June 11th, 2013 at 11:58 PM
By Brandon Der AvanessianThe Stanley Cup Playoffs may be the most grueling of postseasons amongst this country's major sports. The physical grind of hockey eventually takes its toll on teams and their players, and the club that's left standing in the end has usually avoided major injuries during their playoff run.
The Los Angeles Kings were taken down in the Western Conference Final by the Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday, and immediately the list of injuries began to pile up. Several players endured inhibiting injuries, which may help in explaining the lack of production from some of the Kings' top skaters.
Captain and first-line forward Dustin Brown revealed a torn PCL (knee), an injury he said he played through since suffering it in Game 6 of the team's second-round series with the San Jose Sharks. After co-leading the team in 2012 with 20 points in 20 playoff games, Brown recorded just four points in 18 postseason contests this year, leading many to believe he was playing through some sort of physical issue. The 28-year-old winger will likely avoid surgery, instead resting the knee for a four to six week recovery period.
Read more... Join the Conversation... June 8th, 2013 at 11:45 PM
By Brandon Der AvanessianThe Kings will head back home to Los Angeles after Game 5 of their Western Conference Final series with the Chicago Blackhawks, just not for the reasons they intended.
Los Angeles had an opportunity to extend the series to a sixth game at Staples Center after tying Saturday's contest in the final seconds, but the Blackhawks eventually prevailed 4-3 in double overtime, ending the Kings' run as Stanley Cup champions.
"You play hockey in June to win," said Kings forward Justin Williams. "You get this far, to not have a chance to defend it, it's frustrating. I can't stand looking at somebody else raising that cup, and now we're oing to have to do it."
Patrick Kane recorded the first conference-finals hat trick since Wayne Gretzky did it in 1993, including the game-winning goal 11:40 into the second overtime period as Chicago clinched its second Stanley Cup Finals berth in three years. The Blackhawks will meet the 2011 Cup champion Boston Bruins in the finals, which will begin on Wednesday in Chicago.
Corey Crawford made 33 saves for the 2013 Western Conference champs to help eliminate the Kings in five games.
Read more... Join the Conversation... June 6th, 2013 at 11:59 PM
By Brandon Der Avanessian
The Chicago Blackhawks moved to within one game of their second Stanley Cup Finals appearance in three years with a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 on Thursday night.
Marian Hossa scored the game-winner, and Bryan Bickell added a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks ended the Kings' 15-game home winning streak.
"They were playing so well at home, and to finally break that streak, we're happy about it," said Hossa. "We knew about it. We talked about it before the game. We were hoping to break it, and we got it."
Corey Crawford stopped 19 of 21 shots, and Patrick Kane scored his first of the series, tying the game near the end of the second period. The Blackhawks took a 3-1 series lead, even with their leader in ice time, Duncan Keith, serving a one-game suspension for slashing Jeff Carter in the face two nights earlier.
The Blackhawks will have a chance to close the series out Saturday in Game 5 at United Center.
Dustin Penner and Slava Voynov scored for Los Angeles, but their 2-1 lead evaporated within a span of two minutes and 49 seconds near the end of the second period and in the opening minutes of the third.
Read more... Join the Conversation... June 6th, 2013 at 12:56 PM
By Brandon Der AvanessianForward Mike Richards will sit out a third consecutive game on Thursday when his Los Angeles Kings take on the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final.
Richards suffered a concussion in Game 1 after he was leveled behind the Chicago net by Dave Bolland. The team has referred to his ailment as an "upper-body" injury, but head coach Darryl Sutter admitted his center man is suffering from concussion-like symptoms when he talked to reporters after Thursday morning's game-day skate.
"He didn't skate today so he won't play tonight," Sutter said. "Protocol is very clear. You've covered enough concussions. Surely you know the protocol."
Rookie Tyler Toffoli has stepped into the lineup in Richards' absence, playing on the second line with Jeff Carter and Dustin Penner. Together, they may have been the best line for Los Angeles over the last two games. Toffoli has tallied a goal and two assists in the two games since Richards was hurt.
With Richards on the sidelines, the Kings' depth is reduced. Sutter decided to juggle the lines going into Game 3, and it seemingly had a positive effect on the team.
Read more... Join the Conversation... June 5th, 2013 at 2:50 PM
By Brandon Der AvanessianThe Los Angeles Kings took their first step toward recovery in their Western Conference Final series with the Chicago Blackhawks, earning a 3-1 victory at Staples Center on Tuesday.
Slava Voynov notched the game-winner and Jonathan Quick was able to bounce back after a poor performance in Game 2, as the defending champs trimmed the Blackhawks' series lead in half, to 2-1.
The Kings improved to 8-0 at home in the playoffs, and extended their winning streak at Staples Center to 15 dating back to the regular season.
Los Angeles is now 22-0 this year when scoring first in their own building, a feat accomplished by Justin Williams just 3:21 into Tuesday's game.
Williams worked hard to keep the puck alive in the offensive zone and was rewarded seconds later with a cross-ice pass from Voynov. Williams quickly controlled the puck at the left circle and launched it past Corey Crawford for his sixth goal of the postseason, and fourth in the last four games.
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