As has been the case most of the past two to three weeks, the Kings did very little offensively in the first two periods. As has also become the norm lately, the Kings played a much better third period and forced overtime – the fifth consecutive Kings’ game unable to be settled in 60 minutes.
In the final minute of regulation, Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov had a 2 on 1 and a chance to win it. Brown had Colorado goalie Craig Anderson cheating off the post and elected to to shoot, instead making the anticipated pass to Frolov that was stopped. In OT, Brown quickly redeemed himself by collecting the rebound of Drew Doughty’s shot, making a quick move with the puck and burying it to solidify only the third 100+ point season in Kings’ history.
Erik Ersberg, starting to give rest to Jon Quick, played very well, but the Kings’ offensive ineptitude over the first 40 minutes should prove to those who are paying attention that the Kings main concern is not between the pipes. When the team fails to generate offense and score goals in the first two periods of hockey for a lengthy string of games, does it really make sense to blame the goalie? Regardless, Ersberg did look sharp today – a welcome departure from his struggles early on this season, and it is nice to know that if we need him, he will be ready to go.
On to more important things! Chicago’s OT loss to Detroit coupled with the Kings’ win, secures the Kings a 6th place finish in the West and a first round matchup with the Vancouver Canucks. San Jose will face Colorado, Chicago faces Nashville and in perhaps the first round’s most intriguing series, Phoenix draws Detroit. I’m sure nobody in the Desert is happy about that!
Schedule has yet to be announced, but should be up sometime this evening per Kings’ insider Rich Hammond.
I’ll preview the series int he coming days, but for now…what do you guys think of the first round matchup? What are the keys to success in the series, how many games does it go and who wins?
It’s playoff time! GO KINGS!
-JS
Tags: 2010 stanley cup playoffs, colorado avalanche, los angeles kings, vancouver canucks
Jeremy Smith