Here’s what Kings coach Darryl Sutter had to say roughly 24 hours before facing the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks for the second time this season:
“We got them off on the right foot. We take a lot of credit for their success. … Awesome team. They’re two years removed from winning a championship with that nucleus. They’re all healthy, so it’s not hard to figure out. Last year, they weren’t. Now they are. … They’re not invincible. Somebody’s going to beat them. Somebody just did. So, we’d like to to try again. They’re not on a different planet from us.”
Sutter joked about the first part, referring to the Blackhawks’ 5-2 win at Staples Center on opening day of the lockout-shortened season Jan. 19. He was quite serious about the rest of his statement, however. The Blackhawks are a league-best 11-0-3.