s speedy run through the playoffs.
“It’s really nice,” he said. “Obviously, the wear and tear of competing at this time of year, it’s another level. … The checks that are made, the checks you’ve got to take and just the games are [played] at such a high level. It’s big. It allows the aches and pains we have, and the nicks, a little more time to rest and kind of go into the series being healthy.”
The only difference heading into this series is the Kings don’t quite know who they’ll be playing in the finals. There's no question which team will be more rested, however.
After breezing through the Western Conference in only 14 games, are the Kings the favorites to skate off with Lord Stanley's Cup? ESPN.com national hockey writer Pierre LeBrun joins Inside the NHL to discuss.
Kings: 5 things to know about Dustin Brown
May, 24, 2012
May 24
3:36
PM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Name: Dustin Brown
Position: left wing
Height/Weight: 6 feet, 210
Seasons with the Kings: 8
What’s his role? Brown is a game changer, whether it’s delivering a clutch goal at the most opportune time, or leaving an opposing player gasping for air after an open-ice hit. The team captain is like a swarm of mosquitoes on a camping trip, getting under an opponent’s skin until they finally whack him. Probably no surprise, he drew the most penalties in the league during the regular season. But that’s just part of what makes Brown so valuable to the Kings. He averaged 26 goals the last five seasons, hitting the net from a variety of spots on the ice and in an assortment of ways. If the Kings could clone him, they probably would.
Anne-Marie Sorvin/US PresswireDustin BrownWhat has he done lately? Teams that march this far into the Stanley Cup playoffs need their top players to perform at their best and Brown has led the way like a famous general. His seven goals and 16 points are second best in the league this postseason. From his two shorthanded goals in Game 2 of the opening-round series against the Vancouver Canucks, to the thunderous hits that decompressed Vancouver forward Henrik Sedin and Phoenix defenseman Michal Rozsival, Brown seems to be in the middle of every game-changing moment.
Where will you find him on the ice? Brown’s laundry list of accomplishments this spring is more remarkable considering he’s playing out of position. Brown shoots the puck right-handed, making him a natural right wing. But season-ending injuries to Scott Parse and Simon Gagne, along with ineffectiveness by Dustin Penner during the regular season, forced coach Darryl Sutter to move Brown to the left side. Since Brown's main objective is to power his way to the front of the net, his shooting side becomes less of a factor the closer he gets. Throw in his chemistry with longtime teammate Anze Kopitar and Brown tends to be more of a freelancer anyway.
What does he do best? What makes Brown so frustrating to play against is his temperament. He’ll rattle the glass with a big hit then skate away as the opponent tries to engage him in a verbal battle. He doesn’t just get other players frustrated and off their games, he does it to entire teams. Never was that more apparent than when the Kings clinched their trip to the Stanley Cup finals. He laid out Rozsival with a side-on-side hit in overtime of Game 5, sending Rozsival crumbling to the ice. The Coyotes were enraged that a penalty wasn’t called and, before they could settle their emotions down, the Kings scored 12 seconds later to end the series.
A comparable athlete: Without a doubt, Brown is the Blake Griffin of the NHL, only he’s probably better at the free-throw line. Brown carries the team’s attitude on his chest and will bump with anyone. He likes contact and opponent’s like to make contact with him, often giving a little more back out of pure frustration. In the end, they both know how to tickle the twine, and like to use brute force to get there.
Position: left wing
Height/Weight: 6 feet, 210
Seasons with the Kings: 8
What’s his role? Brown is a game changer, whether it’s delivering a clutch goal at the most opportune time, or leaving an opposing player gasping for air after an open-ice hit. The team captain is like a swarm of mosquitoes on a camping trip, getting under an opponent’s skin until they finally whack him. Probably no surprise, he drew the most penalties in the league during the regular season. But that’s just part of what makes Brown so valuable to the Kings. He averaged 26 goals the last five seasons, hitting the net from a variety of spots on the ice and in an assortment of ways. If the Kings could clone him, they probably would.
Anne-Marie Sorvin/US PresswireDustin BrownWhere will you find him on the ice? Brown’s laundry list of accomplishments this spring is more remarkable considering he’s playing out of position. Brown shoots the puck right-handed, making him a natural right wing. But season-ending injuries to Scott Parse and Simon Gagne, along with ineffectiveness by Dustin Penner during the regular season, forced coach Darryl Sutter to move Brown to the left side. Since Brown's main objective is to power his way to the front of the net, his shooting side becomes less of a factor the closer he gets. Throw in his chemistry with longtime teammate Anze Kopitar and Brown tends to be more of a freelancer anyway.
What does he do best? What makes Brown so frustrating to play against is his temperament. He’ll rattle the glass with a big hit then skate away as the opponent tries to engage him in a verbal battle. He doesn’t just get other players frustrated and off their games, he does it to entire teams. Never was that more apparent than when the Kings clinched their trip to the Stanley Cup finals. He laid out Rozsival with a side-on-side hit in overtime of Game 5, sending Rozsival crumbling to the ice. The Coyotes were enraged that a penalty wasn’t called and, before they could settle their emotions down, the Kings scored 12 seconds later to end the series.
A comparable athlete: Without a doubt, Brown is the Blake Griffin of the NHL, only he’s probably better at the free-throw line. Brown carries the team’s attitude on his chest and will bump with anyone. He likes contact and opponent’s like to make contact with him, often giving a little more back out of pure frustration. In the end, they both know how to tickle the twine, and like to use brute force to get there.
West Side Story
West Coast Teams In Stanley Cup Final During Post-Expansion Era (Entering 2012 Postseason)
| Year | Team | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | VAN | Bruins | Lost in 7 |
| 2007 | ANA | Senators | Won in 5 |
| 2003 | ANA | Devils | Lost in 7 |
| 1994 | VAN | Rangers | Lost in 7 |
| 1993 | L.A. | Canadiens | Lost in 5 |
| 1982 | VAN | Islanders | Lost in 4 |
However, as the Kings prep for the Cup Final, here are a couple of historical notes that don't paint such a rosy picture of potential Cup success:
• The Kings are the seventh West Coast team (defined as a team from a state or province that borders the Pacific Ocean for this discussion) to reach the Cup Final in the post-expansion era (1967-68 to present). Only one of the previous six finalists from the West Coast went on to win the Cup, the 2007 Anaheim Ducks.
• In addition, as the 8-seed in the West, the Kings are also the seventh team seeded 6th or lower to reach the Stanley Cup Final under the current conference-based playoff format, which was first used in 1994. No team seeded 6th or lower has won the Stanley Cup under this format. The New Jersey Devils are the lowest seed to win the Cup, winning as a 5-seed in 1995.
The Kings are set to face the winner of the Eastern Conference Final between the Rangers and Devils. Game 1 will be May 30. Visit ESPN's series page here: Rangers vs. Devils.
Kings headed to Stanley Cup finals after Game 5 win vs. Phoenix
May, 23, 2012
May 23
12:18
AM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Western Conference finals
Game 5
Kings 4, Phoenix Coyotes 3 (OT)
(Kings win the series, 4-1)
Eight keys to the game:
THE FACTS: In the blink of an eye, the Los Angeles Kings ended 19 years of frustration Tuesday night. Dustin Penner’s overtime goal off a long rebound at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. finished off the Phoenix Coyotes and sent the eighth-seeded Kings to their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history.
THE STAT: The Kings are just the second eighth-seeded team to advance to the Stanley Cup finals in NHL history, beating the top three seeds in the West along the way.
TURNING POINT: Just as the Coyotes were getting whistled for off sides, Kings captain Dustin Brown laid a powerful hip check on Phoenix defenseman Michal Rozsival, leaving him sprawled on the ice. Several Phoenix players swarmed around Brown and let him know they weren’t happy with the hit. After Rozsival was helped to the bench with his left leg dangling, Mike Richards won a neutral zone face off. The puck went back to Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, who quickly passed it ahead. Phoenix defenseman Keith Yandle got to it first, but Penner blocked his clearing pass. Penner retrieved the puck, left it for teammate Jeff Carter, who took a blast at Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. The puck hit Smith in the chest and shot back into the slot. Richards had the first whack as he raced toward the crease but missed. Penner came in from behind after the puck settled and shot it past the partially screened Smith with 2:18 left in the overtime.
HOT: The post-game handshake wasn’t as gentlemanly as most. The Coyotes were still heated over Brown’s hit on Rozsival and a few let Brown know they didn’t appreciate the play. The most animated Phoenix player was center Martin Hanzal, who must have forgot he was suspended for Game 3’s loss after a dangerous boarding penalty on Brown in Game 2.
NOT: It was a tough overtime period overall for the officials. They missed a delay of game penalty on Voynov when he flicked the puck over the glass, thinking an icing penalty had just been called on Phoenix. They then called an interference penalty on Drew Doughty midway through the overtime period when it was pretty clear Doughty had inside position on the Phoenix player as they scampered after the puck. After the Kings killed the penalty, they were called for offsides when Doughty appeared to trap the puck on the blue line, eliminating an odd-man rush.
GOOD MOVE: Richards and Penner combined on the third goal for the Kings, giving them a brief 3-2 lead with 6:17 left in the second period. Penner had the puck on a 2-on-1 rush and shot it off Smith’s pads, leaving a plumb rebound for Richards to knock into the net.
BAD MOVE: Less than three minutes after taking the 3-2 lead, Taylor Pyatt sent a cross-ice pass toward Yandle, who was charging toward the crease with Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi on his hip. For some reason, Scuderi tried to use his right skate to thwart the pass, rather than his stick, and the puck was deflected about 12 inches into the air, hitting Yandle’s shin pads and getting redirected into the far side of the net.
NOTABLE: By reaching the Stanley Cup in 14 games, the Kings tied seven other NHL teams for the quickest route to the finals. The Kings have also won 10 consecutive playoff games on the road dating to last season, another NHL record. They’re also the first team to win eight straight playoff games in a single year. The Kings scored their fifth shorthanded goal of the postseason in the opening period, becoming the first team with five shorthanders in the playoffs since the Detroit Red Wings had six in 2008. Brown has five short-handed points in these playoffs, the first to have that many since Henrik Zetterberg of the Red Wings in 2008.
UP NEXT: Game 1 at the New York Rangers or New Jersey Devils, May 30.
Game 5
Kings 4, Phoenix Coyotes 3 (OT)
(Kings win the series, 4-1)
Eight keys to the game:
THE FACTS: In the blink of an eye, the Los Angeles Kings ended 19 years of frustration Tuesday night. Dustin Penner’s overtime goal off a long rebound at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz. finished off the Phoenix Coyotes and sent the eighth-seeded Kings to their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history.
THE STAT: The Kings are just the second eighth-seeded team to advance to the Stanley Cup finals in NHL history, beating the top three seeds in the West along the way.
TURNING POINT: Just as the Coyotes were getting whistled for off sides, Kings captain Dustin Brown laid a powerful hip check on Phoenix defenseman Michal Rozsival, leaving him sprawled on the ice. Several Phoenix players swarmed around Brown and let him know they weren’t happy with the hit. After Rozsival was helped to the bench with his left leg dangling, Mike Richards won a neutral zone face off. The puck went back to Kings defenseman Slava Voynov, who quickly passed it ahead. Phoenix defenseman Keith Yandle got to it first, but Penner blocked his clearing pass. Penner retrieved the puck, left it for teammate Jeff Carter, who took a blast at Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. The puck hit Smith in the chest and shot back into the slot. Richards had the first whack as he raced toward the crease but missed. Penner came in from behind after the puck settled and shot it past the partially screened Smith with 2:18 left in the overtime.
HOT: The post-game handshake wasn’t as gentlemanly as most. The Coyotes were still heated over Brown’s hit on Rozsival and a few let Brown know they didn’t appreciate the play. The most animated Phoenix player was center Martin Hanzal, who must have forgot he was suspended for Game 3’s loss after a dangerous boarding penalty on Brown in Game 2.
NOT: It was a tough overtime period overall for the officials. They missed a delay of game penalty on Voynov when he flicked the puck over the glass, thinking an icing penalty had just been called on Phoenix. They then called an interference penalty on Drew Doughty midway through the overtime period when it was pretty clear Doughty had inside position on the Phoenix player as they scampered after the puck. After the Kings killed the penalty, they were called for offsides when Doughty appeared to trap the puck on the blue line, eliminating an odd-man rush.
GOOD MOVE: Richards and Penner combined on the third goal for the Kings, giving them a brief 3-2 lead with 6:17 left in the second period. Penner had the puck on a 2-on-1 rush and shot it off Smith’s pads, leaving a plumb rebound for Richards to knock into the net.
BAD MOVE: Less than three minutes after taking the 3-2 lead, Taylor Pyatt sent a cross-ice pass toward Yandle, who was charging toward the crease with Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi on his hip. For some reason, Scuderi tried to use his right skate to thwart the pass, rather than his stick, and the puck was deflected about 12 inches into the air, hitting Yandle’s shin pads and getting redirected into the far side of the net.
NOTABLE: By reaching the Stanley Cup in 14 games, the Kings tied seven other NHL teams for the quickest route to the finals. The Kings have also won 10 consecutive playoff games on the road dating to last season, another NHL record. They’re also the first team to win eight straight playoff games in a single year. The Kings scored their fifth shorthanded goal of the postseason in the opening period, becoming the first team with five shorthanders in the playoffs since the Detroit Red Wings had six in 2008. Brown has five short-handed points in these playoffs, the first to have that many since Henrik Zetterberg of the Red Wings in 2008.
UP NEXT: Game 1 at the New York Rangers or New Jersey Devils, May 30.
ESPNLA.com's takes you through the best 5 LA Kings' plays of the playoffs.
ESPN NHL analyst Barry Melrose takes you through some of the Kings playoffs games, past and present.
Kings look to finish off Coyotes in Game 5
May, 22, 2012
May 22
11:31
AM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Western Conference finals
Game 5 (Kings lead series, 3-1)
Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena, 6 p.m. PT
Five storylines to track:
1. Repeat performance: The Kings have been down this road before. One month ago today, to be exact. They missed out on a chance to sweep the Canucks in the opening round by losing Game 4 at home, then returned to Vancouver on April 22 and finished the job in Game 5. Obviously, the Kings don’t want this series to extend any further than it already has. With the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils tied up, 2-2, in their Eastern Conference final, a victory tonight would also guarantee the Kings a few days off before the start of the Stanley Cup final.
2. Road warriors: The Kings are 7-0 on the road in these playoffs and have won nine straight playoff games away from Staples Center overall. There’s no real secret to their success, other than a little team bonding that goes with being on the road, away from all the distractions of home life. Another win tonight and the Kings will break the NHL record for the most consecutive road victories in the playoffs. Of course, that will just be a side note if the Kings are victorious. Advancing to their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history will certainly steal the headlines.
3. Power up: The power play has been a sore spot all season for the Kings, but the playoffs have been especially painful. The Kings are 6 for 70 with the man advantage in this postseason, an efficiency rate that’s about half of what it was in the regular season. During the off day Monday, some of the Kings talked about getting shots off quicker so the Coyotes won't have time to move into shooting lanes and block shots. Phoenix blocked 12 in Game 4, half of those on the power play.
4. Shooting gallery: In addition to the 12 blocks, the Kings had 36 shots on goal in Game 4 and another 28 that were off target. That’s a heavy volume of rubber thrown toward the Phoenix net, and a trend that needs to be continued if the Kings hope to wrap up this series. Coyotes goalkeeper Mike Smith is a lot like Jonathan Quick of the Kings. The more shots he faces, the better he seems to get. Kings captain Dustin Brown spent a good part of Monday’s optional practice working on tip shots in front of the net. It might take a deflection or two to get one past Smith in Game 5.
5. Coyote comebacks: The Coyotes were boosted by the return of Martin Hanzal and Adrian Aucoin in Game 4, though their numbers were hardly spectacular. Hanzal, who was suspended for Game 3 after his boarding penalty on Brown in Game 2, did not record a shot in 11 minutes 29 seconds of ice time. Aucoin, who made his series debut after getting injured in the previous series against the Nashville Predators, had one shot on goal in 12:19 and was sent to the penalty box for hooking late in the first period. Aucoin is still dealing with the undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision tonight, coach Dave Tippett said after the morning skate Tuesday.
Game 5 (Kings lead series, 3-1)
Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena, 6 p.m. PT
Five storylines to track:
1. Repeat performance: The Kings have been down this road before. One month ago today, to be exact. They missed out on a chance to sweep the Canucks in the opening round by losing Game 4 at home, then returned to Vancouver on April 22 and finished the job in Game 5. Obviously, the Kings don’t want this series to extend any further than it already has. With the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils tied up, 2-2, in their Eastern Conference final, a victory tonight would also guarantee the Kings a few days off before the start of the Stanley Cup final.
2. Road warriors: The Kings are 7-0 on the road in these playoffs and have won nine straight playoff games away from Staples Center overall. There’s no real secret to their success, other than a little team bonding that goes with being on the road, away from all the distractions of home life. Another win tonight and the Kings will break the NHL record for the most consecutive road victories in the playoffs. Of course, that will just be a side note if the Kings are victorious. Advancing to their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history will certainly steal the headlines.
3. Power up: The power play has been a sore spot all season for the Kings, but the playoffs have been especially painful. The Kings are 6 for 70 with the man advantage in this postseason, an efficiency rate that’s about half of what it was in the regular season. During the off day Monday, some of the Kings talked about getting shots off quicker so the Coyotes won't have time to move into shooting lanes and block shots. Phoenix blocked 12 in Game 4, half of those on the power play.
4. Shooting gallery: In addition to the 12 blocks, the Kings had 36 shots on goal in Game 4 and another 28 that were off target. That’s a heavy volume of rubber thrown toward the Phoenix net, and a trend that needs to be continued if the Kings hope to wrap up this series. Coyotes goalkeeper Mike Smith is a lot like Jonathan Quick of the Kings. The more shots he faces, the better he seems to get. Kings captain Dustin Brown spent a good part of Monday’s optional practice working on tip shots in front of the net. It might take a deflection or two to get one past Smith in Game 5.
5. Coyote comebacks: The Coyotes were boosted by the return of Martin Hanzal and Adrian Aucoin in Game 4, though their numbers were hardly spectacular. Hanzal, who was suspended for Game 3 after his boarding penalty on Brown in Game 2, did not record a shot in 11 minutes 29 seconds of ice time. Aucoin, who made his series debut after getting injured in the previous series against the Nashville Predators, had one shot on goal in 12:19 and was sent to the penalty box for hooking late in the first period. Aucoin is still dealing with the undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision tonight, coach Dave Tippett said after the morning skate Tuesday.
Dustin Brown works on tip shots for Game 5
May, 21, 2012
May 21
2:35
PM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
EL SEGUNDO -- On a morning when Los Angeles Kings coach Darryl Sutter gave his players the option of practicing on the ice or letting their bodies heal after Game 4’s loss to the Phoenix Coyotes the day before, team captain Dustin Brown was the first player to skate out at Toyota Sports Center.
Brown had one objective in mind: working on tip shots in front of the net.
“I’ve been having a lot of opportunities to tip pucks and I’ve been missing them,” he said. “You only get one or two opportunities in a game to tip a puck.”
Brown doesn’t want to miss out on another opportunity Tuesday. The Kings can accomplish what they failed to do Sunday afternoon at Staples Center and finish off the Coyotes in Game 5 of their Western Conference final in Glendale, Ariz.
A victory would send them to just their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history.
The Kings are fortunate to get this far with a power play that’s 6-for-70 in the postseason, including 0-for-6 in Game 4. Three of their power-play goals have come on 5-on-3s and another in the final seconds of a five-minute penalty.
Brown said getting bodies in front of the net, whether on the power play or not, is the key to beating Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. He stopped 36 shots in Game 4 for his third shutout of the postseason, all on the road.
“We had some traffic, but probably not enough,” Brown said.
The Kings were also guilty, Brown said, of shooting from the perimeter before the forwards could clog the middle, making it easier for Smith to see the puck.
“He’s a big goaltender, so he’s looking over the top,” Brown said. “It’s hard to really take his eyes away, per se, but if he has to look over the top and you get a quick shot, you never know.”
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who tied for the team lead with five shots on goal Sunday, agreed.
“It’s not about the bomb or the one-timer or whatever it may be, it’s just getting the puck to the net, creating a battle, and Brownie can bank in the rebound,” he said.
The Kings have been in this position before. They missed out on a chance to sweep the Vancouver Canucks in the opening round of the playoffs by losing Game 4 at home. They went on the road for Game 5 and clinched the series in overtime, something they’re looking to repeat Tuesday in the desert.
“The last couple games we’ve really slacked off and not played our best hockey as a team,” Doughty said. “Going into the next one, in their barn, we’ve got to be at our best.”
A good place to start would be in front of the Phoenix net.
Brown had one objective in mind: working on tip shots in front of the net.
“I’ve been having a lot of opportunities to tip pucks and I’ve been missing them,” he said. “You only get one or two opportunities in a game to tip a puck.”
Brown doesn’t want to miss out on another opportunity Tuesday. The Kings can accomplish what they failed to do Sunday afternoon at Staples Center and finish off the Coyotes in Game 5 of their Western Conference final in Glendale, Ariz.
A victory would send them to just their second Stanley Cup final in franchise history.
The Kings are fortunate to get this far with a power play that’s 6-for-70 in the postseason, including 0-for-6 in Game 4. Three of their power-play goals have come on 5-on-3s and another in the final seconds of a five-minute penalty.
Brown said getting bodies in front of the net, whether on the power play or not, is the key to beating Phoenix goalie Mike Smith. He stopped 36 shots in Game 4 for his third shutout of the postseason, all on the road.
“We had some traffic, but probably not enough,” Brown said.
The Kings were also guilty, Brown said, of shooting from the perimeter before the forwards could clog the middle, making it easier for Smith to see the puck.
“He’s a big goaltender, so he’s looking over the top,” Brown said. “It’s hard to really take his eyes away, per se, but if he has to look over the top and you get a quick shot, you never know.”
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who tied for the team lead with five shots on goal Sunday, agreed.
“It’s not about the bomb or the one-timer or whatever it may be, it’s just getting the puck to the net, creating a battle, and Brownie can bank in the rebound,” he said.
The Kings have been in this position before. They missed out on a chance to sweep the Vancouver Canucks in the opening round of the playoffs by losing Game 4 at home. They went on the road for Game 5 and clinched the series in overtime, something they’re looking to repeat Tuesday in the desert.
“The last couple games we’ve really slacked off and not played our best hockey as a team,” Doughty said. “Going into the next one, in their barn, we’ve got to be at our best.”
A good place to start would be in front of the Phoenix net.
Kings powerless to stop Coyotes in Game 4
May, 20, 2012
May 20
5:10
PM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings have yet to get plugged in on the power play this postseason, and their shortage of goals with the man advantage finally led to a blackout Sunday afternoon in Game 4 of their Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Coyotes.
They went 0-for-6 with the man advantage in the 2-0 loss at Staples Center, a defeat that prevented them from completing their second straight series sweep and advancing to the Stanley Cup finals for the second time in franchise history.
Now it’s on to Game 5 on Tuesday in Glendale, Ariz. If the Kings hope to put away the Coyotes, they’ll likely need to take better care of their opportunities.
They’re 6-for-70 with the man advantage during the playoffs, a percentage (8.6) that dwarfs their power-play efficiency during the regular season (16.9), and that number ranked in the bottom half of the league.
“We had our opportunities on the power play and we didn’t cash in,” Kings center Anze Kopitar said. “We lost the special teams battle tonight and we have to make sure that we correct that on Tuesday.”
More concerning, the unit seems to be getting worse as the playoffs roll along. In the past 11 games, they’re 3-for-58 with the man advantage. Of the six power-play goals they've scored, three came with a two-man advantage and another in the final seconds of a five-minute major penalty.
“It’s one of those things where you have to keep working on it," Kings captain Dustin Brown said. "In Game 2, we found ways to get power play goals, and granted they were 5-on-3s, but they were big goals for us. We have to just keep going.”
In Game 4, the Kings were able to keep the puck in the offensive zone for long stretches on the power play, but had trouble getting the rubber through the wall of defenders that packed in front of the net. The Coyotes finished with 12 blocked shots, half coming on L.A. power plays.
"We had looks up top. We took too much time,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “Quite honestly, that's poor shooting on our part from up top, from guys that are supposed to take that shot.”
Justin Williams said the Kings need to have better placement on their shots.
"You have to shoot for sticks," Williams said. "If you can’t get the puck through, our forwards have got to get available. [The Coyotes] seemed to front every puck today, especially wrist shots. We had a lot of shots on net, but I think we had just as many blocked. Hats off to them for playing a good game, blocking shots and playing well."
Now it's up to the Kings to block Sunday's performance from their minds and get back on track. A power play goal or two would go a long way toward putting that in motion.
Kings: Coyotes stretch lead to 2-0
May, 20, 2012
May 20
2:22
PM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Western Conference final
Game 4 (Kings lead the series, 3-0)
After the 2nd period:
Phoenix Coyotes 2, Kings 0
The good: Well, at the least the Kings have a comfortable lead in the series. They took their foot off the gas pedal somewhat in the second period, but still managed to out-shoot the Coyotes for the second straight period, owning a 13-9 advantage. Drew Doughty leads the way with five shots on goal and Trevor Lewis has three, plus another that hit the post about three minutes into the period.
The bad: The Kings trail, 2-0, for the first time in the postseason. They’ve allowed two consecutive goals for just the second time in the playoffs as well. The other time was in their 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 of their first-round series. Shane Doan scored his second goal of the game with 8:50 remaining in the period. Antoine Vermette won a faceoff against Mike Richards of the Kings and the puck made its way back to Doan, who shot a one-timer past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. The puck hit the camera inside the goal and shot straight out without lighting the lamp. Quick acted as if he knew the goal was good and so did a handful of Coyotes. Play continued for a few more seconds before the referees had a chance to review the play and they quickly ruled the goal was good. The Kings failed to capitalize on two more power plays in the period, dropping them to 6-for-68 in the postseason. At some point, that futility will jump up and bite them. Today’s looking like that day.
The in between: Not only did the Kings draw iron in the period, but they had two other golden opportunities to score. The first came after Anze Kopitar won a faceoff back to Doughty, whose shot was saved with the right pad of Mike Smith. He was unable to corral the rubber, however, allowing Kopitar to swoop in and poke the puck through his pads. As Smith lay on his back, the puck continued toward the goal line and hit Smith’s glove, giving him an idea where to find it. He rolled over and covered up the puck before the Kings converged. After the Coyotes had taken a two-goal lead, Kopitar stole the puck from Smith behind the net and passed it out front to Dustin Brown while Smith was still out of position. Phoenix left wing Ray Whitney dove into the play and got his stick into Brown’s blade just as he shot, sending the puck fluttering wide.
Game 4 (Kings lead the series, 3-0)
After the 2nd period:
Phoenix Coyotes 2, Kings 0
The good: Well, at the least the Kings have a comfortable lead in the series. They took their foot off the gas pedal somewhat in the second period, but still managed to out-shoot the Coyotes for the second straight period, owning a 13-9 advantage. Drew Doughty leads the way with five shots on goal and Trevor Lewis has three, plus another that hit the post about three minutes into the period.
The bad: The Kings trail, 2-0, for the first time in the postseason. They’ve allowed two consecutive goals for just the second time in the playoffs as well. The other time was in their 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 of their first-round series. Shane Doan scored his second goal of the game with 8:50 remaining in the period. Antoine Vermette won a faceoff against Mike Richards of the Kings and the puck made its way back to Doan, who shot a one-timer past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. The puck hit the camera inside the goal and shot straight out without lighting the lamp. Quick acted as if he knew the goal was good and so did a handful of Coyotes. Play continued for a few more seconds before the referees had a chance to review the play and they quickly ruled the goal was good. The Kings failed to capitalize on two more power plays in the period, dropping them to 6-for-68 in the postseason. At some point, that futility will jump up and bite them. Today’s looking like that day.
The in between: Not only did the Kings draw iron in the period, but they had two other golden opportunities to score. The first came after Anze Kopitar won a faceoff back to Doughty, whose shot was saved with the right pad of Mike Smith. He was unable to corral the rubber, however, allowing Kopitar to swoop in and poke the puck through his pads. As Smith lay on his back, the puck continued toward the goal line and hit Smith’s glove, giving him an idea where to find it. He rolled over and covered up the puck before the Kings converged. After the Coyotes had taken a two-goal lead, Kopitar stole the puck from Smith behind the net and passed it out front to Dustin Brown while Smith was still out of position. Phoenix left wing Ray Whitney dove into the play and got his stick into Brown’s blade just as he shot, sending the puck fluttering wide.
Kings: Shane Doan scores to give Coyotes 1-0 lead
May, 20, 2012
May 20
1:17
PM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Western Conference final
Game 4 (Kings lead the series, 3-0)
After the 1st period:
Phoenix Coyotes 1, Kings 0
The good: The Kings generally outplayed the Coyotes in every category but the scoreboard. They kept Phoenix without a shot on goal the first seven minutes and ended up with a 10-5 edge in shots on net. All four lines had their moments during the period, including a solid first shift by the third line of Jarret Stoll, Trevor Lewis and Dwight King. Lewis also nearly scored L.A.’s fifth shorthanded goal of the playoffs, speeding down the left side on a breakaway before Coyotes goalie Mike Smith held his ground and came up with one of his 10 saves in the period. Smith had been tough on the road in the playoffs, recording two shutouts along the way, so the Kings will need to be even more precise with their shots. Seven have been off target so far and two were blocked.
The bad: A phantom goalie interference call on Justin Williams put the Coyotes on the power play for the second time in the game. They cashed this one in for the first time in the series, and the first time since Game 1 of the Nashville series in the previous round. Shane Doan did most the work himself, receiving a pass just outside the right post. The Kings gave him room to operate and he skated above the goal line, then flicked a backhand over the right shoulder of goalie Jonathan Quick with 5:41 remaining in the period. It was just the third shot on goal for Phoenix, and ended a streak of 30 consecutive penalty kills by the Kings. Phoenix left wing Ray Whitney, who received a roughing penalty 75 seconds into the game, recorded an assist on the play for his first point of the series. The Kings trail for just the fifth time in the playoffs. They’ve come back to win the other four. The Kings continue to struggle on the power play in the postseason, going 0-for-2 in the first period.
The in between: Not only has Phoenix center Martin Hanzal returned from his one-game suspension for boarding Kings captain Dustin Brown in Game 2, but the Coyotes welcomed back defenseman Adrian Aucoin, who missed the first four games of this series after suffering an injury in Game 5 of the second round against the Nashville Predators. The additions give the Coyotes some added depth in the front and back, and leave them no more excuses if they lose this game.
Game 4 (Kings lead the series, 3-0)
After the 1st period:
Phoenix Coyotes 1, Kings 0
The good: The Kings generally outplayed the Coyotes in every category but the scoreboard. They kept Phoenix without a shot on goal the first seven minutes and ended up with a 10-5 edge in shots on net. All four lines had their moments during the period, including a solid first shift by the third line of Jarret Stoll, Trevor Lewis and Dwight King. Lewis also nearly scored L.A.’s fifth shorthanded goal of the playoffs, speeding down the left side on a breakaway before Coyotes goalie Mike Smith held his ground and came up with one of his 10 saves in the period. Smith had been tough on the road in the playoffs, recording two shutouts along the way, so the Kings will need to be even more precise with their shots. Seven have been off target so far and two were blocked.
The bad: A phantom goalie interference call on Justin Williams put the Coyotes on the power play for the second time in the game. They cashed this one in for the first time in the series, and the first time since Game 1 of the Nashville series in the previous round. Shane Doan did most the work himself, receiving a pass just outside the right post. The Kings gave him room to operate and he skated above the goal line, then flicked a backhand over the right shoulder of goalie Jonathan Quick with 5:41 remaining in the period. It was just the third shot on goal for Phoenix, and ended a streak of 30 consecutive penalty kills by the Kings. Phoenix left wing Ray Whitney, who received a roughing penalty 75 seconds into the game, recorded an assist on the play for his first point of the series. The Kings trail for just the fifth time in the playoffs. They’ve come back to win the other four. The Kings continue to struggle on the power play in the postseason, going 0-for-2 in the first period.
The in between: Not only has Phoenix center Martin Hanzal returned from his one-game suspension for boarding Kings captain Dustin Brown in Game 2, but the Coyotes welcomed back defenseman Adrian Aucoin, who missed the first four games of this series after suffering an injury in Game 5 of the second round against the Nashville Predators. The additions give the Coyotes some added depth in the front and back, and leave them no more excuses if they lose this game.
Kings chasing history heading into Game 4 vs. Coyotes
May, 20, 2012
May 20
1:59
AM PT
By Dan Arritt | ESPNLosAngeles.com
Western Conference final
Game 4 (Kings lead series, 3-0)
Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes at Staples Center, noon
Five storylines to track:
1. Record pace – This isn’t just an L.A. thing anymore. The Kings have gone international. Not just because the world-class Amgen Tour of Southern California bike race will come skidding to a halt outside Staples Center as hockey fans are pouring in, but because no one has seen anything like the playoff run the King have strung together. They’ve won eight straight playoff games and 11 of 12 overall, leaving them one win shy of the Stanley Cup finals. Since the first round of the playoffs was stretched to best-of-seven in the 1987 season, no team has reached the finals in less than 14 games. The Kings would become the first if they can wrap up the sweep against the Coyotes.
2. Not as hot – The only major professional sports team that’s hotter than the Kings right now is the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA, who have won 17 consecutive games, including all seven in the playoffs. Interestingly enough, the Spurs are scheduled to play inside Staples Center later Sunday night, when they’ll try to finish a second-round sweep against the Los Angeles Clippers. Like the Kings, the Spurs got hot in the weeks leading up to the playoffs and built on that momentum. Unlike the Kings, the Spurs have won multiple championships.
3. Hot n’ cold – Special teams continue to be a mixed bag for the Kings. They’ve scored just six power-play goals in 64 man-advantage situations in the playoffs, well below their dismal regular-season average. On the positive side, they haven’t allowed a power-play goal since Game 5 of the opening-round series against the Vancouver Canucks. They’ve allowed just three power-play goals in all. What's more impressive, they’ve scored four shorthanded goals to put them at plus-1 on the penalty kill.
4. Fraser returns – After missing Games 2 and 3 for a family matter, it appears Colin Fraser will return to the lineup. Fraser, who has been a fixture on the fourth line since returning from injury last fall, practiced with the team Saturday. It should be interesting who’s the odd man out. Kyle Clifford had replaced Fraser the last two games, but Clifford was also a regular fourth liner before suffering a concussion in the first game of the playoffs, causing him to miss the next nine. Brad Richardson and rookie Jordan Nolan would be the other likely options.
5. Hanzal returns – The arrival of Game 4 means the return of Phoenix center Martin Hanzal. He was suspended for Game 3 for his boarding penalty on Dustin Brown in Game 2. Hanzal will certainly add another dimension to the Coyotes’ forward group, but the Kings have seen top players come and go for Vancouver and St. Louis as well, and it hasn’t changed their mindset. They wait for coach Darryl Sutter to send them over the wall and play against whomever's on the ice at time. They simply focus on their role and let everything else take care of itself.
Game 4 (Kings lead series, 3-0)
Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes at Staples Center, noon
Five storylines to track:
1. Record pace – This isn’t just an L.A. thing anymore. The Kings have gone international. Not just because the world-class Amgen Tour of Southern California bike race will come skidding to a halt outside Staples Center as hockey fans are pouring in, but because no one has seen anything like the playoff run the King have strung together. They’ve won eight straight playoff games and 11 of 12 overall, leaving them one win shy of the Stanley Cup finals. Since the first round of the playoffs was stretched to best-of-seven in the 1987 season, no team has reached the finals in less than 14 games. The Kings would become the first if they can wrap up the sweep against the Coyotes.
2. Not as hot – The only major professional sports team that’s hotter than the Kings right now is the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA, who have won 17 consecutive games, including all seven in the playoffs. Interestingly enough, the Spurs are scheduled to play inside Staples Center later Sunday night, when they’ll try to finish a second-round sweep against the Los Angeles Clippers. Like the Kings, the Spurs got hot in the weeks leading up to the playoffs and built on that momentum. Unlike the Kings, the Spurs have won multiple championships.
3. Hot n’ cold – Special teams continue to be a mixed bag for the Kings. They’ve scored just six power-play goals in 64 man-advantage situations in the playoffs, well below their dismal regular-season average. On the positive side, they haven’t allowed a power-play goal since Game 5 of the opening-round series against the Vancouver Canucks. They’ve allowed just three power-play goals in all. What's more impressive, they’ve scored four shorthanded goals to put them at plus-1 on the penalty kill.
4. Fraser returns – After missing Games 2 and 3 for a family matter, it appears Colin Fraser will return to the lineup. Fraser, who has been a fixture on the fourth line since returning from injury last fall, practiced with the team Saturday. It should be interesting who’s the odd man out. Kyle Clifford had replaced Fraser the last two games, but Clifford was also a regular fourth liner before suffering a concussion in the first game of the playoffs, causing him to miss the next nine. Brad Richardson and rookie Jordan Nolan would be the other likely options.
5. Hanzal returns – The arrival of Game 4 means the return of Phoenix center Martin Hanzal. He was suspended for Game 3 for his boarding penalty on Dustin Brown in Game 2. Hanzal will certainly add another dimension to the Coyotes’ forward group, but the Kings have seen top players come and go for Vancouver and St. Louis as well, and it hasn’t changed their mindset. They wait for coach Darryl Sutter to send them over the wall and play against whomever's on the ice at time. They simply focus on their role and let everything else take care of itself.
Los Angeles Kings Defenseman Alec Martinez joins Andy and Brian Kamenetzky to talk about the unlikely run the team has made in the playoffs.
Click this link to hear the interview.
Click this link to hear the interview.