The Los Angeles Kings are into the conference finals in the West for the second straight season after winning the Stanley Cup last year and after defeating the San Jose Sharks it looks as if they may get the chance to repeat as champions and they will wait on the winner of Blackhawks-Red Wings.
The Kings are through after winning Game 7 against the Sharks 2-1 and one reason has been due to the strong play by goalie Jonathan Quick, who had 25 saves in the game to keep the Kings alive and their championship defense going. The team has been helped by some fantastic saves and one of the biggest reasons they won the Cup last year was due to Quick, who won the MVP in the finals. This time around he was just as good and now the team will wait to see if they will keep home ice against the Red Wings, or travel to face the Blackhawks depending on who wins that Game 7.
The two teams will face off on Wednesday night after the Blackhawks have battled back from a 3-1 deficit and now the number one seed in the conference has a chance to advance. The teams are ready for a fierce battle and whoever makes it will be deserving after a hard fought series between the two.
Los Angeles, the defending Stanley Cup champions, tallied their 14th consecutive win at the Staples Center and have yet to lose at home this postseason. The Kings survived a frantic finish to Game Seven against San Jose on Tuesday to earn a 2-1 victory over the Sharks that sealed their spot in the Western Conference finals. The Sharks got on the scoreboard at 5:26 in the third period when Dan Boyle put in a slap shot and threw everything at the Kings in the final moments looking for the equalizer.
However, Kings netminder Jonathan Quick stood firm and delivered some spectacular saves to keep the Sharks at bay and put his team in the conference final.
Antti Niemi made 16 saves for the Sharks, who had been trying to reach their third conference final in four years. The Kings will play Chicago or Detroit in the West final. The Red Wings and Blackhawks play their Game Seven decider on Wednesday in Chicago. Los Angeles took control four minutes into the second period where Justin Williams capitalized on a power play, then added a second goal three minutes later.
(Reuters Quotes)
