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

Meet Mr. "Sandley" Cup...

kings_sandley_cup_640.gif


Shaped out of nearly 30 tons of sand, the dirty sculpture features a 12- to 14-foot replica of the Stanley Cup; the phrase ?IT?S CUP TIME?; a life-size depiction of Conn Smythe frontrunner Jonathan Quick stretching for a glove save; and four headless Kings jerseys, all built within one 20-by-20-foot space.

...the Kings hired a seven-time U.S. Open sandcastle building champion to construct Lord Sandley in L.A.?s Nokia Plaza.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/05/18/los_angeles_kings_unveil_sandley_cup/
 
Re the Calls:
Several issues have Phoenix Coyotes coach Dave Tippett frustrated
His frustration, which was obvious even to TV viewers who could read lips during some unfortunate close-ups, came with the direction he sees the game heading.

He wasn't as much upset with the officiating as he was with the players involved in the crime.

What seemed to set him off was a roughing call on Shane Doan that appeared to involve a little extra theater by Kings center Jarret Stoll.

"The game is turning a little dishonest," Tippett sighed, "and it's the embellishment by the players. When it's done well, it's very hard for the referees, very hard, because if you fall down near the boards, or you drop your stick or you throw your head back, you're putting the referee in a very difficult situation. And it's not just our game tonight.

"But in actual fact, to make it work in your favor, you've got to do it more. If everybody else is doing it, you better do it, too. We saw more than one penalty out there, for us and against us that were called that I thought were plays that were embellishments. It's too bad you come to that point in the season that it becomes a factor. But it's a reality in our game right now."

Tippett wasn't saying officiating was the difference. He's in tune with his team and knows better. But the "flopping" has added an unsavory element to the game.


Phoenix Coyotes frustrated by penalties in series
After his team suffered a 2-1 loss in Game 3 to fall into a 3-0 deficit, coach Dave Tippett critiqued the embellishment that he felt has been sneaking its way into the game. A day later, he didn't back track on those remarks.

"It wasn't geared toward that game (Thursday) night," Tippett said. "So I've said my piece on that. Obviously there's frustration on our part that we would like to get better results. Our margin for error is very slim. When we feel like there's some situations that happen in a game that go against you, we're looking for every little scratch we can find, every little piece of positive we can find to help us get back in the series.

"When that doesn't happen, you get frustrated."

In Game 3, the Coyotes were tagged with six penalties, compared to two against the Kings. Defenseman Adrian Aucoin has yet to participate in the series, but he's sensed the team's frustration from what's being called and what isn't.

"We all know the refs have a really tough job," Aucoin said. "There's always a fine line, but I always like to consider myself an honest player and I always admire the honest players, and I'll leave it at that."

So their problem really isn't with the refs so much as it is with embellishment causing fowls to be called. And he didn't just ding the Kings on it - he also said he saw his own players doing it (bolded above).

I agree with him. I've seen more of that this season. It's sad - starting to flirt with soccer on blades.
 
This may seem like a small thing, but I am tired of the HNIC people saying this is "just like '93".

It's not.

The Kings are full value for their lead in this series. They haven't required the intervention of Kerry Fraser at all.

I'm trying very hard to cheer for the Kings, but I keep having these baaaaad memories.
 
Pretty good road game from Phoenix though LA still looked like the stronger team in a lot of ways. Goaltending was key for the Coyotes.
 
Tigger said:
Pretty good road game from Phoenix though LA still looked like the stronger team in a lot of ways. Goaltending was key for the Coyotes.
Click to expand...

Mike Smith to the rescue!  A 2-0 shutout win didn't quite tell the tale of the game as a whole, except from the goaltending perspective on the part of the 'yotes, but I liked the way Phoenix tried preserving the lead in the third period.  That extra 'zip' in their skating, alertness and quickness in their passing when in L.A.'s territory, is an indication that they still have a chance in this series, albeit a very, very slim one.  An L.A. implosion is very unlikely.

Back to the desert Tuesday for Game #5.
 
hockeyfan1 said:
liked the way Phoenix tried preserving the lead in the third period.  That extra 'zip' in their skating, alertness and quickness in their passing when in L.A.'s territory, is an indication that they still have a chance in this series, albeit a very, very slim one.  An L.A. implosion is very unlikely.
Click to expand...

I missed bunches of the game but from what I saw and heard commented on, they were the quicker team - which is a first in this series.

Glad the nucleus of die hard Yotes fans get to see another game in their building.
 
Los Angeles media having a hard time jumping on the bandwagon...

KNBC

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/knbc-mistakes-sacramento-kings-for-los-angeles-kings-team-calls-out-station-on-twitter_b48783

the apology...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uswy18taOWQ

Fox 11 (hilarious)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2Y1a4-MpU-8

KCBS

http://tinyurl.com/7v8766l

All of the above prompted the Kings to release the following infographic

http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=632297

My personal favorite is the old NHL logo in the Fox piece
 
As if being "awesome" wasn't enough....

http://deadspin.com/5910962/the-spunky-genius-of-twitters-lakings-the-second+biggest-surprise-of-the-playoffs
 
I think this was probably covered, but the crowd should wear red.
White is L.A this weirds me out after watching Washington/Philly.

L.A is not a "Nice" team. This may be it tonight.

Then the desert will return. With tumbleweeds.
Phoenix has been good, but not enough.
 
Wow that will suck if it ends the series - LA beats out an icing call, Morris steals it back and promptly puts it over the glass with about 26 seconds to go.  Kings will have 1:34 PP to start OT.
 
If they're going to call Doughty for interference there how does the guy sitting on top of Brown not get a call? Call both or neither.
 
Nasty stuff. Playoffs and it's on the line.

Not sure i like the Kings much. They got it done.
N.Y , or Jersey?

 
Kings captain gets away with a penalty not being called, and then they score on the next shift, and the Kings end up going on to the final...why does this sound so familiar?
 
8-0 on the road for LA, unreal. Brown's knee looked bad (Rozsival?), though I think he was going for the shoulder from the one replay I saw, probably viewed as bad contact versus intentional but he might get a look for it.

Congrats to LA, too bad for Phoenix but they're getting closer each year, hopefully they get another shot in the desert next year...
 
Being a Guelph fan I'm pretty happy seeing Brown and Doughty off to the Cup Finals!
I didn't like to see the knee, but it wasn't intentional IMO just bad contact from Phoenix fumbling the puck near the line and as for Doughty he had every right to be fired up (awful penalty call as his stick was clearly held and then the offside call that was blown by the officials).
 
Ronco said:
Nasty stuff. Playoffs and it's on the line.

Not sure i like the Kings much. They got it done.
N.Y , or Jersey?
Click to expand...

I'd go with an L.A.-New York Cup final.  Glitz, glamour, everything that these two cities represent.  It'll make for an interesting series -- L.A.'s offence against the shot-blocking Rangers; Quick vs Lundqvist; et al.

Much more preferable the above two than if it were L.A. & New Jersey.
 
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