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Kings Clinch 1st Playoff Spot in Four Seasons

The Los Angeles Kings return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with some of the familiar faces from their championship runs

By Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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The evening of Tuesday, April 26, 2022 saw 26 teams playing, but the Los Angeles Kings were one of the six who took that evening off. Despite this, the Kings were one point away from locking in a playoff spot, and that opportunity was connected to the game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars. The game went to overtime tied at 2, and then went to a seven-round shootout, which Dallas finally won with Miro Heiskanen's goal, followed by a stop by Jake Oettinger. The Vegas loss not only placed the Nashville Predators in the playoffs, but it gave a spot to the Kings as well.

It is hard to believe that this season marks ten years since the Kings won their very first Stanley Cup. On June 11, 2012, the Kings hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history, and they would win a second one two years later. Since that last Cup, however, the Kings have missed the playoffs five times in the last seven seasons played. This actually included the 2014-15 season, which was the season after winning their 2nd Cup, and also included the 2019-20 season. Yes, that's right. The 2020 bubble playoffs featured 24 teams, but the Kings were one of the seven who didn't qualify. The Kings are the only team from the "not-so-magnificent seven" in 2020, to reach the playoffs this season. Their last playoff appearance was 2018, they have not won a playoff game since 2016, and they haven't won a series since hoisting the Cup in 2014.

Anze Kopitar is one of four players remaining from LA's Cup years

There are still four players left from Los Angeles' Stanley Cup runs, and one of them is them is their longtime captain, and my favorite player on the Kings, Anze Kopitar. Age hasn't slowed Kopitar down; he is leading the way for the Kings in points with 66 (19 G/47 A). As far as skaters, the other members are Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty, though Doughty has been sidelined for months. Doughty had 31 points (7 G/24 A) before his injury, while Brown has 28 of his own (9 G/19 A). Leading the team in goals is Adrian Kempe, who has netted 34 this season, and their two offseason pickups, Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson, have paid dividends.

Danault, who is fresh off his run to the Stanley Cup Final with the Montréal Canadiens, has 26 goals and 24 assists for 50 points, while Arvidsson (in his first year with LA after many years with the Nashville Predators) has 48 points (20 G/28 A). The Kings have not been a high scoring team this season; their 2.83 goals average is 21st in the league and the lowest among established playoff teams this season. Their power play is even less desirable; 16.5%, which is 27th in the league and the lowest among established playoff teams this season. Their 76.8 penalty kill percentage is 22nd in the league, but they've scored 11 shorthanded goals, which is tied for third.

Jonathan Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012

The fourth member of LA's Stanley Cup core is goaltender Jonathan Quick, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy during his 2012 run. Quick's numbers that year: 16-4, 1.41 GAA, .946 SV%, three shutouts. He was a brick wall during that memorable 2012 run, which saw the Kings win 10 of their 16 games on the road, yet they clinched the Cup at home. A decade has passed, and Quick has been evenly splitting the net with Cal Petersen, but we've seen shade of the old Quick in a number of games. Quick's numbers this season: 22-13-9, 2.58 GAA, .909 SV%, and two shutouts. As for Petersen: 20-14-1, 2.90 GAA, .895 SV%, and three shutouts. The efforts of Petersen and Quick have resulted in the Kings being in the top ten in GAA with 2.79, meaning that the goaltending has been the centerpiece of the Kings' road to the playoffs.

The Kings will face off against the Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division Semifinals, and it's a throwback matchup. The Kings and Oilers haven't faced each other in the playoffs since they were both in the old Smythe Division, and that rivalry was gritty, as Wayne Gretzky was on both ends of that feud. The Kings better keep the penalties to a minimum in that series. The only time that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl share the ice together is when the Oilers are on the power play. Those two will feast on weak penalty kills, and if the Kings can't keep themselves out of the box, the result will not be a good one for them.

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About the Creator

Clyde E. Dawkins

I am an avid fan of sports and wrestling, and I've been a fan of female villains since the age of eight. Also into film and TV, especially Simpsons and Family Guy.

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