They have absolutely steamrolled through this year's playoffs, compiling an 11-1 record while seemingly unaware of their underdog status.
After a 2-1 Game 3 win in Phoenix, they're a game away from reaching the Cup final, where they figure to wait for the winner of an Eastern Conference Final that has the looks of a six- or seven-game series.
In the NHL, dominant regular-season clubs aren't locks for anything in the postseason. An increase in physical play and the potential of many fortuitous bounces give lower seeds a legitimate chance.
"Getting hot" at the right time can make teams with records that flirted with .500 more intimidating than a Presidents' Trophy winner.
That's precisely what's happened with the Kings over the last month.
Their assortment of talent has come together at the perfect time and made them unstoppable, much like what happened with the New York Giants in the NFL.
The Giants' talent was there all along, and everything clicked when it needed to. They rode a hot end to the regular season to a 9-7 record and a Super Bowl title.
Look at the Kings' roster—it's lined with stars, the right number of role players and a top-notch goaltender.
They're not a group of massive overachievers who have won on luck alone this spring.
Dustin Brown's an elite right winger, even if most of the East Coast isn't fully aware of his play-making abilities. Anze Kopitar dazzles with nifty puck-handling and snipes with a booming shot. Jeff Carter and Mike Richards are wily veterans who have experienced the rigors of the bruising Eastern Conference playoffs.
Guys like Jarret Stoll and Dustin Penner have vital playoff experience.
Drew Doughty...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Kings
