Rite of Spring 2013 (NHL Playoffs): "You have no fear of the underdog, that's why you will not survive."

[CS85]

The crappy offsides call and no-icing call were made by the same official who nearly screwed the Blackhawks out of game 7 of the Detroit series.

Coincidence. Right.

So all of a sudden, the league is out to get the Blackhawks, this despite playing in the 3rd largest U.S. city/market, being the President's Trophy winners, delivering solid cable viewers everytime they play (highest rated NHL cable broadcast post-2005 was 'Hawks-Flyers Game 3), and that points streak they had in 2013?

OK, then.

No no, I just think that Walkom's a jerkoff.

[Still MIGHTY]

Yeah, Jonathan Quick doesn't give up any goals at home.

Because it's not like the Kings suddenly have any more offense. Jeez.

I mean this is pretty much it. The Kings entire gameplan can't just revolve around Sutter getting the last choice of defensive line changes, can it?

Justin Williams and Slava effing Voynov has been the Kings offensive heroes in these playoffs. Yeah, Jeff Carter is tied for the team goal and point lead with those two, respectively, but... Carter is tied with Williams and Voynov in those categories, respectively. He hasn't been scoring at the clip he did and in the moments he did for the Kings like he did in the regular season.

Without Quick, these Kings aren't what they are. He is the be all end all for this team. I gotta say I look back on the Kings 90s/00s goaltending carousel fondly...

[Kevin W.]

The crappy offsides call and no-icing call were made by the same official who nearly screwed the Blackhawks out of game 7 of the Detroit series.

Coincidence. Right.

So all of a sudden, the league is out to get the Blackhawks, this despite playing in the 3rd largest U.S. city/market, being the President's Trophy winners, delivering solid cable viewers everytime they play (highest rated NHL cable broadcast post-2005 was 'Hawks-Flyers Game 3), and that points streak they had in 2013?

OK, then.

That's not it at all. It's just that Walkom is :censored:ing incompetent. He's the idiot who didn't call a penalty on Raffi Torres when he decapitated Hossa last year.

[The_Admiral]

Yeah, Jonathan Quick doesn't give up any goals at home.

Because it's not like the Kings suddenly have any more offense. Jeez.

I mean this is pretty much it. The Kings entire gameplan can't just revolve around Sutter getting the last choice of defensive line changes, can it?

When asked if this were the case, Sutter replied "duuuuuhhhhhhhhh....well.......uhhh....i ono....guess so, huh.....ummm.....shu'up" and then he wet his pants.

[dbadefense1990]

Here's what I have to say about Game 3: this trend of LA winning close, low-scoring encounters is unsustainable. Yes, it's cute of the Kings being perfect at home and playing a defensive, hard checking-oriented game-plan. But given the closeness of Chicago tying and even taking the lead if they had their way tonight (especially catching LA off-guard on line changes), Quick will be, eventually, pinned the way he was terrorized during the first half of Game 2. The offense has to combovulate better during the power plays, and actually do a better job of clearing pucks beyond bluelines (I'm seeing no men at each blueline end to assure clearing from LA's zone). I don't like the approach LA has relied on this entire playoff campaign; even should the Kings be victorious in Game 4, this style is still, basically, dead-on-arrival if they want any chance of getting a game at the UC.

Overall, happy for the win tonight, but they can't keep up this pattern of low-scoring wins, while over-relying on Quick to play "hero ball" every game.

Or can they???

[zpqmaowl]

Without Quick, these Kings aren't what they are. He is the be all end all for this team. I gotta say I look back on the Kings 90s/00s goaltending carousel fondly...

[Kramerica Industries]

Cechmanek and The Cat bring back awesome memories of the '90s and '00s, personally.

And wasn't Erik Ersberg, like, actually good for a half a season or something in, jeez, was it 2007-08 or something? There was an LA Kings fan I used to talk to quite regularly back five years ago, and I could've sworn Ersberg was the goalie at the time.

EDIT - eh, maybe, maybe not. He did play 11 games on the 2010 Kings team that ended their eight year playoff drought.

[Still MIGHTY]

Without Quick, these Kings aren't what they are. He is the be all end all for this team. I gotta say I look back on the Kings 90s/00s goaltending carousel fondly...

No love for Jean-Sebastien Aubin? (Whom I only know as the player in the first ever trade between the Ducks and Kings. Which resulted in this monstrosity:

[dbadefense1990]

Without Quick, these Kings aren't what they are. He is the be all end all for this team. I gotta say I look back on the Kings 90s/00s goaltending carousel fondly...

Potvin was probably the best goalie the Kings had in the time period between Hrudey (although it was more of those Kings being better offensively than this Sutter-led tandem) and Quick. The 2001 upset of the Red Wings and taking the Forsberg-Sakic-Roy Avalanche to Game 7's in back to back years (including Potvin dueling Roy to a 1-0 victory in one of those playoff games).

Boy, when that NHL had Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, New Jersey and Philadelphia as the favorites, it was fun for the early 2000's Kings to be the dark horse. Now with all the expectations today, it kind of sucks some fun out of it (but the rewards are oh so greater).

[dbadefense1990]

Cechmanek and The Cat bring back awesome memories of the '90s and '00s, personally.

Cechmanek was the hard worker of those playoff-missing, but good quality, teams around the period of the 2005 lockout. This includes the 2004 campaign, where he got the team ever so close to the playoffs but couldn't (mostly because of the 536 combined man games Kings players lost out on that year because of injuries).

And it was annoying on NHL 2005 for XBOX, every time Jim Hughson tried to pronounce "Cechmanek."

[dbadefense1990]

Ok, so can anyone explain to why exactly the Kings have Cartman doing their arena chants?

Trey and Matt are huge fans of the team. This has been going on since (at least) 2006.

Kinda funny how Cartman is associated with the Kings, and, NHL-wise, not in Colorado (where "South Park" is set and also the site of where both creators met at CU).

And apparently, Cartman has appeared for LA as far back as the early 2000s. From the 2002 Quarterfinals against the Avalanche:

[Lights Out]

Light'sOut's posts, however, are more traumatic because of the fate suffered by his Clippers. So his attitude towards the Kings run along the lines of "no matter how good the Kings are, they'll suffer the same way my Clips did, no hope."

No. Stop posting.

Not really sure how I'm being "pessimistic" here. I said they suck on the road, and they do. And a possibly deflating goal like the one Bickell scored combined with law of averages saying there's a good chance the Kings will drop a home game soon made that feel like a possibility. Glad they stepped up in the third, though. I thought I was supposed to be a homer anyway?

[LMU]

Without Quick, these Kings aren't what they are. He is the be all end all for this team. I gotta say I look back on the Kings 90s/00s goaltending carousel fondly...

That shirt will give me nightmares.

Of course, this also brings back even more nightmares of the days when Jason Allison was the team points leader and Mike Cammalleri was the rookie phenom.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

Without Quick, these Kings aren't what they are. He is the be all end all for this team. I gotta say I look back on the Kings 90s/00s goaltending carousel fondly...

That shirt will give me nightmares.

Of course, this also brings back even more nightmares of the days when Jason Allison was the team points leader and Mike Cammalleri was the rookie phenom.

No love for the following:

[ninersdd]

Keith could be in some trouble over his high stick last night.

Also, Vokoun will return to the net tonight.

[MDGP]

Choosing Vokoun to start was absolutely the correct decision by Bylsma. After watching Fleury for the past few season, I can't see the Penguins winning a series against a good opponent while he's in the net. The guy is giving up over three goals per game in these playoffs. Against a team as good as the Bruins, that isn't acceptable.

Vokoun at least gives the Penguins a shot to keep it close as long as the offense actually does something. It'll be interesting to see how tonight's game goes.

With that being said, I think if the Bruins win tonight, it's over in 4, but if they lose, it's over in 6 (with either team winning).

[FiddySicks]

Keith could be in some trouble over his high stick last night.

That was a really dirty play, but I have to at least give it to him on his reaction afterwards. He seemed genuinely sorry for that play, and even apologized at the end of the period. Ithink he meant to hit him hard, but I dont think he meant to smash him that hard directly in the face. That certainly doesn't excuse the action, but I'd hope that Shannahan at least takes that into consideration.

[ninersdd]

I'd rather pay for Bickell and let Stalberg walk. Let someone else fall in love with his speed, his bumslaying, and his Nordic good looks.

Bickell will sign a fat contract with South Beach.

[Kevin W.]

One game for Keith.

[fouhy12]

The flawless NBC commentators start the broadcast by stating that it is a beautiful spring day in Boston, just as it was 400 years ago. I really don't know what was going on in his head.