Let me start off by saying that I have long been of the opinion that anyone that doesn’t enjoy deviled eggs is a communist. And with that, I welcome you to the East Coast edition of the Los Angeles Kings’ scramble to make the Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s still weird to think that the Kings might not make the playoffs, considering it was the lowest possible setting for the bar at the beginning of the season, but it’s fully plausible that NOT making the playoffs might happen.
Boy have we gotten spoiled. I found myself with some free time recently, so I took a trip down to Grunions in Manhattan Beach to watch the game, and boy did I feel cool.
Enjoying the Kings outside the Valley is kind of like enjoying the Kings inside the Valley.
— John Siegel (@JVNSiegel) March 23, 2015
Ten minutes into the first period, the Kings got on the board thanks to a blast from Andrej Sekera.
Thanks to a two-man advantage for the Kings, and some painstaking patience on the part of one Marian Gaborik, the Kings were able to double their lead at the close of the first period.
Scott Gomez, who is still in the league (and playing surprisingly well!) took a funny rebound and fired it past Jon Quick.
I recently read an interesting article about a time where Cory Schneider’s ahoy paloy, fancy schmancy boarding school took on Quick’s even fancier boarding school in a game of rounders badminton hockey. It wasn’t so much of a story that makes one think, as it was an accounting of two now-famous guys playing when they weren’t famous. However, I found it intriguing that tough goalie guy Jonathan Quick, who I have always referred to as “Jon” for the sake of not having to remember how to spell “Jonathan,” was once known as simply “Jon.”
Quick–who has become one of the more dull hockey players in the league when he’s working hard to sell calls, attacking unsuspecting players (who, to be fair, deserve it most of the time), and being a fantastic goalie–used to be a comedian? An intentional comedian?
Hmmmm…
As someone that doesn’t at all like stand-up comedy, I can see plainly that Jon Quick still has some of the comedy chops he flexed SO hard back in high school. (Side note, it’s hard not to become nauseated from all the quotes in the article. Too many times did I have to read about “Blaine, who works on Wall Street,” or “Brad, who works in finance in Boston.” Just as all Kings fans started to wonder “…maybe the two-goal lead in hockey IS the worst lead to have…”
Anze Kopitar plunged his fangs into the somehow-still-in-playoff-contention Devils, crushing their dreams and sending them back to South Orange (which I hear is wonderful this time of year).
Jason Lewis, longtime Robyn Regehr proponent, took an insightful look at Robyn Regehr’s real meaning to the Los Angeles Kings.
Good thing I was able to find the real chart on hockeystats.ca. It all makes a lot more sense to me now. #LAKings pic.twitter.com/S9s4SSZtoD
— Jason Lewis (@SirJDL) March 24, 2015
New parent (and my wonderful boss) The Royal Half is looking at the chance that the Kings make the playoffs through rose-tinted glasses…
I’m ok if Kings don't make the playoffs. The Sharks excuse would be bumbling management, while Kings would be "Stanley Cup Final fatigue."
— The Royal Half (@theroyalhalf) March 24, 2015
…and taking a moment to get a jab in on the San Jose Sharks’ organization.
My esteemed colleague Pumper Nicholl summed-up EXACTLY what I was thinking while sitting in a bar in either Manhattan or Hermosa Beach.
Lombardi's "have Richards share horror stories with the rest of the Kings about not living in Manhattan Beach" plan has worked perfectly.
— PumperNicholl (@PumperNicholl) March 23, 2015
Patrick O’Neal got his journalism on…
#LAKings Game Day! I imagine the return of Mike and Alec will spark the team. If they play… Find out tonight @FoxSportsWest #GKG
— Patrick O'Neal (@Patrick_ONeal) March 23, 2015
…and “Doc Emrick” summed-up what we all thought about a song that we had no idea existed.
This song needs to be WAFFLEBOARDED AWAY! pic.twitter.com/xNB52MSBnV
— Doc Emrick (@DocInRealLife) March 24, 2015
Grunions in Manhattan Beach. Charming place where I listened to a lady insist on tequila shots that were chilled, “…like our souls,” and then start and end sentences with, “GIRL.”
As of right now, the Kings are out of the immediate playoff picture. They are two points back of Calgary for the third spot in the Pacific division, and four points back of Winnipeg (who has won five straight) for the second wild card spot. Burn your boats, Kings fans! It’s time for a playoff push!