There are plenty of tie-ins between the Kings and San Jose Sharks heading into this first-round series. Both teams are California-based Pacific Division teams, but there’s also a personal connection, as Kings defenseman Drew Doughty and Sharks forward Logan Couture are childhood friends. Doughty, a Norris Trophy candidate last season, and Couture, presumed to be one of the top contenders for the Calder Trophy this season, both grew up in London, Ontario, and Couture is only eight-plus months older than Doughty. The two were teammates in minor-junior hockey with the London Jr. Knights, and Doughty said he and Couture have already been in touch regarding this playoff series…
DOUGHTY: “We texted each other and we were talking a bit about it, but (there are) no friends on the ice. We’re friends back home in London, Ontario, but when we hit the ice, especially in this playoff series, it’s going to be war and it’s going to be a lot of fun and, like I said, there are no friends out there.”
“sweep the leg”
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Dan H. Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:09 am
@launch,
But Sensei I can take this guy!
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Marbles Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:21 am
@Dan H.,
haha good old Karate Kid (the origianl).
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Marbles Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:21 am
@Marbles,
**original
LucsoundslikeLuke Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 10:08 am
@Dan H., I don’t want him beat.
- But I’ll be disqualified.
-Put em’ out of commission!
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Banez81 Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 10:27 am
@Dan H.,
I don’t want him beat.
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Glass Banger Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
@launch, HIPCHECK!!! Thru the boards, just like Blake taught him.
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the_guv Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
@launch, NO MERCY!!!
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Doughty..I just got a text from Couture…he call you out, He said you suck…what are you going to do?
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DDRREEEEWWWW!!!
(get em!!!)
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Check him into the boards Drew!
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If there are no friends on the ice I hope we won’t be seeing any giggling at faceoffs. I understand there are friends and all that but as an invested fan that always annoys me.
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Dilapidus Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:21 am
@Dan H.,
Right.. I mean, it’s just a game and you should be enjoying it, but when he stepped in front of Heidi Androl’s 1st period TV clip at the last game, I thought.. what the heck is on your mind right now Drew?
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Dan H. Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:22 am
@Dilapidus,
Well I have to admit I laughed at that one.
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Shakes Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:58 am
@Dan H.,
I laughed at it too. I put it up there with singing along to the arena music in the gold medal Olympic game. If that helps him keep a non-stressed mind, then I’m all for it. That may not be what I would do in the same situation (I would likely be peeing my pants thinking “OMG i’m playing in the NHL!”) , but everyone handles things in their own unique ways – who am I to judge?
mrbrett7 Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:25 am
@Dilapidus, What was on his mind? Getting into position for the faceoff I would imagine.
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Colorado King Fan Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:30 am
@Dilapidus, That has been an ongoing joke the entire season. Scuds, Zues and JJ have all done it.
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spidey35 Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 10:13 am
@Dilapidus,
I didn’t see what happened on tv, but it really doesn’t bother me if I see any player laughing or smiling wile on the ice. As a fan it may bother you, but you are suppose to be having fun playing the game that you love and if that’s what they do, then good for them.
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The friends are in the front office not on the ice. Coaches higher their friends and so do GM’s. We have seen brothers fight on the ice so its not new. Doughty knows all of Logan’s moves so he should not be able to score with Doughty on the ice atthe same time!
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MK Ultra Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 10:30 am
@KingsOfComedy,
“hire”
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I think the right of laughter and screaming are perfect. It shows a good mixture of being loose and insane. It pretty much takes both of those things to make it happen.
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I actually like it when you get guys on opposing teams that are friends. It elevates the level of play IMO. I dont know about you but when i was young or even today any sport i play it was against my friends and i never pulled any punches! Bragging rights are a glorious thing, lets hope we can own them this year!
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KC23 Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 9:53 am
@BrokeKingsFan, Exactly right. Anyone who has been in organized sports knows that there is no level higher than beating a friend. I never ever held back one inch.
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Anyone know if the practice is at 10 today or 11:30?
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Michael_DD8 Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 10:04 am
@Michael_DD8,
Guess its at 10
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Speaking of rivalry between friends, personally, I’m looking forward to this series as the further development of a Northern California/Southern California rivalry on a par with the Giants/Dodgers hatred. I am a NorCal native who now lives in Minnesota. I am a HUGE S.F. Giants fan and enjoy hating the Dodgers to this day. It’s a great rivalry, and I think this series will go a long way toward making it bigger in LA. NorCal people already hate LA teams and need no encouragement, but if the Kings beat them, that hatred will be cemented. Although if the Sharks win, that will ramp up some more hatred in LA fans, who need a little more motivation that NorCal fans do. For example, I’ve never heard so much heat from Dodger fans about the Giants EVER until they won the World Series last Fall. Kind of woke you guys up.
So, why am I not a Sharks fan? I used to be a California Seals fan as a middle schooler, and my friends and I hated the Kings. When the Seals moved to Cleveland after the ’75-76 season, a lot of my hockey friends slowly adopted the Kings as we became high schoolers. As the lone California/western U.S. team, and because there was little to no national TV in the late ’70s to expose us to any other teams, liking the nearest team made sense, even the once-hated Kings. When the Sharks came in ’91, I was not about to change allegiances. The Kings didn’t leave me the way the Seals did, so I wasn’t going to leave them. I’m sure some of you NorCal Kings fans who post on this blog have a similar story.
So, GO KINGS! I am not optimistic about beating SJ without Kopi, but nevertheless reamin hopeful we can pull it off.
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39scars Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 10:39 am
@Minnesota Kings Fan, From the first game, it appears some Dodger fans have some hate towards Giant fans.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 11:12 am
@39scars, some hate? I would venture to say its pretty deep rooted! Im an LA local and a Dodger fan but what those fans did is despicable and it makes me ashamed at times to call myself a dodtger fan. I realize its not the teams fault but the people who did it are a discrace to LA and all sports fans for that matter and should be beaten down themselves!
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
April 12th, 2011 at 11:15 am
@BrokeKingsFan, and locked up for the better part of a decade if not longer
“And with the fourth pick overall in the 2007 draft, the Los Angeles Kings select…”
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