Flyers were knocked out by:
2011 – Boston, who went on to win the Cup
2010 – Chicago, who won the Cup
2009 – Pittsburgh who went on to win the Cup

Phillies were knocked out by:
2011 – St. Louis, who went on to win the Series
2010 – San Francisco, who went on to win the Series
2009 – NY Yankees, who won the Series

The Eagles also were knocked out by the Packers who went on to win the Super Bowl in 2011.

1. The kings have a ton of confidence after knocking off the top three teams in the West.

2. The Devils will not have the luxury of playing a very tiered team this time around. In fact, the Kings should be nice and rested having played only 15 games so far (The Rangers had played 14 before the last series started).

3. Brodeur was only good to average against the Rangers. Sure he made some big saves, but he also allowed quite a few soft goals. Doing so against the Rangers proved not to cost the Devils… but giving up soft goals to a team with a very hot offense could be a disaster.

Quick on the other hand has been a rock, so long as the shots aren’t from center ice of course. The Devils survived because they were able to score some soft goals against Lundquist, who was not at his best the last two games. Not sure they will get that from Quick.

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When you crunch the numbers, I think the Devils will get a rude awakening against the Kings. Unless Brodeur plays better then he did against the Rangers, and unless the Devils can get to Quick… this series might be over quick (no pun). I have to pick Kings in 6, and thats not because I’m sore the Devils beat the Rangers.

We are not going to lose though.

LONG LIVE THE KINGS!!!!!!!

This series is going to boil down to which goal tender can stand on his head longest. No matter who you’re team is you’ve got to admire Quick’s toe save while on his back in game 5 against PHX.

LONG LIVE THE KINGS!!!!!!!

Ilya Kovalchuk was quoted as saying “the Kings haven’t seen a team like us”. Quite so, but the opposite is even more true. The Devil’s had problems when the Rangers started to forecheck, and the King’s forecheck this postseason has been relentless. As good as the Devil’s forecheck has been this postseason (and it has), the King’s forecheck has been better.

Yes, the Kings had little or no offence during the regular season, but this current King’s team bears little resemblance to the Kings of December 2011.

And, let us not forget 5 SHG ..

As in every series, there are a series of X-factors. Both teams will roll 4 lines. Good defensive schemes can eliminate top scorer, so the Kings should be able to limit Kovalchuk’s line as the Devils should be able to limit Kopitar’s line. Having said that, I don’t think the Devil’s have an answer should Penner (6′ 4″, 250 lbs, depending on the number of pancakes he had for breakfast) decides to play the way he has played since Darryl Sutter lit a fire under his rather large butt.

Almost losing to Florida is called winning. Idiot.

Kings have already had relatively long layoffs between rounds 1 and 2 and rounds 2 and 3. They won games 1 and 2, on the road, in both situations. In fact, the Kings are an NHL record 8 and 0 on the road this playoff season.

Second, no west coast team is a stranger to extended travel. The Kings, Sharks, and Canucks routinely log more flying time than most jet-setters.

The Devils, however, may not like the transition to the West Coast, after 5+ hours on an airplane. Remember that most of the Devil’s travel involve very short flights (Boston, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Montreal, … ) or bus rides (NYR, Washington (maybe) ..)

oh wait it doesnt and the kings are in the finals.

shut up.