Western Conference final: (3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings

[Kin]

The kings are unstoppable.

I don't know. I think they've gotten a little lucky. The last two rounds they've played teams whose point totals/seeding may not have really reflected their talent levels and have been more a reflection of their respective coaches' systems. I tend to think that's the kind of team that can get exposed by a more talented team. The Coyotes barely got out of the first round, winning three OT games and injuring Marian Hossa.

I mean, in the last two rounds. who's the best forward LA has had to stop? Ray Whitney? David Backes?

I could be wrong but I think the Rangers and definitely the Devils can match the Kings with a goalie who can make big stops and a solid D and then attack them with a few forwards that are legitimate all-stars.

 

[Frank E]

The kings are unstoppable.

I don't know. I think they've gotten a little lucky. The last two rounds they've played teams whose point totals/seeding may not have really reflected their talent levels and have been more a reflection of their respective coaches' systems. I tend to think that's the kind of team that can get exposed by a more talented team. The Coyotes barely got out of the first round, winning three OT games and injuring Marian Hossa.

I mean, in the last two rounds. who's the best forward LA has had to stop? Ray Whitney? David Backes?

I could be wrong but I think the Rangers and definitely the Devils can match the Kings with a goalie who can make big stops and a solid D and then attack them with a few forwards that are legitimate all-stars.

Vancouver has some pretty decent firepower, although not in the criteria of the last two rounds.

 

[Kin]

Vancouver has some pretty decent firepower, although not in the criteria of the last two rounds.

Yeah, decent. Not mind boggling. In the games without D. Sedin the Canucks had no 30 goal scorers in the lineup and only two 20+ goal scorers. And even then  one of those was 3rd wheel extraordinaire Alex Burrows.

The Kings, the second lowest scoring team in the league, had three guys who scored 20, four if you count Carter.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

While the Kings were an 8th seed, they could have been as high as 3rd (I believe) in the last week of the season.

 

[bustaheims]

While the Kings were an 8th seed, they could have been as high as 3rd (I believe) in the last week of the season.

Yup. Had they won their final 2 games of the season instead of losing both in OT/SO, they would have taken the division title.

 

[cw]

While the Kings were an 8th seed, they could have been as high as 3rd (I believe) in the last week of the season.

95 points has them 13th overall. 99 points would elevate them to 11th overall and would have won them the division.

But they're playing closer to a #1 seed.

Vancouver had ample firepower - nearly 3 goals per game during the season. But the Kings chopped that offence in half with their defence and goaltending.

The Kings had a 2.07 GAA during the season - they were the second best team defensively so shutting down teams hasn't been their problem. Their problem during the regular season has been scoring goals when playing the way they do defensively. They were one of the worst teams offensively during the regular season which is what has held them back.

In the playoffs, they've been even stingier defensively but the key change leading to their dominance is that they've been one of the best teams offensively - they're scoring with some regularity - outscoring their opposition 2:1.

Teams can go cold with scoring. PP's can dry up. But their PP is only scoring at a 9% clip. Their scoring is largely coming from dominating five on five - which to me is less likely to dry up because so often it seems, they're playing in the other team's zone.

I never would have predicted what has unfolded with them. I've obviously been impressed.

If the Rangers get through, I'm not sure they're good enough offensively. If New Jersey gets through, their bubble seems more likely to burst to me.

 

[ZBBM]

Of the teams left, LA is by far the one I'd rather see take it all.  I am never a fan of our Eastern rivals, and rubbing Philly's nose in a big pile of it would add some frisson.

 

[Bates]

There seems to be some chatter from Coyotes media, team, and fans about the reffing in last 2 games.  I have only seen about first half of each game but did not see this an issue.  I thought the Langkow penalty for slashing stick from brown's hand in game 2 was a weak call but when compared to Brown's dive it's definately a wash at best.  I can think of a few calls either way but I think that is a decent result in a game played as fast as hockey.  Anyone else see anything that Coyotes could be up in arms about??

On the topic of Langkow penalty, not sure I really understand how this rule works?  Guys slash sticks on almosr every play of game without penalty but if stick breaks or is knocked out of players hands there is a penalty??  So basicly penalty is dependant on strenght of stick and holder??  Can't see how that could go wrong(drop stick)!!!

 

[bustaheims]

On the topic of Langkow penalty, not sure I really understand how this rule works?  Guys slash sticks on almosr every play of game without penalty but if stick breaks or is knocked out of players hands there is a penalty??  So basicly penalty is dependant on strenght of stick and holder??  Can't see how that could go wrong(drop stick)!!!

I don't like the whole "broken stick = penalty" thing at all, but, in defence of the officials, they have been pretty consistent about that all season. As long as things are called along the same lines the whole way through, I'm willing to accept it (even if I don't think it should be a penalty). It's inconsistency that drives me nuts.

 

[Bates]

Even we accept the broken stick Busta the knocking out of hand is a very weak penalty.  Using the langkow example against Brown, You couldn't knock Brown off puck with a bulldozer yet Langkow knocked stick away with relative ease??  Maybe that is why ref got him back with dive call after Smith slash??

 

[bustaheims]

Even we accept the broken stick Busta the knocking out of hand is a very weak penalty.  Using the langkow example against Brown, You couldn't knock Brown off puck with a bulldozer yet Langkow knocked stick away with relative ease??  Maybe that is why ref got him back with dive call after Smith slash??

Well, no matter how things are called, there are always going to be players that find a way to take advantage of it and bad calls that get made. That's an example of both of them there.

 

[Bates]

I agree with that.  Too myoriginal question did you see any ref issues in these games or are the Coyotes folks just frustrated like the team?  I have seen calls be missed both ways and would think it impossible for that not to happen.

 

[Tigger]

Even we accept the broken stick Busta the knocking out of hand is a very weak penalty.  Using the langkow example against Brown, You couldn't knock Brown off puck with a bulldozer yet Langkow knocked stick away with relative ease??  Maybe that is why ref got him back with dive call after Smith slash??

The stick was broken, Brown had to drop it or get a penalty himself.

 

[hockeyfan1]

For a team to be this successful, it needs contributions from unexpected sources and the Kings are getting just that. Dwight King, the first player named King to ever play for the Kings, suddenly has five playoff goals, with four of them coming in this series. Playing on a line with a rejuvenated Jarrett Stoll and Trevor Lewis, King now leads all rookies in playoff scoring with five goals.

The Coyotes...have been complicit in all of this on a couple of fronts. First...they?ve collided headfirst into a brick wall in the third round of the playoffs. Secondly, they haven?t been able to generate near enough offense in this series to give themselves a fighting chance...that?s difficult when the other team seems so intent on outworking its opponent and spends much of the game with the puck on its sticks. And they have not been able to figure out a way to score against a Kings penalty-killing unit that has been as close to perfect as a team can be.


Source: THN

So very true.  Unless Phoenix can figure out L.A., plus get some stupendously impenetrable goaltending from Mike Smith, they won't have a fighting chance, so to speak, to beat the Kings.  It'll be game over soon.

 

[Bates]

Thanks Tigger, now that makes a lot more sense. I only saw replays and it didn't show the broken stick or even mention it.

Even we accept the broken stick Busta the knocking out of hand is a very weak penalty.  Using the langkow example against Brown, You couldn't knock Brown off puck with a bulldozer yet Langkow knocked stick away with relative ease??  Maybe that is why ref got him back with dive call after Smith slash??

The stick was broken, Brown had to drop it or get a penalty himself.

 

[Tigger]

Thanks Tigger, now that makes a lot more sense. I only saw replays and it didn't show the broken stick or even mention it.

Even we accept the broken stick Busta the knocking out of hand is a very weak penalty.  Using the langkow example against Brown, You couldn't knock Brown off puck with a bulldozer yet Langkow knocked stick away with relative ease??  Maybe that is why ref got him back with dive call after Smith slash??

The stick was broken, Brown had to drop it or get a penalty himself.

Fwiw it was a funny break a few inches from the top of the stick, I had to look twice to really see it. Around the 40 second mark you can see the stick sliding on the ice after Brown lets it go and the shaft is bent near the top ( which means Langkow slashed pretty high between the gloves too ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sR2gyenWWE

 

[Bates]

Well there you go, even one less to complain about!!  Good work by the way on the replay!!

 

[Kin]

Vancouver had ample firepower - nearly 3 goals per game during the season.

But that's a total that includes the contributions of D. Sedin and Hodgson(who was on pace to score 20). Absent their goals, and the resulting loss of Henrik's Wonder Twin powers,that's not a forward group that you should be scared of.

 

[cw]

There seems to be some chatter from Coyotes media, team, and fans about the reffing in last 2 games.  I have only seen about first half of each game but did not see this an issue.  I thought the Langkow penalty for slashing stick from brown's hand in game 2 was a weak call but when compared to Brown's dive it's definately a wash at best.  I can think of a few calls either way but I think that is a decent result in a game played as fast as hockey.  Anyone else see anything that Coyotes could be up in arms about??

I just looked it up for this series:
Coyotes have had 10 PPs to the Kings 17 PPs

So on that basis, in hindsight, maybe the calls have gone a touch the Kings way overall but that's not something I observed or felt as it played out. The Kings seemed to have got the Coyotes off their game and some frustration set in drawing the Coyotes into a number of calls where they'd lost some discipline - uncharacteristically losing composure. Generally, those calls seemed legit to me. The team that violates the rules more should wind up with more penalties and to a larger extent, I think that is what has happened so far.

Maybe the refs missed a similar call on a King that is the basis for their whining - I haven't seen the media on it. One I recall they got away with was Stoll, (I think?), working over Smith's head a little in the crease when Smith was down. But I also thought the Coyotes got some breaks - non calls when there easily could have been one.

I might debate a call or two but I have no big complaint with the refs in this series. The Kings have had the puck a lot and we don't see puck carriers get called for a penalty very often. The Coyotes are just getting beat by a club who is playing substantially better.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The Kings have outplayed Phoenix pretty good in the series, so it makes sense the team getting outplayed would take more penalties.