Pre-Game Talk: 2013 Western Conference Final: Kings vs. Blackhawks

[Giuseppe Sallo]

Hawks came back to win 3-1... That's impressive and a momentum changer. I like both teams but I feel Kings haven't dominated and J-Quick is stealing games. I honestly feelHawks have better depth but it all depends whether Crawford is good in net. I'll say this series goes seven games -- not picking a winner cause I'm rooting for both teams.

 

[DaAnimal]

Well this was one of the teams I feared the most but regardless, it is what it is. We just gotta focus and go out there and play our hearts out.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

To be the best you've gotta beat the best. Super stoked for this series!

Also, re: Shaw--that guy's life is gonna be miserable this series. No need to go out of our way to focus on him in any way. First time Regehr so much as glances at him he will combust.

 

[zytz]

Hey there Kings faithful, just want to wish you all well before we get down to business. I've been at the same time anticipating and fearing this matchup all year, and I think we will see a great series. The Kings are my second fav team, and I think LA and CHI are hands down the best teams in the west. Many of the assessments I've read are spot on- if your team plays physical and forechecks mercilessly it will cause the Hawks a lot of frustration, and definitely throw us off our game. Despite being a CHI fan first, I picked LA to win it all, last year and this year... think your team is built for winning in the playoffs.

When the dust settles, I think the most important thing is that whoever is left standing wipes the floor with the eastern opponent. Good luck and good hockey!

 

[jml87]

So why the **** is Pitt-Bos playing after us despite finishing way before? Why aren't they playing on Friday and we play Saturday night?

Oh that's right, cause the NHL is run by a bunch of brainless morons.

 

[Scottkmlps]

So why the **** is Pitt-Bos playing after us despite finishing way before? Why aren't they playing on Friday and we play Saturday night?

Oh that's right, cause the NHL is run by a bunch of brainless morons.

Because the NHL is run by NBC. It makes more sense to have the East start on Saturday and have the West start on Sunday.

 

[Whiskeypete]

Hey there Kings faithful, just want to wish you all well before we get down to business. I've been at the same time anticipating and fearing this matchup all year, and I think we will see a great series. The Kings are my second fav team, and I think LA and CHI are hands down the best teams in the west. Many of the assessments I've read are spot on- if your team plays physical and forechecks mercilessly it will cause the Hawks a lot of frustration, and definitely throw us off our game. Despite being a CHI fan first, I picked LA to win it all, last year and this year... think your team is built for winning in the playoffs.

When the dust settles, I think the most important thing is that whoever is left standing wipes the floor with the eastern opponent. Good luck and good hockey!

it's going to be a terrific series. one that I have been wanting for two years now. I live here in Chicago and my buds that are hawks fans and I have wanted this. we finally got it.....

the match up is very important to each team when you look at legitimacy. the BH's were the best team in the league this year. the Kings are the defending SC champs. who ever advances will have had to 'face the best and beat the best' to win. leave it all on the ice....GKG!!

 

[lumbergh]

Clifford will need to lay down the law right off the bat with that kid Shaw and make sure he doesn't mess around with Quickie or pulling a trick like he did on Filppula tonight.

I saw the replay on the slew foot. Is that suspendable? A dirty play for sure.

 

[KingsFan7824]

So why the **** is Pitt-Bos playing after us despite finishing way before? Why aren't they playing on Friday and we play Saturday night?

Oh that's right, cause the NHL is run by a bunch of brainless morons.

EST television, with probably a little arena availability mixed in. 8pm on a Saturday? If possible, that's Crosby time, which is smart.

 

[jml87]

EST television, with probably a little arena availability mixed in. 8pm on a Saturday? If possible, that's Crosby time, which is smart.

Then start the Kings series on Sunday. It looks like they are just shoving the WCF in whenever they can. It's a great matchup and it deserves better than just to be the opening act for Sidney Crosby.

 

[Arrhizal]

What an insanely early start on saturday. 11pm. And I just set up my 4am wakeup routine.

 

[TonySCV]

So why the **** is Pitt-Bos playing after us despite finishing way before? Why aren't they playing on Friday and we play Saturday night?

Oh that's right, cause the NHL is run by a bunch of brainless morons.

Friday night TV is a ratings wasteland. No one is home. Regularly the lowest TV ratings night of the week. They'd either want the series to start on Thursday or Saturday. I'm actually surprised the East didn't start Thursday, but they were probably worried about a gap in coverage given they like to have a game on every night during the conf. finals.

It's always a game of TV roulette.

Regardless, scheduling a back to back and 3 games in 4 nights is beyond asinine. The quality of hockey is going to be poor for Games 2 and 3. The 3rd game in 4 nights may as well be zombies on ice.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

I don't love the Kings chances, due to how they've performed...we all know where the Kings would be right now if J. Quick wasn't playing even better than he did last year.

BUT, with that said, I think SJ was a tougher challenge than what CHI will be.

 

[YP44]

I am worried about that the hawks speed could expose some of our slower defensemen.
Hopefully be a close series. Quick has stood on his head the whole playoffs, would be nice if the team could give him some breathing room in one of the games.
I agree with some of the early posters we need at least a split, I don't think LA will win all 3 at home. Winning 17 in a row would be sweet though!!

 

[Reclamation Project]

The Kings are behind in the skill department, they have more depth and talent throughout their forward ranks than we do, I think the defense is a wash, we have a clear cut advantage in goal.

The Kings need to clog the neutral zone and prevent the Hawks from entering with speed on the wing and making cross ice passes in the offensive zone, that is one weakness with Quick's aggressive style.

One area the Kings do have a big advantage is down the middle. I have no idea who Coach Q is going to match Toews up against in this series, but whichever center isn't matched up with them should be able to exploit the matchup, especially with as poorly as Dave Bolland is playing. This may be the series Richards and Carter have a ton of room 5 on 5.

We both just won Game 7's at home, IMO the Kings beat a much stronger team than the Hawks did, not sure if that will matter.

I'm going with the Kings in 6 because Jonathan Quick is in a zone we haven't seen since Hasek in the late 90's.

But it is absolutely vital that the Kings win atleast one game here in Chicago this weekend, if the Hawks win both the Kings are done.

Great post.

What he do to filppula?

The guy's a dumbass. We need to exploit him.

 

[BigBrown]

Hossa and Kane scare the crap out of me. I'm reasonably confident in our centers' ability to match up against the other team's centers but game breaking wingers are an area of concern for me.

 

[Herby]

Hossa and Kane scare the crap out of me. I'm reasonably confident in our centers' ability to match up against the other team's centers but game breaking wingers are an area of concern for me.

Carter is a game breaking winger also.

It was a shame Sutter didn't make any adjustments and he spent 3 of the 7 games bogged down in the defensive zone, that will not happen in this series. Look for Carter to have a much bigger impact.

 

[Sydor25]

Hossa and Kane scare the crap out of me. I'm reasonably confident in our centers' ability to match up against the other team's centers but game breaking wingers are an area of concern for me.

Sharp worries me more than Hossa. All three of those wingers are better than what the Kings have not named Carter. Penner and Brown need to continue to lay the body on their wingers as much as possible. Stoll returning would be huge for faceoffs and physical play.

One key to the series will be Kopitar and Richards versus Toews and Bolland. Richards and Carter could have a monster series. Kings at home would be able to have Kopitar match up against Bolland or Handzus, another advantage the Kings must take advantage of to win the series.

The biggest one will be Regehr and Muzzin versus Sharp, Hossa and Kane. Muzzin needs to calm down and use his size to control space, so far I haven't seen it, but maybe a lightbulb will go off in his head before Saturday.


I think this is the most unpredictable series for the Kings the last two seasons. One of the first series where the other team doesn't play a similar game to the Kings. Hawks are not physical, especially compared to St. Louis and SJ.

 

[The Big Giant Head]

I think im the only one in here that is scared of Chicago. They are going to tough, especially them having home ice advantage. Im nervous about not having home ice. I do think though, if we can play them physical like we played St. Louis (knock the crap out baby kane and baby Toews) then we'll have a real advantage over them. I think thats one of our biggest strengths in this series is our physicality.

If we can stay out of the box, play physical and win a road game then we should be able to come out of this.

 

[Mats26]

This is going to be another grind it out series, and it has to be for LA to be successful. But the real key is coaching and line matchups.

Since we start on the road, how will the Hawks counter Kopitar? Will they put Handzus vs him? I expect Kopitar to fully exploit this matchup.

We need to prepare for the counter attacking long stretch passes Hawks use.
Quick linechanges, don't get caught on those lazy line changes.
Pressure the D to force a play.
Forecheck but don't get over agressive so that we are caught in the O Zone. We need to control the neutral zone.

Split the first 2 games is our goal. 299 hits at home vs 85 for the hawks on the road through 2 rounds. We will get better as the series shifts to Staples.

 

[LAKings88]

I think im the only one in here that is scared of Chicago. They are going to tough, especially them having home ice advantage. Im nervous about not having home ice. I do think though, if we can play them physical like we played St. Louis (knock the crap out baby kane and baby Toews) then we'll have a real advantage over them. I think thats one of our biggest strengths in this series is our physicality.

If we can stay out of the box, play physical and win a road game then we should be able to come out of this.

I'm escared of them too.

Doubt that Sutter or the Kings are tough. Kings will need everyone to pull their weight and step up their games.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I have a feeling this series can turn into a hard hitting and vicious affair like what we saw when the Kings played the Leafs in 1993. At least I am hoping that is what we see. To this day, I can't think of a series that was as physical as that one.

 

[The Big Giant Head]

I'm escared of them too.

Doubt that Sutter or the Kings are tough. Kings will need everyone to pull their weight and step up their games.

Yea out "1st line" need to get some goals and Brown needs to not only score but throw down hit like he did last year...some bone rattling, momentum building hits.

And can just say..for the life of me i dont understand Clifford on line 1 for that game 6 and 1 period of 7...i understand wanting to create scoring but clifford is perfect on the 3rd line. Switch Penner and Brown or King and Brown...im happy that experiment is over.

 

[Herby]

Cheapest non-standing room ticket for Game 1 is $200 on stubhub. Luckily have face value tickets from a co-worker for Game 2, but I'll probably be the only Kings fan at a game watch on Saturday.

Still so excited they are playing here, feels good to hear all this hockey talk, especially about the Kings on sports radio.

 

[reset]

no need to fear the hawks. just play our game and we should be fine.