Sutter is King in Stanley's Game of Thrones

(photo courtesy of tsn.ca)

It was always the Kings. It had to be. Beyond their size, offensive prowess, and goaltending, there was an element of mental fortitude with this team that was ever-present. It's what made them the trendy pick after dismantling Vancouver so convincingly in round one. 

(photo courtesy of sports.yahoo.com)

It isn't just a product of the right combination of personalities, which LA evidently is, but something is to be said for Darryl Sutter's ability to not just light a fire under his team, but keep that fire raging. LA never lost consecutive games until the finals, nearly tying the record for fewest games played in a championship run (I smell smoke). The parity in hockey means that nearly every team has the talent to be great, so the voice leading the way is increasingly becoming the biggest strategic difference between champs and chumps.

Kings Have Canucks on the Ropes

(photo courtesy of thestar.com)

The LA Kings may finally become rulers of something. After a pair of convincing wins in Vancouver to kick off their first round matchup, LA is in prime position to upset the freshly minted presidents trophy winners. Darryl Sutter's stingy game plan has stifled the shorthanded Canucks, and Jonathan Quick has proven to be the superior netminder. 

(photo courtesy of cp24.com)

The reunion of best buds Mike Richards and Jeff Carter provide LA with a proven winning dynamic in their leadership group. They have big, strong scoring forwards, and an elite puck mover in Drew Doughty. These are key ingredients to winning playoff teams. The Kings history book isn't exactly rich with tales of glory, meaning that this upset would alone be a significant moment, regardless of what happens in the following rounds. If things keep clicking, however, this team could do damage. 

Wild Way to Finish NHL Season

(photo courtesy of nhl.com)

NHL schedule-makers should be patting themselves on the back today. It’s the final day of the season, all 30 teams are facing off, and so many playoff implications are yet to be determined. All 16 spots have already been claimed, but there is so little wiggle room in the standings; some teams could find themselves either winning their division, or dropping to 8th in their respective conference. Florida and Washington each find themselves in that awkward predicament, battling for the Atlantic. 

(photo courtesy of rantsports.com)

In the west, San Jose, LA, and Phoenix are in a rare three-way battle for the Pacific division. The amount of possible outcomes is enough to make even the most astute puckhead's brain hurt. What all of this means is that the dream of parity that the NHL sold fans on during the last lockout, is now a reality.