Shortly, I’ll post the professional photos from last night — Andy Bernstein, Noah Graham and others do a tremendous job — but first, here are the amateur photos I took, both on the ice during the Kings’ celebration and at the party afterward. There were a lot of happy people.
(Drew Doughty)
(Mike Richards, with friends and family)
(Jarret Stoll, with family)
(Anze Kopitar, crowned)
(Dustin Brown, with sons Jake and Mason)
(Dustin Brown, holding son Cooper)
(Anze Kopitar and family)
(Willie Mitchell)
(Willie Mitchell)
(Colin Fraser)
(Jarret Stoll and superfan Kent Bentley)
(Dean Lombardi, Jordan Nolan and co-director of scouting Mike Futa)
(Dustin Brown, taking the Cup to fans)
(Dean Lombardi and wife, Wandamae)
(The Stanley Cup arrives at the party)
(Dustin Brown with Nick Nickson)
(Bob Miller, Nick Nickson and Jim Fox lift the Cup)
(Bob Miller)
(Anze Kopitar and family)
(Tim Leiweke and family)
(Tim Leiweke, Anze Kopitar and Staples Center executive Michael Roth)
(Willie Mitchell, amateur bartender)
(The Conn Smythe Trophy)
(Where Jonathan Quick’s name will soon be…)
(One last look…)
Well deserved. I’m so proud of this team. We won it! We actually won it!
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801_Kings Fan Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 8:44 am
@Mikey J.,
NOTE TO TREVOR LEWIS…PLEASE BRING CUP TO SALT LAKE!
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BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:28 am
@801_Kings Fan,
Rich–
Don’t you dare take this page down… until the start of 2012-2013 season!
(P.S.: Not bad pics, for an amateur!)
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Reo M Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:41 am
@801_Kings Fan,
Totally Agree! As a Utah Kings fan since I was 10 years old, that’s one of the first things I said to my wife after it was over. I’ll be ducking out of work for sure if that happens (just as I ducked out of high school to go see the Cup on a charity tour some 12 years ago).
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Awesome!!!
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outstanding pictures!!! such hapiness on everyone’s faces!!! Mr. Kopitar, thank you for sending your son to Sweden at 15!!! he’s now a champion at 24!
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/tear
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IntheSinBin Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 10:46 am
@Eldoret, many tears of joy.
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So proud of this team!
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I still feel like I’m dreaming!!!!
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Not real yet! So happy!
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It finally happened and I couldn’t be happier for the players and fans. WE’RE THE CHAMPS BABY!!!!
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I almost can’t believe it. This is so surreal. Like something out of a really awesome dream.
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i need the team pic for my new wallpaper at work.
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Great pics Rich! Don’t sell yourself short! Very professional as well!
Question though, will you get any sleep today? 
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Absolutely incredible.
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Even more pics from Howard Berger’s photo-blog:
http://www.bergerbytes.ca/2012/06/kings-of-the-nhl-finally/
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Bonvivant Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:48 am
@vplaza, Thanks.
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Big Rob in Dallas Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@vplaza, Good Stuff!
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Rich, thank you so much!!!
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What else is there to live for?
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He Shoots, He Scores Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 8:27 am
@SDKing,
That’s a very good question. With the way that I feel right now, it’s hard to imagine how the players must feel. Pure joy, I’m sure. Probably nothing like it.
Maybe another Cup?
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SDKing Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:00 am
@He Shoots, He Scores,
It is pure joy..
I guess we need another to shut up the ducks…
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T-Minus…Oh Crap! The Kings are Stanley Cup Champions!!!
Destiny took the scenic route to get here after game 3, but when it got here, oh baby, was it worth the wait!
Still feeling out of this world this morning. Did this really happen????
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cromartee Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 10:37 am
@vplaza,
T-Minus Oh Crap = The Kings are Stanley Cup Champions!!!
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Your history making 2012 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS LOS ANGELES KINGS!!!
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WOW Still setting in WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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sLOVEnija love KINGS and KOPI!!!!!
Crazy night,this is not a dream,this is KINGS dream Team.
Slovenia celebrates the victory with you!!!!!!
Greetings from Jesenice, Slovenia
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Big Rob in Dallas Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 1:13 pm
@RIbI, Thank you for Anze Kopitar!
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I’ve been following the KINGS since day one (was 12 at the time).
Do you remember how you felt when your girlfriend told you that she was “late”,
and then the relief you felt days later when she told you she “got it”?
Multiply that feeling by 45 (years), and that’s where I’m at.
Closure at its best!!
THANK YOU KINGS!!!
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James R Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 8:29 am
@trytodethroneus, LOL!!
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I love the family pictures. Thank you for posting them.
Is that Tim Leiweke’s daughter next him? Wow.
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lulu Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:24 am
@Tyler, I was checking that out too. Hot like Penelope Cruz!
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Awsome pics, Rich!!!! Thank you so much for all you’ve done the last few years. You’ve brought us a lot closer to the team, than ever before!!!
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YEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I love the picture of Bob Miller! Gold! THANKS KINGS!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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So awesome, thank you Rich. Hope you get a little break between the parade and the draft. Hope you didn’t make extensive vacation plans before the season started!
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AWESOME! Way to go KINGS!
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The Hardest Championship to Win.
This Awesome!!! Well Done LA!!!
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So happy for the Team and the long-time fans. I’ve only waited 6 years but I’ve got tears of joy none the less!
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I wondered why it didn’t happen last night but here I am in a pool of tears. Thank you great team, DS, DL, Bob and Jim, all fans and Insiders and Rich. A moment never to be forgotten. Thank you for an inspiration forever. See you next year!
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It is just wonderful.
Thank you to LA KINGS who made it happen.
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Rich, thank you so much for the pictures. The pictures you took are awesome!
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What an amazing year! It is great to be a fan and witness the highs and lows of the team throughout the years. To see them put it all together at the right time was a dream come true. I am sure most of us think our team is tops every year but to see it actually happen…I can’t even explain the feeling.
Great way to kick off the summer!
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Rich,
Thanks for the whole ride and for making us feel like part of the Kings family. The daily updates, the real inside perspective, the pictures from Europe to New Jersey, I’m sure there were days you were burnt out and didn’t feel like doing it, but really THANK YOU for making a magical season even more special.
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Hey Rich!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You a fan yet?
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We won the cup!!! Thank you Kings. Thank you Rich. Thank you fellow insiders for this whole year. Congratulations Kingdom!!!
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So any updates on if Gagne gets his name on the cup?
Also do you think we can trade brown and Quick for Parise?
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Kingsfanone Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:01 am
@Lake Forest,
That’s why Sutter played Gagne. His name will be on the Cup. Gags said he is VERY thankful to Sutter for it!
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SDKing Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:02 am
@Lake Forest,
He does get his name on the cup. He played a stanley cup final game which qualifies him!!
Besides he lifted the cup.. it’d be a shame if he didn’t!!
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historyguy Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:15 am
@Lake Forest, Dude…you’re hilarious…Brown and Quick for Parise…
Yes, Gagne’s name goes on the Cup!!!
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Lake Forest Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@historyguy, guys that are familiar should know it was a joke!
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Thanks, Rich. For those of us usually separated from our beloved Kings by many miles, this blog and these picture help make the distance seem a lot smaller.
When the Rangers won in 1994 I saw a sign in the audience that said “Now I can die in peace”. Maybe a little strong for a sporting event, but at some level, I think I actually get that senitment now.
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Did not get much sleep last night!! I love this team and this season has been the best ever.
INSIDERS …….WE DID IT!! YOU FANS ARE THE BEST. HOPE TO MEET UP SOMEWHERE THUSRDAY!
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Sandra Jacobs Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:26 am
@PalmSpringsKingsFan, We didn’t know there was a Palm Springs Fan Club. We live out here and were at the game last night. Please send me updates when you meet and get together. We thought we were alone out here! Love it! Go Kings! My husband has been a fan since 1967 and he was beyond words last night. So fun!
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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Yes people, this isn’t a dream, the Kngs are Stanley Cup Champions. Man does that sound. Much like a lot of you it ‘s been a hard 30 years for me, but finally. I keep waiting for someone to tell me this isn’t real, but mit is and it feels soooooooo goooooooood.
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was Phil or his wife at the game???
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Stuart Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:08 am
@neil, phil was there in his slippers, no less!
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@Rich Hammond,
Thank you, Rich! We appreciate the pics! Great job as per usual by you!
You have made all of this so much better for us! I’m kinda lost for words!
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Forum Gold Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:16 am
@Kingsfanone, +1. Go Kings Go!!!
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Amazing! I still get all tingly remembering the countdown the crowd did for the last several seconds! So proud of the team and fans. What a great season, truly magical! GKG!
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Looks like I have a Vegas trip in my future. I have to collect my $300 on my $10 bet that the Kings would win the cup. I think I am just going to frame the bills.
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SDKing Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:03 am
@370455VinSD,
Awesome!!!
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Kingsfanone Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:03 am
@370455VinSD,
Hahaha! Don’t lose your ticket!
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SantaMariaKing Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
@370455VinSD, Yup for me too. I put a total of 150.00 down to win it all back in april. I’m gonna wait til Sept. go catch frozen fury and collect. I might have to use my winnings as wallpaper!!!!!!!
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Best Picture was Bob Miller finally holding that cup over his head!He Deserves it more than we do!
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KingsFanFTW Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:08 am
@KingsFanFTW, well what i mean by that he deserve a Cup than we do
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Hey, everybody. Regards from Slovenia. Hockey fever here is like in LA…becouse of Anze. At 2 in the morning we were again infront tv. Top thema everywhere today was not politics, scandals and other stupid things. Just Anze & Co. We hope that Anze will bring The “Stanko” (Stanley Cup) here when he will come to the hollidays. This was amazing season for Kings.Congratulations to all the players.
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Thank you Rich, for everything you do. We appreciate it very much.
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The Los Angeles Kings are Stanley Cup champions. It is hard to believe, but it is really true.
Congrats to all the long term, long suffering Kings fans like me, we’ve earned it!!
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KingsFanFTW Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:21 am
@LB, very hard to believe but very fitting
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We Believe!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And because We All Did……
We Won the Cup!!!!!!!!
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Fox Sports is broadcasting all the clinching games today. L.A./Vancouver is on right now. Later today there will be last night’s game televised twice, with the evening one followed by last night’s Kings’ live, for anyone who missed it (on Prime Ticket). Enjoy!
KINGS ARE THE KINGS OF HOCKEY! (even Doc Emrick couldn’t get it out right).
BTW, Mike Milbury was 95% positive about the Kings thruout the playoffs, so I was okay with him. He was actually very supportive.
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Great job Rich!
Was the party held in one of the suites at Staples?
Did anyone get a chance to see the Quick/Sutter post game media session?
JQ’s daughter was hilarious..except when she was choking.
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Stuart Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 9:40 am
@nykingfan, that would’ve been a disaster!!!
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DC Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 10:22 am
@nykingfan, JQ keeps making crucial saves even AFTER the game is over
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Thanks for the pictures. Saw you on NBC with camera in tow taking pictures in the sea of humanity. You’re more famous than Charlie Sheen.
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Game 6 was, from start to finish, the MOST exciting game of the Final’s. Putting that first puck into the net sent electricity through not only the Kings but every fan, in LA or wherever they were watching from. We have an outbuilding behind the house (here in SC) that is our sports watching room & last night we were transported to LA with that electric enthusiasm!!! We were clapping, stomping, yelling like we were there! Unfortunately, living in the East now, we didn’t get any post-game celebrations, so it was very nice to be able to see them today. Thank you.
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These are not even CLOSE to amateur, these were taken by someone who CARES! In my book, that makes you a PROFESSIONAL Rich, and not just in picture taking. You fit the mold of anyone associated with the Kings: Honest, Humble, Hardworking, Dedicated…and now CHAMPION! You are an important part of all this. Thank you for all of it!
That picture of Bob with the Cup brought serious tears to my eyes!!! (The one with Bob, Nick & Dustin too)
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Thanks for making this blog so amazing Rich!!!
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Did Voynov get to lift it? I only saw him in one picture behind Kopitar and the Liewkie’s.
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KC23 Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 10:35 am
@Jack, He had it at least twice. Once early on and once with the family.
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Ivan Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
@Jack, He lifted it after the game I think. He also yelled “Eff yeah!” with an NBC camera right on him haha
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Gotta take a second to recognize Dean Lombardi here. We’ve praised him. We’ve hammered him. We’ve asked what the heck is he doing at times. But he had a vision, he had a plan and he had the guts to stick to it. This man really understands hockey and what it takes to build a winner. I’m so happy that he had the courage to stay the course and bring all the pieces together at the right time.
It’s funny, when you look back at a lot of his interview, he talked about letting guys develop and timing that so they all hit their stride at the right time. And then adding small pieces to the puzzle once the home grown talent is ready. That’s exactly what he did.
Not only that, he leaves us in an amazing position to repeat for years to come. Hats off to you Dean Lombardi. So proud to have you as our GM!
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nykingfan Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 11:30 am
@Mudfish4,
excellent post. People were very quick to jump off the DL bandwagon because the results didn’t come right away.
He had a plan/vision and stuck with it. He was right and now we’re all basking in the glory of our Kings winning the Stanley Cup!
Brilliant GM!
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LB Reply:
June 12th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@Mudfish4,
agree 100%.
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Awesome Photo’s! Thanks Rich
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It’s a great day for Kings fans, I especially enjoyed seeing Foxy and Bob lifting the cup. I missed their presence in pay by play and commentary. Go Kings Go !!!!
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Hey Rich where is your picture with the cup?
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Fantastic pictures! Thanks again, Rich. They make me feel like I was there instead of 1800 miles away! You and your blog are the best!
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