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2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 3 - Kings vs Hawks

PuckinUgly57

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Oops! Not getting much sleep watching these games. Funny thing is, I was talking to a friend from Montreal and referred to Price a few times, and he never corrected me.

Montreal fans for you.

=)~~

Personally I was stoked when Montreal was knocked out. They cheated their way to a Cup in 1993 and to me some things can never be forgiven. If that franchise ever even sniffs a SCF again it'll be too soon - enjoy that tainted Cup from 1993, I love knowing the fact that some new parents at that time had kids who have now probably completed college and they still haven't been back there.

Your team deserves the bad juju it has experienced the last 21 years.

So, here we are, game 7. This may be exciting for other NHL fans, but this series is draining me emotionally.

This series was a roller coaster all over the place. So many momentum swings, lead changes, weird bounces, almost no semblance of goaltending, complete dominance by one team early (Games 1-4), complete dominance by a team late (Games 5-6 and a lot of 7), etc. I'll be 40 in February and due for a physical soon, probably not going to be good on the blood pressure charts.

Hey Ugly, can't speak for the others, but its nice to get a reasonable guy who knows his hockey on the board (who isn't a troll). Regardless of what happens in game 7, don't be a stranger.

Will do, it's been fun. Always enjoy talking puck with grounded fans, it's the myopes and fantasy land folks I can't stand.

We have a great group on the Kings board, we all migrated from ESPN when it was shut down last July and many of us have been meeting/posting/etc. since about 2000. Good group of guys and realistic fans, stop on by whenever.
 
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ChicagoIrish

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CHICAGO IRISH, my friend, the kings are a different animal and better than your hawks

I don't believe the Kings are better. I believe the Hawks were just out of gas this series.

Also, It's a shitty move when you come to a team board after your team secures the series. You were no where to be found before tonight.

PuckinUgly on the other hand is always welcomed here, he had the balls to converse with us before his team took the series.
 

ChicagoIrish

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Be cool dude, series is over and overall Hawks fans didn't troll our board. I do think Irish's "Hawks are a different animal" comment was a premature, Minnesota and St. Louis were not true contenders but that also needs to be taken into context - based on how Chicago handled them, what else was he supposed to believe? The Hawks beat them and did so in championship fashion. I didn't take it personally.

He also followed it up with some good commentary so I don't think that should be held against him. The Hawks and their fans found out tonight that all streaks come to an end and fortunate bounces can kill you just as much as help you. Going down 3-1 just about spells death no matter how good or lucky or both your team is.

Overall this was arguably the best series I have witnessed in probably 20-25 years. The NY NJ series was epic in 1994 and of course TO and the Kings in 1993. This one ranks up there if not as the best one.

Congrats, Kings earned it. Good luck in the Finals.
 

lasportzphan

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Be cool dude, series is over and overall Hawks fans didn't troll our board. I do think Irish's "Hawks are a different animal" comment was a premature, Minnesota and St. Louis were not true contenders but that also needs to be taken into context - based on how Chicago handled them, what else was he supposed to believe? The Hawks beat them and did so in championship fashion. I didn't take it personally.

He also followed it up with some good commentary so I don't think that should be held against him. The Hawks and their fans found out tonight that all streaks come to an end and fortunate bounces can kill you just as much as help you. Going down 3-1 just about spells death no matter how good or lucky or both your team is.

Overall this was arguably the best series I have witnessed in probably 20-25 years. The NY NJ series was epic in 1994 and of course TO and the Kings in 1993. This one ranks up there if not as the best one.

He came in after game one acting like we were the 2013 depleted Kings. He was smug and had it coming.
 

anotheridiot

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what a series. I really couldnt take much more of that. Real humid day in chicago, really made that ice bumpy for both teams. I doubt that UC was as cold as the staples center was for the LA games. Two great teams, just came down to odd bounces. The hawks were gifted two goals, one toews and one sharp because of the ice, LA got the last bounce of the series off Leddy. Hawks just took the foot off the gas at 2-0 and allowed LA right back in the game.

Q did his standard over think himself. To dress Bollig and Versteeg to keep the bench warm, then put Versteeg on the ice with kane and handzous after that huge icing after an already long shift for LA was key. Another 5-3 won by LA only one shot in 45 seconds of zone time. He found the rotation with brookbank and over thunk it again. Q now 2-4 in game 7's. How many of us just shook our heads when we heard versteeg was back in the lineup?

Great year, possibly part of the best playoff series ever is not gonna take the sting away for these hawks.
 

anotheridiot

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Did you guys notice when they were reviewing the goal, the NBC cameras showed the king bench and kopitar jumping up off the ice as the light started flashing? Were they implying there was a too many men on the ice call missed? It seemed like they showed it but these crack announcers did not say anything about it. Not complaining, it had nothing to do with the play, just wonder if anyone else caught that odd placement of the kings bench as the goal was being scored.
 

averagejoe

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AI, did not notice that.


Now that I've had about 24 hours to digest the loss, it is disappointing, but the Kings definitely kept coming at the Hawks.

The only thing that kind of irritated me was the goonish play of Jarret Stoll. I believe in the first period alone he crosschecked Saad from behind (and Saad didn't even have the puck), he ripped Crawford's helmet off in the crease, and then he gave Shaw a forearm to the face, giving him a bloody mouth.

I would expect that type of thuggery from Dustin Brown (who actually seemed to behave himself in the series). While I normally don't mind pulling for our conference rivals in the finals (except the Wings or Nucks), Stoll just soured it for me.

Well, Stoll and the NBC team. In fact, during the replay when Stoll gave Shaw the forearm, ex-mullet man-turned-announcer Brian Engblom said, I see nothing wrong with that." Really Engblom? Since when is a hit to the head in the NHL acceptable?

Maybe I need more than 24 hours to chill?

I was really impressed with Drew Doughty. He drew some tough assignments and even got beat a few times but made up for it by never quitting on the play.

As for the Hawks, series MVP has to be Brandon Saad. Never seen him skate so fast. Hope that continues into next season.

Since I picked on Stoll, the Hawks player that gets my goat is Versteeg. I think he got worse in each series, and by the time we hit the conference finals, he was a non-factor. Which is quite an accomplishment with Bollig on the team. More was expected from Versteeg.
 

PuckinUgly57

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The only thing that kind of irritated me was the goonish play of Jarret Stoll. I believe in the first period alone he crosschecked Saad from behind (and Saad didn't even have the puck), he ripped Crawford's helmet off in the crease, and then he gave Shaw a forearm to the face, giving him a bloody mouth.

I would expect that type of thuggery from Dustin Brown (who actually seemed to behave himself in the series). While I normally don't mind pulling for our conference rivals in the finals (except the Wings or Nucks), Stoll just soured it for me.

Well, Stoll and the NBC team. In fact, during the replay when Stoll gave Shaw the forearm, ex-mullet man-turned-announcer Brian Engblom said, I see nothing wrong with that." Really Engblom? Since when is a hit to the head in the NHL acceptable?

When it's incidental contact. He saw the hit coming and was going to give it back to him.

Shaw was coming in on him to hit him, Stoll has every right to protect himself just as much as Shaw has the right to check him. Stoll is known as a physical, in your face player and has earned the respect of the referees throughout the league and to my best recollection has never been suspended for anything like that.

Dude however has been the recipient of numerous concussions because of cheap shots to the head (last year against SJ for example - Torres elbowed him, concussed him, he missed some time and even had a seizure in the summer which the Kings said was not related to that hit but one has to wonder) so he doesn't headhunt people.

I can understand why you feel this way, but I thought there were far worse things the Kings and Hawks did to each other throughout the series than this play. Overall the respect level from each team towards each other was phenomenal.

As for the Hawks, series MVP has to be Brandon Saad. Never seen him skate so fast. Hope that continues into next season.

He is going to be a solid player in 2 years. What a great talent the Hawks have, he is fast, has hands, smart and plays right. Would love to have this guy on LA.

Since I picked on Stoll, the Hawks player that gets my goat is Versteeg. I think he got worse in each series, and by the time we hit the conference finals, he was a non-factor. Which is quite an accomplishment with Bollig on the team. More was expected from Versteeg.

Versteeg was pretty useless. He was big for the Hawks in 2010 however.

My Kings pick would be Dwight King even though he scored once. This guy put up 15/15 during the regular season, was huge in the WCFs in 2012 against Phoenix but is such a dud most other times I have to wonder what LA management sees in him. He is large and in charge (6'4"/236), has OK hands but doesn't really do much out there. LA staff is in love with him however.

The Hawks have used their compliance buyouts, correct? So Versteeg needs to be disposed of otherwise?
 

JBM73

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The Hawks have used their compliance buyouts, correct? So Versteeg needs to be disposed of otherwise?

Correct. The Hawks bought out Rotislav Olesz and Steve Montador. Fortunately, Florida retained 50% of Versteeg's salary in the trade so the Hawks are only on the hook for $2.2 mil per year for the next 2 years.
 

PuckinUgly57

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Correct. The Hawks bought out Rotislav Olesz and Steve Montador. Fortunately, Florida retained 50% of Versteeg's salary in the trade so the Hawks are only on the hook for $2.2 mil per year for the next 2 years.

Ouch, that's still brutal. Especially when you consider Toews and Kane are due for new contracts, which will be big dollar ones no doubt and Crawford's new deal kicking in July 1, that's valuable cap space.

Maybe he can be dumped prior to the draft or at the draft, I'm hoping somehow the Kings do the same with Dustin Brown. He is about to become a $5.875 million B6 forward for the next 8 years and apart from a 6 month stretch (Jan - June 2012) he has been pretty inconsistent and useless since 2009. He's more perception than reality around the league.

And don't even get me started on his "leadership" skills.
 

JBM73

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Maybe he can be dumped prior to the draft or at the draft, I'm hoping somehow the Kings do the same with Dustin Brown. He is about to become a $5.875 million B6 forward for the next 8 years and apart from a 6 month stretch (Jan - June 2012) he has been pretty inconsistent and useless since 2009. He's more perception than reality around the league.

And don't even get me started on his "leadership" skills.

Yeah, I hear you. I have similar concerns about Kane, although not as strong. He's been known to disappear for long stretches at a time, or even for the whole 2011/12 season. Not sure his re-signing in Chicago is 100% definite.

BTW, good luck against the Rags! One down, 3 to go...
 

averagejoe

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When it's incidental contact. He saw the hit coming and was going to give it back to him. Shaw was coming in on him to hit him, Stoll has every right to protect himself just as much as Shaw has the right to check him.

My point was that whether it's incidental or not, the league is cracking down on hits to the head. And Stoll got his arm up to "defend" himself. I guess its all moot now.

Did our games (Kings-Hawks) look as exciting as game 1 of the SCF?
 

PuckinUgly57

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My point was that whether it's incidental or not, the league is cracking down on hits to the head. And Stoll got his arm up to "defend" himself. I guess its all moot now.

I see what you're saying, but I have yet to see someone disciplined for incidental contact. Stoll wasn't headhunting, he isn't that type of player. Looked like a good play to me, just a guy protecting himself. Shaw is also 3-4" shorter than Stoll, so that is something to consider as well.

Did our games (Kings-Hawks) look as exciting as game 1 of the SCF?

Kings Hawks was best series in the entire playoffs hands down. The games were good, but not Hawks Kings good.

I will say that the 4-1 series win for LA was a lot closer than it indicates, three of those games went into OT and either team could have won it but the Kings created their own bounces and were given a gift when Girardi not only stumbled but also served that puck straight up the boards to Richards who sent it to Williams all alone for the game winner.

The way I look at it, these 3 OT wins for LA finally erase the 3 OT games they lost in 1993 in the SCFs to Montreal. Call it even now with the Hockey Gods.
 

PuckinUgly57

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LA Kings championship parade attendance falls short of Chicago - FOX 32 News Chicago

In the final shot of this years Chicago vs LA, seems we have them beat on parades. Maybe they were all killing drones somewhere else.

Not sure what the Chicago turnout was, but LA had about 300,000 people show up. That's a good sized parade if you ask me, especially for a Monday. If it were a weekend no doubt that number goes up.

I went in 2012, my wife was 5 months pregnant with our youngest son and (then) we had an almost 7 year old and two 2 year olds (not twins but under a year apart). We took the train out of Orange County, switched over at Union Station in LA and it dropped us off about 2 blocks from where we ended up plopping down. Afterwards we went to historic Olvera Street and had lunch, saw some cultural events and went home. That parade had a smaller turnout than this year, about 250,000.

People outside of LA think this isn't a hockey town, and it never will be compared to back east or even Chicago, but believe me, Kings fans exist in huge numbers. The franchise has been here for 45+ years, and fans have been born into homes. I myself am an Ohio (NE OH, PA border. NY was 90 miles east of us, thus the NY Giants fan since 1979) transplant moving here in 1986, so I followed the Leafs, Wings, NY, etc. as a kid but my first Kings game was Luc Robitaille's debut at the Great Western Forum in October 1986. Lots of long time fans but obviously you'll get the bandwagon ones too.

The worst are the Ducks, I live 17 miles from the Puddle and in a nice part of Orange County but refuse to support that franchise. Their fans are awful, don't support the team unless they are winning and flat out are some of the dumbest fans I have ever met in my life from any sport and any franchise. When the Kings Ducks series was going on, I saw so many new Ducks flags attached to cars it made me sick, may as well still have the tags on them - hope these fools kept the receipt and got their money back, because those won't be flying again for a while. Meanwhile, I fly my faded black and silver Kings flag all year round (except certain Sundays when the Giants have a big game during football season, Big Blue goes up instead) in enemy territory loud and proud.

I think parades are neat, but after experiencing the first one in franchise history I don't feel the need to go to every one (hoping there are more titles). The big thing to me is getting to touch and hold the Cup, which I did in 2012 too at a private party held by Kings exec Jack Ferriera. Got some pics with the family and kids in it, had a drink with him, got to meet some players and Kings staff.

That picture with the Cup and my family is the most important to me regarding championships, and I'll get one again this year.
 
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PuckinUgly57

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Meant to add the Kings flag is on the house, 5 x 7', not on the car. I don't fly any of that stuff on my SUV during the playoffs, but my 2012 Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings hitch cover stays on all year round.
 

anotheridiot

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Not sure what the Chicago turnout was, but LA had about 300,000 people show up. That's a good sized parade if you ask me, especially for a Monday. If it were a weekend no doubt that number goes up.

.

I think the estimates for Chicago last year was 2 million.

Pretty sure there are die hard fans and there are people that think the kings are the basketball team in sacramento.
 

PuckinUgly57

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I think the estimates for Chicago last year was 2 million.

Wow, that's huge.

Not going to get a turnout like that in LA, especially with a pretty intense fan base for he Dodgers, Clippers, Lakers and even the Angels (they are only 30 miles from LA) as well.

LA isn't a hockey town like some of the others but I think given the competitive market here not only for sports but recreation in general (I'm 25 minutes from the beach and still surf, an hour away to the mountains with snow and still snowboard) I'll take the 300,000.

Pretty sure there are die hard fans and there are people that think the kings are the basketball team in sacramento.

The media here treats hockey like a second class citizen, it's truly baffling. In 2012 Liz Habib of Fox 11 referred to Kopitar as Kopidor and Doughty and Brad Doty during the highlights one night after a game against Phoenix in the WCFs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y1a4-MpU-8

And if that wasn't enough, the Clippers, Kings and Lakers were all in the playoffs at the same time and they had the NBA logos right but indeed had the Saramento Kings' logo up representing LA in a sports piece.

Pathetic.
 
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