HOCKEY ........ are you kidding me ?

[justpassingthru]

Kings beat Coyotes in OT to advance to Cup Final

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It has been nearly two decades, but the Los Angeles Kings are back in the Stanley Cup Final.

Dustin Penner scored at 17:42 of overtime Tuesday to give the Kings a 4-3 victory against the Phoenix Coyotes, completing a five-game triumph in the Western Conference Finals and putting them into the Final for the first time since 1993.

Penner collected the puck in the middle of the ice and sent it to Jeff Carter, who skated into the right circle for a shot that Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith turned aside. The rebound caromed into the slot, and Penner was there to lift it into the top of the net past a lunging Smith.

"It is pretty exciting," Kings captain Dustin Brown said. "There are a few guys in here that have been there and had the opportunity, but a lot of guys haven’t. It is what you play for."

Added defenseman Drew Doughty: "I don’t even know what to say. We’re just so happy in here. I’m so excited, but at the same time we’re going to celebrate tonight and today and enjoy it. Tomorrow, we’re right back at it and we’re in the Stanley Cup [Final]. That’s what we’ve dreamt of our whole lives and what we’ve worked for [since the] summer."

The series-winning goal came on the Kings' 51st shot at Smith. Jonathan Quick made 38 saves as the Kings won for the 12th time in 14 postseason games this spring. They also set a playoff record by winning their 10th consecutive road game in the postseason, and another by going 8-0 on the road so far this spring.

Los Angeles became only the second team to knock off the top three seeds in the conference since the League switched to this playoff format. The other was Calgary in 2004. Kings coach Darryl Sutter was behind the bench for that Flames team as well.

"I'm proud of the players. That's the biggest thing for me," Sutter said. "Hell of an accomplishment for the players. That's what it's about. They're the guys that sweat and bleed. That's what it's about. I know from being a player. I'm proud of them guys."

The Kings are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993, when Wayne Gretzky was their captain and Barry Melrose was their coach. Los Angeles lost that Final in five games to Patrick Roy and the Montreal Canadiens. The Kings won Game 1, but lost the next three in overtime before Montreal closed out the series.

Now the Kings will try again to capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. They will begin the Final in either New York or Newark, N.J., and Game 1 is set for May 30. The Rangers and Devils play Game 5 in the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday in New York.

"Things have come together at the right time for us," Brown said. "It is one of those things where we are getting contributions from everyone. We’ve had different heroes on different nights, and that goes a long way. It has a snowball effect, and you don’t have to rely on the same guys each and every night."

Phoenix reached the conference finals for the first time in franchise history in a season when few expected the Coyotes to return to the postseason after two straight first-round exits and the loss of free-agent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. The Coyotes not only returned to the playoffs but captured a division title for the first time in franchise history.

"Ultimately I think our players should look back and feel good about a lot of the things that they accomplished this year," Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said. "We have a lot of young players that this experience has been unbelievable for. Players like [Mikkel] Boedker, [Oliver] Ekman-Larsson, that this will help them grow, continue to strengthen our organization. I think we all recognize what Mike Smith has done for this organization this year, giving us real stability at that position. The frustration will go away and the building of a new team for next year will start very soon.

"You know, I just think these guys here should be really -- I think the amount that this team gave to get us to this spot I don't think should be taken lightly or forgotten easily. This is an incredible group. How hard they worked to get here should be well-recognized."

Added captain Shane Doan: "You appreciate [the run], but it doesn't feel any better than getting knocked out in the first round. It doesn't feel any better right now. Maybe in the future, you'll appreciate it, but right now you don't."

The Coyotes had two great chances to win this contest -- a 5-on-3 in the third period and a power play in overtime -- but the Kings’ penalty-killers were up to the task. Seconds before Penner’s goal, Brown nailed Michal Rozsival with an open-ice hit near the Los Angeles blue line an instant after an offside call; the hit knocked the veteran Phoenix defenseman from the game and incensed the Coyotes players when no penalty was called.

"I haven’t seen really seen a highlight of it," Brown said. "Rozsival is cutting to the middle, and I cut across and made contact. Obviously they thought it was kneeing. It happened at high [speed], but I thought I got him with my shoulder, or my whole left side made contact with his right side from toe to shoulder."

There hadn’t been a period with more than two goals during the first 13 of this series, but there was an outbreak of offense in middle period Tuesday. Los Angeles controlled the play for long stretches and attempted a whopping 36 shots in the period, putting 20 on net. But Phoenix was opportunistic, and both teams ended up with a pair of goals.

Marc-Antoine Pouliot scored his first career playoff goal at 6:23 of the second to put Phoenix ahead 2-1. Pouliot didn’t score in 13 regular-season contests for the Coyotes this season, and hadn’t scored an NHL goal since April 2, 2010, when he played for Edmonton.

Doughty tied it at 11:06. He received a pass from Colin Fraser at the right point and drifted towards the top of the offensive zone before firing a wrist shot through traffic that found the back of the net. It was his second goal of the postseason, and his 10 points are one shy of New York’s Dan Girardi for the League lead among defensemen.

"I think my game this whole playoffs has been really good," Doughty said. "I think I’m back to that guy I know I can be. I want to continue to be that guy. I think for us to win the Stanley Cup, I have to be the best defenseman on the ice every night. I’m going to make sure I’m doing that."

Mike Richards gave Los Angeles its first lead of the night a little more than two minutes later. Richards scored on the rebound of Penner's backhand attempt at 13:43 for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

Just when it appeared the Kings might take complete control, the Coyotes struck again to knot the score at three. Defenseman Keith Yandle scored his first goal of the postseason at 16:23 by skating to the right post and redirecting a centering feed from Taylor Pyatt along the left wall with his shin.

The Coyotes dominated the opening 10 minutes of the game and grabbed a 1-0 lead that could have been more. Martin Hanzal one-timed a feed from the slot with Taylor Pyatt in front providing a screen. Hanzal's power-play shot went off Pyatt and past Quick at 4:20 for his fourth goal of the postseason.

The Coyotes had seven of the first eight shots, and had another power play when the Kings were pinched for too many men at 10:28. But instead of maintaining the momentum, Phoenix gave up a shorthanded goal.

Smith’s puckhandling has been a weapon all season for the Coyotes, but he iced the puck with his team on the power play and paid the price. Anze Kopitar won the offensive-zone faceoff, and after a Brown attempt was blocked, Kopitar tipped a point shot from Doughty past Smith at 11:13.

Kopitar now has six goals in the postseason, and Brown extended his team-leading point total to 16 -- one behind Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux for tops in the League. The shorthanded goal was the Kings' fifth of the playoffs; the other 15 teams have combined for a total of six.

The Coyotes had a great chance to grab the lead early in the third period. Jarrett Stoll and Matt Greene were sent to the penalty box 19 seconds apart, giving Phoenix a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage. Quick made four saves before Hanzal knocked Kopitar to the ice when he was trying to cover the left point, was called for interference and the Kings killed off the ensuing 4-on-3 to escape with the score still tied.

The Kings can put their feet up and watch the Rangers and Devils battle it out for the other berth in the Final -- they'll have a week off before Game 1. But come early June, there will be Final games in the city that's seen plenty of titles won by baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers and the NBA Los Angeles Lakers. The Kings will have a chance to join that group of championship winners.

"We'll probably have to get a bigger bandwagon," Penner said. "It's great for the city, great for hockey especially in Southern California. I think we have a pretty rabid fan base. I think you'll see more of that now."

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

The problem with that ump is that the only thing that that will do is make the Habs that much better at sucking and taking it up the ass, lol.

I don't know if anyone could make the Habs suckier, but I wouldn't mind see her use a strap-on and give it to the whole team.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

Kings beat Coyotes in OT to advance to Cup Final

The Kings are on such a roll, how do you think a week off will affect them, JPT?

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by umpire2

The Kings are on such a roll, how do you think a week off will affect them, JPT?

It really is a shame to have to curb that momentum for 8 days, which will seem like an eternity to the Kings. The worst part is that they will not have any "real game" conditions during that length of time, but it also allows a few bumps and scrapes to heal a bit.

I can see a bit of a letdown in game 1 of the final, but these guys are firing on all cylinders right now and I hope that they show up.

[justpassingthru]

I just had to post this pic.

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by umpire2

I don't know if anyone could make the Habs suckier,

Speaking of the Habs ... and taking it up the ass.

[justpassingthru]

Almost forgot ... The London Knights beat the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-1 last night in Memorial Cup action.

London plays Shawinagan tonight.

[leed's 13th child]

Sorry, Ump...the Rags lost again.
Heck of a game to watch.
Let's hope the Devils can finish it off at home on Friday.
Go Devils!

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by leed's 13th child

Sorry, Ump...the Rags lost again.
Heck of a game to watch.
Let's hope the Devils can finish it off at home on Friday.
Go Devils!

Yuppers, Marty is one game away from going back to the Stanley Cup finals again in hope of winning his 4th Stanley Cup ring to go along with the 2 Gold Medals that he helped team Canada win, with the last one in 2010.

Not bad for a guy that is 40 years young and still one of the best goalies to ever play the great game of hockey.

New Jersey won 5-3 to take a 3-2 series lead.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by leed's 13th child

Sorry, Ump...the Rags lost again.
Heck of a game to watch.
Let's hope the Devils can finish it off at home on Friday.
Go Devils!

Damn! The poor () Rangers

[justpassingthru]

St John beat Shawinagan 4-1 last night which means that Shawinagan will play Edmonton tonight in a tie breaker. The winner of this game will play St John in the semi final tomorrow, with the winner of that game taking on the London Knights (who finished first in the standings) for the Memorial Cup championship on Sunday.

[justpassingthru]

CBC, duo take heat for 'girl talk' Hockey Night program

While Hockey Night in Canada commentators Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson talk about blocked shots and great saves by Jonathan Quick, these women will talk about gorgeous players and Darryl Sutter's fashion sense.
The CBC has partnered up with Lena Sutherland and Jules Mancuso, the two women behind While The Men Watch, an online broadcast that offers alternative commentary with "girl talk" to live sporting events.
Sutherland and Mancuso will cover Stanley Cup final games that will be streamed on CBC's website. The program is called While the Men Watch Hockey Night.
"As two women married to sports fanatics, there was really no escaping hockey on TV — especially during playoffs," Sutherland and Mancuso wrote in a CBC blog post describing how their online show got started. "As our men were glued to the game, we were on the phone talking to each other about what we saw on the ice in a way that was completely different than what our guys or the real announcers were saying.
“Why were the players getting a seat and a drink in the penalty box if it's supposed to be a punishment? And how exactly did that coach pick out a brown suit and tie combo four sizes too big?"
Billed as a show where "Sex and the City meets Hockey Night" on the duo's Twitter profile (@whilemenwatch), fans were left fuming after the show's announcement, saying it was denigrating to women who watch hockey.
"Holy crap. Thanks for setting female sports fans back decades, CBC," Andrew Bucholtz, who runs Yahoo! Canada's CFL blog, wrote on Twitter (@AndrewBucholtz).
"Glad to know that in 2012, we're still patronizing the female sports fan. Good show, @cbc and @whilemenwatch," tweeted user Doogie (@doogie2k).
While the Men Watch Hockey Night will debut during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final May 30.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/05/23...-night-program

[justpassingthru]

Toronto's ball hockey fix called for interference

TORONTO - Left-wing and right-wing councillors were quick to check the idea of wrapping Toronto’s ball hockey players in red tape.
Councillors of all political stripes weren’t jumping over the boards to support the bureaucratic fix to the city’s ball hockey ban being championed by Councillor Josh Matlow.
The Ward 22, St. Paul’s councillor is heralding the news this week that after almost a year city staff will be coming back to the public works committee in June with a plan to lift the ball hockey ban on some streets.
Matlow’s says the proposed plan would allow residents to apply for a ball hockey exemption on their streets and they’ll get it if 80% of residents are OK with it, a traffic study is conducted, the street carries less than 1,000 cars a day and their local community council approves it.
Councillor John Parker, a member of the public works committee, shook his head at Matlow’s ball hockey breakaway.
“Look, I love my colleague Councillor Matlow to bits and I would never suggest that anything he brings forward is for the benefit of gaining public profile and the odd cheap headline,” Parker said Wednesday. “But I think the city has done just fine by way of accommodating road hockey on our streets without the benefit of a whole lot of study by city staff and committees.”
Matlow said questions over whether the new red tape was needed for a bylaw rarely enforced is a “fair argument”.
“I don’t think it is going to be overly bureaucratic,” Matlow told reporters. “I’m just glad that we’re taking an incremental approach to allow kids to not feel like, it’s not literally criminalizing, but they feel like they are being criminalized for playing a sport that they know is a Canadian tradition.”
Matlow stressed he believes the ball hockey ban bylaw is “archaic” and “far too paranoid of liability issues.” He suggested parents could take their kids through a “sort of a civics class” as they navigate the bureaucracy to free their street from the hockey bylaw.
“If they are on like a cul-de-sac and there are very few cars there and the sightline is appropriate and the whole street agrees then it should be no big deal,” he said.
Matlow doubted the initiative would be costly.
Traffic studies alone cost the city around $350. The bureaucratic cost of a similar process, getting speed humps added to a street, is around $1,700 a pop.
Public Works chairman Denzil Minnan-Wong wouldn’t predict what will happen at committee but said he believes Matlow’s idea should go “in the round file”.
“I think Councillor Matlow’s helmet is on a little too tight,” he said.
Left-leaning Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and right-leaning Councillor Doug Ford both balked at the thought of ball hockey bureaucracy.
“We should allow the kids to just play,” Wong-Tam said. “I think it works fine the way it is to be quite honest.”
Ford agreed the city should “just let the kids play”.
“I agree with what (Matlow) is doing but I disagree on the format he’s doing it,” he said.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/05/23...r-interference

[justpassingthru]

This one is for you ump.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

This one is for you ump.

OK, fair enough.

I'd eat that.

[leed's 13th child]

http://www.bikinihockeyleague.com/index.html

any thoughts on this...combines two of my great loves, but is it worth watching really bad hockey just to drool over some scantily clad ladies...yeah, probably.

the ice rash is gonna be ugly, though

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by leed's 13th child

http://www.bikinihockeyleague.com/index.html

any thoughts on this...combines two of my great loves, but is it worth watching really bad hockey just to drool over some scantily clad ladies...yeah, probably.

the ice rash is gonna be ugly, though

I'm sure that there are some hot babes that will lace up the skates but hockey isn't a novelty sport and injuries are common, even without direct contact. If they don't get geared up properly they risk injury ... and with gear on the bikini idea is pretty much moot.

Unlike the Lingerie Football League (which isn't playing this season btw) where they are on firm ground and it is easier to actually "show off their talents", I fear that the women will simply make a mockery of the great sport of hockey.

A for effort ... F for execution.

Press Release

Time is Now for Bikini Hockey
Tulsa, Okla. - The idea of a bikini hockey league came to Tulsan Cary Eskridge back in
2004 when the National Hockey League lockout occurred. The lack of major league hockey left
the media scrambling to fill the void of hockey news and fans looking for other forms of
entertainment. Not a man to sit still, Eskridge started looking for ways to fill the void and that is
when the idea of bikini hockey came to Eskridge’s mind.
But there was not enough time to react and make the dream a reality at that time. So the
idea stayed on the back burner waiting for the right time. Well, that time has finally come.
Eskridge has an extensive hockey background and feels now is the time to finally breathe
life into his long-time dream. Eskridge has a background in video production and has also owned
inline hockey leagues on and off for the past 20 years and believes the Bikini Hockey League
could bring back the popularity and awareness of inline hockey to the mainstream and introduce
new fans to a great sport.
Starting next month, Eskridge will start filming the pilot of a reality TV show that
revolves around a bikini hockey league. But many are asking, “why Tulsa?” Why not a larger
sports market such as New York or Los Angeles where more fans and potential participants can
be reached?
League owner Cary Eskridge feels Tulsa is a good location for many reasons. Tulsa’s
central location is one factor. “You just have to look at other major sports that have come to
Tulsa,” said Eskridge. “One of Tulsa’s biggest events on a national scale is the Chili Bowl
Midget Nationals held every year at the QuikTrip Center. Many thought it would never work
when it started more than 25 years ago and now Tulsa is one of the biggest reasons that event
works here.”
Eskridge has spent a lifetime promoting hockey in the Tulsa area and knows this market.
Tulsa’s central location will reduce travel time and more importantly reduce production costs
that would be enormous in major markets. Professional hockey has been played in Tulsa since
1928 and is a big part of Tulsa’s sports history. Eskridge is ready for Tulsa to take the next step.

[justpassingthru]

Edmonton lost 6-1 to Shawinagan tonight and is officially eliminated from the Memorial Cup. Shawinagan will play St John tomorrow for the right to to play the London Knights for the 2012 Memorial Cup on Sunday.

Edmonton put on a great season winning the WHL championship but fell short here which shows the level of talent that the CHL has if a great team like the Oil Kings are only average at best against these powerhouse teams that will supply the NHL with more quality players after the draft next month.

Congrat's to the Edmonton Oil Kings for a great season.

[justpassingthru]

Hockey Canada Announces 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge


CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, Halifax Mooseheads and Trade Centre Limited, announced Friday the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge, with two of four games to be played Monday, August 13 and Tuesday, August 14 at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, N.S.
The first two games will take place in Yaroslavl, Russia, on Thursday, August 9 and Friday, August 10, with the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge being held to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. The event will replace this season’s Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Development Camp and will serve as part of player evaluations for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled for December 26, 2012 to January 5, 2013 in Ufa, Russia.
More than 30 players, born in 1993 or later, will be selected to play for Canada at the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge. Kevin Prendergast, head scout of the men’s Program of Excellence for Hockey Canada, along with the team’s coaching staff, will continue to monitor those players and other potential candidates during regular season competition to determine who will be invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp in December. In total, 22 players will be selected to represent Canada at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“Hockey Canada is happy to bring the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge to Halifax, a hockey town with a proven track record of going above and beyond when hosting international events,” said Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “This will be a truly memorable way to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series.”
Two-game ticket packages for the Halifax leg of the series will go on sale Friday, May 18 at noon AT for $86, plus applicable fees. They are available by going to www.HockeyCanada.ca/Challenge, stopping by the Ticket Atlantic box office at the Halifax Metro Centre promenade via Carmichael and Duke streets, or by calling the box office at (902) 451-1221 or toll free at 1-877-451-1221.
“Halifax and Nova Scotia have a history of hosting international hockey events that have set new records for attendance and viewership,” said Scott Ferguson, president and CEO of Trade Centre Limited. “We are very pleased that Hockey Canada has chosen to partner with us once again. Nova Scotia is the ideal backdrop for this commemorative event, which is sure to generate excitement among fans from around the world.”
The 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge will also pay tribute to the city of Yaroslavl, the Kontinental Hockey League’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, which saw most of its team members and staff perish in a plane crash Sept. 7, 2011, and Team Canada alumnus Brad McCrimmon, who was coaching the Russian team at the time and died in the crash.
More details on the two games in Halifax, including information on coaching staff, the roster and media accreditation, will be released in the near future.
For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team and Hockey Canada, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca

[justpassingthru]

The Slovak national team continue to pay tribute to fallen comrade in arms Pavol Demitra by visiting the grave site, who along with 43 players, coaches and crew that died last year in a plane crash en route to an IHL game. I lost friends on that flight as well including long time friend Brad McCrimmon. RIP buddy.

HELSINKI, Finland — Belief is a powerful thing.
How else to explain Slovakia’s unlikely march to the gold-medal game at the IIHF World Hockey Championship? This is a country that had missed out on the quarter-finals for four straight years at the tournament and hadn’t won a medal here in almost a decade.
There’s only one difference this time around: They’re playing for Pavol Demitra, the long-time national team captain who was killed in the Lokomotiv air crash in September.
“We all know that we’re not playing just for us,” Zdeno Chara said after Saturday’s emotional 3-1 win over the Czech Republic in the semifinals. “We’re playing for our country and obviously with the tragedy that happened ... it’s also for Pav.”
This is the kind of story usually reserved for the movies. The Slovaks have been overmatched all along the way and barely got through a 5-4 victory over France that was needed to advance to the playoff round.
And now they’ll face Russia for a gold medal on Sunday.
“This is something really special,” said forward Tomas Tatar. “I don’t even have words for this.”
Demitra was always a heart-and-soul player that wore his country’s colours with pride. He left the ice in tears a year ago at the world championship, when he retired from the national team during the tournament on home ice in Bratislava.
The ovation he received was deafening.
Demitra is one of the most accomplished Slovak hockey players in history, having appeared in more than 800 NHL games, which included a two-year stint with the Vancouver Canucks. He also had a standout performance at the Vancouver Olympics, where Slovakia surprised everyone with a fourth-place finish.
The team is honouring his memory in different ways at this event — some wear T-shirts with his picture on it under their equipment while forward Tomas Kopecky dons a ball cap for post-game interviews that carries Demitra’s No. 38 on the front and the words “always remember” on the back.
They felt his presence during an upset win over Canada in the quarter-finals and Saturday’s win over the rival Czechs.
“When you look at the game against Canada, after we scored the third goal, I just looked up and said ’Thanks God,”’ said Kopecky. “He’s with us, it’s unbelievable. It’s just a great feeling.”
They will be heavy underdogs once again in the final against a Russian team that knows the pain of the Yaroslavl disaster more than anyone. There isn’t a player here who didn’t lose friends that day.
However, while the Russian players are reluctant to talk publicly about their grief, the Slovaks are bursting with energy. They can think of no better way to pay tribute to Demitra.
“He was really close friends for all of us,” said Kopecky. “I’m pretty sure he’s looking (down) from the sky on us. It’s very emotional right now. It’s nice to see after a win, everybody is looking up at him and singing the national anthem.”

[justpassingthru]

Hockey’s Growth in The Golden State – Where it’s Been, Where it’s Going

Posted on May 24, 2012
Over the next two weeks, thousands of words will be spilled out in both real and digital ink about the growth of hockey in the state of California. Most of those stories will have a lot of general thoughts about how far the game has come, but I wanted to give you the straight numbers to show just how far it has come over the last 20-plus years and where it might be headed.
With the Los Angeles Kings back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 19 years, hockey is back in Hollywood. Interest is at its highest point locally in the Post-Gretzky Era. As a result, the Kings, the National Hockey League and the game as a whole should be better for it.
What The Great One did for the game in the Golden State is well documented. Hollywood loves its stars and did it ever love Wayne Gretzky. With No. 99 in the lineup, the Kings played to a packed stadium and built an interest in the sport that made an indelible impact on the growth of hockey locally.
Though the ball essentially got rolling when Gretzky came to Cali, it would have been really easy for all of it to tail off in the last decade-plus without him. That wasn’t the case however. The seed was planted and the fans and volunteers at the grassroots level kept the water on.
Since 1990-91, California’s hockey-playing population has grown by a staggering 361.8 percent. As of 2010-11, there were 22,305 USA Hockey-registered players, the highest total in the history of California hockey. That number also gives California the seventh-highest hockey-playing population in the United States, trailing traditional hockey hotbeds of Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Coming up after the jump, a detailed look at California’s hockey growth, where it has made the biggest gains and where it’s going next.

Thanks to the fine folks at USA Hockey, I have membership totals dating back to 1990-91 for each state, with much more detailed breakdowns from 2005-06 on. If you’re familiar with my Raw Numbers posts from last summer, there will be a a slight overlap here, but mostly new detailed information, especially from the last five years.
Without further ado, here’s a look at the raw numbers in California.
In 1990-91, Gretzky Fever was in its third season. There were 4,830 players registered with USA Hockey in the entire state of California. More ice rinks began popping up to meet the growing demand and by 1992-93, that number nearly doubled to 9,316. After another two years, the numbers grew by 67 percent to 15,537 in 1995-96.
Then, in the middle of that 1995-96 season, Gretzky was traded to St. Louis and not surprisingly growth began to slow. The Kings were three years removed from that exciting run to the Stanley Cup and the biggest star in the game was gone.
The Gretzky Era in California, combined with NHL expansion to San Jose and Anaheim, brought forth a 221.8 percent increase in membership between 1990 and 1996. That kind of rapid growth would be hard, if not impossible to replicate. That said, it was that base set up by such rapid growth that allowed amateur hockey to continue to move forward in the state, just a bit more slowly.
By 1998-99, the hockey membership had made it to 16,771, only an increase of 1,234 players over four seasons. Then things started to fluctuate a bit.
Between 2000 and 2006, the hockey playing membership in California never managed to stay above 17,500 for more than a season, dipping to its lowest numbers in nearly a decade in 2005-06 when 16,176 players were registered statewide.
However growth wasn’t really as sluggish as it appeared during that span. Adult hockey throughout the country was not tracked as accurately as it is today. After an initiative to get more adult hockey leagues under USA Hockey’s registration, the numbers spiked once again in California.
In 2006-07, California’s hockey-playing population ballooned to 19,660, picking up more than 2,000 “new” members in the 20 and over age group. There were also improving numbers at the youth levels, which would continue.
California eclipsed 20,000 registered players for the first time in 2007-08. Another 1,000-plus gain in the 20 & over range led to a total membership of 21,167.
Membership dipped again, possibly due to California’s significant economic woes, and hovered around 20,400 in 2008-09 and 2009-10, but the trend shifted once again in 2010-11.
Just last year, California boasted a record 22,305 registered hockey players statewide. This time it was not bolstered solely by rising adult hockey numbers, which once again spiked by more than 1,000 members in 2010-11. Youth hockey at every level except the often difficult-to-maintain 17-18 age range (which only dropped by 19 players) experienced growth.
California saw a 10.5 percent increase in players ages 16 and below, with the biggest gains being made in the 10 & Under, 8 & Under and 6 & Under categories (14.6% combined). Those are the most crucial age groups to grow annually, as players that take up hockey between the ages of six and eight are more likely to keep coming back each year.
That 10 percent increase in overall membership in 2010-11 was the largest the state has experienced post-Gretzky.
What comes next for hockey’s growth in the state could be closely tied to what the Kings do in the Stanley Cup Final. Here are a few recent examples of how the Stanley Cup helped hockey explode in a pair of sleeping hockey markets:
Though we haven’t seen this season’s numbers to show what kind of impact the Boston Bruins had on the already high amateur hockey population in Massachusetts, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks showed what can happen when an established fan base awakens after years of not-so-patient waiting for something good to happen.
The Penguins reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2008, but fell short of winning the Cup. That run alone helped accelerate growth locally, triggering a five percent increase in hockey membership. Following Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup win in 2009, hockey membership in Western Pennsylvania rose by another 14 percent. A near-20 percent growth over two seasons is pretty significant and it hasn’t stopped yet. In 2010-11, Western Pennsylvania boasted a record high of 12,311 players, which represented a 13 percent spike from the previous season. With Sidney Crosby, the Stanley Cup, a new building and everything in between, Pittsburgh and Western PA youth hockey has benefited greatly.
Illinois, which has always been a strong state in terms of hockey participation had less room to grow than Western Pennsylvania, based on established membership, or so you’d think.
After the Blackhawks run to the Western Conference Final in 2009, Illinois’ membership increased by 2,064 players, a 13 percent gain. After the Blackhawks claimed their first Cup since 1961, Illinois grew to a record 26,528 players, up 10.5 percent from the previous year and 20.8 over two years. That may be only the beginning if what happened in Western Pennsylvania happens in Illinois.
California has had a Stanley Cup winner in the last five years, too. There was a seven percent spike in membership after the Anaheim Ducks won in 2007, though it could be argued the Kings have more reach than the Ducks and therefore could make a more significant impact with a Stanley Cup victory.
California may not be able to grow by 19-20 percent over the next two years as we saw in Western PA and Illinois. However, coming off a year in which hockey grew by 10 percent statewide, it wouldn’t be outlandish to predict something between 10 and 20 percent, which is thousands of new hockey players. (Note: The season that would be most impacted by the Kings’ success should be 2012-13, which we won’t have numbers for to review until June 2013.)
Though California is the most populous state in America, and the hockey population barely scratches the surface of the 37 million people living there, it’s a start. One would hope that this growth can go up by 5-10 percent per year for the next several. This run to the Cup Final could and probably should accelerate it.
We’ve seen what Gretzky can do. Now we have to wait and see what Stanley can do (win or lose).
For hockey fans that have been with the Kings for years and years, get ready for a lot of new people pretending they know what LA Kings hockey is all about. Bandwagon fans can be annoying for the die-hards that have been through the thick and thin and the Burger King jerseys, but it is important to welcome these bandwagon new fans.
Today’s bandwagon fans are tomorrow’s die-hards and quite possibly tomorrow’s youth and adult hockey players and hockey moms and dads.
Everybody finds the game one way or another. Some just take a little while longer than others. No matter what, the more fans there are the better hockey is for it.
California truly is a hockey success story. There have been barriers to growth every step of the way, but people still kept attaching to the game. Wayne Gretzky had a lot to do with it, but without the volunteers and coaches at the grassroots levels, sharing their love of the game with thousands of kids, none of this is possible.
Gretzky is gone, but those grassroots people are still there, working everyday to make the game more accessible to anyone who wants to try it.
Because of their hard work, the best is yet to come for hockey in California.

[umpire2]

North Dakota sweater green.jpg







University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux

[justpassingthru]

Speaking of "Sioux" ... the Sioux City Musketeers jersey worn by Sam Gagner now with the Edmonton Oilers.




They have come a long way since the 70's-80's.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

Speaking of "Sioux" ... the Sioux City Musketeers jersey worn by Sam Gagner now with the Edmonton Oilers.




They have come a long way since the 70's-80's.

Those are neat, JPT!

























Oh, I almost forgot.......FUCK THE RANGERS

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by umpire2

Oh, I almost forgot.......FUCK THE RANGERS

I'm not a fan of the New Jersey Devils but am a fan of Marty Brodeur ... and hope that they can end this series tonight and send the Rangers and John Tortorella packing.

[justpassingthru]

I know that this will break your heart ump ... but NJ currently leads NY 2-0 at the end of the 1st period.

[leed's 13th child]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

I know that this will break your heart ump ... but NJ currently leads NY 2-0 at the end of the 1st period.

Yep...I'm moist.

Go Devils!

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by leed's 13th child

Yep...I'm moist.

Go Devils!

2-1 now and we have a hockey game.

[justpassingthru]

Are you still moist ???

It's 2-2.

[leed's 13th child]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

Are you still moist ???

It's 2-2.

Oh yeah...Eastern Conference Champs...I'm SOAKED!!

[umpire2]

Did I mention...........................






















































.................................FUCK THE RANGERS!!!!!

[justpassingthru]

CHL:

Shawinagan beat St John 7-4 last night to advance to the Memorial Cup Championship on Sunday against the London Knights to play for CHL supremacy.

AHL:

Marlies advance to Calder Cup Finals

May 25, 2012

The Toronto Marlies have won the Robert W. Clarke Trophy as the AHL’s Western Conference champions for 2011-12, advancing to the Calder Cup Finals with a 3-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto on Friday evening.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The Toronto Marlies have won the Robert W. Clarke Trophy as the American Hockey League’s Western Conference champions for 2011-12, advancing to the Calder Cup Finals with a 3-1 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto on Friday evening.

Simon Gysbers scored the game-winning goal with 11:22 left in regulation, Matt Frattin potted his league-leading ninth and 10th goals of the playoffs, and Ben Scrivens finished with 26 saves to send Toronto to the Game 5 victory.
The top affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies won the North Division title and finished third overall in the league standings with a record of 44-24-5-3 (96 points) this season. Led by third-year head coach Dallas Eakins, Toronto defeated the Rochester Americans in the conference quarterfinals (3-0), the Abbotsford Heat in the conference semifinals (4-1) and the Barons in the conference finals (4-1) to become the first Leafs affiliate since 1992 to advance to the Calder Cup Finals.

The 2012 Calder Cup Finals – the AHL’s 76th championship series – will pit the Marlies against the Eastern Conference champion Norfolk Admirals beginning Friday, June 1, in Norfolk. The complete series schedule is below.

Established in 1990, the AHL’s Western Conference championship trophy honors the late Robert W. Clarke. Mr. Clarke served as the Chairman of the AHL’s Board of Governors from 1967-94, and in 1956, he played an instrumental role in the formation of the Rochester Americans, one of the most successful franchises in AHL history and themselves a seven-time recipient of the Clarke Trophy.

2012 Calder Cup Finals (best-of-seven)
E1-Norfolk Admirals vs. W2-Toronto Marlies
Game 1 – Fri., June 1 – Toronto at Norfolk, 7:30 ET
Game 2 – Sat., June 2 – Toronto at Norfolk, 7:15 ET
Game 3 – Thurs., June 7 – Norfolk at Toronto, 7:00 ET
Game 4 – Sat., June 9 – Norfolk at Toronto, 3:00 ET
*Game 5 – Sun., June 10 – Norfolk at Toronto, 3:00 ET
*Game 6 – Wed., June 13 – Toronto at Norfolk, 7:15 ET
*Game 7 – Fri., June 15 – Toronto at Norfolk, 7:30 ET
*if necessary

[umpire2]

SHAWINIGAN.......

Shawinigan_cataractes_2005.gif

THEY'LL ALWAYS BE THE BRUINS TO ME.....

[umpire2]

0.JPG

[justpassingthru]

"Cataractes" ... isn't that how a Chinese person pronounces Cadillac ???

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

"Cataractes" ... isn't that how a Chinese person pronounces Cadillac ???

You racist bastard!

(They are still the Bruins. 'Catacactes' is an alias)

[umpire2]

a69oo3jvpfcs2h40j8mrajuaz.gif

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by umpire2

You racist bastard!

(They are still the Bruins. 'Catacactes' is an alias)

Hey I love Chinese food and always include "chicken flied lice" with my meal.

I still remember this cool old woman in a Chinese restaurant in Vancouver saying "it's a vegetable ... you can eat it" with that great accent of hers.

[leed's 13th child]

what's up with Nickleback being the soundtrack to this year's playoffs. Usually, I can get into any band/song that I associate with a successful post-season run...but having listened to them during all the replays,, gotta say, they kind of suck.

Must be 'cause they're Canadian?

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by leed's 13th child

what's up with Nickleback being the soundtrack to this year's playoffs. Usually, I can get into any band/song that I associate with a successful post-season run...but having listened to them during all the replays,, gotta say, they kind of suck.

Must be 'cause they're Canadian?

Nickleback is boring; Hockey is not......so they don't mix

[justpassingthru]

Seriously !!!

Btw, they are also headlining at the 2012 NHL awards in Las Vegas on June 20th and Chad wanted me to tell you that he wishes your Devils the best of luck in the finals. A great band out of Hanna Alberta, just northeast of Calgary.

[justpassingthru]

Cataractes win Memorial Cup

SHAWINIGAN, Que. – For the eighth time in the last 40 years, the Memorial Cup needed an overtime hero.
Today, his name is Anton Zlobin.
The crafty Russian scored 17:51 into overtime to deliver the Shawinigan Cataractes their long-awaited first Canadian Hockey League title, 2-1 over the London Knights before 4,763 Sunday night at Centre Bionest in one of the most riveting finals in tournament history.
Zlobin will get free poutine for life in Quebec.
For the Knights, it's a shot right to the gut.
Seven years ago when the Knights won the Cup, it felt like the coronation of a king.
This time, they tried to grab the crown and shove it onto their heads, defying all pretenders with fortified defence, expert shot-blocking, timely scoring and shameless icings.
The game plan worked perfectly but, in the end, they fell one goal short.
They call Shawinigan the ‘Energy City,’ and you have to wonder where the Cataractes got theirs this week.
Four games in five nights wasn't enough.
They needed the legs for overtime, too, before finally knocking off the Knights.
After 43 years of close-but-no-cigars, they started to feel like a team of destiny this year.
The Cats had been either prince or paupers in their star-crossed Quebec league history. They were hoping for, just this once, to sit in the throne.
They finally got there.
But not before Eric Veilleux's run-and-gunners had a devil of a time removing the sword from GM and head coach Mark Hunter's massive stone of discipline and structured hockey.
Nothing was decided after three periods.
Fitting, because no one with the Knights saw a trip to the final coming. Not until the trade deadline, anyway.
“Once we saw (the indefatigable Austin) Watson and (Greg) McKegg walk in the room in January,” London forward Matt Rupert said, “we knew what was expected of us.”
London lost its head coach Dale Hunter to the NHL's Washington Capitals and his Stanley Cup dreams, but never flinched. His younger brother Mark stepped in.
The Knights stared at elimination for the first time in the last game on the Canadian Hockey League calendar, and didn't blink.
London turned defenceman into forwards, forwards into D-men, and sat out older players to give younger kids minutes. They put together a checking line of 18-and-unders who didn't care if they played against the other team's top scorers.
They had junior hockey's best goalie, then camped out in front of him and did everything humanly possible to avoid pucks from getting to him.
A handful of Knights from the 2005 Cup champs flew in on a private plan for the game, including Anaheim Ducks star Corey Perry and former captain Danny Syvret. Knights rookie assistant coach Dylan Hunter was on that legendary Knights team, too.
“We wanted to be here to support the boys,” former Knights sniper Rob Schremp said, “and to hope this team got to feel what we did back then. The games I saw them play, and it was just in the playoffs, they were relentless (the way they were in '05).
“They never give up and keep pushing. It's great to see and it's fun to watch.”
London had a dream start.
They wanted, in the first 10 minutes, to score first, shut down Shawinigan's red-hot offence and take the revved-up crowd out of it early.
They did it all.
Ryan Rupert put the Knights, who came in with four days rest, on the board 5:42 into the game, banging home a pass in the slot after furious forechecking by his twin brother Matt, and Austin Watson. The Cataractes surrendered the opening goal in five of their six Cup games.
Shawinigan scored 13 goals in its previous two games and lit up London for a half-dozen last Sunday.
But it took them 10 minutes to register a shot and they ended up with only four in the opening 20 minutes. It looked like the Cats needed a map to find the Knights net.
When you're watching London play, you have to look beyond the usual stats to the smaller things – blocked shots, faceoff wins and the number of icings.
London GM and head coach Mark Hunter figured if his team could establish a lead and play physically, the quick Shawinigan forwards would start to feel the lead in their legs from playing four games in five nights.
But Russian forward Anton Zlobin gave the Cats a second-period jolt, scoring three minutes in to tie the game.
From there, it turned into a stalemate.
Shawinigan was trying to become the second team – after Watson's 2009 Windsor Spitfires – to win the Cup from the tiebreaker game.
It's a little easier to do now because there's a day off between the semifinal and the championship game. Teams no longer have to play three-in-three to win the tournament like they did seven years ago.
In fact, the 2005 Knights were the last team able to jump on a tuckered-out squad, beating the Sidney Crosby-led Rimouski Oceanic less than 24 hours after they had to win a semifinal game against Ottawa.
The following year, the CHL added the day off in between, hoping to create more competitive final games. In Quebec, they call it the 'Doris Labonte' rule after the outspoken Oceanic coach, who complained about the format.

[umpire2]

Originally Posted by justpassingthru

Cataractes win Memorial Cup

After the first period, I was thinking: 'are these guys ever going to get a shot on net'?

Way to go BRUINS!

[justpassingthru]

Seven things the Devils need to do to win it all

The Devils have arrived in the Stanley Cup Final on the backs of many heroes.
Martin Brodeur's goaltending has been spectacular. Coach Peter DeBoer's moves have worked. Ilya Kovalchuk is finding his way onto the scoresheet on a game-by-game basis. Zach Parise is leading by example. Adam Henrique has been, as he said, "Johnny on the spot." The fourth line has been superb. The defense corps is way better than advertised. The forecheck is relentless and aggressive enough to put teams on their heels right from the drop of the puck.


It all has had to work in sync for the Devils to arrive at the championship doorstep, four wins away from raising the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in franchise history.
It all has to continue to work in sync if they want to complete the run against the red-hot Los Angeles Kings, who are every bit as talented, every bit as deep, every bit as well-coached, and every bit as relentless.
For the Devils to win the Stanley Cup, here are seven elements to their game that have to go right:
1. Stay marvelous Marty
It seems in these playoffs that Martin Brodeur is a 30-year-old goalie stuck in a 40-year-old's body. He has turned back the clock on his career with a stellar run so far, but he has to stay on point if he wants to get the better of Jonathan Quick like he did of Henrik Lundqvist.
Brodeur, who has 12 wins, a 2.04 goals-against average and .923 save percentage, has a lot going for him right now.
First off, he's been here before, four times in fact. Quick has not. Experience matters when the pressure is on.
Secondly, his legend is strong enough to get into the heads of many shooters, especially when he's making saves and poke checks like he was in the third period of Game 6 against the Rangers.
But, most of all, Brodeur is playing with the confidence he had during the Devils so-called dynasty years from 1995-2003, when they won the Stanley Cup three times and reached the Final four times.
He has to be great for one more series to match his idol, Patrick Roy, with four Stanley Cup championships.
2. Win the fourth line battle
The Devils and Kings look pretty even on paper, but the one area where New Jersey may have a distinct edge is in the fourth line.
Stephen Gionta, Ryan Carter and Steve Bernier have been awesome. The Kings fourth line of Colin Fraser, Brad Richardson and Jordan Nolan has been good enough to keep up the forecheck and provide some energy minutes, but the Devils fourth liners are coming off a series in which they scored four goals, including three over the last two games.
With Gionta's speed, Carter's grit and Bernier's skill, they hardly resemble a fourth line. They were able to get up the ice quickly against the Rangers and keep the puck in deep for long stretches of time. There was no dropoff when DeBoer sent them over the boards. He never hesitated either.
The Devils are much better with a much fresher group of top-nine forwards when the fourth line is going well.
3. Score some power play goals
They were a combined 9-for-43 against the Panthers and Flyers, but the Devils power play was only 3-for-23 against the Rangers, though it did look surgical in the first period of Game 6 leading to Ilya Kovalchuk's goal that made it 2-0.
The Kings have been all-world on the penalty kill in the playoffs. In fact, they're even with five power-play goals against in 57 chances and five shorthanded goals for. L.A.'s PK is a huge reason why it needed just 14 games to roll through the first three rounds.
However, the Devils have a whole bunch of skill on their power play with Kovalchuk, Parise, Travis Zajac, David Clarkson, Adam Henrique, Dainius Zubrus, Patrik Elias, Marek Zidlicky and Peter Harrold. They can win the series with a strong power play.
4. Stay aggressive
The Devils and Kings are almost mirror images of each other in the way they want to attack with a strong forecheck. They both like to roll four lines and allow their defensemen to jump into the play.
It certainly seems that the team that does it best will have a major edge in the series. The Devils are capable of shoving the Kings game right back in their faces, but they have to keep it up for 60 minutes like they did against the Flyers and for some of the games against the Rangers.
The problem is in Games 5 and 6, when they got a multi-goal lead, the Devils were not able to sustain their pressure. It wasn't for lack of trying, because they admittedly were not trying to sit back, but they struggled to complete passes in the neutral zone and that led to turnovers. They were then stuck in their defensive zone and at times had to ice the puck just to get a whistle.
The Kings are more dangerous than the Rangers when it comes to pressure and sustained offense. New Jersey has to flip it on L.A.
5. Win the first period
This goes along with staying aggressive, but it really means start aggressive. The Devils have done a good job of that in these playoffs, outscoring the opposition by a combined 23-9 in the first period. The problem is they have been outscored 33-28 in the minutes played after the first period, including 13-7 by the Rangers and 14-10 by the Panthers.
They were still able to win both of those series because they gave themselves a chance with a strong start. That has been a key to this entire run for New Jersey. Ironically, they were only a plus-2 in the first period against the Flyers (7-5), but the countered that by being a plus-5 after (11-6) and they won the series in five games.
The Devils have to find the balance to play a full 60 against the Kings, who are winning every period, including a 14-7 advantage over their first three opponents in the first period.
There's no guarantee that the team that wins the first period in this series will win the Stanley Cup, but it's just another huge part of the chess match that is expected to play out starting Wednesday. Both teams have been superior first-period teams; the Devils can't give up that edge.
6. Respect Quick, but not too much
Quick is a world-class goalie. He has jumped up in class this season and should now be considered either the best or one of the best in the NHL. The Devils know that and they realize how good he is, but their admiration has to stop right there.
If the Devils get caught in awe of Quick, who has dazzled in the playoffs with a 12-2 record, 1.54 GAA and .946 save percentage, they will be beaten.
Quick hasn't shown many holes in his game, but it's up to the Devils to find some. They are there. He hasn't been perfect.
7. Keep the Kings' power play down
The Devils were the best penalty-killing team in the NHL during the regular season with an 89.6-percent success rate. They haven't been nearly as effective in the playoffs (74.2 percent), but they've got a chance against L.A. to bring that number up. If they can't do it, winning this series is going to be very difficult.
Los Angeles has survived to win 12 of 14 games in the postseason despite a power play that has connected for only six goals on 74 chances (8.1 percent). They were 3-for-26 against Vancouver, and won the series in five games. The Kings were 1-for-21 against the Blues, who they swept in four. The power play went 2-for-27 in the five-game series win over the Coyotes.
This has been a lifeless power play, but the Devils have to know it has weapons in Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Justin Williams. Those weapons could go off at any time and the Kings could find paydirt on the power play, which would only make them an even more dangerous opponent.
They're dangerous enough in New Jersey's eyes. The Devils can't let L.A. find its way on the power play in the Stanley Cup Final.

[justpassingthru]

Seven things the Kings need to do to win the Cup

The Los Angeles Kings' return to the Stanley Cup Final after a 19-year absence is both unexpected and expected all at once. Los Angeles entered the postseason as the eighth seed in the West following an inconsistent regular season that resulted not just in a coaching change, but a daunting first-round matchup with Vancouver, the defending Western Conference champion and winner of the Presidents' Trophy the last two seasons. It is rare that a team wins the Stanley Cup after making a coaching change during the season and rarer still that a Presidents' Trophy-winner goes down in the first round.


Yet here the Kings are just four wins away from lifting the Cup for the first time in their 45-year history.
While most pundits would have pegged L.A. for a first-round exit against the powerful Canucks, the Kings have instead put together one of the more remarkable and impressive postseason runs in recent memory, needing just 14 games to advance to the Final, and they’ve done it by finally unlocking the potential that had been expected of them all season long. The Kings were a popular preseason Cup pick and there are plenty of reasons why with Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty and Dustin Brown chief among them.
It was a rocky 2011-12 regular season, but L.A. has shown why so much was expected back in October. Quick has been phenomenal in goal, Doughty has been a two-way force on the blue line and an offense that somehow scored the second-fewest goals in the League during the regular season has finally broken out with an average of 2.93 goals per game in the playoffs. In addition, it has been a team effort from all corners of the roster that has brought the Kings this far. As rookie Dwight King's four goals in the Western Conference Finals show, contributions have come from places both expected and unexpected -- much like the Kings' postseason performance as a whole.
But that postseason isn't done yet. The Kings still have their eyes on the ultimate prize, but New Jersey Devils' own unanticipated playoff run presents yet another challenge. Here are seven things the Kings will need to do to bring Stanley to the City of Angels for the first time.
1. Shake off the rust
The Kings clinched the Western Conference title on May 22. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is on May 30.
The math is simple.
By the time the puck drops for Game 1 on Wednesday night, L.A. will have gone eight days without playing a game, and while the Kings have been practicing and doing whatever they can to stay in game shape and maintain their momentum, it is simply impossible to simulate game conditions -- let alone the intensity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs -- in practice.
After more than a week without playing a real game, it would seem inevitable that the Kings may need a few minutes to get their legs back under them -- and depending on how long it takes them to get back up to speed, the ramifications could be significant. Look no further than the Philadelphia Flyers, who were mightily impressive in their opening-round win over the Penguins but exited the playoffs meekly in five games against New Jersey after waiting through a seven-day break between series.
The Kings have dealt with this scenario before, having waited eight days between their second-round sweep of the Blues and Game 1 against Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals, but that doesn't make the threat of suddenly falling out of sync any less dangerous. If L.A. can manage the opening moments of Game 1 before getting fully back in the swing of playoff hockey, it will bode well for the rest of the series.
2. Be Quick on the draw
L.A.'s offense has been sensational in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the Kings wouldn't have even made the postseason were it not for a stellar regular season by their Vezina candidate between the pipes. Quick is the biggest reason the Kings weren't playing golf in April -- and despite their improved offense, he might be the biggest reason they still aren't now.
Hyperbole aside, Quick has been absolutely brilliant in the playoffs, going 12-2 with a .946 save percentage and a microscopic 1.54 goals-against average, both tops among goalies in the 2012 postseason.
As he's crafted a Conn Smythe-caliber run in the playoffs, there's little reason to believe Quick can't continue to be a rock in the crease for L.A. -- and he'll need to be. Much has been made of the Kings' penchant for scoring this postseason, but the Devils aren't far behind. New Jersey has averaged 2.83 goals per game in the playoffs, while Los Angeles has averaged 2.93. In fact, were it not for the wild first-round series between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the Stanley Cup Final would likely be featuring the top two scoring teams in the entire postseason field.
That kind of offensive firepower on both sides of the ice makes goaltending all the more important. Quick and his New Jersey counterpart Martin Brodeur have been equal to the task so far, but they may be about to face their biggest challenge of the spring.
Quick will be tested often, and he must continue to prove his mettle against one of the best of all time.
3. Find the power
The Kings have excelled in all facets of the game during the playoffs except one -- the power play.
Given L.A.'s knack for finding the net in its 14 playoff games, it's fairly surprising that the Kings have struggled to score with the extra man -- and yet the Kings are scoring on just 8.1 percent of their power-play opportunities, the second-lowest mark of any of the 16 playoff teams. This is all the more surprising given the team's adequate, if unspectacular, 17 percent power-play percentage during the regular season.
For the Kings to be scoring at such a low rate with the man advantage when they're putting out a first unit with Doughty, Brown, Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams should be a disappointment, and while coach Darryl Sutter was quick to note during the conference finals that Boston won a Stanley Cup last season with a similarly challenged power play, the Devils have been nearly as good at scoring as the Kings have been and Brodeur has only gotten stronger as the playoffs have worn on. All that means the Kings will need to find whatever advantages they can and the power play is perhaps the only aspect of their game that has not yet reached its potential in the postseason.
Improving the power play will be difficult against the Devils, who had a historically good penalty kill this season, but if the Kings can get any traction on special teams it will be a significant boon to their chances.
4. Match the Devils' fourth line
At times during New Jersey's six-game win against New York in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Devils had a distinct advantage due to the production, intensity and energy provided by their fourth line of Stephen Gionta, Ryan Carter and Steve Bernier. L.A.'s fourth line of Colin Fraser, Brad Richardson and Jordan Nolan has done its job, but it hasn't contributed in the same way New Jersey's has.
Devils coach Peter DeBoer's job became that much easier against the Rangers because he knew he could confidently roll four lines and keep his top forwards fresh without any drop-off in his forecheck. It also didn't hurt that his fourth line contributed several pivotal goals throughout the series.
The Kings' fourth-liners must find a way to match the intensity of New Jersey's and help negate the Devils' top forwards. If L.A. can render Gionta, Carter and Bernier ineffective, it will force DeBoer to play his top nine forwards more often, and while that might give the Devils a little more time with their best offensive players on the ice, it will also put more miles on the odometers of guys like Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias. If there is one massive advantage the Kings have heading into this series it's that they've played just 14 games while the Devils played 12 in the first two rounds alone and 18 overall.
L.A. should be the fresher and healthier team by far when the series begins and if the Kings can cancel out New Jersey's fourth line and force the Devils to stretch out their top players, it will only be a positive, particularly considering the exhausting up-tempo styles both teams employ.
5. Clamp down on Kovy
When Kovalchuk signed his free-agent deal with the Devils during the 2010 offseason, there was one other suitor that came close to inking him, and it's the team that now stands in the way of his first Stanley Cup. Over the 17 games he's played this postseason -- Kovalchuk missed one game against the Flyers due to injury -- he has shown why the Kings were so hot on his trail two years ago.
With five points in the last three games against the Rangers -- all New Jersey victories -- Kovalchuk took the lead among playoff scorers with a total of seven goals and 11 assists. He has also been deadly on the power play as five of those goals have come with the man advantage; his 58 shots on goal are the fourth-most in the League in the playoffs and nine more than anyone on L.A. has managed.
Kovalchuk's average of 23:16 ice time per game is second among all forwards in the playoffs and the Devils are 6-1 in games in which he has scored -- further evidence that he’s the linchpin of New Jersey's offense. Stopping him is a difficult task, one that will fall heavily on the shoulders of defensemen Drew Doughty and Rob Scuderi, but its importance can't be overstated.
If the Kings want to keep the Devils off the board, they must shut down Kovalchuk.
6. Quell the forecheck
It used to be that New Jersey was a defensive-minded team that rode the neutral zone trap and Brodeur’s goaltending to victory. These, however, aren't your father's Devils.
When the Kings face New Jersey they will see a team that has built most of its playoff run on a relentless forecheck, one unlike anything the Kings have faced in the postseason. In fact, if L.A. wants to get some idea of what it will need to handle in the Stanley Cup Final, the best idea might be to look in the mirror. Both the Kings and Devils have pressed opposing teams aggressively and forced them to uncomfortably make plays with the puck in their own end.
We should see more of that in the Stanley Cup Final -- and whichever team gets the better of the play and manages to push the puck deeper into the other team's zone figures to have a significant edge.
For the Kings to seize that advantage, they have to overpower New Jersey with their own forecheck and shut down the Devils' rushes before they start. L.A. can ramp up the pressure and push the Devils back in a way the Rangers' game plan didn't allow, and if the Kings win the forecheck battle it should throw New Jersey off balance and potentially create scoring opportunities.
Should the Kings be unable to slow down New Jersey's forecheck with their own, those tables will be completely turned.
7. Fire away
You can't win if you can't score, and you can't score if you don't put the puck on net.
No team that made it out of the first round has done that more than the Kings, who have averaged a healthy 32.9 shots on goal in the playoffs. That figure becomes even more important against New Jersey, which not only has averaged more shots on goal (30.4) during the postseason than any team L.A. has faced so far, but few teams seem as radically dependent on their shot advantage as the Devils.
New Jersey has won 81.8 percent of its playoff games when outshooting its opponent, the best mark among the 16 playoff qualifiers. But when the Devils don't hold the edge in shots, their winning percentage plummets to 42.9. Only one team that won a series in this postseason (Philadelphia) has posted a worse figure.
The Kings on the other hand, thanks in large part to Quick's play, have been comfortable either way. When outshooting opponents L.A. has won 77.8 percent of the time, a rate bettered only by the Devils, but remarkably the Kings have also won all four games they've played in which the opposition had more shots.
While the numbers game of simply getting more pucks on net than the other team doesn't in and of itself guarantee victory, it is often a sign that one team is carrying the play and creating scoring opportunities that could come off rebounds or scrambles in the crease.
Should the Kings consistently have more shots than the Devils, it will be a sign that they have consistently outworked them, and as the playoffs have shown, it will make it that much more difficult for New Jersey to win games. If the Kings put more rubber on Brodeur than New Jersey does on Quick, it just might mean putting their names on the Stanley Cup.

[justpassingthru]

List Of Previous Stanley Cup Champions (Since 2000)
2011 Stanley Cup Champions – Boston Bruins
2010 Stanley Cup Champions – Chicago Blackhawks
2009 Stanley Cup Champions – Pittsburgh Penguins
2008 Stanley Cup Champions – Detroit Red Wings
2007 Stanley Cup Champions – Anaheim Ducks
2006 Stanley Cup Champions – Carolina Hurricanes
2005 Stanley Cup Champions – None, Labor Dispute
2004 Stanley Cup Champions – Tampa Bay Lightning
2003 Stanley Cup Champions – New Jersey Devils
2002 Stanley Cup Champions – Detroit Red Wings
2001 Stanley Cup Champions – Colorado Avalanche
2000 Stanley Cup Champions – New Jersey Devils

[keennyt]

why wait to start......so they can show a game on sunday afternoon on fucking NBC.......WHO THE FUCK WANTS TO WATCH A FUCKING HOCKEY GAME ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON...WHEN ITS 35 DEGREES OUT.....STUPID BETTMAN.......WHAT A DUMB FUCK

[justpassingthru]

Originally Posted by keennyt

why wait to start......so they can show a game on sunday afternoon on fucking NBC.......WHO THE FUCK WANTS TO WATCH A FUCKING HOCKEY GAME ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON...WHEN ITS 35 DEGREES OUT.....STUPID BETTMAN.......WHAT A DUMB FUCK

You are definitely right on the Bettman part but the games start Wednesday and go Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday and game 7 on Wednesday again if necessary. Of course it is all about the money in the end but the more exposure that the NHL can get in the US, the better.

Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012: Why NHL and NBC Will Win with Kings vs Devils Matchup

TV Ratings
Los Angeles is the second largest TV market in the United States, according to Nielson, while New York is ranked first. The Devils don't play in New York obviously, but there are still enough hockey fans in the New York area to watch this series in great numbers.
With the NHL having fans from the two largest television markets in the country ready to watch his matchup, the ratings for this year's Stanley Cup Final should be strong.
The playoffs as a whole have seen a nice increase in ratings on the NBC networks this season, up 21 percent from last year.

You may not think of Los Angeles as a strong hockey market, but since Wayne Gretzky led the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final in 1993, the amount of interest in hockey has risen.

With both Los Angeles-area NBA teams, the Lakers and Clippers, eliminated from their playoff runs, the focus of attention in sports throughout southern California will certainly be on the Kings.
Sports fans in Los Angeles will tune into the Kings because a championship is at stake—it's that simple. Some of us may not be basketball fans, but if your hometown team is fighting for a championship, especially their first-ever title, you are probably going to be interested in watching it unfold.
Watching a Stanley Cup will be a new experience for a lot of people in Los Angeles who don't remember the 1993 series, so it will be a fun process for many fans.
Several celebrities, such as Kobe Bryant, Will Ferrell and Rainn Wilson, have attended Kings playoff games this year, so there is interest in the team from that standpoint.
The ratings for the Devils and Rangers Eastern Conference Finals series were quite strong, according to NBC Sports. Even though losing some Rangers fans will lessen those numbers in the Stanley Cup Final, I expect the New York area to support the Devils greatly.
The last Stanley Cup Final game between the Devils and a Southern California-based team was Game 7 of the 2003 Cup Final involving the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. That game was the highest-rated Game 7 in a final until last year's Bruins and Canucks Game 7, according to Yahoo.
Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images

Conclusion
The 2012 Stanley Cup Final should benefit the NHL and NBC because the excitement and offensive output should be high, and the teams involved are located in major markets.
The Devils and Kings should give diehard hockey fans and those who don't watch hockey often a great series that is full of goal scoring and intense, physical play.

[justpassingthru]

Not that I'm counting or anything but there are only 46 hours and 52 minutes until game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.

[justpassingthru]

With the 2012 NHL draft 3 weeks away, he are the top 50 picks currently and there has been some movement at the top from the ISS.