Jonathan ‘Captain Serious’ Toews talks about matching up with Anze Kopitar

Here’s what Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews said Tuesday of matching up with fellow Selke Trophy finalist Anze Kopitar of the Kings:

“He’s not easy to play against. He’s good on draws. He’s tough to defend, especially in the offensive zone. He’s big and strong and protects the puck well. I think he’s got good vision and knows where to find his linemates even if he’s got his back to the play. You’ve got to try to get on those pucks early and get your stick on him before he can get position on you. The best way to really play defense against him is to try to keep him in his own zone. But easier said than done, I guess.

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Kings coach Darryl Sutter talks his way into and out of trouble (wink, wink)

Here’s what Darryl Sutter had to say when asked Monday if the Kings’ lacked the same emotion in Game 1 of their series against the Chicago Blackhawks that they showed in victories over the Sharks and Ducks in the first two rounds:

“Yesterday? I thought we played a hell of a game. … There was one scrum. The one scrum there was, if we were moaning about calls today, the one scrum there was that we got called on, too bad they couldn’t review it.”

Sutter referred to the cluster in front of the net of Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, which led to Alec Martinez’s shove of the Blackhawks’ Brandon Bollig, which resulted in a roughing penalty and then a power-play goal for Brandon Saad.

Later, Sutter was asked to clarify whether he believed Bollig took a dive.

“No,” Sutter said.

 

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Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa talks about the Kings forward Marian Gaborik

Turns out the Slovakian Marians are good friends from childhood, with Marian Hossa and Marian Gaborik living on the same street in their hometown of Trencin during the offseason. Gaborik played as a kid with Hossa’s younger brother, Marcel. Here’s what Hossa said about Gaborik on Monday:

“He is and always was a pure sniper. You give him a little time and he can release it really quick and surprise you. He has an unbelievable shot. And his speed, when he gets going, you must know where he is.

“Especially in the middle zone, he can use his speed extremely well. In one second, he’s behind you and you won’t catch him. You want to make sure you know where he is all the time. … We’ve known each other since when we were really young. My brother (Marcel) was friends with Marian.

“I watched their games. They were three years younger. Marian scored goals, my brother was the passer. We’re neighbors. We live on the same street. We try to do our business on the ice and when everything is over, we’ll go back to our friendship.”

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Kings-Blackhawks injury updates

Couple of news updates from today’s media sessions …

Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell update

Kings coach Darryl Sutter called the play of defenseman Willie Mitchell “solid,” after Mitchell played nearly 17 minutes in Game 1, his first action since he suffered a leg injury in Game 6 of the Kings’ first-round series against the San Jose Sharks.

Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr update

Sutter said defenseman Robyn Regehr hasn’t resumed skating after he was injured in Game 1 of the Kings’ second-round series against the Ducks. Sutter’s policy is to avoid talking about injured players, so that was the only update he would provide reporters.

Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw update

Injured center Andrew Shaw is expected to skate with his Blackhawks teammates today, and Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said the team would “assess” his progress, adding, “He’s made real good progress the last few days and he felt pretty good (Monday).”

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Keys to the Kings-Blackhawks Western Conference finals series (Part 2)

Depth is always a question for the Kings, who rely so heavily on the exceptional playmaking of center Anze Kopitar, who has a playoffs-leading 19 points in 14 games, and winger Marian Gaborik, who has a playoff-leading nine goals. Forward Trevor Lewis and defenseman Alec Martinez have chipped in timely goals, however. The Blackhawks would figure to have an edge in this department. But the Kings continue to impress with their resourceful play during the postseason.

Injuries are a concern for both teams. Defenseman Willie Mitchell did not play in the second round against the Ducks and his participation is uncertain for the series against the Blackhawks, although he has returned to the practice rink. Defenseman Robyn Regehr was injured in Game 1 against the Ducks and his not resumed skating. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville ruled out playing injured forward Andrew Shaw in Game 1, but said he could be back sooner rather than later.

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Keys to the KIngs-Blackhawks Western Conference finals series (Part 1)

Fatigue could be a significant factor in Game 1 of the series, what with the Kings playing Game 7 against the Ducks on Friday night in Anaheim, traveling on Saturday and then facing off against the Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The Kings will play twice in less than 48 hours, a tight turnaround. The rest of the series looks less taxing. Game 2 on Wednesday follows two days of rest and preparation. Game 3 at Staples Center also follows two days of rest and preparation.

Goaltending continues to be the Kings’ biggest and most consistent advantage over most teams. Jonathan Quick has played his biggest and most consistent games during the Kings’ elimination games during the playoffs. He is 6-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average, a .957 save percentage and one shutout in six games in which the Kings had to win or be eliminated from the playoffs. That’s pressure netminding and Quick has come through with strong performances against the Ducks and Sharks.

Special teams. Oh, wait, you thought this was about power plays and penalty killing? No, the Kings and Blackhawks are very special teams in every sense of the words. They are meeting in the conference finals for the second consecutive season, the first repeat appearances by the same teams in the Western Conference finals since the Dallas Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche in 1999 and 2000. In fact, the Kings are back for their third straight West finals appearance.

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Kings looking ahead to Game 7 against the Ducks (in their own words, Part 2)

Here’s forward Justin Williams on playing fantasy Game 7s in his driveway or park or local rink when he was a youngster and whether that prepared him as an adult:

“Of course it’s Game 7. It’s usually the Stanley Cup finals, too. It’s the same thing in any other sport. It’s the last seconds of the game and the buzzer’s coming down. It’s the ninth inning and two outs. It’s football and it’s the fourth quarter. It’s everything. It’s you or them and that’s what you relish as a kid, coming out on top. I don’t think you can really prepare much for this. You just go out and trust your instincts and, hopefully, they’ll bring you to success.”

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Kings looking ahead to Game 7 against the Ducks (in their own words, Part 1)

Here’s Kings center Jarret Stoll on playing Game 7s:

“They’re fun, yeah. There’s always a little bit of nerves, but I think for every game there should be a little bit of excitement. Game 7s are fun. They’re fun for everybody, players, coaches, fans, the media. You guys. It’s what it’s all about. Playing one game, win a series, win a championship, go on to the next round or whatever. When you have a best-of-7 or a best-of-5, that’s one thing, but when it comes down to one single game, that’s pretty exciting. Best-of-1, yeah.”

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Looking ahead to the Kings’ Game 7 against the Ducks … and beyond

OK, here’s what’s coming up next in this Kings-Ducks series:

Game 7 is Friday at 6 p.m. at the Honda Center. Friday’s winner advances to play the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals. Game 1 is at noon Sunday. If the Ducks win, they will play host to the Blackhawks. If the Kings win, they will travel to Chicago.

“I think it’s good for this area,” Kings captain Dustin Brown said of the series going the distance. “There’s a lot of excitement and probably a lot of nervous people. Neither team wants a Game 7, but from a fan’s perspective and a Southern California perspective, it’s probably good for the growth of the game.”

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