The Kings are going through their practice at Prudential Center, with no lineup changes. Seats are occupied by media, staff and league personnel, with many wandering around trying to figure out where everything is located. The media session will follow…
History will be made!
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ArmChairKingsFan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:33 am
@Lake Forest, Because it’s the CUP
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GoringFan72 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:50 am
@Lake Forest, There is a web app (some guys at my company published) that lets you vote on who you’d like to see win the Cup and see the results on a map. The web app just went live so feel free to add your vote if you’d like (not many votes yet, but too much red already!).
http://fanmap.esri.com
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Does that say “FINAL”on the ice? OH YEAH BABY!! By the way, everyone wandering around is typicalof anything run by Bettman. He and Kompon can’t be related, since nobody runs around in Kompon’s plans. GKG!!!
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Lake Forest Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:40 am
@DesertKing, Thought it was funny the other day i was reading the NJ blog and articles. All those fans complained about Bettman too.
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KC23 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:49 am
@Lake Forest, Yes NJ and LA fans at least have that in common and can certainly agree with each other.
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GlassBanger Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:45 am
@DesertKing, +1
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Sebastian Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:19 am
@DesertKing, The Kings are in the Stanley Cup Finals! I have nothing to complain about. I love Kompon, Bettman and everybody else.
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Is Gagne on the ice?
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Goodspeedlem Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:59 am
@Dan, Yes. Red jersey
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Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com) Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:07 am
@Dan,
http://kingsnewsdaily.com/kings-practice-photos-52912/
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Man… I’ve been trying to be cool but I’m all jacked about this thing starting tomorrow night!!!
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rumpa#19 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:29 am
@Stuart, Jack up like a Kovilacontract!!!
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Are they wearing Forum gold? Yes, it says Final, not Finals. Only the NHL!!! So fired up!!!!!!
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No wonder the ESPN guys are confused. The folks back in Bristol keep telling them to set up at the 50-yard line.
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How’s Gagne’s free throws looking?
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http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=632926
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Not sure if it’s because the Devils’ media session is upcoming or it’s typical East Coast bias, but NHL Network is rediculously slanted towards NJ in their coverage right now.
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pr0cess Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:52 am
@ArmChairKingsFan, same as it always was
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ArmChairKingsFan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:56 am
@pr0cess,
I was foolishly hoping that because it’s only LA & NJ left it would be closer to 50/50… oh well
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froggy59 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:54 am
Funny, since the media was slobering all over the NYR until they got eliminated.
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:56 am
@ArmChairKingsFan,
I guess hell hasn’t frozen over completely yet.
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ArmChairKingsFan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:17 am
@vplaza,
Hopefully it will sometime in the next 2 weeks
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:23 am
@ArmChairKingsFan,
That would be EPIC!
Lake Forest Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:59 am
@ArmChairKingsFan, I watched a full hour of NHL network 2 nights ago and it was 50/50….
Right now, we are playing in NJ so I would expect it to be slightly tilted.
We understand that the coverage might not be perfect, but it is a hell of a lot better than what it was…
Baby steps my fellow fan!!
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Stuart Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:04 am
@Lake Forest, or we can just remember what Kings coverage around this time of year normally is… that is to say, round 1 game replays if anything at all…
GKG!!!WWTC!!!
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ArmChairKingsFan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:19 am
@Lake Forest,
I’m with you. Baby steps and all, but today is really the first chance I’ve had to follow coverage on tv and I got a little excited. At least Barry Melrose and Kevin Weekes are keepin it real.
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Minnesota Kings Fan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:59 am
@ArmChairKingsFan,
Re: the Easter Media: How do you talk about a team you know nothing about?
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Minnesota Kings Fan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:00 am
@Minnesota Kings Fan,
Easter bunny. EASTERN Media!
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Jon G Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:13 am
@Minnesota Kings Fan, Early in the playoffs I think it was fair to criticize the media’s lack of knowledge about the Kings. Part of that is attributable to East Coast bias, but part is also due to the fact that there hasn’t been any reason to pay close attention to this team for many years. The Panthers got the same treatment, for the same reason.
Probably around Game 3 of the St Louis series I think the media woke up to the fact that we’re not just lucky and we don’t just win games 1-0. Since that point I have very few complaints about how our team is characterized, especially by the NHL Network (Craig Button’s bias notwithstanding).
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TiredOfIt Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 11:00 am
@ArmChairKingsFan, They have been for a week
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Go Kings Go!
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Funny listening to the NJ fans dream up reasons why their better than the Kings. Very funny stuff. Some of my favorites:
1) Because the King’s haven’t face east coast defensive style hockey. How can you read that and not laugh.
2) Because they beat a Detroit team that was also 12-2 over a decade ago and have exactly 1 player that was on that team.
3) The King’s will be but a smear on their boards from all the heavy hits from NJ.
Good comedy.
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ArmChairKingsFan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 9:57 am
@KC23,
You know what I also found funny? Go read the NHL.com predictions for the finals. Hilarious.
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Stuart Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:03 am
@ArmChairKingsFan, some B(L)ozo has NJD in 5…
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ArmChairKingsFan Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:21 am
@Stuart,
Some of those guys probably haven’t watched a non-eastern conference game all playoffs
vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:00 am
@KC23,
I guess we’ll see how they feel after the first game and their team is down 0-1.
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puck73 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:03 am
@KC23, Gee, I am surprised they didnt mention the fact that they beat us twice during the regular season, even though the Kings are clearly a different team.
Keep dreaming Devil fan, Stevens, Daneyko,Niedermeyer, Driver,Holik, Lemieux, Arnott, Langenbrunner….Their long gone, and all you have left is this inexperienced bunch thats about to be handed their lunch !
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:08 am
@puck73,
I know the Kings won’t say it, but I really want them to win to show Kovalschmuck a thing or two. I still think he totally used the Kings to drive up the price for NJ. I don’t think he had any interest whatsoever in signing here.
I think it’s ironic that both teams are facing off, but I like the way the Kings are built compared to how NJ went all in and mortgaged their future for this chance. I also think that they got off too easily for trying to circumvent the cap rules when they signed Kovalschmuck.
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Shakes Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:18 am
@KC23, yeah but they have some good fans on Fire & Ice too. I mean frankly there are some similarities, both fanbases generally feel ignored by the hockey experts and probably feel that we haven’t gotten enough credit in winning the series that we have thus far
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Did Kopidor and Doty make it on this trip? Those guys were good in the last game.
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Lake Forest Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:00 am
@vplaza, Brad Doty is holding out for a contract extension
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:01 am
@Lake Forest,
Man, these kids I tell ya.
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DesertKing Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:16 am
@Lake Forest,
He won’t get it unless he improves his free throws.
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:23 am
@DesertKing,
They need to throw him the ball more often.
umm… I really don’t care what the talking heads from whatever organization say. I just want the boys to play their guts out and leave nothing left in the tank after this series.
I will be proud of them regardless of the outcome.
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Kingsfanforlife Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:48 am
@CheezyPoofs, Yes as long as we give it “guts out play” for every minute of each game!
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DeBoer’s said the Kings are like
A 4 headed monster….
He’s afraid….Very afraid…
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puck73 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:06 am
@SLIM, I think he, more then even the Devil players, knows exactly what he is up against.
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:15 am
@SLIM,
Hoping to see DeBoer with the deer in the headlights look that Hitchcock had after playing the Kings.
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DesertKing Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:17 am
@vplaza,
A couple of “F me”s a la Tippett would make me happy also.
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:21 am
@DesertKing,
I wonder if they have similar “scenery” behind the Devils bench since I’m sure we’ll see plenty of shots of that bench versus the Kings’ bench in this series.
spidey35 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:46 am
@DesertKing, That might have been my favorite moment of the playoffs.
FdoFmFull Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
@DesertKing, How about Alain Vigneault wishing he’d been dressed in green leotards when it was all said and done!?
If Gagne gets a shot, my guess is it would be putting him on 3rd line. Dropping King down to 4th. Dropping Richardson to scratch. If things aren’t working out Coach could flip flop King and Gagne so that Gagne has less minutes. I am not pushing for this. It’s just interesting what could happen.
I still think NJD are going to change things up in the back and try to get more size.
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puck73 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:08 am
@LA_1968, Totally agree. I would love to see Gagne on the 3rd line with Stoll and King as long as he 100% ready to go. Then move Lewis to the 4th line with Fraser and Richardson.
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LA_1968 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:10 am
@puck73, If you’re not gone already, how do you like our chances and this playing out. You were spot on in PHX prediction when I had doubts.
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puck73 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:16 am
@LA_1968, I think the Kings will win this in 5 as well. To me, Vancouver and St. Louis were the 2 best teams we have faced, and Daniel Sedin was the best player we faced.
Kiss your ass goodbye New Jersey.
Lake Forest Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:12 am
@LA_1968, If it’s not broke don’t fix it. We couldn’t ask for more from what King has been doing. (I know you’re not pushing it, just saying my opinion)
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:12 am
@LA_1968,
I’m with you. I don’t think the Kings need to change anything, but, in case they do need to do something because of some unforseen reason, I think a full, 100% Gagne, gives the Kings another option that the Devils have to worry about.
And like you, I’m not pushing for a change at all. I just think that having someone like him available if needed is a good luxury for the Kings.
I’d be just as happy if the Kings played well and they DIDN’T need Gagne to play at all.
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LA_1968 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:19 am
@vplaza, I’m just wondering if Coach doesn’t have something up his sleeve here. More than a “just in case scenario” that we’ve all been thinking.
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vplaza Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:22 am
@LA_1968,
In the time Sutter’s been here, I don’t take him for one who would do something like that. I think he’s more of the “steady as she goes” coach and will only act if something needs to be done.
Pili Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:18 am
@LA_1968, Like every other team we’ve faced, the Devils will be trying to adjust to the Kings instead of the other way around. We like it that way
.
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elijah Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:29 am
@LA_1968, boop boop boop, we’re sorry, the number you have dialed for Gagne has been disconnected. Please try again next year………
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JGSmall Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 11:58 am
@elijah, agreed – red jersey. Next year.
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KC23 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:33 am
@LA_1968, Nah, They’ll want to keep a large forechecker on each line. Gagne would go on line 4 for Richardson leaving Nolan as the large power forward for that line.
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Got to remember Kings just got off the ice from practice.. We will be coming very soon…….
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lakingbob(chi) Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:11 am
@lakingbob(chi), And Remember we have COACH MELROSE to stick up for the KINGDOM!!!!
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dAMN BLONDE, SAYING THE kINGS GOT IN LATE LAST NIGHT!! wE GOT IN 1T 3:45 YESTURDAY AFTERNOON..
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LA_1968 Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:15 am
@lakingbob(chi), One more day man! Can’t wait.
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lakingbob(chi) Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 10:17 am
@LA_1968, game time started when the flight left yesturday. I even tracked the flight most of the way,call me what ever but this is a special time for all of us.. Hi toe the family!!!
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Duncanz Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 11:24 am
@lakingbob(chi), I’ll say it. ” STALKERRRR ! ”
Do you have devices to see into their rooms? I want to know what pay channels they order when they hit the hotels.
JGSmall Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 11:59 am
@lakingbob(chi), i hATE cAP lOCKS!
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Like how we are practicing in the arena where the game will be played and NJ is practicing on their practice ice…GKG!!!!!
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One game at a time, hanging in there and hope are boys do not get too out of mind with all the press now.
Go Kings Go!
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hey we all know I want the kings to win bad, only a comment, why allow Gagne back. He wasn’t fit for game activity from Christmas on and not one minute in the playoffs. Only because he must dress on the roster to get his name on the cup.
If this is the case get up 3 games and play Westgarth, Gagne, Drewiski, Lotkionov for the same reason. Clifford is fine by playing over 41 games in the regular season.
However it would be nice if Clifford played also.
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FdoFmFull Reply:
May 29th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
@Harty, This has nothing to do with being “fair” or “nice”…
It’s all about risk reduction.
Darryl and the Kings are leaving their options open, in case he’s needed, of being able to insert a top-6 sniper, who also happens to be the player with the most goals scored on Brodeur on planet Earth.
Because Gagne is not in game shape, a lot of things would have to “go wrong” before he’d be dressed for a game. Nevermind the “it’d be neat for Gagne to get his name on the cup” – this is the furthest thing from the thinking going on within the organization.
In the event of an injury, particularly to a top-6 player; in case the Devils were up by 2 games in the series; if the whole offense and the PP in particular was sucking bad; if none of the other options made sense (e.g., Loktionov); then, maybe Gagne would see the ice.
Longshot at best…
If nothing else, the Kings brass know how fesible of an option Gagne is, AND, the Devils coaching staff has one more thing to worry about, as if they didn’t have enough…
JMO.
GkG!
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