While some of the hockey world is debating why LA is hosting
an outdoor hockey game, I’m breaking down a Kings –Ducks matchup not for the
Outdoor series but if they would meet in a playoff series, making it the I-5
War. The winner of the I-5 War the Carpool Cup has a great chance to win the
Stanley Cup. The Ducks have some truly outstanding players, and arguably the
NHL’s greatest Dynamic Duo (Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry) but the Kings
are bigger, have more depth and are only two years removed from winning the
Cup. The Kings even lost the NHL’s best goaltender and started playing better.
The Kings haven’t given up a first period goal in six weeks. Even more
impressive than that is the Ducks have got at least a point in every home game.
The Ducks can easily win the Outdoor game, or any one game against the Kings,
they’re one of the top six teams in the NHL this but column is about who would
win a seven game playoff series and I pick the Kings.
The Kings and the
Ducks each have a ton of talent up front and roll four legitimate NHL lines.
The Kings are bigger but the Ducks are not small by any means and the Ducks are
a little faster. The Ducks have more high end scoring with the Dynamic Duo but the
Kings have a more scoring throughout their top twelve forwards. The tight
checking playoffs could turn the Ducks into a one line. The Kings lines are set
up so each line has a passer, a scorer and a corner guy .The example being the
potent line of Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Dwight King. This gives Coach
Sutter flexibility .Both teams are relying on young guys but most of the Kings
young guys already have their names on the Cup. Both teams also have a ton of
leadership. Kings Captain Dustin Brown is a throwback could play in any
era. The Ducks have Captain Getzlaf and
Hall of Famer Teemu Salanne to lead the way. The Kings forwards play a grittier
dump and chase game while the Ducks are more a puck possession team. It’s
harder to play a puck possession game in the playoffs, which means the Kings
are more equipped for the playoffs because they play a playoff style of hockey
all season long. One King’s player who is set to become an even bigger star is
Anze Kopitar. He is a the West Coast Evgeni Malkin and would be a superstar if
he played on the I-95 and not the I-5.
On defense the Ducks are led by veteran Francois Beachemin
who is have a resurgence in his second stint in Anaheim. Beachemin and his D
partner Cam Fowler are playing
outstanding hockey The remaining Ducks blue liners are solid if non descript . The
Kings D men are a more versatile bunch of physical puck movers who always . The
Kings miss two time Stanley Cup winner Rob Scuderi but Drew Doughty is a Norris
trophy waiting to happen
The Ducks have to great goaltenders and you’d think that
would be enough to beat the Kings in the goaltending category but the Kings
appear to have three great net minders. Conn Smythe /Stanley Cup Winner
Jonathan Quick maybe the best goalie in the NHL but he’s injured and may take
awhile to get back in flow, no problem Ben Scrivens has filled in nicely and
his back up Martin Jones pitches
shutouts like Cy Young Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw. The Ducks man between
the pipes Jonas Hiller is playoff tested but maybe traded because his backup Viktor
Fasth is playing like a number one.
The Ducks do win the special teams battle. The Duck’s are
lethal on the power play and the Kings are underachieving with the man
advantage. It’s actually puzzling how bad the Kings are. The Kings have a
slightly better penalty kill because of better defenseman and they’re a Sutter
coached team.
Coaching is where the biggest discrepancy is between the
teams. The Kings are coach by Darryl Sutter. He’s a Sutter brother and he won a
Cup. The Ducks are coach by Bruce Boudreu and I’m writing about the playoffs.
While the Ducks are having an outstanding regular season, Coach
Boudreu usually does, and could have home ice advantage in a playoff series
against the Kings , which would be huge because the Ducks are awesome at home,
I believe the Kings would wear down the Ducks in a seven game series with their
size and depth. The Ducks are a faster team but remember the Stanley Cup
playoffs are not a sprint but a war of attrition that’s why I think the Kings
would win the I -5 War.
Happy Holidays !!!!!!!!!
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