Tag Archives: Kings

Articles, Hockey

A gimme for the Game of Thrones marketing people

Just prior to last week’s Stadium Series — which saw the LA Kings continue their remarkable second-half winning streak with a 2-1 decision over the mysteriously mediocre San Jose Sharks — one of the Levi’s Stadium webcams got a jealous visit from a territorial black bird. No, not Patrick Kane. C’mon, Game of Thrones people. This footage is a freakin’ freebie.

As for the game, it was all right I suppose. Both of these teams can play something resembling hockey when you give them the chance. The Kings, after eight wins in nine tries, now sit third in the Pacific Division, tied with the Calgary Flames with a game in hand. The Sharks are going the other way — they’ve got just seven points in their last ten games.

Whatever. Even on a balmy California night, I don’t see the appeal behind paying a premium to sit in a baseball stadium to watch puck. The front row is hundreds of feet from the boards, for crying out loud.

Photoshop mangling by Jason Kurylo, who sobbed, 'I could work in film and television post production, I just know I could.'
Photoshop mangling by Jason Kurylo, who sobbed, ‘I could work in film and television post production, I just know I could.’
Articles, Hockey

Congrats, Mr Doughty

Drew Doughty, that fella wearing number eight for the Los Angeles Kings is about to add ‘Conn Smythe winner’ to his resume. This will sit nicely beside ‘two-time Olympic gold medallist’, ‘two-time Stanley Cup champion’, ‘Norris trophy nominee’ and ‘filthy, stinkin’ rich cat who let’s face it ought to be able to afford better hair care’.

Drew Doughty puts his obscenely well-paid proof in the pudding. Actual pudding during the off-season, and outrageously solid play from October to June. Photo gleaned from the interweb.
Drew Doughty puts his obscenely well-paid proof in the pudding. Actual pudding during the off-season, and outrageously solid play from October to June. Photo gleaned from the interweb.

Godawful facial growth aside, Doughty is every bit the MVP, anchoring the back end of the most feared defense in the land. At just 24, he’s got credentials among active NHLers only rivalled by countrymen Jonathan Toews and Sidney Crosby. Barring injury, and assuming he doesn’t get bored, he’ll have built a Hall of Fame career long before he hits the traditional defenseman’s peak of 30 years old.

Continue reading Congrats, Mr Doughty →

Articles, Hockey

Playoff predictions – Western Conference

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Fans in Vancouver are predictably blasé about the NHL playoffs; the Canucks have missed the post-season for the first time since 2008, and YVR hockey fans aren’t exactly renowned for loving the game so much as their team. (Case in point: the Abbotsford Heat are shutting up shop at the conclusion of their playoff run after years of decreasing returns in the Valley. People out thisaway are so scared of Calgary Flames cooties they’ve refused to see professional puck for $20.)

We at Pucked in the Head believe in celebrating the game, even when our local team comes up lame. Here are Jason’s picks for this year’s post-season. He’s so concussed by the ascension of Zack Kassian and the retirements of Teemu Selanne and Ryan Smythe — not to mention the bizarre first-round matchups determined by the NHL’s new wild card system — that he’s thumbing for Stanley Cup supremacy…  the San Jose Sharks (!?!?!?!)

Playoff bracket

 

Eastern Conferece – click here.

Continue reading Playoff predictions – Western Conference →

Articles, Hockey

Quickies: Heavyweights En Masse, Team Can’tada & the 40-Year-Old Version

Heavyweights En Masse

The Boston Bruins are unnaturally big, led by Charzilla himself on defense. Photo ripped unceremoniously from nhl.com
The Boston Bruins are unnaturally big, led by Charzilla himself on defense. Photo ripped unceremoniously from nhl.com
The last four Stanley Cup champs are still alive in the second round. If they all move on to the final four, we hockey fans are in for a treat — all of them are heavyweights looking to regain the belt. The LA Kings (2012) & Boston Bruins (2011) are both bruisingly big, grinding forces that aim to win low-scoring games by punishing opposing blueliners and squeezing the creativity out of opposition forwards. The Chicago Blackhawks (2010) and Pittsburgh Penguins (2009) are both deep and skilled, and have scoring threats up and down their lineups. We at Pucked in the Head are cheering for the latter pair to be the last two teams standing, but frankly any matchup from these four teams will make for a damned entertaining final.

More after the break.

Continue reading Quickies: Heavyweights En Masse, Team Can’tada & the 40-Year-Old Version →

Articles, Hockey

EA Predicts a repeat

NHL13The frenzy that is the first round of the NHL playoffs is upon us — and if the first night is any indication, the theme is defense, defense, snore… I mean, defense. I mean, really. The last time we came out of a lockout, hockey was exciting and fast-moving. This lockout has punctuated the return of the dead puck era, where neutral zone traps and left wing locks are de rigeur. Out of six teams playing Tuesday night, only the Anaheim Ducks managed to score more than one goal in regulation time. All hail Teemu Selanne and his wrist shot of doom!

If tonight’s games between the Canucks & Sharks and the Pens and Isles end 2-1 in OT, can we just fast forward to the final and be done with it?

EA Sports has used NHL 13 to prognosticate the NHL playoff results, and they’ve come up with the New York Rangers as a surprise winner of Lord Stanley’s mug over Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks in the final. Our man Jake Hall decided to sim it up as well, and he got a decidedly different result:

by Jake Hall

For fans of the Vancouver Canucks, the “official” EA Sports sim wasn’t pretty. It involved a second round sweep at the hands of the Kings — a sweep! What is this, 2012? Needless to say, I was hoping for a different outcome when I ran the 2013 playoffs through my humble PS3 in the Hall household.

Check it out after the jump.

Continue reading EA Predicts a repeat →

Articles, Hockey, Uncategorized

Congratulations, Mr Ranford

Yes, they’re Kings fans, but that doesn’t make them bad people. Photo by Jason Kurylo.

Before Bill Ranford ever played an NHL game, before he won two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, before he retired to spend more time with his young kids or re-entered the bigs to be the Los Angeles Kings goaltending coach, he played junior hockey for the New Westminster Bruins.

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Articles, Hockey

Pens force a game 6

Before I say anything else, the pic of the Flyers bench below was stolen unceremoniously from the Puck Doctors. You oughtta surf their site, yo.

The big, bad Flyers have lost two straight games to... THESE GUYS?!?!?!

All right. The Pittsburgh Penguins have dodged two bullets now, coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the first round to force a game six. Game four was a laugher – Philly wasn’t even in the building, and the Pens had something to prove. They scored at will, putting five pucks past each of the Flyer goalies for a 10-3 win.
Continue reading Pens force a game 6 →

Articles, Hockey

Canucks discussion, part 372

Jason: I’ll be very disappointed if the Canucks can’t gut out game four, at least.

Chris: If they lose, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Craig MacTavish coaching next year.

Jason: If he can get Kesler to play to his potential, bring him on. I’m far more disappointed in Kes than I am in AV. I mean, is he still hurt? If so, he was selfish not to sit longer at the start of the year. Is he pissed at V? Then he’s being an unprofessional baby.

Continue reading Canucks discussion, part 372 →

Uncategorized

A royal pain in the arse – Kings go up 2-0

The Canucks host the Kings in round one
Vancouver Canucks Australia came up with some great playoff banners!

Final exam at UBC tomorrow, otherwise I’d write up the wheat thresher that is the LA Kings special team attack.

Just two observations:
1) Both games at Rogers Arena featured massive defensive zone giveaways by Alex Edler that wound up giving the Kings a goal. Something’s wrong with this kid. Injury? Relationship trouble? Lupus?
2) Roberto Luongo is just about the only guy in blue who cannot be blamed one whit for Vancouver being down two-bagel. (Anyone who tries to blame him either hasn’t watched the games, doesn’t know a thing about hockey, or both.)