Everything Else

Fearful Symmetry – Kings vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Empty Resolutions

By Matt McClure 1224 0

centerpiece-king vs oldschool

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, NBCSN, TSN2, WGN-AM 720
Deeez Nuuuts: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

It’s fitting that the Hawks should close out the calendar year of 2013 against whom they began it on January 19th, when they made a defiant statement shortly after the Kings’ overdue banner ceremony. Since then, the Hawks ripped through the Kings in the Western Conference Final on their way to a banner ceremony of their own. And though the teams tend to take considerably different routes during the regular season, it seems as though they’re once again on a collision course to meet in the spring. But they’ll need to resolve matters on a frigid Chicago night first.

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Wolves In Wolves’ Clothing – Kings vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Eye-Witness Testimony

By Matt McClure 1105 0

centerpiece-king vs oldschool

Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: WGN Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720
Kids Of The Blackhole: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

In the six-ish months since last season’s Western Conference Finalists last met, not a lot has changed. Both teams are in the thick of things in a ridiculously competitive and re-aligned western conference, with the Kings performing their usual puttering act through the first half of the season despite excellent underlying possession metrics. However, the men manning the cages tonight are a far cry from what anyone would have envisioned early last June.

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Wolves In Wolves' Clothing – Kings vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Eye-Witness Testimony

By 1137 0

centerpiece-king vs oldschool

Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: WGN Ch. 9, WGN-AM 720
Kids Of The Blackhole: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of California

In the six-ish months since last season’s Western Conference Finalists last met, not a lot has changed. Both teams are in the thick of things in a ridiculously competitive and re-aligned western conference, with the Kings performing their usual puttering act through the first half of the season despite excellent underlying possession metrics. However, the men manning the cages tonight are a far cry from what anyone would have envisioned early last June.

Everything Else

To Another Abyss – Game 3 – Hawks at Kings Preview, Pregame Thread, Script Punch-Up

By Matt McClure 1220 0

AltLogo at centerpiece-king

Game Time: 8:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TSN (Anglo), RDS (Franco), The Loop 97.9 FM
All I Wanted Was A Pepsi: The Royal Half, Jewels From the Crown, Battle of Cali

And now the scene shifts westward with the Hawks taking a 2-0 series lead onto Figueroa Ave. Sunday’s Game 2 loomed large at the time, as the Kings have yet to lose on home ice this post season, and have won 14 straight at Staples. Based on that, this series is still far from over, as it could very well be tied heading into the weekend. Had the Kings taken one on United Center ice, this could very quickly have looked like an imminent 3-1 hole for the second straight series. But that, they say, is why they play the games.

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Storm In My House – Game 2 – Kings vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Table Read

By Matt McClure 1133 0

centerpiece-king vs AltLogo

Game Time: 7:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720
Spirit In Black: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of Cali

Thanks to Mick and Keith and their 10th and 11th full blood transfusions between the two of them, the Hawks and Kings will play their second game of the Western Conference Final about 24 hours on the nose after game 1 concluded. Whether or not that gives either team an advantage is debatable, but I’m sure both would have preferred a day off in between.

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Too Young to Fall in Love – Blackhawks 2, Kings 1 (Hawks lead series 1-0)

By Fifth Feather 1226 0

With both Western Conference finalists coming off a seven game series, there was little reason to doubt that Game 1 would not be the most aesthetically pleasing game to watch. Sure enough, that was the case as the Kings weren’t exactly frothing at the mouth for this one and the Hawks took full advantage to the tune of outshooting them 36-22, nearly outhitting the Kings and dictating the tempo of the game for the large majority.

On to the bullets.

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The Next Episode – Game 1 – Kings vs Hawks Preview, Pregame Thread, Casting Call

By Matt McClure 1268 0

centerpiece-king vs AltLogo

Game Time: 4:00PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, CBC (Anglo), RDS (Franco), WGN-AM 720, The Loop 97.9FM
Mommy’s Little Monster: The Royal Half, Jewels From The Crown, Battle of Cali

In the next of a series of seemingly preordained matchups in the West, the Kings and Blackhawks will meet for the first time since 1974 in the post season for the right to ignore the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. Both of these teams have been on similar trajectories after bottoming out in the middle of the previous decade, and already have their names etched in silver recently (as you might have heard). And though this is the first meeting between these iterations of these two teams of consequence, it hardly feels like it will be the last.

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Wolves In Wolves' Clothing – The LA Kings Special Teams

By 1204 0

For the last two straight seasons, the Stanley Cup champion has been able to emerge with the chalice in spite of the fact that their respective power plays bordered on abominable. In 2011, the Bruins were able to withstand having an only 11.4% conversion rate on the advantage, and last year’s Kings were only marginally better at 12.8%, both historically bad percentages. And unfortunately for the Blackhawks, this year’s Kings don’t appear to be tempting fate by trying the same method that had worked the previous two seasons.