Well my prognosis went awry when the Kings stormed back to beat the Black Hawks in OT. I had it set up for an original six showdown for the Cup. So instead of the stock market vs the stock yards we have affable Alain Vigneault vs sad sack looking Darryl Sutter. OMG, does this guy ever smile? Granted he is no disagreeable, but the guy always looks like he is constipated.
This is the powerhouse LA Kings vs those Eastern Conference rascals, the New York Rangers. The Kings have the top point scorer in the playoffs, Anze Kopitar with 24 points. Then they have Gaborik, Williams and Doughty with 19, 18 and 16 before St. Louis and Stepan show up with 13 points each. Same thing with goals. Gaborik is the leader with 12, followed by Carter, Williams and Toffoli with 9, 7 and 7. St. Louis and Carl Hagelin have 6 goals each. So the power goes to the Kings.
Goalies is a different story. Lundqvist leads the playoff pack with .928 save %, has a 2.03 GAA and one shutout. Jonathan Quick, the Kings goalie has a .906 save % and a 2.86 GAA and one shutout. And therein lies the biggest difference. The King will lord it over the Kings.
Both teams have had dramatic wins in this playoff. The Kings came back from a 0-3 hole to sweep the Ducks in the opening round. The Rangers came back from a 1-3 hole to sweep the Pens out of the playoffs. The Kings last won the Cup in 2012. The Rangers last Cup was twenty years ago, 1994. The teams split two regular season games so the match should be a tossup.
I'm picking the Rangers in six, to hoist the Cup at the Garden before the faithful. Reader McPhilly wants to know if it is going to be Lambrusco or Chablis? Well, I am kind of a Cabernet type of guy, but I think for this occasion a nice cold brewski will do better. My favorite has always been a Bass Ale. However, for this occasion an American brew would be more appropriate. I like the Pennsylvania beer, Yuengling. The local Brooklyn Ale might do it.
The Rangers have strong chemistry with this team. The St. Louis tragedy has united the team and after sitting out all of last year because of his wife's death, Dominic Moore is playing with a passion and a purpose not seen around here in a decade. I definitely see a resurgence in guys like Kaiser and Nash. So get it ready. Chill a couple of bottles of wine or cool a keg, either way the Rangers will hoist the Cup.
It says here, the Rangers in six. The Broadway parade will be headed by King Henrik and his entire crew before their adoring fans. And the peasants cheered. Go Rangers, beat the Kings.
Monday, June 02, 2014
Rangers To Lord It Over Kings
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In my email from Blueshirts United today (6/3):
"Broadway vs. Hollywood for the cup."
But we read that here in the comments the other day (5/30 to 6/1)
"...what may be an Original Six Series, or Hollywood meets Broadway."
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6784571&postID=2484931303811574554
Well, if I was Cerny and the Rangers PR crew, I would check out what Ranger Pundit Savino has to say, too. Not saying it was borrowism, just great minds .. never mind ;)
So, will this be the Stanley Cup final of riddles?
When is a king not a King? … When He's King Hank.
Will team (Kings) conquer individual Hank (a king, but not a King, King Henrik)?
or is the King's Team (the Rangers) ultimately up to the test — and one apostrophe closer to the promised land — they will face in the L.A. Kings' team?
Will the sole Norwegian ever to play in an SCF go from uncharted territory to the land of enchantment?
(RE: http://blueshirtsunited.com/posts/6137/zuccarello-to-make-history-come-wednesday-night#.U44KkRYsqf0)
I don't know. And even though the stage is set for Gaborikian irony of the cruelest kind, I still believe this team has yet to play its best Hockey … which may be just enough.