LA Kings Playoff Chances In Doubt
By Frank Walker
The LA Kings are the most dangerous playoff team in the NHL. That may not matter though as the LA Kings playoff chances are in doubt.
After Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild the Kings find themselves only one point up on the Calgary Flames with seven games to go. Kings fans are hoping that Saturday’s performance is not indicative of a trend as Jonathan Quick was chased from the net after allowing two goals on seven shots, and the Kings were also 0-3 on the power play. This is not how you want to be playing when you are in a playoff race and have to play a Chicago Blackhawks team on Monday night at the Madhouse on Madison.
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For the most part this season the Kings have played solid hockey. Some nights the bounces have gone for them and other nights they have gone against. What many have speculated is that the amount of games this King’s team has played over the last few seasons is starting to wear on them. The Kings have played at least 100 games a season since the 2011-2012 season. The LA Kings have done this with the major additions to their roster being veterans, normally ones with injury histories, through trades. At some point this team would start to break down and it seems that time is now.
The saving grace for the Kings right now is that after the game with the Blackhawks on Monday they only have two more games against teams that are making that final playoff push. The day after Easter they go to Vancouver to play the Canucks; who may have their spot locked up by then. The game that could decide their season is number 81; they go to the Saddledome for what could be the biggest sporting event in Calgary since the Grey Cup in 2009.
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For the future of the LA Kings it may be the best thing if they do miss the playoffs this year. There are playoff teams in the West that are riding hot goaltenders, an inability to score has hurt the Kings in the past, and the wear and tear of another marathon playoff run would hurt the Kings more than it has in the past. They need to enjoy an offseason with a lottery pick and an opportunity for all of those veterans to have a full offseason to heal and get ready for another run next season.
But based on the LA Kings playoff history, they will probably prove me wrong over the next two months.