2012 NHL Playoffs (LA Kings: Stanley Cup Champs)

[walTer]

I continue to be amazed at how well the Kings are playing.  New Jersey just looked shell-shocked.  As one of the 19000 Kings fans in LA (18000 are at the game) this is great.

[walTer]

Staples sounds fucking incredible tonight.  Wish I was there.

How are you not?  You must be in Prague or something!

Even though I am only 35 minutes away, nosebleed seats were going for $1200 each...and I would need 3. 

[gellar]

Staples sounds fucking incredible tonight.  Wish I was there.

How are you not?  You must be in Prague or something!

Even though I am only 35 minutes away, nosebleed seats were going for $1200 each...and I would need 3. 

That's the beauty of being single.  I just need one!

[Pyperkub]

Staples sounded amazing those last few minutes.  Wow!

[El-Producto]

Not to take anything away from the Kings amazing run.. they've played by in large perfect hockey and deserve this cup - no contest.

But beyond the royal rumble that was the first round, this has been the most uninteresting playoffs I can remember in my 30+ years of watching hockey.

I'm just glad my OKC Thunder are getting it done.

[leo8877]

Yeah finals sweeps are boring.  First round was definitely the best.

[walTer]

Yeah finals sweeps are boring.  First round was definitely the best.

As a 20+ year Kings fan, I have to wholeheartedly disagree. 

That said, if your team is out, this might not be as exciting as it is for a Kings fan. 

[gellar]

But beyond the royal rumble that was the first round, this has been the most uninteresting playoffs I can remember in my 30+ years of watching hockey.

Western Conference hadn't been that interesting mostly because it was a choice between LA SMASH and Phoenix Who Cares.

Eastern Conference playoffs have been pretty entertaining though.

And LA sucked all the drama out of the finals thus far.

[leo8877]

Yeah finals sweeps are boring.  First round was definitely the best.

As a 20+ year Kings fan, I have to wholeheartedly disagree. 

That said, if your team is out, this might not be as exciting as it is for a Kings fan. 

I hear ya, when the Giants won the World Series in 2010, I had tickets to game 6, but was happy that they just finished it out in Texas instead of coming home because I didn't want the door to be open for a Rangers come back by any chance.  I figured I'd just go to the parade, and I did!

[Isgrimnur]

And LA sucked all the drama out of the finals thus far.

Two games that have to go to OT to decide doesn't provide any drama for you? 

[gellar]

And LA sucked all the drama out of the finals thus far.

Two games that have to go to OT to decide doesn't provide any drama for you? 

Fair point.

[Isgrimnur]

Also, I find it funny that you can look back at each series' staff picks on Yahoo.  LA-VAN 0-3, LA-STL 1-2, LA-PHO 2-1, LA-NJ 3-0.

[Koz]

Not to take anything away from the Kings amazing run.. they've played by in large perfect hockey and deserve this cup - no contest.

But beyond the royal rumble that was the first round, this has been the most uninteresting playoffs I can remember in my 30+ years of watching hockey.

Agreed. LA is/was the only team that stepped it up this postseason. Every other team was a different shade of mediocre, more notable for how badly they played than how well.

But you get some duds every now and then and I have no fear that next year's playoffs, assuming there is one, will be much more exciting.

[gellar]

assuming there is one

YOU SHUT YOUR DAMN FACE.

[jament]

I can't believe that this is the best hockey the NHL has to offer, though.  Ugh.

The Devils don't even have a skill player on the roster with the hands to elevate a puck and hit the top shelf. 

Unless you're a Kings fan, the Finals games have been snoozers.

[gellar]

The Devils don't even have a skill player on the roster with the hands to elevate a puck and hit the top shelf. 

Kovalchuk and Parise are more than capable.  Quick just makes it a lot harder than it looks like it would be.

[Devil]

I can't believe that this is the best hockey the NHL has to offer, though.  Ugh.

The Devils don't even have a skill player on the roster with the hands to elevate a puck and hit the top shelf.  

Unless you're a Kings fan, the Finals games have been snoozers.

Yeah - Every team has 5, 20-Goal guys on their roster.

Could it be that the Kings are great and are steamrolling the Devils like every other team?

It IS the best the NHL has to offer. Only 2 teams were good enough to get this far, and only one will win.

Sorry if the teams that aren't playing tonight were too shitty to be there.

If the Prime 9 aren't there, it sucks.

[Canuck]

I can't believe that LA is actually gonna do it. Good on them. Who honestly believed (other than Gellar) that before the playoffs started LA even had a chance?

[Jimmy the Fish]

LA entered the playoffs with as good a chance as any team. Although they were the 8th seed in the west, the reality is that they very easily could have entered as the 3rd seed. The difference in the Pacific conference from Phoenix in first and LA in third was only 2 points.

Momentum, matchups and luck do play a big part, but the Kings are far from your typical 8th seeded team.

[walTer]

2 hours...christ, I need to take my frigging blood pressure medicine early tonite.   

[Jimmy the Fish]

Good luck to the Kings. As a Sharks fan, it'll be a bit bittersweet for me to see the Kings win the Cup, but it'll be worth it to see Darryl Sutter and Dean Lombardi rewarded for their work. Still have a ton of appreciation for what they did for the Sharks franchise.

[Devil]

Good luck, Kings!

gells and walTer, enjoy every second of it.

[Koz]

Bah! In MY day you had to face four elimination games and play in three Game 7's before you could win a Cup! 

[Devil]

I'd love to! 

[leo8877]

Devil you're a good sport.  But this game isn't over yet.  You could be going to see live hockey in 2 days!

[Devil]

Nope - It's over.

I'm not one to bitch about the refs, but that call was so weak.

Gotta kill it though.

Matter of time now before the Kings take the lead.

Tough for Marty though because he's deserved a lot better in this series than to be swept.

[leo8877]

Poor gellar, those must have been expensive tickets.

[Devil]

Well, I was wrong...as usual.

Honestly kinda stinks. Would have liked the Kings to take it at home, especially with gellsy there.

If they win in Jersey it won't be as much fun.

But if they lose...

[walTer]

Dang.

[kronovan]

Poor gellar, those must have been expensive tickets.

Why oh why would you ever feel sorry for someone who went to a game like that?   

Great game and great come back by the Devils. Another Saturday night game - I'm thinking the CBC execs love the Devils tonight.   

[leo8877]

Poor gellar, those must have been expensive tickets.

Why oh why would you ever feel sorry for someone who went to a game like that?   

Great game and great come back by the Devils. Another Saturday night game - I'm thinking the CBC execs love the Devils tonight.   

Because he probably paid a shit ton of money to see his team win their first stanley cup at home and now they're going to win it across the country on the opponent's ice.

[kronovan]

Poor gellar, those must have been expensive tickets.

Why oh why would you ever feel sorry for someone who went to a game like that?  

Great game and great come back by the Devils. Another Saturday night game - I'm thinking the CBC execs love the Devils tonight.  

Because he probably paid a shit ton of money to see his team win their first stanley cup at home and now they're going to win it across the country on the opponent's ice.

Ahhh.  

[gellar]

So funny story about that. I got to LA Live around 2pm and met up with some friends. The
area was already a madhouse.  Three of us had planned on buying this via stubhub there when the prices started to drop. Three major issues with that plan: 1) the entire area was so jammed with people that cellular data wasnt working. We got around this issue by calling friends and family at home near computers. 2) the stubhub pickup center was 3 miles round trip from Staples and it was near impossible to get a cab. 3) ticket prices never dropped to the point where my friends could afford it.

Ultimately I had to choose between paying $1400 for a ticket I'd have to walk 3 miles to get and watch the game alone versus staying at my seat with my buddies and watching at the bar across from Staples.

Given that I already made one finals game this year, the decision was easy. I obviously don't regret it .

[gangeli]

As someone who doesn't have cable, I'm really happy they didn't win last night, as all the rest
of the games will be on NBC.

Other than that...go kings!

[Devil]

Worked out for you, gells. That's great.

Now get to work on game 6 tickets! 

[gellar]

Already working on it .

[Pyperkub]

Saw some interviews where the Devils had shaved their playoff beards.  What up? I thought tradition was that the beards stayed until the season was over

[gellar]

Holy shit I am pretty nervous.

[kronovan]

Flawless impersonation of Luongo by Quick there. 

[leo8877]

Holy shit I am pretty nervous.

Seriously. Never leave the window open.