How did our friends in Slovenia enjoy their Game 2 watch party? Quite well, it seems. Once again, fans gathered in and near Anze Kopitar’s hometown of Jesenice to watch the game in pre-dawn hours — the game started at 2:22 a.m. local time — and cheered at the end. Here’s a quick video of the postgame scene, followed by a picture provided by Kopitar’s brother, Gasper.
How does Kopi not fly his brother out for the finals??
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:26 pm
@RobSD, The watch parties look like almost as much fun….
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Kevin Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:27 pm
@BringBackButchGoring,
I was traveling in Europe this past year and my #1 destination was Slovenia so, I tried to make the most out the time that I spent there.
I’ve been a Kings fan since my memory started recording and thought Kopitar would be there training in the off season. I sent a few emails and was invited to watch him practice with his father and a few other National players in Bled. He gave me some time after and I got him to sign a postcard for my Dad… “Happy Birthday Sam!”
Anyways, I was interviewed on a Slovenian Television show back in September. Here is a segment from the interview where I talk about Kopitar and the Kings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw663svHlFY
Here’s the extremely short version…
I was traveling in Europe for a year just flying off the seat of my pants. I was also able to attend the Kings vs. Hamburg and Kings vs. Rangers games. I streamed games online whenever I could, waking up at 3-4:30am. Watched every playoff game…and then, I knew it was time to come home. There was no way I would be away from my Dad when the Kings have a chance to win this thing! My Dad has been a fan since the very beginning, 1967 so, he has definitely suffered. I re-booked my ticket home without telling anyone. I surprised my parents and the first thing out of my Dad’s mouth is….”The Stanley Cup”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mb5PzbMHy4
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Stilts19 Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 10:00 am
@Kevin, http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gl=us&site=webhp&tbm=isch&source=hp&q=lake+bled&oq=lake+bled&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.3..0l5.483.3602.0.4746.18.16.2.2.4.0.452.5179.2-8j6j2.16.0…0.0.Vf7gJRvWcIk&biw=320&bih=416&sei=wejMT7e8MIWQ2AWclOG8Dg#p=0
Take a look at Google Images of Lake Bled, Slovenia. Walt Disney based one of his “Princess” castles on the castle seen in these pics…
Redfroggy Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:27 pm
@RobSD, Gaspar lives in L.A. with Anze and the rest of the family. My guess is the picture was provided by Gaspar but was taken by someone else. I have no way to confirm this, of course.
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zdene32 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:53 pm
@Redfroggy, I agree, in the video from the airport when they came home from Phoenix, Gasper was driving the car with Kopi in it.
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RobSD Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:01 pm
@zdene32,
That’s awesome. I wish I had a superstar brother. I don’t know much about Slovenia but in gonna go out on a limb and say Gasper likes manhattan beach a little better.
David Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Awesome,just plain Awesome!
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m.r.morris Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:22 pm
I would rather be at the party these guys are having! Looks like it is going off…
Just saying…
GO KINGS GO
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Steph Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 4:17 pm
@RobSD, Kopi’s entire family lives with him in L.A.
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Gasper The Friendly Kope’
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Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:57 pm
@Shakes, HA HAA!
Very nice, @Bakes!
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rontheking Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:18 pm
@Shakes, ha ha ha!
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KC23 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:22 pm
@Shakes, Now that is funny. Good one.
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JQ is better than you Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 12:11 am
@Shakes, 2 points for you!
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I hope he gets mvp, he will have to do something big the next two games, but for what he has contributed over the years, it would be nice to see.
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BringBackButchGoring Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:28 pm
@DavidR, Right now my vote would be Brown, Quick and then Kopi. I honestly think that hit on Sedin sent a message to both Vancouver and Kings that we are here to stay…
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FdoFmFull Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:38 pm
@DavidR, Right now I see it in this order: Quick, Kopitar, with Brown fading due to what appear to be multiple injuries.
I aprreciate what Brown has done for this team during this playoff run, but he better heal and fast, this series is not over by any stretch. He’s but a shadow of what he was before the St. Louis series and Kopitar and Williams can ondy do so much without the play of Brown. Witness Kopitar having to bail him out or we might be seeing a 1-1 tie and a resurging Kovi after that chance with seconds to go in the third period.
JMO.
GkG!
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RobSD Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:08 pm
@FdoFmFull,
Brown has been playing out if this world. He was bound to come back down to earth. He has a tendency to disappear for stretches as has been evident in past seasons. He has had a few hits but is certainly not the juggernaut he was the first three series. I hope he is not hurt but he could just be worn out. Guy has taken major abuse these playoffs. I don’t think you can not give quick the MVP unless there is a major breakdown. 1.44 gaa? 14-2 record, 970 save percentage. Quick, Brown, Kopi. Unless kOpi comes up big in helping us win it, brown the first 3 series was incredible in every aspect of the game.
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BigSeeGas Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:01 pm
@DavidR, What about doughty? IMO he has played great and come up huge when we need him to. It’s a tough choice though. It’s nice to know that it’s a tough choice just shows how well everyone is playing.
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petemagoop Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@BigSeeGas, ya no kidding, DD8 has to be a consideration
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KC23 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:22 pm
@DavidR, Nah, Quick has a vise grip on the Conn Smythe.
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crashin' da net Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 7:20 pm
@DavidR, My view id Quick (all year); Brown (would not have gotten here without him leading the way in the pre and beginning series and then Kopi (also consisten but I don’t think as pivotal).
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Awesome. Love it.
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My favorite part is the guy dancing around with his chair on his shoulder.
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Kings Fan In Temecula Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@Redfroggy, very cool, we can almost taste it, almost to the promised land
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any non-stop flights to Slovenia? Might have to party there if the Kings have a ‘clinch the cup game’. So awesome!
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Andros Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:31 pm
@Cup B4 I Die, You and me both! We’ll take Kopi shirts! I hope they have plenty of beer!
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grega11 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:49 pm
@Andros, no shortage of beer in Slovenia:)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Pivo_in_cvetje.jpg (picture from Beer and Flowers festival…)
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Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:02 pm
@grega11,
That photo’s from 1825?
I’d love to see the size of your modern day beer tankers!
They must be humongous!
JureEe Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@duncanz, Actually this picture is from modern day.. just beer company was established. In 1825…
rumpa#19 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:41 pm
@grega11, Im really thirty all of a sudden !! WOW!!
Just a tip ahead of game three:
The Devils haven’t had to get on a plane since the first round. Butt-busting travel will be “new” to them. Expect them (as fans, not Kings staff!) to be just a little “off” in game three. As usual, game three is “the big one” once again. This is a chance to step on the throat and take away their will.
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FdoFmFull Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:41 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, Too bad it’s not a normal 7:30 PST start, as it would be if it wasn’t for NBC pandering to their Eastern constituents. They’d have yet another excuse for getting beat, as in “I’m normally at my favorite NY night club at this time!…”
GkG!
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Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@FdoFmFull,
Pandering to the ETZ and the TV ratings that help keep the NHL alive, perhaps …
Cheers!
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I LOVE seeing these!!
Makes me wanna take a trip there and party with everyone!
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Hanz82 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@Andros,
Everbody is welcome
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Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:14 pm
@Hanz82,
Hanz across the seas!
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This is not a video published by Gašper coz he’s in LA…..he was not seen at the place this was taken!!
Heloos from Slovenia
)
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Hanz82 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:45 pm
@Hanz82,
Here is another video from yesterday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kntLYEwcONI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
And FD site of NHL watching in his hometown
https://www.facebook.com/events/228231040613400/232607736842397/?ref=notif¬if_t=plan_mall_activity
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Slovenia as a new Sister City of the LA Kings…. Next Year two games in Europe followed by two games in Slovenia!
These guys looked like the shots last night from ESPN Zone at LA Live!
We Believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hanz82 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:49 pm
@Finesse Hockey,
Sister city?? Slovenia is a country
…And about games in Slovenia…i would give everything to see Kopi play in my homeland (and i’m huge Sharks fan) !!!
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Eldoret Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:29 pm
@Hanz82,
That makes you a terrible person!
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Diego Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:15 pm
@Hanz82,
Fat chance.
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Finesse Hockey Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 4:02 pm
@Hanz82, Oh, I was thinking of Gernovia from that Disney movie that my niece makes me watch with her…..LOL.
Is that a country or just a Disney fantasy like the Quackers….
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PennerMeWrong Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 6:57 am
@Hanz82,
A lame thing about Slovenia is that people get really wound up about teams that aren’t Slovenian, don’t have any links to them or are even plausibly close enough for them to go to a game.
Sure, I guess it’s technically —COOLER— to say you’re “a huge fan” of a team that’s won The Stanley Cup instead of a random cup from a discount trophy shop (although rooting for the Sharks is still somewhat bizzare, IMO), but it’s tough to understand the thousands of people in our land who give hundreds of dollars/euros and viewing time hours to offshore teams who are hardly aware of their existence.
It’s great if we support and watch Kopitar and the Kings on this run. The Kings are a great team that have gone through an awesome franchise-build in the last years. Kopitar, on the other hand, should be recognized as Slovenia’s greatest professional sports idol to date. After dozens of arrogant, whiny, soft soccer players and basketballers, who are “too important” to play for the slovenian national team (EVEN THOUGH the basketball youth programme is a lot more supportive in SLO than the hockey resources) Kopitar is an absolute gem for our country.
He’s a fair player, isn’t a cheap-shot artist or agitator, he doesn’t whine or dive, plays any role any coach gives him and has a lot of highlight-skills on top of that.
Allright, he’s not the most exciting post-game speaker, but hey – he’s young and not employed to be witty and provocative just yet.
I encourage local people to watch these games and see things for themselves. There are also other great franchises in the league, but if you have no connection to a team other than a subjective liking of a certain foreign player or the look of a team’s logo, it’s beyond my understanding to buy their merch if your local teams are folding because of low attendance and general uninterest.
I’m not sure if this has been specified in this blog yet, but Kopitar’s home hockey team HK Jesenice was demoted from the internationally-Austrian EBEL League this year because of effective financial bankruptcy …
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w Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 10:53 am
@PennerMeWrong, it’s not tough to understand at all, at least if you know a bit about how human psychology functions (and even if you don’t). People will rally around, cheer for and/or support teams they can identify with in some way. It’s got nothing to do with being cool – it works the other way around.
PennerMeWrong Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
@w,
Sure, I understand why they do it. But for me, it doesn’t make sense.
What does anyone in my population-10,000 town have in common with FC Barcelona or the Philadelphia Flyers? Not even relatives who live there or a postcard from Pennsylvania?
In such a case, I have nothing against following the team’s games and learning about their history or game-system, but keep it “in bounds”, don’t get a mortgage so you can buy a Darren McCarty-autographed towel with Claude Lemieux’s blood (*struggling to deny the coolness of the artefact*
.
Especially (I repeat myself here) if your local youth team, who consistently produces brilliant hockey players, is facing extinction. This is sadly the case in Kopitar’s hometown Jesenice.
(Hrušica is a village just outside Jesenice, that mainly grew to its present size because of the steelwork in Jesenice expanding decades ago.)
Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@Finagle Geography,
I’m sure Slovenia would love to be known as a sister “city” … as would the Kings, for that matter.
Marco Polo is rolling in his grave!
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Finesse Hockey Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:58 pm
@Duncanz, Marc-yo Po-yo…….
Can LA have a sister country?
Too much celebration for me! LOL.
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here is the video from the front http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kntLYEwcONI
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rumpa#19 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 12:59 pm
@zdene32, Thanks for the feed , found it on hf boards earlier ,but isuck with the laptop. Or i would have posted it. The sound on Rich’s feed has bad sound too.
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Blow up Gaspers photo and theres a couple Kopi jerseys to the left. Really cool photo.
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Not too Slovenly, Slovenia !!!!
#chicken or the egg?
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Was there a Kings Live last night? I must have missed it
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“To all of Slovenia, you’re welcome”
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The atmosphere here in Slovenia is insane. Kopi and the Kings are really number one now. Hope they win it and the Cup comes to Slove. Greetings from Ljubljana to all Kings and Kopistar fans!
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rontheking Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 2:20 pm
@Megan,
We are all Slovenes now!
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Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:16 pm
MEGA, @Megan !!
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Anze Kopitar is a stud. I hope the city of Los Angeles now equate him with the likes of Kobe, Matt Kemp, CP3 and Griffin like he deserves to be. The Slovenians must be so darn proud
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Hanz82 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:43 pm
@SaveByCechmanek,
We all are indeed (proud),that’s why we look all games at 2 a.m. no matter if we have to go to work next day (same day at 7 a.m.!!
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rumpa#19 Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:44 pm
@SaveByCechmanek, All must bow in his awwner.
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Duncanz Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:18 pm
@SaveByCechmanek,
If he reaches the recognition level of Landon it would be a bonus!
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Best videos of the playoffs!
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Go Kings Go!
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OOOOOOOOOOOOO…. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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here’s hoping they all get a chance to see the Stanley Cup up close and in person this summer.
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In the villages all of the copies are not sleepless!
Let us raise the red patio chair of victory!
I love our sister land!
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Real 7 Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 1:52 am
@Kenny44, I salute you @ three sheets to the wind….
!GO KINGS!
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Whoa! That was pretty cool, talk about chicken skin! What a following…sounded like the Kings had just won a soccer match!
GKG!!!
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Hanz82 Reply:
June 4th, 2012 at 10:54 am
@Moondoggie,
Back here is common to cheer for team like you know it from soccer,that’s nothing special about it!! =)
http://youtu.be/CqZ-U5BPTAQ
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Thanks for sharing this dude! My father’s hometown in Hungary is not far from the Croatia/Slovenia border. You’ve inspired me to take a trip to see Slovenia. Lake Bled looks like an amazingly beautiful place! Maybe I can meet Anze and skate with him and take a few one timers off of his passes! haha GKG!!!
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This actually brought a tear to my eyes! To see villagers from a far off land gathering in the middle of the night to cheer on their local boy… PRICELESS! Just AWESOME!!! The fact that the “boy” is Anze Kopitar and he plays for OUR Kings?!!! THAT’S the part that got me… GREAT STORY!
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One time Tiger Woods said no one watches hockey anymore. He should look at the video on this page and the sold out crowd at Staples tonight.
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Any one coming to Slovenia? Get in touch, we are here! It is great to watch the game in Hrusica, Anzes hometown. You can contact me on (gre2gor(at)gmail.com). Couch surfing availible
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