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Crypto.com Arena, Culver City Ice Rink, Fan Fest, Go Kings Go, hockey, L.A. Kings, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Kings, National Hockey League, NHL, NHL Western Conference, Olympics, pro hockey, Stanley Cup, Staples Center
The Los Angeles Kings enjoying some good times at Crypto.com Arena. Photo courtesy of prohockeyrumors.com
WHILE EVERYONE ELSE – INCLUDIING ME – HAS BEEN SO FOCUSED ON THE HOPES OF UCLA’S BASKETBALL TEAMS IN THE BIG DANCE,
THE PLAYOFF ASPIRATIONS OF L.A.’S TWO PRO BASKETBALL SQUADS,
AND (in my case) EAGERLY AWAITING THE DODGERS (or the Angels for those fans) BEGINNING THEIR BASEBALL CAMPAIGNS,
These Kings have quietly emerged as SoCal’s best chance for a title among its four winter pro sports teams,
With the Lakers and the Clippers struggling and fighting to make the NBA’s postseason and the Kings’ bitter rivals, Anaheim’s Ducks, not having a good season at all.
It’s been established on this blog that with all due respect, I’m not really a hockey guy;
Hence my having to have a “Hockey Lady” to cover the Kings and the Ducks in the past.
Heck, I’ve never even been on ice skates before,
And I’ve only been to an ice rink once in my life, the Culver City Ice Rink, which was located on Sepulveda Blvd. from 1962 through the 2010s, spanning 52 years;
It was torn down in 2014, with a hardware store now occupying that site.
Which was unfortunate as Olympic stars like Michelle Kwan, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner trained there along with providing a place for many hockey afficionados, young and old, to ply their wares.
Perhaps if I were born and raised in Canada and grew up with that sport the way I grew up on baseball and the Dodgers as well as football and the Rams, basketball and the Lakers, and UCLA sports in general, I’d feel differently about the whole thing.
Congraulating each other during a recent game. Photo courtesy of twitter.com
At a recent Kings’ Fan Fest at L.A. Live. Photo courtesy of twitter.com
However…
Far be it from me to wholeheartedly give credit when credit is more than due;
A current record of 41-20-10, good for second place in the Western Conference, only two points behind the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
Winning eight of their last ten games, with the two games they haven’t won being ties.
Five players scoring at least twenty goals this season, led by right wing Adrian Kempe with 34.
A young goalie in Pheonix Copley that has quite impressed with his 2.61 goals against average.
I would say that they have a crystal clear road to what is more or less universally considered to be the greatest trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup,
Except for the fact that with 113 points and a 54-11-5 record, in mine and the view of many others that Cup of Lord Stanley’s is the Boston Bruins’ to lose.
So even though to be honest, with all due respect to the many dedicated “Go Kings Go” fans that have packed the arena formerly known as Staples Center,
Hockey is relatively low on my list of sports fan preferences compared to baseball, football, college football, college basketball and women’s gymnastics,
I have no qualms whatsover in giving props to the Kings and the season that they’ve had to this point as I’m quite happy for them.
As such…
Eleven games remain in their regular season, starting with this Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets with things ending on April 13th at the Honda Center against the Ducks before the extreme grind known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs commences.
Though I honestly don’t see those black and silver-clad Kings hoisting that Cup in June,
One never knows, as that’s what most people said in 2012.
I certainly wish them all the best with a “GO KINGS GO!” moving forward.
The Kings fervently hope that their season ends just like this. Photo courtesy of gentlemensguidela.com