Storm Coming for Los Angeles Kings but Hope Is Not Lost
- Updated: March 23, 2015
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
A storm is coming for the Los Angeles Kings. The battle for a playoff spot has intensified and the worst is still yet to come but all hope is not lost yet and we (myself included) have to reminds ourselves that. After dropping a point to the Pacific division leading Anaheim Ducks and then embarrassing themselves in what I was calling “round 2” against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, the Kings are back to 2 points out of a playoff spot behind the Calgary Flames for third in the division, and 4 points behind the Winnipeg Jets (wild card) and the mentioned Canucks, for second in the Pacific.
With only 11 games left in the regular season which include an eastern road swing through the greater New York area. The Kings will take on the New Jersey Devils, who can never be taken for granted (see the last time our teams crossed paths). The even more dangerous than ever (as in they’re even more dangerous now than they were in last year’s Stanley Cup Final) New York Rangers and the rising New York Islanders. This won’t be an easy trip. To top it all off, the Kings will still have to face the (team that never seems to lose anymore) Minnesota Wild, the hated (because they’re always awesome, even without injured Patrick Kane) Chicago Blackhawks and one more confrontation each with the Flames, Canucks and … the San Jose Sharks.
Oh yes, the Sharks. A team that is only 4 points behind us and 6 points away from a final playoff spot. A team that most recently had a very funny … um I mean… public spat between star “Jumbo” Joe Thornton and Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson. A team that still has NOT recovered from the epic collapse from being up 3-0 against the Kings in the first round of last year’s playoffs, only to lose 3-4 after the Kings made a historic comeback and then went on to win their (AND SAY IT WITH ME) second Stanley Cup in 3 years! Oh and the Kings also beat them in that outdoor game thingy in Santa Clara a month ago.
I am assuming that all of those losses must have built up an angst, bitterness and jealously towards the Kings. With the Sharks threatening to miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, I could safely assume that this could be the end of the current version of the Sharks. Trades and firings could be on the way but what if it all comes down to the Kings needing to win the last game of the season to enter the playoffs, a game which is booked against these same San Jose Sharks. Wouldn’t it be sweet justice to them to be the team that knocks Los Angeles out of a playoff spot, and out of a chance in defending the Cup? Even if they themselves miss the playoffs, in their fractured and poisoned minds, wouldn’t it be some sort of redemption to the Sharks to make up for all those painful and embarrassing losses at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings? I bet you a new banner would be raised up at the SAP center in tribute of that great victory too! I can see it now, “2014-15, eliminated the Stanley Cup defending champion Los Angeles Kings from making the playoffs!” I can only imagine what the rings are going to look like? UGH!
I must calm down. As a long time die-hard Los Angeles Kings fan, I have lived a lifetime of disappointing playoff misses and heartbreaking playoff losses. Even though the team had 3 straight years of success and 5 straight years of making the playoffs, I still worry.
Even though the core of this team battled a very tough Canucks team to 6 games in the 2010 playoffs. In 2011 with superstar Anze Kopitar out for the rest of the season due to a broken ankle, the Kings still took a talented San Jose Sharks team to 6 games as well. In 2012, the Kings slipped into the playoffs as an 8th seed and dominated EVERYONE to win their first Stanley Cup! In 2013, the Kings were burnt out and limping but still made it back to the Western Conference Final and made the Blackhawks have to pry the Stanley Cup out of their bloody hands in double overtime. In 2014, The Kings won another Stanley Cup by taking the hardest and most dangerous route ever **successfully** taken in Stanley Cup history when every crazy obstacle imaginable and every heavily stacked odd and statistic was against them was thrown at them face first and from close range but the Kings still prevailed! I still worry.
It has never been easy to be a Los Angeles Kings fan. Never, ever! Newer fans that arrived in recent times are now just starting to realize this and probably thinking what the heck did they get themselves into? Things are never made easy for our team and most definitely never easy on us. Things never go as planned. There are twists and turns, loops and heavy drops at every turn and within the turns of the turns!. It is like a roller coaster from hell if I ever saw one but yet it isn’t as hellish as what the Toronto Maple Leafs (since 1967), Edmonton Oilers (since 1990) and San Jose Shark (since day one!) fan bases have gone through. In 2012 and 2014 the hellish roller coaster ride ended both times in paradise thanks to the heroics and “never say die” attitudes of the current King’s core players. We don’t just have a team of hockey players, this Los Angeles Kings team built by Dean Lombardi (with some help from previous GM Dave Taylor) is a team of warriors and after Saturday’s loss, I honestly forgot that and went back to my old nervous habits of thinking the world was going to end.
I was upset and nervous and felt this loss was the beginning of the end of the great journey we all have been traveling on since 2012 (or even 2010) but I was quickly reminded by 2 friends of mine that it was still too early for any negative thoughts, not all was lost and there was still hope.
My friend Sacco Hagopian said to me,
@JDStylz_ we are actually in control of our own destiny still. Have a game in hand and a game against CGY. #Believe @NoellOliviaa
— Sacco Hagopian (@HashtagSacco) March 21, 2015
Very true Sacco. Despite yesterday’s hard loss, the Kings can still pull things together. Having an extra game in hand can be a huge advantage if handled correctly. But the old nervous long time Kings fan in me still had me thinking the worst was about the happen like what if the Kings waste that extra game by losing to EVERYONE in the next 11 games?! My friend Olivia Noel put it right to me in layman terms when she said,
Thanks to my friend @NoellOliviaa for reminding me. #Believe pic.twitter.com/pDzqqjuYZV — Jeff Duarte (@JDStylz_) March 21, 2015
BOOM! That’s right! Let’s think about all this. If there’s any team with a powerful collective will power that can will themselves into these playoffs when the stakes are high, the pressure is on and obstacles are attacking from all fronts it is this Los Angeles King’s team! Remember coach Darryl Sutter’s quote last year when the Kings were down 0-3 against the Sharks, “We won’t go quietly.” And no they didn’t. And they won’t this year either. It’s not in their nature. I am ashamed to have forgotten this, even if it was for just a very short time.
So Kings fans, it’s time to man up. Not all is lost and there is still hope … but it won’t be easy. But remember that things not being easy is what we’re used to anyways and what we handle best! It’s all we know! Our Los Angeles Kings can still make the playoffs and defend the Stanley Cup. Can I guarantee this? Of course not but I’ll guarantee that they won’t go down without a fight, they will not let the Stanley Cup be pried out of their hands easily. They will not go quietly and neither shall we.
…
He had just finished his jog and returned to his apartment. Stretching out his body after a hard workout he noticed a light flashing on his home phone. Checking his voicemail he found a very important message from a familiar voice. He called this person back immediately and they had a brief but to the point conversation. After they talked he hung up the phone, took a quick shower and began shaving his beard when he got out.
He stared at every brand of facial hair as it dropped into the bathroom sink. Not a lot of time has passed since he left but it did seem like forever. The mirror was fogging up and he swiped it clear with his hand. Taking a good look at himself with his freshly clean-shaven face, Mike Richards cracked a smile. There was a job to do and his team needed him. It was time to come home.
STAY TUNED!!!
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4 Comments
About Jeff Duarte
chitchattj
March 23, 2015 at 5:03 pm
great read!!!
Jeff Duarte
March 23, 2015 at 7:49 pm
Thank you Teej!
ginadblasck
December 15, 2015 at 7:23 pm
If the film is worth positively buzzing about.
janetjtillery
December 21, 2015 at 10:36 am
Gee slow down bro, you are all of 35 years old. You could have easily came back again and any team would have gladly signed you to a contract. Such a waste.