The Hockey Stop

The National Hockey League's second season is about to begin and while many of the match-ups are repeats of previous playoff battles, there are some intriguing stories heading into the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs that will drop the puck this Wednesday night at 7:30 on Versus with the No. 1 seed Washington Capitals versus the No. 8 seed New York Rangers.

• For the first time all three California teams made the playoffs at the same time. That means there will be more teams competing in the postseason from the Golden State then the entire country of Canada. The No. 4 seed Anaheim Ducks will take on the No. 5 seed Nashville Predators, while cross-state rivals the No. 2 seed San Jose Sharks will face off against the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Kings.

• The No. 4 seed Pittsburgh Penguins and the No. 5 seed Tampa Bay Lightning will see each other in the playoffs for the first time. In an interesting turn of events for the Pens, the biggest stars won't be on their side because of injuries to Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Instead, they will have to hold off the Lightning's Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier.

• Caps fans are anxious to see if their team's major mid-season adjustment from a high flying, offense first style to a more defensive, playoff-style structure will pay dividends after three straight painful years of Game 7 exits, including last year's heartbreaking first-round loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Ironically, the system change was instituted after a 7-0 thrashing by the Rangers at MSG that was caught by the HBO cameras for the reality series "24/7."

• Another big question mark is whether the Presidents Trophy winners, the No. 1 seed Vancouver Canucks, can translate their regular-season success to a Stanley Cup victory. Their first big test will be the defending champion No. 8 seed Chicago Blackhawks, who needed the Dallas Stars to lose their finale in order for them to sneak into the playoffs only a year removed from hoisting the Cup.

Here is the full schedule courtesy of NHL.com.

2011 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

SERIES A

#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 New York Rangers

Wednesday, April 13 at Washington, 7:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS (JIP)

Friday, April 15 at Washington, 7:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

Sunday, April 17 at New York, 3:00 p.m. NBC (HD), TSN

Wednesday, April 20 at New York, 7:00 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

*Saturday, April 23 at Washington, 3:00 p.m. TSN, NBC (HD)

*Monday, April 25 at New York, TBD TSN

*Wednesday, April 27 at Washington, TBD TSN

SERIES B

#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #7 Buffalo Sabres

Thursday, April 14 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS-JIP

Saturday, April 16 at Philadelphia, 5:00 p.m. TSN

Monday, April 18 at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

Wednesday, April 20 at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

*Friday, April 22 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS (JIP)

*Sunday, April 24 at Buffalo, 3:00 p.m. NBC (HD), TSN

*Tuesday, April 26 at Philadelphia, TBD TSN

SERIES C

#3 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Montreal Canadiens

Thursday, April 14 at Boston, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD), RDS, VERSUS

Saturday, April 16 at Boston, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD), RDS, VERSUS

Monday, April 18 at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. CBC (HD), RDS

Thursday, April 21 at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD), RDS, VERSUS

*Saturday, April 23 at Boston, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD), RDS, VERSUS

*Tuesday, April 26 at Montreal, TBD CBC (HD), RDS

*Wednesday, April 27 at Boston, TBD CBC (HD), RDS

SERIES D

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Tampa Bay Lightning

Wednesday, April 13 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD)

Friday, April 15 at Pittsburgh, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD)

Monday, April 18 at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS (JIP)

Wednesday, April 20 at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. CBC (HD)

*Saturday, April 23 at Pittsburgh, TBD CBC (HD), VERSUS (JIP)

*Monday, April 25 at Tampa Bay, TBD CBC (HD)

*Wednesday, April 27 at Pittsburgh, TBD CBC (HD)

2011 WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

SERIES E

#1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Chicago Blackhawks

Wednesday, April 13 at Vancouver, 10:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

Friday, April 15 at Vancouver, 10:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

Sunday, April 17 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

Tuesday, April 19 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

*Thursday, April 21 at Vancouver, 10:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

*Sunday, April 24 at Chicago, 8:00 p.m. CBC (HD)

*Tuesday, April 26 at Vancouver, TBD CBC (HD)

SERIES F

#2 San Jose Sharks vs. #7 Los Angeles Kings

Thursday, April 14 at San Jose, 10:00 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

Saturday, April 16 at San Jose, 10:00 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

Tuesday, April 19 at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

Thursday, April 21 at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. TSN

*Saturday, April 23 at San Jose, 10:30 p.m. TSN, VERSUS

*Monday, April 25 at Los Angeles, TBD TSN

*Wednesday, April 27 at San Jose, TBD TSN

SERIES G

#3 Detroit Red Wings vs. #6 Phoenix Coyotes

Wednesday, April 13 at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

Saturday, April 16 at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. NBC (HD), CBC (HD)

Monday, April 18 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

Wednesday, April 20 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

*Friday, April 22 at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. CBC (HD), VERSUS

*Sunday, April 24 at Phoenix, TBD CBC (HD)

*Wednesday, April 27 at Detroit, TBD CBC (HD)

SERIES H

#4 Anaheim Ducks vs. #5 Nashville Predators

Wednesday, April 13 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. TSN

Friday, April 15 at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. TSN

Sunday, April 17 at Nashville, TBD TSN

Wednesday, April 20 at Nashville, TBD TSN

*Friday, April 22 at Anaheim, 10:00 p.m. TSN

*Sunday, April 24 at Nashville, TBD TSN

*Tuesday, April 26 at Anaheim, TBD TSN



- * denotes if necessary

- All Times are Eastern Standard Time

You know a franchise is in trouble when just before the All-Star Break the rumor mill is heating up about a big trade, a head coaching change and selling the team.

The focus should be on a successful first half of the season a year after making the playoffs for the first time in nine years. But the Kings are mired in a three-game losing skid, have lost nine out of their past 11 games, and are looking up at the top eight in the Western Conference. At 49 points they are in last place in the Pacific Division and are in 12th place in the conference -- five points behind eighth-place Colorado for the final playoff spot.

The Kings are going to need a big second half to make the playoffs after their unexpected struggles so far. The bad news just keeps piling up for the team:

-- GM Dean Lombardi is facing a steep $50,000 fine after apologizing for comments he made last night after the Kings' 2-0 loss to the Coyotes. Lombardi questioned the objectivity of league exec Mike Murphy following a Phoenix goal that went to video review. Lombardi said Murphy was not happy about being denied the Kings' GM job.

-- Left wing Marco Sturm has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, putting the spotlight again on the team's apparent deficiency at the left wing forward position. Talented rookie Andrei Loktionov is manning the first line next to Anze Kopitar, but L.A. Times' columnist Helene Elliot postulates that what is preventing Kopitar from reaching the next level is the lack of a veteran, creative, scoring left winger on the first line. That is one reason the Kings could be keen to make a trade soon.

-- The website L.A. Observed reported today that the Kings could be up for sale. Apparently ownership group AEG is shopping the team for around $350 million. AEG has been publicly pursuing an NFL stadium in downtown L.A. to lure a team back to the city. Tim Leiweke, president and chief executive of AEG, refuted the report to the L.A. Times later today, saying "We are neither looking at or in talks to sell. Very focused on the NFL."

It seems to me that all these off-ice distractions could be resolved by one thing: winning hockey games. This team is too talented and has made too much progress to not rebound from this slump and make the playoffs. So will the playoff appearance last year be a blip on the radar for a perennial losing organization? Or is this slump the blip on the radar for a once-proud franchise in the middle of a rebuild that will turn them into eventual Stanley Cup contenders?

Not since Wayne Gretzky moved from Edmonton to Los Angeles has there been so many Oiler jerseys seen in Southern California. With the first pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft at Staples Center, Edmonton picked forward Taylor Hall and gave hope to fans of the worst team in the league.

"I’ve been an Oiler fan all my life and this is the first time in franchise history they’ve had a first-round pick and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to watch them pick first," said Edmonton native John Plaisier, who was drinking beers with his friends at the fan festival at L.A. Live before the draft.

The fan fest included a chance to try on the hockey gear and jersey of their favorite player, a puck shooting area, a beer garden, the opportunity to play the latest version of 2K Sports' popular NHL videogame franchise and a street hockey game for the tykes in the crowd. It was great entertainment befitting the entertainment capital of the world.

The doors to the Staples Center opened at 2 p.m. -- a full two hours before the draft began -- and there were already long lines to enter the arena -- a testament to how popular ice hockey is in Southern California.

For two days at least, the Lakers took a backseat to the Kings as was evident by the Kings jersey on the statue of Magic Johnson in front of the arena. The Oscar De La Hoya statue and of course the Wayne Gretzky statue were also wearing Kings jerseys.

Once ticket-holders entered the arena they were treated to an opportunity to take their picture with the Stanley Cup and every individual trophy. Some fans waited in line for up to an hour to snap a picture with the holy grail of hockey.

While as expected there were many Kings and Ducks fans filling the stands, every other team was represented as well. There were Pens fans with Crosby jerseys, Caps fans with Ovechkin jerseys, Bruins fans, Flyers fans, Maple Leaf fans, Avalanche fans. You name the team and fans were represented at the draft. It was a shining example of how geographically diverse Southern California is that every fan-base in the U.S. and Canada was represented.

And while the boos from Kings fans drowned out Gary Bettman when he announced it was Anaheim's turn to draft, Bettman was booed himself when he was introduced. The commish seems to be booed in every NHL arena in America. The National Hockey League is going through a golden era right now and is the most exciting it has ever been so why Bettman gets the wrath of the fans all the time is a mystery. When Sidney Crosby -- who was sitting at the Pens table on the war room floor -- was shown on the video screen he was booed almost as loudly as the Ducks and Bettman.

Seeing all the Ducks and Kings fans was a reminder of how this rivalry is so good for the game and Southern California. And seeing so many California-bred prospects drafted shows how much youth hockey has grown in SoCal. It was especially rewarding to see Long Beach native and fourth-ranked forward prospect Emerson Etem chosen by Anaheim in the first round with the 29th overall pick.

Other Cali players drafted included Beau Bennett, Jason Zucker and Taylor Aronson.

And while Canadian prospects dominated the top of the draft, the Americans set a record with 11 first-rounders and a total of 59 players overall.

Chris Robinson drove up from Laguna Niguel to see who the Ducks drafted and was impressed with L.A.'s hosting job.

"I think it’s perfect," Robinson said. "It’s good exposure for the league and there’s a lot more hockey fans in L.A. than you’d think."

More pictures from Friday's first-round festivities at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles:

Next month I am moving from the land of the Kings and Ducks to the place the Capitals call home.

After nearly nine eventful years covering hockey in Southern California I'm heading back to my hometown of Washington, D.C. where I will continue to post the latest news and analysis from the world of professional hockey.

It's been a wild ride reporting on hockey here in SoCal. Until I lived here for a while I had no idea how popular the sport is in this "non-traditional" market. There are so many Californians who came of age during the Gretzky era and have instilled the love of the game in their children that hockey will continue to get bigger and bigger here. Plus there is a constant influx of people from cold climes such as Canada, the Midwest and Northeast who bring their love of hockey here.

I started out covering the now defunct Long Beach Ice Dogs minor league team for a community newspaper called The Beachcomber and what struck me the first time I entered the Long Beach Ice Arena was how many fans were in the stands and how passionate people were for this scrappy Montreal Canadiens affiliate. It was a pleasure writing about the ups and downs of the Dogs.

But the passion in Anaheim for the Ducks and L.A. for the Kings is something I'll never forget. Despite the stereotype of laid-back and apathetic sports fans in Southern California, the Kings and Ducks followers are some of the most loyal fans in the entire National Hockey League.

It was incredibly exciting living in SoCal in 2007 when the Ducks brought the first Stanley Cup to the Golden State. And it has been awesome witnessing the rise of the Kings to playoff contenders.

There is also a very active grassroots youth hockey community across California that is going to breed some future NHL players. That is one reason why the league decided to locate this year's NHL Entry Draft at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. I'll be there this Friday for the first round and will be live-blogging the event so check in to The Hockey Stop this Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for instant draft results for each team.

I will also miss playing street hockey every Sunday with my crazy Canadian buddies as part of the Hangover Hockey League. We started out playing on the basketball court at Veterans Park in Westwood and then alternated between roller hockey rinks in North Hollywood and Mar Vista. I usually went home after a game bruised and sore for the next week but it was all worth it. Good luck to all my street hockey comrades!

While I'll be blogging from the draft this Friday, if my blog posts are less frequent the next couple of weeks it is because I'm busy preparing for my move. But as soon as I'm settled in D.C. I'll be ramping up the posting again.

There are a couple of stories of note from today's news.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer, 36, retired today after 18 NHL seasons. The Norris and Conn Smythe Trophy winner is the only hockey player in the world to win the Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold Medal, World Championship, World Junior Championship, World Cup and Memorial Cup.

Also, the NHL released the 2010-2011 regular season schedule. Click here for each team's complete 82-game schedule.

Lastly, a reminder that the NHL Awards will be televised live from Las Vegas on Versus tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. PST.

In a shocking development, Los Angeles Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy has been charged with sexually assaulting his daughter in a Washington, D.C. hotel room. His daughter Jessica, 21, attends Georgetown University in D.C. The alleged incident took place at the Mayflower Hotel.

Washington Post story:

Hockey coach charged in hotel sex assault

A former Los Angeles Kings hockey player and current assistant coach was charged Friday with sexually assaulting his adult daughter at the Mayflower Hotel.

Mark Hardy, 51, was charged with fourth-degree sexual abuse in connection with fondling his daughter in the hotel room after the two walked from a bar on 19th Street around 1 a.m. The daughter reportedly attends college in D.C.

The victim told police that she and her father were “very intoxicated,” and after she had changed her clothes, got into bed and fell asleep, she was awakened by her father laying next to her and touching her inappropriately, according to documents filed late Friday in D.C. Superior Court.

After first denying that anything happened, Hardy apologized to his daughter, the court papers said. She then ran from the room to the front desk for help.

At his initial hearing Friday, prosecutors said Hardy declined to be interviewed by pre-trial services. Magistrate Judge Karen Howze ordered Hardy released, but ordered him to turn in his passport, undergo alcohol evaluation and to have no contact, verbal, physical or electronic with his daughter.

Hardy was represented by the District’s Public Defender Service and declined to comment after the hearing. Hardy’s next hearing is scheduled for June 4.

Hardy played for the Kings from 1979-1988 and again from 1992-1994. He also served as assistant coach for the team. Hardy also played for the New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars, and was an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks.

-- Keith L. Alexander


L.A. Times story:

Kings' Mark Hardy charged with felony sexual abuse

Hardy, a Kings assistant coach, was arrested after a complaint by a family member in Washington.

May 21, 2010
By Helene Elliott

Mark Hardy, a former Kings defenseman and current assistant coach, was arrested early Friday and charged with felony fourth-degree sexual abuse after a complaint by a family member at a hotel in Washington.

Hardy, a Manhattan Beach resident, was taken into custody and appeared before a judge Friday afternoon in the District of Columbia Superior Court. The 51-year-old was released with conditions, including the surrender of his passport and a prohibition against having any physical, verbal or electronic contact with the family member.

He is due to appear in court again June 4.

The Kings issued a statement saying they were aware of the charge and would not comment because of the "legal nature of this matter." A team spokesman declined to say whether Hardy remains on the payroll or has been suspended or placed on leave.

According to court documents, the person who filed the complaint and Hardy had been at a bar before returning to the Mayflower Hotel. The family member went to sleep and awoke to find Hardy sharing the bed and making inappropriate sexual contact.

Second District police were called and two detectives arrived at 2 a.m.

After being interviewed Hardy was arrested.

It is The Times' practice not to name alleged sexual abuse victims.

Hardy played for the Kings from 1979-80 through 1987-88 and returned for the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons. He also played for the New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars. After he retired as a player, he was a member of the coaching staff of the minor league Long Beach Ice Dogs before joining the Kings as an assistant coach for the 1999-2000 season.

He left after 2005-06 for an assistant coaching job with the Chicago Blackhawks before returning to the Kings in August 2008. He has been in charge of the team's penalty-killing unit in addition to working closely with the team's defensemen.


NHL.com profile:

Coach Hardy's Playing Statistics

Mark Hardy returned to the Kings on August 4, 2008 after spending two seasons with the Blackhawks, where he successfully oversaw the development of a young blueline that played a major role in Chicago's team goals-against-average dropping from 3.40 in 2005-06 to 2.82 in '07-08. Hardy, 49, had served as an assistant coach with the Kings for the previous seven and a half seasons (1998-99 to 2005-06). His responsibilities while in Los Angeles focused on defensive play, penalty killing and overall play without the puck. Hardy's penalty killing unit ranked third in the NHL for the 2001-02 season with an 86.6% success rate which marked the second best in Kings history.

After enjoying a 15-year NHL career as a defenseman for the Kings, New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars, Hardy turned to coaching as an assistant coach with the Long Beach Ice Dogs (IHL) prior to joining the Kings coaching staff.

Hardy was originally selected by the Kings in the second round, 30th overall, in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. He played his junior hockey (QMJHL) in Montreal with current Blackhawks Head Coach Denis Savard. Hardy was twice named the Kings Outstanding Defenseman (1984-85 and 1986-87). He stayed with the Kings until 1988. After two stints with the Rangers and a short run with the North Stars, Hardy returned to the Kings in 1993 and helped the team advance to the Stanley Cup Finals that season. He concluded his NHL playing career the following season (1993-94) with the Kings.

In 915 career NHL games, Hardy, a native of Samedan, Switzerland, recorded 368 points (62 goals, 306 assists) and 1,293 penalty minutes.

Mark and his wife, Kristina, have two children, a daughter, Jessica, and a son, Kevin.

Despite being eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs tonight by a more experienced Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings have a lot to be proud of this season and much to look forward to in the years ahead.

After a nine-year playoff drought, this young, talented group will be battling deep into the playoffs for many years to come, thanks to a smart rebuilding effort reminiscent of the building blocks a few other teams started putting in place a few years ago that are now paying dividends, namely the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

All three of these teams tasted the bitterness of early playoff exits before gaining the experience and supporting cast to make runs deep into the postseason. Pittsburgh already won a Stanley Cup last year and the 'Hawks and Caps hope this is their year to do the same.

So keep your heads up, Kings fans, although I know it is tough right now with the pain of losing to a team you very well could have defeated. But it wasn't your year. It's too early for that. The Caps learned a hell of a lot from the sting of losing in Game 7 two years ago to the Flyers in the first round and in Game 7 last year to the Penguins in the second round.

Now Washington knows how to handle these situations and hopefully come out on top this time.

And Los Angeles will know too. That's because Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Alexander Frolov, Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Michal Handzus, Wayne Simmonds, Jack Johnson, Matt Greene and the other Kings on this all-star roster got their first taste of the playoffs and once you get your first taste of the NHL postseason you live to return and eventually hoist the greatest hardware in professional sports -- the Stanley Cup.

The National Hockey League regular season wrapped today with a thrilling overtime shootout in Philadelphia to catapult the Flyers into the playoffs and send the Rangers home to New York.

Here are the first-round match-ups. For the full schedule with dates, times and TV coverage, click here.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens

#2 New Jersey Devils vs. #7 Philadelphia Flyers

#3 Buffalo Sabres vs. #6 Boston Bruins

#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Ottawa Senators

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #8 Colorado Avalanche

#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs. #7 Nashville Predators

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Los Angeles Kings

#4 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings

Also, some awards were decided on the final day of action.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay's Steve Stamkos will share the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy because both players finished with 51 goals.

Vancouver's Henrik Sedin nabbed the Art Ross Trophy for scoring with 112 points (29 goals, 83 assists).

New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur and backup Yann Danis won the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed, with 191.

Some initial thoughts on the first-round match-ups (and guess what, it all comes down to the men between the pipes):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Caps-Canadiens

Washington is quickly putting its record-breaking regular season behind it (first non-Original Six team to reach 120 points) and focusing on Les Habs, a team it has never faced in the playoffs. Laval, Quebec native and former Montreal goaltender Jose Theodore should be pumped to play his old team and he is sure to hear it from the crowd, which should provide even extra motivation.

Prediction: Caps in 4

Devils-Flyers

Philadelphia is riding high after advancing to the playoffs in a last-game shootout against the Rangers. That won't last long. The Devils are a complete team. They already were one of the fiercest defensive teams in hockey, but with the addition of Ilya Kovalchuk they are now dangerous on offense. Flyers will sneak one win in but that is all.

Prediction: Devils in 5

Sabres-Bruins

A good match-up between two defensive-minded teams. But the edge goes to the Sabres because of Ryan Miller. If he shows the spark he had in the Olympics for Team USA, then Buffalo will be very hard to beat.

Prediction: Sabres in 6

Penguins-Senators

This is a very even match-up but the edge has to go to the Pens because of their experience winning the Cup last year and the Sidney Crosby factor. Also, Sens star Alexei Kovalev will miss the playoffs with a left knee injury. That said, Ottawa and head coach Cory Clouston should not be underestimated. They have weapons up front like Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson and the blue line is solid, especially with the addition of Andy Sutton.

Prediction: Sens in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Sharks-Avs

San Jose is a perennial playoff disappointment and that won't change this year. Despite another stellar regular season, Colorado could upset the Sharks. That is unless goalie Evgeni Nabakov plays up to his potential. If he does, the Sharks are pretty much unbeatable. But the Russian goalie has been known to put in mediocre performances just at the wrong time. Avs coach Joe Sacco has his group of young players believing.

Prediction: Avs in 7

Hawks-Preds

Next to the Capitals, Chicago has the most dynamic team in the NHL. With Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews leading the charge the Hawks are the best in the West. But there is still a question mark at goal. Can Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi take this team deep into the playoffs? Time will tell.

Prediction: Hawks in 5

Canucks-Kings

The City of Angels is excited the Kings are back in the playoffs after a long dry spell. And with a corps of young talented players like Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown there is a bright future ahead for the Los Angeles franchise. And they will give the Canucks everything they've got. But it won't be enough. Vancouver has more depth and experience and Team Canada gold medal winner Roberto Luongo and Art Ross winner Henrik Sedin.

Prediction: Canucks in 7

Coyotes-Wings

This is going to be a great series. Both teams are peaking just at the right time and have hot goaltenders. Phoenix has MVP candidate Ilya Bryzgalov and the Wings have rookie of the year candidate Jimmy Howard behind the net. With all the off-ice problems in Phoenix, it is amazing the Coyotes are in the playoffs. And Detroit had all kinds of on-ice problems earlier in the season. But with the kind of Cinderella season Phoenix is having, it has the edge.

Prediction: Coyotes in 6

Not excited about the playoffs yet?

The National Hockey League's new video spots airing on television and the internet should get the lamp lit for puckheads nationwide who aren't yet feeling the April Anarchy to come in two weeks.

Despite the Kings coming down to earth of late, the excitement is still building in the City of Angels for their expected return to the playoffs after years of mediocrity.

But I'll be flying from my adopted city of L.A. to my hometown of Washington, D.C. to see the Capitals compete in the first round.

I'll be at the Verizon Center rockin' the red for the first two games in mid-April so watch out for updates on The Hockey Stop as the NHL's top team begins the quest for its first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Here are the videos to get you in the mood:

History Will Be Made -- Mark Messier



History Will Be Made -- Ray Bourque

This past Super Bowl weekend was simply awesome for fans of hockey and football, and specifically followers of the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals and New Orleans Saints.

Most of the Monday morning water-cooler discussions rightfully centered on the Saints' feel-good victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Miami. New Orleans' win was the tonic this nation needed to have something to feel good about in the midst of a seemingly endless jobs drought and divisive rhetoric about, well, almost every issue being debated in Washington. Plus the still raw memories of Hurricane Katrina's devastation.

This nation and the city of New Orleans needed a Saints victory and we got it. So thanks to Drew Brees and company for a hell of a performance last Sunday. You gave the whole country (outside of Indianapolis) something to celebrate and come together over and that is special.

If the Saints had won the Super Bowl and nothing else happened that would have been enough. But two of perhaps the most exciting hockey games of the year took place in rainy Los Angeles and snowy Washington, D.C. and what a treat they were!

First on Saturday afternoon at Staples Center I was lucky enough to nab two $100 seats for $20 each from my co-worker to the game. So my friend and I hopped on the subway and headed downtown to the arena where we took our seats seven rows up and one section to the right of the visitors bench. I was so close I could almost hear backup goalie Chris Osgood talking shop with Todd Bertuzzi, Henrik Zetterberg, Nicklas Lidstrom and the rest of the Detroit Red Wings teammates.

The many Detroiters in attendance had a lot to cheer about in the first period as the Wings built up a seemingly impenetrable 3-0 lead going into the intermission. But then the Kings came alive and scored four unanswered goals in the final two periods to win 4-3 on a shot by Michael Handzus past Jimmy Howard to send the purple-and-black-clad fans into a frenzy.

The win was L.A.'s ninth straight, which set a franchise record for consecutive wins. As I waited for the Blue Line train at the Pico station with the celebratory Kings fans, I couldn't wait for NBC's national telecast of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals in D.C.

Because of the record snowfall in D.C. the game was somewhat in doubt. The Pens had lost in Montreal 5-3 the day before and since the D.C. area airports were closed they had to fly to Newark and take a bus down to Washington. They even stopped at a rest stop in Maryland to pick up some Burger King (I won't say it was the fast food that caused the Penguins to lose because the meat industry might sue me).

Like the Kings, the Caps had to overcome a three goal deficit to extend their winning streak to a mind-boggling 14 games -- only three short of tying Pittsburgh's 17-game streak set in 1993. The Caps were down 4-1 before Eric Fehr cut the lead to one and then two goals by Alex Ovechkin for a hat trick tied the game before a near capacity crowd ready to let loose after the Great Blizzard of 2010. Caps fans were rocking the red at the VC no matter what the conditions were. They probably would have sledded across the Arlington Memorial Bridge, along the National Mall and up 7th Street to get to the game if that was the only form of transportation.

And the Caps provided these loyal, courageous fans with a thrilling finish. With everyone in Capitals Nation still feeling the bitter sting of the 7th game playoff loss to the Pens last year, the Caps turned the table for at least one day by beating the Pens 5-4 in overtime off a Mike Knuble tip-in past Marc-Andre Fleury to send the red-clad crowd into the snow happy (and this Caps fan doing cartwheels in his apartment in Los Angeles).

What a weekend!

Other notable news from around the rink:

Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke's son dies

The hockey world is in mourning over the tragic loss of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke's son Brendan at the age of 21. Burke, the student manager of Miami University's NCAA hockey team in Oxford, Ohio, died along with a friend at the scene of a two-vehicle collision during heavy snow in Wayne County, Indiana at around 2:50 p.m. Friday. Brendan was driving back from Michigan State in East Lansing because he was interested in attending the law school there.

Burke's youngest son made headlines last November when his father revealed to the media that his son was gay.

"I think it's important my story is told to people because there are a lot of gay athletes out there and gay people working in pro sports that deserve to know there are safe environments where people are supportive regardless of your sexual orientation," Burke said.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a news release that Brendan was "a young man of courage and character. Words simply cannot express our sorrow over his loss."

New owner for Lightning

Boston Red Sox minority owner Jeff Vinik has agreed to buy the Tampa Bay Lightning pending approval from the league's Board of Governors. The St. Petersburg Times writes about how GM Brian Lawton will be on the hot seat as he tries to impress his new boss.

Caps-Pens TV ratings

NBC's broadcast of the Caps-Pens last Super Bowl Sunday scored a 1.3 overnight rating, which tied the season high of the Pens-Flyers telecast of two weeks ago. It was also the best ever rating for a Pittsburgh-Washington game.

Caps embrace social media

The Washington Post's Gene Wang has a story on the Caps and owner Ted Leonsis' embrace of social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to promote the team. Here is an excerpt courtesy of Kukla's Korner Hockey Blog:

"The Washington Capitals in recent years have moved more aggressively than any other NHL team toward embracing social media Web sites such as Twitter and Facebook, targeting supporters who get their information from non-traditional outlets.

Now, with the team in the midst of a franchise-record winning streak led by one of the world’s most dynamic hockey players in Alex Ovechkin, owner Ted Leonsis is hoping the social media strategy will pay off in expanding the club’s popularity and engagement with fans.

“The team blew up, and the team got great with really young kids who were very identifiable by the same generation that used that technology,” Leonsis said last week from his office at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. “So the co-mingling of this understanding of social media and technology and the team doing great, and the city wanting a winner, has really made this a very magical time for the franchise.”

Leafs-Ducks-Flames in huge deal

Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke had seen enough.

The storied franchise has been mired in mediocrity in recent years and this year has been particularly bad with the Maple Leafs sitting second to bottom in the league with a record of 17-28-11 for 45 points.

Toronto aims to get back on the right track with this blockbuster deal pulled off Sunday -- Toronto gets defenseman Dion Phaneuf from Calgary and Stanley Cup-winning goalie J.S. Giguere from Anaheim.

The rest of the seven-player deal with the Flames includes right wing Fredrik Sjostrom and prospect Keith Aulie to Toronto for forwards Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan, Jamal Mayers and defenseman Ian White.

My opinion? This is a smart move for Toronto. They needed to shake things up and as the old saying goes -- defense wins Cups and the Leafs just added two stonewalls in back of their blue line. And Phaneuf has the ability to light the lamp often as well, which is always a plus with a defenseman.

Sale of Tampa Bay Lightning could come soon

The financial mess the Lightning face -- the NHL had to bail the ownership out to make payroll -- could soon be resolved, according to a report in the St. Petersburg Times.

The report says that talks are underway about selling the team to Boston hedge fund manager Jeff Vinik. The article says there is speculation that an NHL-brokered deal could happen swiftly.

Many Lightning fans are likely rooting for this deal because the current ownership is not very popular because of their non-hockey background and flashy Hollywood-type decisions such as hiring Barry Melrose as head coach. We all know how that worked out. On the other hand, Vinik is a minority partner in the Boston Red Sox so he knows about how to run a winning franchise. He also managed the Fidelity Magellan Fund in the 1990s so he is wise to the financials and would probably not get himself into a situation where he fails to pay his players.

But the most intriguing part of the story? The speculation from The Hockey News that Vinny Lecavalier may be traded in order for the team to cut costs. Lecavalier would have to waive his no-move clause. He is in his first year of an 11-year, $85 million deal. One potential place Lecavalier could end up is Los Angeles. To be continued ...

Caps aim for franchise record Tuesday

Speaking of the Lightning, the Washington Capitals beat them 3-2 in a matinee affair at the Verizon Center Sunday on a game-winning third period tally from Alex Ovechkin. The win was the Caps' 10th straight, which ties the franchise mark set in 1984.

The red-hot Caps have a chance to set the franchise record for most consecutive regular season wins on Tuesday when they face off against the struggling Boston Bruins at TD Banknorth Garden.

And while Washington's explosive league-leading offense has propelled the team to victory after victory, solid penalty killing and clutch saves from Jose Theodore and Michael Neuvirth have contributed as well.

I've been saying for awhile that the Capitals are one shutdown defenseman away from being a Stanley Cup contender. I still believe General Manager George McPhee will be shopping for a veteran sacrifice-the-body-in-front-of-the-net blueliner to put the final piece of the puzzle in place for a Stanley Cup run.

The goaltending situation I believe to be resolved as this past winning streak has shown. Number one goalie Simeon Varlamov is nearing a return from injury and has been getting some important schooling from Caps goaltending coach Arturs Irbe. Varlamov is sure to match his high skill level with more maturity when he returns. That said, veteran Jose Theodore is playing his best hockey since he became a Cap, and rookie Michael Neuvirth has been playing solid under pressure. Plus there is highly touted prospect Braydon Holtby, who has been tearing it up in Hershey but has yet to play an NHL game. Needless to say, the future between the pipes for the Caps is a bright one.

Jonathan Quick with save of the year?

I expect to be watching a replay of L.A. Kings goalie Jonathan Quick's unbelievable save on the ESPY Awards.

On Sunday in New Jersey, the talented young netminder was sprawled on the ice with bodies in front of him blocking his view when a Devil lifted the puck off the ice into an open net only to see Quick's glove hand rise up and snap the puck out of the air. All this while Quick's eyes were probably staring at the skate blade of one of the players in front of him. It was spectacular and one of the reasons the Kings rallied with two goals late in the third period to win 3-2 and go 5-0 on their road trip.

The Kings are certainly ready for the playoffs and could potentially ride their hot goalie deeper into the postseason than many pundits think they will go.

Here are the game highlights. Quick's spectacular save is at the 4:35 mark:

YZERMAN SNUBS GREEN



Calgary native Mike Green was left off Team Canada's Olympics roster. What a shame. I don't know what executive director Steve Yzerman was thinking when he left the Washington Capitals' Norris-nominated defenseman off the team. What I do know is that it was a mistake.

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, all of 20 years, made the cut over Green? Come on. The National Post quoted Yzerman as saying he picked players who "will you to a win." And what does Green do then?

In the 2007-2008 season Caps commentator Joe Beninati nicknamed Green "Game Over" because he finished the season with 4 game-winning goals along with a league-leading 18 goals by a defenseman for 56 points. Last season Green set an NHL record by scoring in eight consecutive games. As of Dec. 13 he led all defensemen with 32 points (6 goals and 26 assists) in 32 games.

I just don't understand this decision, other than a bias against offensive-minded defensemen. Green should be skating in Vancouver in February. Oh well, I guess this is more ammunition for Green to prove the critics wrong. Expect a big second half of the season for the All-Star blue-liner.

SUN-TIMES: BLACKHAWKS ONE OF DECADE'S BIGGEST LOCAL STORIES



The rise of the Chicago Blackhawks is No. 6 on the Chicago Sun-Times' top ten biggest local stories of the decade. No. 1? The White Sox winning the World Series of course! Here is the 'Hawks entry from the Sun-Times website:

"6. Rocky Wirtz takes over the Blackhawks

When longtime Blackhawks chairman Bill Wirtz passed away in September 2007, he left behind a crumbling organization, a lousy hockey team and an embittered fan base. Enter son Rocky Wirtz. Within days, he vowed to put fans first and to restore the franchise to its glory days of the past. And he has delivered on his promises, rapidly transforming the organization into one of the best in the NHL. Hawks games, long an afterthought in this city, have become exciting, must-see events. And the team has become a Stanley Cup contender."

BIG TRADE: CHIMERA FOR CLARK, JURCINA



The Caps and Jackets made a big mid-season trade, with gritty, hard-charging forward Jason Chimera going to the Caps for veteran forward and captain Chris Clark and defenseman Milan Jurcina. I got a taste of Chimera's fearless net-crashing turbo boosters while watching last night's 5-2 loss at San Jose on NHL GameCenter Live. At one point late in the game Chimera skated full speed towards Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabakov. He nearly scored, but instead flew into and over Nabakov. Chimera should be a valuable irritant to opposing goalies.

IMPACT! MAGAZINE MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?



The December 2009 issue of NHL.com's Impact! Magazine is available online. The cover story is about the rise of Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. The web-only edition looks great and is easy to read online by flipping the virtual pages the same way you would read a print magazine. But if the point of providing the magazine online instead of print is to save paper and the environment, then NHL.com probably shouldn't lead off with this:

"The best part: print out the entire magazine and take it with you!"

DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN, I MEAN KINGS DEFEAT FLAMES



As an online news editor myself I can certainly sympathize with late-night errors when your eyes and mind are a bit foggy. But still, this is really bad. On the top of NHL.com the final score is 2-1 Flames over Kings, but the headline (which was up for a good 45 minutes) says "Kings edge Flames." Somebody was asleep at the Zamboni!

The National Hockey League has crowned the Kings as host team for the 2010 entry draft -- the first time in the event's 46-year history that it will be held in the state of California.

The draft will take place from June 25-26 at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

And as an over eight-year resident of the Golden State, I say it is about time the league acknowledged its importance to the future of professional hockey.

There is a popular perception of California as some sort of hockey hinterland with all the sunshine and palm trees being more conducive to surfing than skating. And there is a trivializing of California hockey fans as too casual in some quarters of the Northeast.

That is simply unfair and the NHL knows it. That is why they chose L.A. for the draft.

Here are five reasons why -- besides the obvious influence Wayne Gretzky had on developing hockey here -- that California is the hottest spot for the coldest sport:

• The rise of the Los Angeles Kings is one of the best stories of the season so far. This young, exciting team with loads of talent, such as scoring leader Anze Kopitar, is second in the Pacific Division and is poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002. And goalie Jonathan Quick put in one of his best performances of the season last night by making 26 saves in a 2-1 win at home over the Flames.

• The rise of the area around the Staples Center nicely coincides with the resurgent Kings. The L.A. Live complex includes ESPN's new West Coast studios, the Nokia Theater, restaurants, nightclubs, a movie theater, a Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriot hotel opening in February and other entertainment options that are turning the area into a West Coast Times Square.

• The Anaheim Ducks, despite their mediocre play this season, brought the first Stanley Cup to the Golden State in 2007 and turned a team based on a Disney movie into one of the most respected franchises in the NHL.

• The San Jose Sharks are one of the elite teams in the league and, despite a disappointing first-round playoff exit last year, won the President's Trophy as the the team with the best regular-season record. And this year they are on pace to win it again (they will have some competition from the Caps though -- after last night's victory over the Lightning the Capitals overtook San Jose for the overall points lead with 44, one point ahead of the Sharks).

• Hockey at the grassroots level continues to grow in California. According to NHL.com, since 2001 only five states have had more players in the NHL entry draft than California.

At the quarter point of the NHL season there is an interesting role reversal taking place in Southern California.

Despite two recent losses, the once woeful Los Angeles Kings find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division standings with a record of 13-9-2 for 28 points. Meanwhile, the 2007 Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks are facing something relatively new -- sitting in last place in their division at 7-11-3 with 17 points.

And the frustration in famously laid-back Orange County is perhaps finding its way into the stands.

Following a recent 4-3 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Honda Center, Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermeyer tossed his game stick into the front row after being announced as the number one star because of his overtime winner against the Bolts.

The stick was intended for a little girl, but instead a fight broke out which was caught on camera and became a viral video sensation. Pro skateboarder Mike Vallaly, 39, of Long Beach, was arrested for public fighting. Apparently he fought another dad in the stands for the stick that Vallaly claims was intended for his daughter.

Here is the video of the fight:



Now, while this is an isolated incident and in no way reflects the normally friendly and well-behaved Ducks fans, it is still reflective of a disappointing season thus far for the Ducks on the ice.

And it doesn't get any easier for Anaheim following their most recent 3-2 loss to San Jose at home. Their seven-game homestand continues as they face the red-hot Flames Monday night followed by a desperate Carolina Hurricanes and unstoppable Chicago Blackhawks who will have Marian Hossa back in the lineup.

The Kings are looking at the turmoil down south on Interstate 5 with the unusual position of being considered a potential playoff contender. There is genuine excitement at Staples Center that this will be the year the young, talented team will return to the postseason.



With the NHL's new top gun Anze Kopitar playing out of his mind and Jonathan Quick stonewalling the opposition most nights, there is good reason to believe the billboards across the sprawling city -- "Passion=Pride."

The Slovenian superstar is the current NHL scoring leader. Not only does Kopitar have 33 points (14 goals; 19 assists) through 24 games, but he also has a plus 5 rating in his third season as a pro. Kopitar was minus 15 his rookie year and minus 17 last year so this is an overlooked improvement.

Quick is standing tall in net with 12 wins, a goals against average of 2.79 and a save percentage of .894%.

Despite losing left winger Ryan Smith for a month with an upper body injury and Rob Scuderi for an undisclosed amount of time, the Kings are poised to end their six-year playoff drought and bring some of that Gretzky-era magic back to the City of Angels.

If the Los Angeles Kings make the playoffs this year, they will look back at Thursday night's 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins as the pivotal turning point in the season.

Yes, L.A. was already riding a 5-0-2 run and looking very much like a playoff-bound team. But their biggest test of this young season was before a sellout crowd of black-clad fans at Staples Center -- some in Penguins jerseys, most sporting the Kings crown. That is because the defending Stanley Cup champs were undefeated on the road at 7-0.

So could the young, talented Kings match the gritty, playoff-hardened Penguins and snap their road winning streak? The answer was a resounding yes. Former Penguin Rob Scuderi and his teammates showed their mettle with a furious third period.

After Pittsburgh took a 2-1 advantage, the NHL's leading scorer, Anze Kopitar, tied the game in the final session with his second goal of the night, before Jarret Stoll scored the game-winning goal. Michael Handzus and Dustin Brown padded the lead later in the period.

Goalie Jonathan Quick played a masterful game behind the net with 32 saves. Quick robbed Billy Guerin, who was camped in front of the net and took a quick pass from Sidney Crosby. Quick made a spectacular save with his right pad while in the splits.

If anything the Kings sent a message to the rest of the National Hockey League that they are for real and that they believe they can make the playoffs this year.





The Chicago Blackhawks brought their fathers on a Western road swing this week. The hockey dads are accompanying their sons to Phoenix and Denver for games against the Coyotes and Avs.

So did the 'Hawks players put in the extra effort for their dads Thursday night or did they get a scolding after the game from their fathers?

Final score: Coyotes 3, Blackhawks 1.

Time for some drills at the backyard rink boys!

I'm happy to report that the Los Angeles Times has finally added links to the Ducks and Kings from the top navigation bar on their new homepage.

Plus, the King and Ducks both won their games last night. L.A. dispatched Minnesota 6-3 at Staples Center while Anaheim dominated the Bruins 6-1 in Boston.

Oh yeah, and I heard the Dodgers and Angels won their playoff games yesterday but that hasn't been confirmed.