Remembering June 11, 2012: When the LA Kings, At Last, Won the Stanley Cup
- Updated: June 11, 2020
(Photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images)
We’ve all been through those moments where we ask, “Where were you when…” and just like that, a particular date becomes memorable for the rest of your life.
For loyal, long-suffering fans of the Los Angeles Kings, that date is June 11: the date in 2012 when the franchise won their first Stanley Cup.
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been eight years since that memorable evening.
Photo credit: UPI/Lori Schepler
There were those lucky enough to witness the victory live, being one of the 18,000-plus on hand at STAPLES Center to see their beloved captain Dustin Brown hoist hockey’s Holy Grail over his head. Others were just across the street, across the city or the state, across the country or even the world. Nevertheless, the Kings’ first Stanley Cup victory united generations of fans from all backgrounds, from all walks of life in a common bond to celebrate their team’s ultimate victory.
In early 2008, I was asked by my sister-in-law who I was a bigger fan of: the Kings or my beloved Boston Red Sox (sorry Dodger and Angel fans). It was easy to respond with the latter. After all, the Red Sox were fresh off winning their second World Series in four years at this juncture. Plus, I was still buzzing from the club ending their 86-year championship drought just a few years later. Frankly, there was no better time to be a Red Sox fan.
I gave this question some deep thought, however, and while they weren’t a very good team at this point, I was a bigger Kings fan. After all, if the Red Sox could end their drought, why couldn’t the Kings?
Dean Lombardi was still in the early stages of his rebuild plan but there wasn’t much to feel confident about. Don’t get me wrong; the Kings had bright stars in Anze Kopitar and the aforementioned Dustin Brown but the club was still months away from drafting Drew Doughty and while he had made his NHL debut a couple of months earlier, Jonathan Quick was just one of a what-seemed-like a never-ending carousel of netminders in Los Angeles. Nonetheless, I was confident, even though I knew that there would be a lot of frustration along the way.
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Over the next few seasons, the Kings were an entertaining team to watch to say the least. They may not have put on an offensive clinic every night but they were strong defensively, better between the pipes and tough-as-nails on the physical side.
As exciting as they were, though, and as better as they got, I could have never dreamed of a championship run as great as the spring of 2012.
Despite living on the east coast, I watched every Kings game that spring, even if I had to get up at 6am the following morning. It was well worth it. The upset of the Canucks, the sweep of the Blues and the ousting of the Coyotes. Then, just feeling so excited during the day, anxiously awaiting each of the Finals games against the Devils, including Game 4.
Unfortunately, the Kings lost Game 4 — then, Game 5 — against the Devils. I was feeling nervous but on my way home for Game 6, it was a dark and rainy evening and I remember thinking that the Kings were going to win it all that night in spite of the gloomy weather, which can sometimes easily get me down.
The energy of the home crowd, the major penalty, Dustin Brown, who had a great playoff but quiet Final, opening the scoring and then setting up the second goal. I had never been so excited before. Then, standing as Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Jim Hughson listed off all the names, past and present, who had represented the Los Angeles Kings — Jack Kent Cooke, Marcel Dionne, Jerry Buss, Luc Robitaille, the list went on and on — and then going quiet as the STAPLES Center faithful did the rest for the remaining few minutes of regulation. Then, I counted down with the faithful… four! Three! Two! One!
Photo credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
In 2004, I had jumped around my house screaming, “Yes! Yes! Yes!’ when the Red Sox ended their World Series drought. This time, I fell to my knees, lips quivering, utterly speechless.
While I’m on the fence about congratulating fans on their team’s success — I love it when it happens to me, at least — I called my brother to congratulate him.
He had been a Kings fan longer than I had, had to suffer the defeat of ‘93, of falling one game short of the Western Final in ‘01 and the years of futility in between and following, he deserved the call.
June 11, 2012 will always be with me, along with every other Kings fan, as the ultimate, when their team’s long struggle — which included a plethora of ill-conceived rebuilds — came to an end.
This is a day we will remember, and cherish, forever.
So, to the Los Angeles Kings, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Photo credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
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One Comment
About Ryan Cowley
Liza Ramirez
June 11, 2020 at 9:15 am
Thanks for this great article on our beloved Kings first Stanley Cup win. 💜🏒