Kings are in the playoffs (WOOHOO!) however they no longer control their own destiny for the Pacific title (Booo.). That control now belongs to Phoenix.
Kings however are still 1st in the Pacific due to tiebreakers with San Jose (+1 ROW). A Phoenix loss in regulation or OT/SO tomorrow is necessary for the Kings to retain 1st in the Pacific heading in to Saturday. If that happens, then it's fairly straightforward. Whoever wins the game Kings vs. Sharks game Saturday, wins the division.
If Phoenix wins Friday, then it'll be dependent on whether or not Phoenix wins Saturday as well. Fortunately that will all be sorted by the time the Kings take the ice on Saturday night.
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"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened." - Vin Scully being clairvoyant in 1988.
The Los Angeles Kings - 2012 Stanley Cup Champions
So we're playing Vancouver, St. Louis, Detroit or Chicago.
St. Louis - The shredded wheat side tells me St. Louis would be a tough match-up, but the frosted side tells me they are the only team of the 4 with less playoff experience than we have.
Vancouver - without one of the Sedins, they are beatable. With both of them in the lineup... they're still beatable, but I'm not wild about this match-up either if they're all healthy.
Detroit - Detroit is Detroit. I don't know who would want to face them in the playoffs that didn't have home ice, but we would have home ice if we play Detroit.
Bring on the Nucks. I want to beat those clowns so bad. I don't see the Kings taking the division now, and would love to be the ones to knock the nucks out of the playoffs early.
How do you not see that? You don't think the Kings have the motivation, will and ability to win in San Jose on Saturday after last night?
You think Phoenix is going to win both games on the road back-to-back?
Come on. Let them play the games first and see what happens!
Didn't mean to imply they don't have a shot at it, but the odds do tell it's not in their favor.
I do expect Phoenix to split the 2 games, which would mean kings would either finish 3rd or 8th.
San Jose seems to be able to score on us at will when it matters the most. I'm still haunted by last year's playoff, especially game 3. I felt the same thing last night when the kings blew what, 3 leads, including being up by 2.
I don't mean to sound like a debbie downer, perhaps im just crushed still after what happened last night. Wen't from being so happy and the end of 2, to just pissed off after the game.
I will be screaming at the TV praying for the Kings to win tomorrow, I'm just not as confident as I was prior to last night's game.
With Phoenix’s regulation victory over St. Louis, the Kings’ playoff picture has narrowed a bit. Phoenix has moved into first place in the Pacific Division, with 95 points (35 regulation/overtime wins), followed by the Kings (94 points, 34 ROW) and San Jose (94 points, 33 ROW). Tomorrow, the regular season ends. Minnesota hosts Phoenix at 5 p.m. Pacific time and San Jose hosts the Kings at 7:30 p.m. Given that the Coyotes play first, here are the scenarios for the Kings in terms of seeding…
– If Phoenix beats Minnesota in regulation, overtime or a shootout — two points — the Coyotes win the division. The winner of the Kings-Sharks game would finish seventh in the Western Conference.
– If Phoenix loses to Minnesota in overtime or a shootout — one point — the Kings would win the division if they beat San Jose in regulation or overtime. The Kings would finish seventh if they beat San Jose in a shootout, and eighth if they lost to San Jose.
– If Phoenix loses to Minnesota in regulation — zero points — the winner of the Kings-San Jose game would win the division. Phoenix would finish seventh and the loser of the Kings-San Jose game would finish eighth.
In terms of other seedings, Vancouver will finish in first place if it gets at least one point against Edmonton, or if St. Louis fails to get both points against Dallas. Chicago will finish sixth unless it beats Detroit in regulation, in which case Detroit would finish sixth.
So, if it's late in OT, do the Kings pull the goaltender to go for the division and risk finishing 8th? Or do you go to the shootout try to make sure you get 7th?
So, if it's late in OT, do the Kings pull the goaltender to go for the division and risk finishing 8th? Or do you go to the shootout try to make sure you get 7th?
If St. Louis winds up in first place, absolutely. I think you do it even if it's Vancouver though. Home ice is worth going for.
So, if it's late in OT, do the Kings pull the goaltender to go for the division and risk finishing 8th? Or do you go to the shootout try to make sure you get 7th?
That's an awesome question that I was thinking about as well. It's a game-time decision though. If the risk of 8th means facing Vancouver, I say no. Vancouver and Detroit are the only teams that worry me in the playoffs.
I want us get 3rd or St. Louis. But no need risking Vancouver if St. Louis is already set in the 2 seed.
So, if it's late in OT, do the Kings pull the goaltender to go for the division and risk finishing 8th? Or do you go to the shootout try to make sure you get 7th?
Depends on the Phoenix game. I'm sure Sutter will know what's going on in that game to decide. If phoenix wins, then no point, if they get 1 point or less before the Kings game is over or in OT then it's something to consider the risk of it.
