Los Angeles Kings Win The Stanley Cup, End The 2011-12 Season

For Kings fans, they're day of reckoning is finally here.

The Kings knocked of the New Jersey Devils in Game 6 to the score of 6-1 to win their first Stanley Cup. The eighth-seeded Kings shocked the world and pulled a 16-4 record, three shutouts, and displayed one of the brightest young stars the NHL has to offer us at the moment with Jonathan Quick's Conn Smythe trophy winning season.

It was a long, bumpy road for the Kings, but they pulled it out. After dropping two games in-a-row, they came out hard in Game 6 and scored six goals to lead their team to victory.

Not just for the sport of hockey, this Kings team is an inspiration across all of sports. The first eighth seed to win a championship in a seeding-style American league. After their rocky start to the season, going through their goal drought like they did, and making the playoffs so close to the end of the season, it was a long road. But in the end, it made them better, and now, they are better than everyone else for one whole year.

And now, the summer starts. Free agency, the draft, the Traverse tournament, and all of the other off-season events are being looked forward to by every fan now. As for the Clinic, I will not lie, the traffic of posts may slow during the off-season, as there is a drought of news that happens regularly. Trades, signings and draft picks I will cover, and I will try to write my occasional duff article when I try to be funny. But you can all believe, come next season, I'll be right back at it again offering up my insight to anyone who will listen.

Congratulation to the Los Angeles Kings.

Fun Things To Make Fun of Pierre McGuire During the Stanley Cup Finals

Tonight kicks off the final culmination of the two teams left in the race for the Stanley Cup. And like many of you out there in California or anywhere else rooting for the Kings, or the tiny little blip in the tri-state area that's rooting for the Devils, you'll probably have to watch the game on NBC. Which means you'll have to deal with a lot of the voices of Doc Emerick, Eddie Olczyk, and Pierre McGuire.

As time has gone by in these Stanley Cup Playoffs, you learn to accept their voices, or inevitably switch to TSN. Myself personally, I'm annoyed by two-out-of-three of the NBC crew. Doc Emerick has credentials of being a fine commentator, but his colorful vocabulary and voice just rub me the wrong way. I'd much prefer to have Gary Thorne back, but for some reason he really wants to commentate the Orioles so, screw me right? Eddie Olczyk is the only one I can tolerate of the crew. He offers good insight on things, analyzes the game well, and makes good points considering he isn't interrupted by this guy...

For those who don't know what that sound is during NBC playoff games that makes their eye twitch, this is the culprit. His name is Pierre McGuire. He is a "Stanley Cup Winner" twice with the Pittsbrgh Penguins as a scout. He was also a a coach for the Hartford Whalers at one time. Now, he makes a living being a very, very annoying feature to the NBC broadcast team.

After watching my share of NBC games over the years, my animosity has turned into mockery. Here are some ways I'd like to give to the public to help come with the game tonight...

Playoff Prescription: Round 3 Rangers vs. Devils Game 5

Best of three.

The Rangers and Devils are laying it all out on the line in this series, trying to be the team that will reach the plateau and face the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Kings clinched an advance to the Finals yesterday night after Dustin Penner tucked in the inning goal in the final minutes of overtime.

Now, they have to wait as the East finishes up its series. The Devils pulled the series even two nights ago after they hopped on an early lead and rode it all the way to a 4-1 victory. The Rangers were lifeless in every aspect of the game. There was minimal fore-check, hardly any offense sustained, and the defense couldn't help Hank out if they tried. It was a brutal game, which had a lot of emotion in it.

Now, tonight the Rangers have a chance to pull ahead once again, or sink in the series to the Devils who outplayed them severely last game.

Playoff Peach-Fuzz: A Critique of the Upcoming New York Rangers Playoff Beards

They serve as a symbol of how far you've come in the world of hockey. Every team is in on it; it's a tradition. The act of growing a playoff beard has been a superstition among hockey fans and players for as long as anyone can remember. To grow the biggest, bushiest, messiest beard you can during the NHL Playoffs in hopes that once you reach the mountain top, you can enjoy the best shave of your life.

Here are some Rangers who show potential to grow some awesome fur in the upcoming playoffs.

Bushy and Rugged


Henrik Lundqvist 

Unless Vogue calls up with another offer for a photo shoot, I hope Hank grows out something for us Rangers fans to enjoy. It would be nice to see the potential for the man in net to grow out a big fluffy one if the Ragers can make a deep run in the playoffs. However, knowing Hank, the superstitious man that he is, if he feels it interferes even slightly in his play, he won't grow one. But as a treat for the fans, I hope we get the chance to witness gloriousness on top of gloriousness that is his face.

Brian Boyle

Not sure how much ice time the big man will get once the Rangers go to the playoffs, but I think the big guys got beard potential. We got a glimpse of what Double B can do with his facial hair in last years playoffs, but hopefully he can have enough time to grow it out so he can, you know, actually intimidate someone on the ice.

Dan Girardi

You don't block shots like Dan Girardi does and not have the hormones to grow an awesome playoff beard. Girardi is the bona-fide playoff beard sleeper. Looking at Danny, you may not think he has the potential to make something work with his beard, but I remember glimpses of an awesome beard back when the Rangers played the Penguins in the second round of the playoffs a few years back, and he can grow one. It will be nice to see a fine patch grow among that chiseled chin of his, too.

Ryan Callahan


A fine captain needs a fine playoff beard. And since we will have Captain Cally at the helm this years playoffs, he must grace us with a beard. Callahan is as rough and tumble as they come, and if is actions were a facial hair, they'd be a Chuck Norris beard. And if you have a problem picturing his beard, imagine how it will look when he skates up to Gary Bettman after hearing the words "Captain Ryan Callahan, come get the Stanley Cup!" *chills*

Brandon Dubinsky


...

...I think the picture speaks for itself.

The New York Rangers Clinch A Playoff Birth

For the first time in three years, the Rangers will not have to sit and wait to see if they will make the playoffs on the dying days of the NHL regular season, for they have clinched the first playoff birth in the Eastern Conference in a win tonight over the Devils.

The Rangers, who have played very turbulent hockey these past few days, reached the 97 point plateau, and are in the playoffs. They currently sit atop the Eastern Conference, but the Penguins, and Flyers are jockeying right behind them with 94 and 92 points.

As stated before, it has been a rough patch of hockey for the Rangers, as they are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. But a victory tonight solidifies them a spot in the postseason, and now they can worry about preparing for that, rather than having to sacrifice their bodies down to the wire and gassing themselves out before they have a chance to relax.

It has been a long road for the Rangers this season. Starting the season with two straight overtime losses in Sweden to the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks before finally getting their first victory over the Vancouver Canucks. This team of Rangers has showed nothing but poise and confidence all season, and I have the utmost support for them going into the playoffs.

As the days go by, the Clinic will start preparing posts for the playoffs, including Dr. Daps' Playoff Predictions for all the teams. It is going to be a very exciting postseason, and we are going to get to watch the Rangers duke it out in their quest for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Teams the New York Rangers Do and Do Not want to Face in the Playoffs

It was the great Ric Flair who once said, "In order to be the man, you've got to beat the man."

The Rangers still have 21 games left on their season, but their odds to going to the playoffs are bettering every day. They lead the 2nd place Boston Bruins by nine points in the standings, as the season winds down and gears up for what is looking like it is going to be a very interesting postseason.

So many teams in the Eastern Conference are in a jumble together right now, teams that have proved they can hang with the Rangers this year, and those who have yet to show it. This is a breakdown of the teams who the Rangers could potentially fare better against in the postseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs


The Rangers have lost to the Maple Leafs twice so far this year, but the last time was before the turn of 2012. The last time the Rangers and Leafs faced, the Rangers shut out the Leafs 3-0, as they shut down Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul who have became an explosive tandem this year. Since that time, the Leafs have dropped out of the playoff race, and are sitting on the outside looking in. Make no mistake, they are still very much alive in the standings despite being behind 8th place, but their overall play as of lately has taken a hard toll, and the team is in disarray. If the Rangers and Maple Leafs face off in the first round of the playoffs, I think the Rangers can show their true grit and take the Leafs in less than six games.

Winnipeg Jets


The Jets are young, nubile, and ripe for the picking. The Rangers were the only team to ever face the Atlanta Thrashers in the playoffs, and the New Jets have yet to beat the Rangers this season. In fact, out of the three games the Rangers and Jets have played this season, the Jets have only scored one goal against the Rangers, and that was back in their first meeting in October. The Jets are still in the honeymoon phase of their rebirth, and have yet to string together wins consistently. If they worm themselves into the playoffs, it would take a whole lot for the Jets to beat the Rangers.

Philadelphia Flyers


The team that the Rangers have held their number to all year long. The Rangers and Flyers were the "push" rivalry this year as the NHL really tried to gear their hatred for one another up for the Winter Classic. The Rangers have taken all four of the meetings this season so far, including the Winter Classic in major TV-scripted fashion. Ilya Bryzgalov has yet to pay a single dividend of his major contract signed this year, and it's lead to a very enigmatic goalie controversy between him and Sergei Bobrovsky. If the Rangers play the Flyers in the postseason, get ready for fireworks, both at center ice when two players drop the gloves, and in the Flyers net.

Dr. Daps' Absurdly Early 2012 Season Predictions

While it is ridiculous to think that any prediction about the NHL season this year made now in July will come true, I need something to occupy my time. So I figured why not throw out my predictions just for laughs, and see if any of them come true. But please, for mine and your sake, do not take these seriously. This is just a speculation, and a boredom post.

Eastern Conference Predictions:

1: Washington Capitals
2: Boston Bruins
3: Pittsburgh Penguins
4: Tampa Bay Lightning
5: New York Rangers
6: Buffalo Sabres
7: Montreal Canadiens
8: Philadelphia Flyers

1st. Round


Washington over Philadelphia in 5 games.
Boston over Montreal in 6 games.
Buffalo over Pittsburgh in 7 games.
New York over Tampa Bay in 6 games.

2nd. Round


Washington over Buffalo in 6 games.
Boston over New York in 6 games.

3rd. Round


Washington over Boston in 7 games.

Western Conference Predictions:

1: Vancouver Canucks
2: Los Angeles Kings
3: Detroit Red Wings
4: San Jose Sharks
5: Nashville Predators
6: Anaheim Ducks
7: Phoenix Coyotes
8: Columbus Blue Jackets

1st. Round


Vancouver over Columbus in 4 games.
Los Angeles over Phoenix in 5 games.
Detroit over Anaheim in 5 games.
San Jose over Nashville in 7 games.

2nd. Round


Vancouver over San Jose in 6 games.
Los Angeles over Detroit in 7 games.

3rd. Round


Los Angeles over Vancouver in 6 games.

2012 NHL Stanley Cup Finals:


Washington Capitals vs. Los Angeles Kings

Game 1: Kings 4 - Caps 2
Game 2: Kings 2 - Caps 1 in OT
Game 3: Caps 5 - Kings 3
Game 4: Caps 2 - Kings 0
Game 5: Kings 3 - Caps 1
Game 6: Kings 4 - Caps 3

Kings win Stanley Cup in six games.


Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Anze Kopitar

Well, there you have it, the Kings are finally going to win their first Stanley Cup next year over the Washington Capitals. Again, don't hold me hostage if this doesn't come true. It's a long season, and if I manage to get at least one of these match-ups right, Ill be happy.