DUCKS over SHARKS-Interviews

NHL Conference Semifinals

PITTSBURGH in 6
BOSTON in 7
ANAHEIM in 7
VANCOUVER in 5

PENS vs CAPS
If the NHL knew anything about how to promote their Sport, your television would be flooded with promos of Sid the Kid vs. Alexander the Great. There would be banners, painted bus benches, billboards and sky-writing. This promises to be the type of high octane series which can make non hockey fans into casual hockey fans, and casual fans into die-hard fans. This series could actually lay a foundation for the future of the sport. This is modern day Gretzy/Lemieux or Magic/Bird. Wayne and Mario of course never met in a playoff series, but Larry Bird and Magic Johnson met in three memorable NBA Finals.
This is the stuff of dreams. The hockey Gods have delivered the ultimate marquee matchup. Promoting this is beyond being a no-brainer. Hello, Mr. Bettman ? Paging Gary Bettman; Mr. Bettman, if you are out there, can you please report to the lost and found and retrieve your common sense ? Thank you. Did I mention Evgeni Malkin and Ovechkin are MVP finalists ?
This series will be talked about long after Sid, Evgeni and Alex are all retired. Don't miss it. Penguins march on.

CAROLINA vs BOSTON
This is really the battle of goaltenders Cam Ward and Tim Thomas. Carolina was more than courageous in their series comeback against New Jersey, Carolina defeated one of the best playoff goaltenders in NHL history in Martin Brodeur. The fact of the matter is, though the 'Canes were valiant, Brodeur simply wasn't the Brodeur we're used to seeing in the post season (for the second straight year). Tim Thomas now has a chance to move into elite status amongst NHL goalies and will not fold. All due respect of course to Carolina goalie Cam Ward, but this one belongs to the Bruins. The long suffering Bruins fans will continue cheering.

DUCKS vs RED WINGS
Fresh off their annihilation of the Sharks, the Anaheim Ducks now have their sights set o the defending Stanley Cup-champs. The rich got richer when the Champs added Marian Hossa in the off season, and Pavel Datsyuk is a finalist for league MVP. That said, keep in mind that during the regular season, the Wings did score 50 more goals than the Ducks. The real difference is in goals allowed. The Wings allowed 244 goals to the Ducks' 238. In fact only five teams in the Western Conference gave up more goals than did the Wings, and none of them made the playoffs. Goals are harder to come by in the playoffs and the Ducks have the snipers to take advantage of any defensive miscues. The Wings obviously have plenty of firepower so the Ducks are going to have to stay out of the penalty box or pay a heavy price. It's going to be great, sit back and enjoy. Ducks continue with 2003 upset magic and move on.

VANCOUVER vs CHICAGO

Okay, the young Blackhawks did show more grit than I thought they would in the series against Calgary but the Canucks are an entirely different animal. Much like Tim Thomas , this is Roberto Luongos' chance to truly cement his place amongst the elite. Luongo was lights out against St Louis in the first round. The Blackhawks are going to need their talented youngsters to stay patient and not succumb to frustration against Luongo, and Nikolai Khabibulin will need to be at his best to keep the 'Hawks confident. Look for the strength of Luongo and the patience and experience of the Canucks' veteran roster to be the difference in the series. The 'Hawks have a great future, but for now, Canucks move on.

SHARKS DROWN EARLY (Again)

APRIL 29, 2009 -- ANAHEIM -- It's hard to believe, but yet again the most decadent post-season meal has again been consumed way too early.

I am of course speaking of Shark. That tender, delicious San Jose meal cultivated through many months of regular season games. It seems a dish this perfectly seasoned should not, could not and would not be consumed until at least the Stanley Cup final but alas; it never ends quite that way.

Instead of the proverbial "Save the Best for last", this tasty culinary main course was yet again treated as an appetizer and devoured with extreme prejudice. The paradox is that the regular season should toughen, not tenderize, the team. It all started in 2004 when the Sharks had its first truly impressive regular season, but lost to a lower seeded team in the Conference finals.

Prior to 2004, the team had twice entered the playoffs as the eighth-seeded team and pulled off shocking first round upsets (1994 vs. Detroit and 2000 vs. St. Louis). The team had a reputation of being a tough team to meet in the post-season. They increased their regular season point totals an unprecedented five straight seasons and appeared destined for greatness. One could only imagine what this team could accomplish in the playoffs should they ever develop and or acquire a significant amount of true world class talent.

Keep in mind the fact that the great Colonel Harland Sanders had 10 herbs and spices which made his chicken delectable, but it wasn't until he added that 11th spice that his fried chicken became the culinary masterpiece called "Kentucky Fried Chicken", and thus the legend was born. That 11th spice remains a mystery to this day.

The Head Chef of the Sharks is team President/GM Doug Wilson, who after watching his second seeded Sharks lose in seven games to the sixth seeded Calgary Flames in the 2004 Conference final, went searching for his own 11th spice. Although it seemed so close, little did anyone know just how elusive that mystery spice would be.

When the team acquired Joe Thornton at the 2006 trade deadline, it seemed as though that spice had been added. Not so fast, the eighth-seeded Edmonton Oilers ravenously feasted on the Sharks in the second round en route to the Stanley Cup final. This was viewed as an aberration and therefore, no need to panic.

The 2006-2007 season brought a second round encounter with the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings put on their bibs and dined heartily on shark fin soup as would a death row inmate on his final meal. Patrick Marleau was held scoreless in the series.

Okay, still no need to panic…Wilson then acquired smooth skating All-Star defenseman Brian Campbell (would he be the 11th spice?) for the 2008 playoff run. Again, the seemingly perfect dish would prove bland, uninteresting and eagerly consumed, this time by the Dallas Stars in six games.

Enough already. Wilson again went to work to again tweak and improve his recipe.

The team entered the 2008-2009 season sans Brian Campbell who had also proved not to be the missing spice. Coach Ron Wilson (no relation) was also given his walking papers. The blueline was then fortified with Dan Boyle and Rob Blake to offset the loss of Campbell. This season also marked the rise of 22 year old Devin Setoguchi who chipped in 31 goals while playing on the top line with San Jose studs Thornton and Marleau. Rookie head Coach Todd McLellan seemed to be living the good life. The strong second line of Joe Pavelski, Ryan Clowe, and Milan Michalek proved more than capable during the regular season as the trio combined for 70 goals to nicely complement the 94 goals scored by the top line. The Sharks finished with the best record in the league. Late in the season, the Sharks even dusted off a relic, when 43 year old 4 time Stanley Cup champ, former playoff MVP and reputed miscreant Claude Lemieux, who came out of retirement and was added to the roster to provide the added grit and experience needed for the stretch run. At long last, the perfect blend.

The Sharks had been knocked out in the second round each of past three seasons, but this time around, they had raced off to the best record in the regular season for the first time in franchise history and won home ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

We all know what happens next, this time at the hand of the Anaheim Ducks. The eighth-seeded Ducks did not even clinch a playoff spot until game 80 of the 82 game regular season and were the lowest overall seed in the playoffs, but took the first two games of the series on the road in this opening round series, which they would win in six games.

All the Sharks got for their great season was a first, instead of second round exit. That the Sharks lost in six games was not even the story, the real story is just how thoroughly they were whipped. This failure was the apex of their underachievement.

Shutout 2-0 and 4-0 in games one and four respectively, the Sharks were also outscored 18 - 10 in the series while losing two of three on home ice. Although Marleau did provide overtime heroics in game 5 to stave off elimination, the Joe Thornton line managed only 4 goals (three of which came in game 5) in the six games and were thoroughly outplayed by the Ducks' top line of Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan, and Corey Perry. Ryan alone equaled the 4 goal total of the Thornton line.

In an act born of sheer desperation, Joe Thornton tried to prove his toughness by making a pugilistic challenge to Getzlaf at center ice just two seconds into the decisive sixth game. Though the fight was for the most part, a draw, Getzlaf responded with a goal and an assist while Thornton and his linemates were again held scoreless and pointless (figuratively and literally) while ending up on the short end of a 4-1 final score.

There are many theories as to why the Sharks have constantly been appetizers rather than the main course. Some say Joe Thornton although a tremendous talent, is simply too soft to impose his will during the grind of the playoffs. Some say Team Captain Patrick Marleau needs to be shipped out. Whatever the reason, it is likely going to be the most tumultuous off season Doug Wilson has faced to this point. There is seemingly no clear answer. Acquiring a Superstar (Thornton) wasn't the answer, signing an All Star puck moving defenseman (Brian Campbell) was not the answer, finding an even better one (Dan Boyle) was not the answer, firing head coach Ron Wilson was not the answer. Perhaps the only answer for President/GM Doug Wilson is to take his impressive resume elsewhere and just realize that although agonizingly close, it just will not happen, not in San Jose. When Star players were added to this overachieving team, they immediately became an underachieving team.

No New York Rangers comparisons please, this is an entirely different situation. The Sharks have a great system of player development and the roster is full of young talent but somehow, the better the regular season performance, the worse the post-season. Go figure.

So, that 11th spice continues to remain a mystery for a frustrated Doug Wilson. There shall be no glory for these Sharks and no rewards for their tremendously supportive fan base, but I hear that Marian Gaborik and Ryan Smyth are available this off season.

GOD, LOYALTY, and KINGS FANS

God, loyalty and Kings fans
By Charles Smith
Hockeytalk.biz
APRIL 13, 2009 -- LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings fan. One of the most misunderstood creatures ever to walk the planet. People laugh and point and make strange faces as would a child when first he lays eyes upon a Duck-billed Platypus. “The Los Angeles Kings are nothing but losers,” say the critical masses of humanity. “Why do you waste your time,” they wonder? My all time favorite is "How could anyone be a Kings Fan?" Believe it or not, I actually heard that from a Detroit Lions Fan!

So, are Kings Fans crazy? Disillusioned? Maybe just gluttons for punishment whose self loathing makes them thrive on being scorned by society? No.

Believe it or not, the answer is biblical, yes, biblical. As it is written in the Good Book, Romans Chapter 12 verse 12 "Rejoicing in Hope; Patient in Tribulation" thus is the Mantra of the Kings fan which has now surpassed a generation.


Believe it or not, the answer is biblical..."Rejoicing in Hope; Patient in Tribulation" thus is the Mantra of the Kings fan...

Historically, the making of the modern day Kings fan was a playoff series in April of 1976 when the underdog Kings having eliminated the Atlanta Flames in the first round, then pushed the heavily favored Boston Bruins to a seventh and deciding game before they finally succumbed 3-0 in the decisive game. The series was televised on local TV and featured all the drama and excitement for which one could hope. Stellar goaltending by Rogie Vachon; Boston goalies Gerry Cheevers and Gilles Gilbert combined for three shutouts, there were overtime heroics by Butch Goring, and two goals scored by journeyman Mike Corrigan, which as it turned out were the only goals he would score in his entire postseason career. Marcel Dionne's first ever postseason hat trick in game three, which the Kings won 6-4.

Though the Kings lost the series, their gusty effort against insurmountable odds cemented their place in the hearts of many who watched, and actually made fans of the casual viewer. Although the Kings had been a team since 1967, many older Kings fans will point to this series as the significant moment when they truly became fans, despite the loss.

This gave hope, but alas it was followed by six long years of tribulation although the Kings fans did get the thrill of seeing the Triple Crown Line (Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, Charlie Simmer) introduced together to play together as a line in the 1981 NHL All-Star Game, at home in the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles.

Then came April 1982 when The Kings faced a juggernaut called the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the Playoffs.

Wayne Gretzky was coming off a terrific regular season in which he tallied 92 goals and 120 assists in first of his four 200+ point seasons, while leading his team to the second best overall record in the league. Meanwhile the Kings had barely qualified for the playoffs, ranked 15 of the 16 qualifying teams. The series opening proved auspicious as the Kings rallied from a four goal deficit behind a four point effort by rookie Daryl Evans to beat the Oilers, in Edmonton 10-8, yes, 10-8. The Oilers took game 2, 3-2 in OT, and then the stage was set for the greatest comeback in Stanley Cup Playoff history, known since as the “Miracle on Manchester,” April 10th 1982.

Playing in front of their home crowd, the Kings trailed 5-0 going into the final period. The Kings were lifeless, out-gunned, over-matched and humiliated. Not only were they trailing, but they had actually given up two short-handed goals during the same Power Play.

There are many theories of how and why what happened next happened. This is mine.

The turning point came some five minutes into the third period when Jay Wells absolutely buried Oilers Tough Guy Dave Semenko with a bone-jarring, teeth-rattling, spine-tingling open-ice check. It was after this hit the Kings finally showed some signs of life. Their furious third period comeback was completed when rookie Steve Bozek scored with less than a minute to play. Then came the unthinkable. In overtime, rookie Center Doug Smith took the draw at the right face off dot, drew the puck back to fellow rookie Daryl Evans who deftly buried a game-winning shot over the shoulder of Oilers Goaltender Grant Fuhr. the game would be forever referred to as "The Miracle on Manchester". Although the Kings lost the next game at home, they would go on to win the series 3 games to 2, defeating the Oilers in Edmonton 7-4 in the decisive 5th game.

There was hope abound for the next series against the Vancouver Canucks, but alas the Canucks were making their own history that year as they beat the Kings in four straight games to take the series after a 3-1 loss in the opening game and ultimately advance to their first ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance, where they would fall victim to the reigning dynasty known as The New York Islanders.

The Kings would again face the Oilers in 1985 and 1987, but by then the Oilers were grizzled, battle tested Champions who dropped only one game to the Kings in both playoff years combined and captured the Holy Grail in each season to boot.

Tribulation would again turn to hope after the Kings acquired Wayne Gretzky from the defending Stanley Cup Champion Oilers in August 1988.

During that first season of the Gretzky Era, Kings Star Forward and Fan favorite Bernie Nichols notched 70 goals and 80 assists to nicely compliment the 54 goals and 114 Assists tallied by The Great One. As fate would have it, the Kings would match yet again with their old nemesis (and now Gretzky's former team), the Edmonton Oilers in the 1st round of the Playoffs. Gretzky was fresh off of having led the Oilers to four Cups in the past 5 seasons. The Kings appeared to be floating belly-up after the Oilers beat them 4-3 in game four to take a 3-1 lead in the series.

What happened next was another of those galvanizing moments in Kings history. The Kings returned home and beat the Oilers 4-3 in game 5 and then took to the road and whacked the Oilers 4-1 in front of a stunned Edmonton Oilers crowd. When interviewed after the win, an ecstatic Wayne Gretzky said "Game seven is in L.A. and L.A. is gonna be rockin’". The Stage was set for a truly memorable game seven at home in Los Angeles. What Gretzky predicted was an understatement. The Kings came out on fire in front of a raucous sellout crowd, and left the defending champs feeling like road kill after a 6-3 drubbing ended their championship hopes and propelled the Kings into the second round of the Playoffs against the Calgary Flames.

Hopes ran high as the series began, but after the Kings pushed game one to overtime before losing 4-3, the series was hardly even competitive as the Flames dismissed the Kings in a four-game series sweep, outscoring them 22-11 as the Flames marched to their first-ever Stanley Cup title.

The 1990 playoffs again offered high drama as the Kings would again eliminate the defending Stanley Cup Champs, this time defeating the Flames in six games, courtesy of a 4-3 double overtime home victory in game six. The victory came with a high price as the injury depleted Kings would then face the Oilers in the 2nd round. The Kings would ultimately lose the series in four games with an injured Wayne Gretzky sitting out the decisive game four in Los Angeles. Oh, if only the team had been healthy. If only.
Alas, hope was just over the Horizon. After just two more seasons of tribulation both again ending with series losses to the Edmonton Oilers, all the Kings Horses and all the Kings Men were finally rewarded with a trip to the Finals.

The 1992-93 regular season was rather indifferent as the Kings finished only third in their division. In this 75th anniversary of the NHL, the Kings would again be Underdogs and this time would not have Home Ice advantage in any series. After dispatching the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks respectively in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Kings then embarked on a seven-game conference finals confrontation with the Toronto Maple Leafs which is still, to this day, classic. Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark, Dave Andreychuk and former Oiler Glenn Anderson anchored the potent Maple Leafs attack.

The Kings were decided underdogs entering this series. After splitting the first four games, Glenn Anderson scored in Overtime to push the Kings to the brink of elimination. The Kings returned home to L.A. and also returned the favor with a 5-4 Overtime victory of their own to force a decisive game seven in Toronto. During that series, Bob MacKenzie, a very well-respected hockey writer in Canada (now with TSN), had written that Wayne Gretzky was skating as if he had a piano on his back. After a magnificent game seven in which Gretzky tallied a hat trick and led his team to victory, The Great One was crowing "How's the Piano Man sound now?" Nuff said, on to the Finals.

The Kings looked like world beaters as they took the ice and beat down the Canadiens 4-1 in Montreal in game one. The Kings and their fans could almost taste the bubbly as game two wore down and the smooth skating Kings held a 2-1 lead in the final minute. Then, it happened, just like that, from the apex of hope to the depths of Tribulation, Marty McSorley was caught playing with an illegally curved stick and given a 2 minute penalty. The Canadiens tied the game on the ensuing power play and then scored the game winner in OT. The Canadiens would then travel to L.A. and win the next 2 games in OT before returning to Montreal to close out the series.

Yes, the Kings did lose again, but Kings fans watched their team valiantly outplay the Canadiens in the first four games although there was little to show for it. For Kings fans, this was OUR Cup, but goaltender Patrick Roy (Playoff MVP) stole it from us. We played hard, we deserved it, the only game in which the Kings were truly outplayed as a team was the decisive game five. This gave us more hope than ever before. We now know that it IS indeed possible for a Kings Team to play Cup-winning caliber hockey. We now know the impossible can happen. This was the Apex of the Gretzky Era. We had hope going forward, and the next Generation of Kings fans now had their moment just as the generation before had theirs in 1976 and 1982. Now there would be Tribulation for all as the Kings would not even qualify for the playoffs again until 1998 when they would be swept by the St. Louis Blues in the first round. The Kings then missed the Playoffs in 1999 and were swept by Detroit's Red Wings in 2000.

As the 2001 Playoffs rolled around, it had been eight years since the Kings had even won a Playoff Game, let alone a series. The Kings were matched up with same Red Wings Team which unceremoniously dumped them one year earlier. Kings fans were hanging their heads after Detroit took the first two games by a combined score of 9-3 after a four-0 game two shutout. Ah, but hope springs eternal. After returning home and winning 2-1, the Kings found themselves down 3-0 in the third period of game four with only Six minutes to play. No problem. In a span of just over 5 minutes, John Thomas, Jozef Stumpel, and Brian Smolinski all scored to tie the game and send it into OT where it took rookie Eric Belanger just 2:36 min to win it. The Kings would go on to win the next two Games and the series 4-2. The elation would end in the next series which although hard fought, the Kings lost to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games. The Avalanche goaltender? Patrick Roy.

As another season closes, and the playoffs begin without their beloved underdogs, it has now been six seasons since the Kings have even qualified for postseason play. However, the Kings’ faithful dutifully endure the tribulation and rejoice in hope. Hope that Jonathan Quick and Erik Ersberg are finally the answer in Goal. Hope that Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Alexander Frolov, Drew Doughty, and Jack Johnson are the foundation upon which future glory can and will be built. Hope that GM Dean Lombardi can build this franchise as he built the San Jose franchise. Hope that goaltending coach Bill Ranford, a two-time Stanley Cup champ can instill in Quick and Ersberg the same confidence and iron will he had in net.

1976, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1993, 2001. Kings fans know they are now overdue. Tribulation is tough, but it will just make the moment that much sweeter.

As it is written, Kings fans continue rejoicing in hope while maintaining patience in tribulation. It has only been six seasons.

2009 NCAA Basketball Champs-UNC TARHEELS !