Written By: Eric Warren
It's a sad day for the LA Kings. Their first playoff birth since the 2001-2002 season ended last night at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks and despite losing the series in six games, put the the hockey world on notice......they'll be back!
This years playoffs have been one of the most entertaining I have witnessed in years, there have been 12 overtime games already, goals called back, fantastic saves and heart breaking losses.
Not exactly a rookie, but not quite a veteran either, Johnathan Quick was as big a reason for the success of the Kings this year. At only 24 years old Quick played 72 games for the Kings this season posting a respectable 2.54 GAA and a .908 save percentage.
Drawing the Vancouver Canucks in the first round simply proved too much for the young Kings squad, though I don't think they should be taken lightly. They'll be back.
The Canucks will face the San Jose Sharks in the second round and while both teams seemed a little slow out of the gates and had some people thinking there may be an upset or two in the making, in the end both teams found their stride and their second round match up should be pretty intense and high scoring.
Nabakov for the Sharks and Luongo for the Canucks both seemed pretty ordinary at the start of the play offs but Luongo made a couple of huge saves with his team down by a goal to keep the Canucks within reach.
The rest of the second round match ups could be decided as early as tomorrow night with Pittsburgh already awaiting their second round opponents and Washington, Boston and Chicago all hoping to end their respective Series tonight all on the road.
The Detroit Red Wings, with a loss to the Phoenix Coyotes yesterday, will have to wait until Tuesday for the seventh and deciding game of their series. Jimmy Howard did not look very good in yesterday's loss and will be in tough against a young and hungry Coyotes team playing in front of their home fans.
The Red Wings are in the playoffs for the 19th straight time, the longest active streak in sports. They've won nine series - including the 2008 Stanley Cup finals - since a first-round exit four years ago in Babcock's first season.
Detroit started the postseason without home-ice advantage for the first time since 1991, when it lost Game 7 at St. Louis in the first round. The Red Wings haven't won a Game 7 on the road since a 1964 victory at Chicago in the opening round and Phoenix is about to help them end that streak.
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