TRH RECAP 76 – A Bit Windy
KINGS 1, BLACKHAWKS 4
It’s been said before, but before I get started on this recap, I should say that I have a connection to Chicago. I went to DePaul University, and lived in the city for a year after graduation before returning to Los Angeles.
I love Chicago. In fact, I love Chicago so much, that I am planning a return trip to the Windy City this summer, where I plan on visiting places that will only embarrass me as I recall the stupid things I did when I lived there. It’ll be great!
But in these formative years in Chicago, I grew a cartoonish hatred for the Chicago Blackhawks that largely exists to this day.
Stuff like this doesn’t help the matter … but at least I have a few moments I can go back to make things seem a lot better…
Like this one.
Or this one.
Or the time Duncan Keith tried to kill Jeff Carter, and received a slap on the wrist for it.
These usually help, but not when things like, oh, a 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks when all the other teams the Kings are racing with for a playoff bid win usually serve to return me to a state of cartoon hatred.
Bryan Bickell opened the scoring with a greasy goal that got past Jon Quick five minutes into the first period. At this point, however, it’s optimistic to think that the Blackhawks wouldn’t be the first team scoring in a matchup between two conference rivals.
With a few seconds left in the period, Jake Muzzin threw a puck towards the net, assuming that a rebound would kick out for one of his compatriots to shovel past the goaltender. Scott Darling, knowing that Muzzin was doing this, fooled the ‘ole Muzz by letting the puck past him, tying the game. It was only a second or two later that Darling realized his victory was Pyrrhic, and that his team was now tied with the opposition. That would be the last of the scoring for the Kings, who were outshot 40-32.
Duncan Keith and Nik Hjarlmarsson scored within a minute of each other to kick-off the second period, and there was no looking back.
As if there was any hope for the Kings after those two goals, Marian Hossa fired a puck past Quick mid-way through the third, in effect ending the game. It was one that Quick would rather have back.
PLAYOFF PUSH
This victory was particularly hard for the Kings, considering that both Vancouver AND Calgary won. Vancouver with its 93 points sits second in the Pacific, while Calgary sits third with 91 points. Winnipeg is now two points ahead of the Kings for the second wild card spot.
Trevor Lewis is Petri
MATCHUPS TO PAY ATTENTION TO – MARCH, 31 2015 EDITION
Unrelated to the Kings push to the playoffs, Florida is traveling to Boston to take on the hated Bruins. Boston has four points on Florida at the moment (89 to 85), as well as the Western Hemisphere rooting against them. GO PANTHERS.
Vancouver is playing Nashville in Smashville, so we can all safely root for the Predators in that one. And finally, the New York Rangers do battle with the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg. It would be cool if the Rangers won.
