Monday, June 11, 2012

We Are the Champions…Of the World!

For the first time in 45 years, the NHL’s Stanley Cup has been brought to Los Angeles.  After blowing a 3-0 lead in the series, the LA Kings finally beat the New Jersey Devils tonight in the sixth game of the series.

745-1mM72l_AuSt_55from Kentucky.com

It’s been a long time coming.  The Kings spent the first twenty years or so of their franchise meandering around the middle of the standings; sometimes making it to the playoffs and sometimes not.  When Gretzky arrived in the late 80s, Los Angeles got excited over hockey.  Even so, they continued to hang out in the middle of the pack, and the Gretzky led team was knocked out early on in the finals during his first few years here.

After years of fighting traffic into Inglewood to cheer them on at the Forum, the Kings made it to their first Stanley Cup finals against Montreal in the 92/93 season.  We attended every single home game that year, including the playoffs.  It was a rush to have our team do so well.  Then in the 2nd game of the finals, with the Canadians down in the series, they requested a stick check on Kings McSorely’s stick.  It was deemed illegally curved and the Kings were given a penalty.  The Canadians won that game, and the Kings lost their momentum.  The rest of the series was a bust as they lost the series 4-1.  It was devastating.

For the next 18 years, the Kings played utterly disappointing seasons.  Most seasons they didn’t even qualify for the playoffs.  Even this year, their record, while decent, wasn’t anything spectacular clinching just third place in their division, 8th seed in their conference.  However, in the finals they were on fire. 

Stanley Cup Finals Devils Kings Hockeyfrom hockeyfights.com

Playing a total of 20 games, they lost only 4 (only 1 on the road).  Tonight they blew up the score board in the first few minutes and took the game   6-1.

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How fun it was to watch my beloved team finally raise the cup above their heads.

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From Sportsillustrated.com

Congratulations Los Angeles Kings!

8 comments:

  1. Congratulations to your team! : ) I know the Flyers are sad to have the trophy on the west coast and not over here.

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    1. @becky - I'm sure, but it's been over on that side plenty. :)

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  2. Congrats on the win. But what on earth would draw a native LAite to ice in the 1st place. I get St Paul. I get Boston. I get Chicago. I even get Denver. Them's cold one way or another. But LA is HOT. :-D

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    1. @vince - ha ha, I know right! Family tradition I guess. And, btw, the Kings were a team before about 19 of the other NHL teams, even a few in Canada. :)

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  3. I loved that game!!
    If the Sharks couldn't do it my next choice was the KINGS!!
    Enjoy!!
    (And there were no riots afterwards is even better!)

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    1. @marey - Woot! Woot! Yay! I've never quite understood the riots after the team WINS. Luckily those in the streets had pretty good behavior this time...unlike those Laker fans.

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  4. I was astounded there were no riots after the win. It seems security was handled differently this time. I enjoyed the only hockey game I ever went to, the Kings.
    Our move is almost over, we should be on the road Sunday or Monday.

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    1. @bc - or maybe hockey fans are a classy group. We like our fights on the ice! :). Seriously though, the lapd really did do a great job being prepared and keeping the peace. I'm glad bad fan behavior didn't overshadow the win.
      Safe travels to you!

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