Nobody has proven more difficult to score on in recent springs than the stingy Los Angeles Kings, who have parlayed their heavy, defence-oriented playoff style into two of the past three Stanley Cup championships.
They beat you up, beat you down, and eventually beat a path to the next series.
That’s how the Kings roll. Few are stronger on a late-game draw than Jarret Stoll, more clutch in the playoff nets than Jonathan Quick, or better providers when it comes to Game 7-winning goals than Justin Williams.
But there is, however, one problem:
Before Darryl Sutter’s crew can use all of that playoff experience, the Kings must qualify for the post-season. That, it seems, has become a serious issue for Los Angeles.
“We’ve got three days left in our season. Two games,” said Williams, still a bit stunned after L.A.’s 4-2 loss in Edmonton Tuesday night. “Hopefully it doesn’t end there, because we’ve got a Stanley Cup caliber team here. It would be a shame not to be able to show it.”
The Kings’ season all boils down to Thursday night in Calgary. If Los Angeles loses in regulation to the Flames, they are eliminated. If the Kings get only one point, Calgary clinches a playoff spot and the Kings’ only chance for life is if Winnipeg loses both of its final two games in regulation time. And, L.A. must win its season finale on Saturday at home against San Jose.
L.A. could win both of its final games and still miss the playoffs. But a win against Calgary is truly a prerequisite for any playoff dreams, with the Flames and Jets meeting on the season’s final day.
“You’re going to see our best game (in Calgary Thursday),” said defenceman Drew Doughty. “The Kings, when we play our best hockey we’re still one of the best teams in the league and I think everyone knows that. We just haven’t been able to do that consistently this year.
“Calgary has kind of had our number this year and we owe them. Going into their building, we’re going to play a big, hard, rough road game and get a win there.”
Tuesday’s game in Edmonton was a microcosm of the Kings’ season. The defending Stanley Cup champs have been chasing the playoffs all year long, sitting within a point or two of the wildcard positions for most of the year. On Tuesday they were chasing the game all night, finally losing to a nicked up 28th place team playing without two of its four regular centres and three of its top five defencemen.
“You’re right, we were chasing the game,” Stoll said. “You’re down one, chasing the game. Down two chasing the game. It’s a hard league, and it’s tough to come back no matter who you’re playing.
“We’ve got two games. We’ve got to play well in Calgary and get two points there, then see what happens.”
So, what does happen when a team like the Kings blows it like this? Clearly they have enough talent to be a playoff team, but according to sportsclubstats.com on Wednesday, L.A.’s chances of making the playoffs have plummeted to 21.6% — the worst among NHL teams not yet mathematically eliminated.
You can say that the absence of Slava Voynov for most of the season due to his domestic violence charges has hurt L.A., but surely that roster is strong enough to survive the loss of one defenceman. The Kings power play is ranked ninth in the league, their penalty kill 17th — not great, but not debilitating. The Kings goals-against average ranks fifth in the NHL.
So, what’s wrong? Well, you won’t get anyone in this group to bare their soul on that front. Not yet anyhow, while there is still a chance they can walk into the Saddledome and reel Calgary back in.
“It hasn’t been the greatest season, but we still have a chance,” Doughty said. “We win the next game against Calgary, and the next one against San Jose… Some other things have to work out for us but we still have a chance.”
As for Calgary, this is what the Flames are all about. One shot to take out the defending Cup champs, on home ice, in Game 81.
Suddenly, the hunters become the hunted.
“We all know what’s at stake. There’s a great team coming in, the Stanley Cup champs, in our building. We’re on a mission. We know what we can do,” Flames coach Bob Hartley promised, just seconds after the Oilers had beaten the Kings in a game televised inside the Saddledome media room Tuesday.
“We play every game to win,” he said. “That’s the thing – I’ll put my faith one more time in my players. (Wednesday) we’ll have a good meeting, a good practice, let them prepare and then we’ll drop the puck on Thursday night.”
They say you’ve got to KO the champ. The Flames seem the perfect team for that job don’t they?
