I must admit I don't love the matchup on paper but I do love the fact the Kings have played 21 games so far. To me the Kings are the Western Conference version of the Bruins and that concerns me. They are deep and physical and have size. They also know how to win in the playoffs and those teams are very tough. Quick hasn't looked great lately though although he found his game tonight when he needed it. I do agree with Struds that the Rangers might be a team of destiny this year. I am taking the Rangers in 6 but I think stealing game 1 off only 2 days rest for LA is important
Rangers very good road team and will play a lot better defense than what the kings are used to seeing. Hope those big LA bodies are a little weary after playing 3 7 game series. As has been the case all season we will depend on henrik to stand on his head nut will need to get offense from the stepan line like we got in game 5. I'm thinking Rangers in 6 also.
No matter who won that series the matchup for the rangers was going to be tough. But yeah, the Kings are big, physical, fast and have no problems scoring. Should be an entertaining series. Hoping to get to game 4 or 6....
Hopefully our D shapes up a bit and turns Gaborik back into the invisible man we're all familiar with. The thing that actually worries me most is that Quick hasn't really been great this postseason. He's due. And if he catches fire, it's going to be a rough series. Taking one in LA will be key.
LA is loaded and will be an overwhelming favorites to capture the Cup, their 2nd in 3 years.They are playoff icons.....and the Rangers are their opponent & underdogs if there ever was one. GO TAKE THAT CUP. GOOD LUCK and they will need it. G O O O O RANGERS.
Stopping the Toffoli/Pearson line will be key, much like the Bruins 4th line, which they never seem to do. They are very similar which isn't great but that's the way it shook out. Its just great being here and it's sort of house money at this point, the pressure will be more on the Kings. I'll say LA in six but there may be something higher going on with this squad.
Im thinking he interpreted my Toffoli Pearson reference as saying theyre the most talented players. It's about not letting that line be the difference like the similar Bruins 4th line always is.
rangers in 7, its all good, kings are streaky they play unstoppable 2 games then terrible 2 games, they played 21 games including OT there tired, hank going to outplay quick. Rangers in 7. lessss go
If there ever was a time for Rick Nash to earn his contract this series would be a nice place to start.
i agree 100% Dis. I also look at the Kings similar to how I view the Bruins. I liked the Hawks matchup better because to me we are better suited to play a speed/skill team than a big/deep team like the Kings clearly are. BUT it is what it is. Will Quick get hot now? He may be due like was said in here. That would be scary. I also think game 1 is VERY big for us. No shot we lose games 1 & 2 and win the series, so we must come home 1-1. Game 1 seems like the easier game to win with LA off short rest and maybe not emotionally into the series yet. I am not making a prediction on this one. Just going to sit back and watch it play out, and hope the Rangers can pull the big upset. We'll see how it goes.
The pluses I see with LA winning are as follows: They have now played 21 games this playoff season. Have gone to game 7 in all of their series. They have got to be worn down some no matter how big and deep they are. Going 7 against the Hawks was huge for us. Playing some extra hockey in OT was huge for us. Having to travel again from LA to Chicago and back to LA is huge for us. Only 2 days off for the Kings is huge for us. That is all good stuff for us, and why game 1 is VERY important to us IMO. Staples is not a big home ice advantage. The Kings are 5-4 at home. It is not that loud or crazy there. We can clearly win games there.
I will also add I think Staal is a huge key in this series for us. You figure McDonagh and Girardi play against the Kopitar line. BUT the Kings still have that 70's line of Carter, Pearson, and Toffoli. That is a very strong 2nd line, and that's where Staal comes in. He will need to play well against that line. So I think his play will be a big key in this series. He needs to be better than he was against the Habs and Pens and play more like he did against the Flyers. To me Staal is better against size than speed, and that 70's line is more size than speed (Carter not withstanding). So maybe that is a good matchup for Staal. I really view him as a key in this series with the Kings depth.
BTW...look at the way the Kings score these goals. Just throw pucks at the net and use their size to pound, get tips/rebounds, and get dirty goals. And they made Quick look ordinary. And they out hit the the Hawks by 57...yes 57 hits in the 7 games. And they won more faceoffs as well, an area we struggle. I'm sorry, but this is just not the matchup we wanted IMO. We were much better off playing a smaller, not as deep, high end skill team like the Hawks than the Kings who are big and deep, and play like they are big and deep. BUT we are where we are. Let's go win it now.
I agree with you Al. This is the SCF...no house money. And both teams have pressure on them...not just LA.
In my opinion Nash's two best games of the year were against LA in October and on the road against the Hawks. He really raised his games in those two, I think he has a great series. Everyone is saying how Quick is due to turn it around..so is Nash.
