Game 82: Kings 2, Avalanche 1

It seems like ages since the Kings started this wild ride with a loss against the Coyotes. Many writers didn't think the Kings would make the playoffs, and I was one of them.

Logic says that when the defense comes, the offense will soon follow after. This team has an overabundance of potential, but that and $5 will get you an iced mocha. I hope I'm wrong, I hope the players rise to the expectation of the playoffs. But I just don't see the Kings making full strides just yet, so Kings fans will have to wait another season.

As Bill Murray so sublimely stated in Ghostbusters 2: "Oh, Johnny, did you back the wrong horse." So never say that I'll admit when I am wrong. I was wrong.

It was incredible to see this team gel at the same time, and take the league by storm. Granted, the Olympic break threw a wrench into the works. But, overall, making the playoffs is a fine feather in the cap for the youngsters.

Now they are going to need to play like they did in the third period against the Avalanche to remain competitive against the Vancouver Canucks.

Jarrett Stoll scored late in the third, allowing the Kings to head to, wait for it, overtime for the fifth game in a row.

And it was then that the Kings finally decided enough with the shootout, let's get this over with. And it was
Dustin Brown who scored his sixth goal of the month and 24th of the season.

And with the win, the Kings clinched sixth, and a date with the Art Ross Trophy-winning Henrik Sedin and the Wankcouver Canucks.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and break down the playoffs for the Kings. I'll let other bloggers do that. I just want to point out that the Kings head into the postseason with no pressure. They are chock full of potential, and can play with the best of them. Just ask the Eastern Conference how good the Kings are, only four of them beat the Kings.

Yahoo's Puck Daddy's states about the Kings/Nucks series:

Perhaps the most compelling of all first-round series for the on-ice product. And because it's been a few years since playoff hockey returned to Los Angeles, which means famous-for-the-NHL celebrity sightings, ahoy!

Pierre McGuire stated during the Caps/Bruins game that the Kings will be a nightmare for any team to face in the playoffs. He pointed out Wayne Simmonds and Michael Handzus are excellent defensive forwards, Dustin Brown is the most ferocious forchecker in the NHL, Drew Doughty is a game breaker and Anze Kopitar is the best two-way centerman in the NHL.

Darren Dreger and Bob McKenzie from NHL on TSN states that of all three Canadian series, the Vancouver/L.A. series has the best chances of an upset. They referenced Vancouver's weakened defensive corps, and said they are "one injury away from having a significant problem." They also pointed out the Kings roll out "three real good lines that cycle the puck, hold onto the puck and grind you down."

Rich Hammond asked Drew Doughty how playing in Vancouver might be:

DOUGHTY: “They have great fans there. Obviously any place in Canada is pretty crazy about hockey, so we’re going to go in there and they’re going to have a lot of fans. I’m sure we’re going to get booed and stuff like that, but it’s a lot of fun. We love going to Canadian cities and beating Canadian teams.”

The Kings have nothing to lose this postseason. They weren't supposed to be here, according to some "experts" when the season started. I'm calling it: Kings over Canucks in six.

• AP: Kings rally for 2-1 OT win over Avalanche

“You don’t want to go to the shootout or overtime,” Anze Kopitar said. “But that’s the way it is. Overall, it’s a great season, we should be proud of that. It’s a new chapter starting tomorrow and we’ve got to get ready.”

• LA Times: Kings enjoy a closing rush

The come-from-behind victory restored some of their swagger, which vanished after the Olympics while they slogged through slow starts and three shootout losses in their previous four games.

• LA Kings: Kings finish on high note

With the win, the Kings finished the regular season with 101 points and reached the 100-point mark for only the third time in team history. They also tied a franchise record with 46 wins. That number was also a career best for Murray as a head coach.

• NHL.com:  Kings edge Avalanche in overtime

"It's a win and it's 100-plus points," Murray said. "That's something we've been addressing in pregame talks for the past several games. I think it's a great accomplishment. Players have to be proud of themselves. I'm proud of the way they played this year. It's a giant step."

They said it

“I haven’t really thought about it. It was one of those things where we were just focusing day to day, game to game. Now…we’ll go from there. It’s the playoffs, and I’ve never experienced it, but regardless of your opponent, it’s more about how you play in the playoffs than the other teams.” – Dustin Brown, on the first round.

Obviously at the start of the season, they kind of had our number. I think last season they kind of did as well. But I know we’re fully confident in here that we’ve got the team to do it. We beat them last game 8-3, and hopefully we don’t look at that as, `They’re not very good’ and we go in there and take it to them. It’s going to be a lot of fun playing in Vancouver.” – Drew Doughty, on the first-round matchup against Vancouver.

“I’m very proud of the way they played this year. It’s a giant step that this organization has taken in two years. They’ve got to just put a smile on their face, come to work and enjoy the playoffs. It’s going to be tremendous.” – Terry Murray, on the emotion showed after Brown’s overtime goal.

Around the Kingdom

• The Royal Half: Route 101

For Angelenos, the 101 Freeway can mean different things. It can mean a quick trip across the valley or it can mean horrible, horrible blinding traffic as you head downtown. But today, 101 points means that the Los Angeles Kings are taking the freeway up north to Vancouver!

• Mayors Manor: A mere 82 games ago

Throughout training camp in September the Kings players were sporting shirts reading The Only Reason We're Here. At first, some wondered what it meant. However, it quickly became apparent that the team was now on the same page as fans and management - a return to the playoffs was a must this season.

• ESPNLosAngeles' Tom Murray: Kings OT Win Means First Round Showdown With Canucks

Erik Ersberg played in goal for the Kings, not a surprising move, given that number one goalie Jonathan Quick  played in yesterday's loss to Edmonton in the Kings home finale at Staples Center, the eight consecutive time he failed to reach the 40-win milestone for this season. 

• The Throne Room: Another Comeback Win Sets Up Playoff Series vs. Canucks

As has been the case most of the past two to three weeks, the Kings did very little offensively in the first two periods. As has also become the norm lately, the Kings played a much better third period and forced overtime – the fifth consecutive Kings’ game unable to be settled in 60 minutes.

From across the aisle, the Colorado viewpoint

• Denver Post: Avalanche loses but looks forward to next step: playoffs vs. Sharks

Fan Appreciation Day has been the last time the Pepsi Center faithful could gaze at their heroes two of the last three seasons, but after Sunday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Avs found out their opponents for the first round of the playoffs: the San Jose Sharks.

• MIle High Hockey: Kings Comeback To Beat Avalanche 2-1 In Regular Season Finale

There just didn't seem to be any desire to want to win this game for the Avs. With the game heading to overtime, the Kings took the play to the Avs. Their effort was rewarded just over a minute and a half into the OT period. With Scott Hannan playing defense in front, and I use he term defense very loosely, Dustin Brown banged in his own rebound to seal the win for the Kings.

Peeping the dailies