I am not emotionally prepared to write a recap yet about the Los Angeles Kings Game 3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks which gave them a 3-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time since... ever. So instead listen to myself, Podcaster General Jesse Cohen, The Mayor John Hoven and Matt from Life In Hockeywood break down Game 3 and talk about what are four guys who are used to a culture of losing supposed to do now.
The last time a Los Angeles Kings hockey team held a 2-0 lead in a playoff series it was 1968 against the Minnesota North Stars. You remember 1968, right? The first year the Los Angeles Kings were a team in the NHL!
It was so long ago they didn't even have color!
Boy... they sure fought strangely in 1967-68.
The Los Angeles Kings ended the 1967-1968 season with 72 points finishing 2nd in the newly formed West Division. You remember the West Division, right? The one with Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and St. Louis?
Wow. The expansion LA Kings scored 12 more goals than the 2011-2012 LA Kings. In 8 less games.
The Flyers, Kings, Blues and North Stars finished in the Top 4 spots and advanced on to the playoffs. You think playoff seeding is messed up now? In 1968, the #1 played the #3 and the #2 played the #4. So that's how the Minnesota North Stars and the Los Angeles Kings met in the NHL Quarterfinals on April 4th, 1968 in Los Angeles. And I'd like to imagine it looked something like this:
Looking good, boys.
But in actuality... it probably looked something like this. Or exactly like this:
Plenty of great seats available.
The Kings won the 1st two games at home, the dropped the next two on the road at the amazing Met Center.
And in typical Los Angeles Kings fashion... after holding a dominant series lead... the Kings shit the bed and ended up losing in 7 games, culminating with a 9-5 drubbing in Game 7. Doug Robinson and Lowell McDonald tied for the lead in team scoring with 7 points each. And I imagine it all looked something like this:
Do I think the Los Angeles Kings will end up losing their 1st Round Series against the Vancouver Canucks after being up 2-0? Man, it's hard not to when history always repeats itself.
Let's go, Kings fans. Make us proud while on a national TV audience this Sunday at Staples Center. Because in one motion... you can rate the Vancouver Canucks' dives on a scale of 1-10 AND show them how many goals the Los Angeles Kings are going to score on Roberto LuongoCory Schneider???
Yes.
You can download a full-size PDF version here to print out. Nothing would make me happier than this sign making it onto the NBCSN Broadcast. Make us proud, Kings fans.
(If that download link doesn't work, let me know.)
The Million Dollar Nerdtet is back!!! Myself, Podcaster General Jesse Cohen, The Mayor John Hoven and Matt from Life In Hockeywood break down the Los Angeles Kings Game 2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks and whether or not Jesse will be healthy enough to make it to Game 3.
I wish there was some way to visually represent what the faces of Vancouver Canucks fans must have looked like when the Los Angeles Kings beat them 4-2 in Game 2 of the 1st Round of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Nope.
Getting colder.
Nailed it.
The Los Angeles Kings come back to LA with a 2 game lead that has all of Canada acting calmlypanicking the fuck out. I know that Vancouver is a very green-friendly city... so it's great that they'll be able to recycle this headline from Game 1 for Game 2.
It's been just under 48 hours since the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks... and I think Indiana Matt has created a photoshop for each one of those hours.
We all have our roles here at The Royal Half Headquarters. I am the creative genius and driving force behind the site. Indiana Matt is the photoshop expert and in-house Midwestern Farm Boy. And the latest addition to our team, Brigitte from One Girl, One Puck, is the resident raging alcoholic. No, seriously guys... she really, really has a problem. We shouldn't make light of it one bit. So instead... we are going to let her make fun of it! So if you are watching at home or watching at an awesome Watch Party in Cerritos (where ever the hell that is!)... presenting, the Official Los Angeles Kings Playoff Drinking Game!!!
The good thing is that you know Drew Doughty will always pick up the tab. Cute white iPhone, Drew.
What is the only thing worse than losing Game 1 at home to the 8th overall seed? Losing Game 1 at home by a goal from the worst player on the 8th overall seed.
I call it the Penner Pump. And it's sweeping the nation. Just like the panic over the Canucks is sweeping Canada.
If there is one thing I've learned from reading every single Los Angeles Kings-Vancouver Canucks series preview... it's that LA Kings goaltender Jon Quick needs to play great in order for the team to win this series. And this would be different from every other playoff series anywhere in which apparently the goalie doesn't need to play great. Let's be honest... this series doesn't come down to whether Daniel Sedin is in the lineup... or whether Jeff Carter can score with an injured ankle... or any sort of elite-on-elite goaltender battle. The biggest key to this series is whether or not the Vancouver Canucks can adapt to the only proven system that can beat the Los Angeles Kings in important games.
