Bob Birge, Pro Blogger

Hockey Night In Connecticut

A blog focusing on the New York Rangers and all things hockey (also Yankees and Giants) with a New York attitude from a fan of 40 years whose greatest highlight came when Mark Messier lifting the Stanley Cup on June 14, 1994

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Kings Mighty Impressive, Still No Match For Old Oilers

June 5, 2012

 

If the Kings finish off the Devils on Wednesday, they will complete a 16-2 postseason, matching the 1988 Edmonton Oilers for the fewest losses en route to the Stanley Cup since the first round of the playoffs was expanded to a best-of-seven in 1987.

That is a fact and so are the following:

-- The Kings are the first team to lead all four series 3-0,

-- The Kings have tied an NHL record with 10 road wins in one playoff year.

 

-- The Kings have set an NHL record for most consecutive road wins in the postseason with 10 (previous mark was
eight).

So, then, assuming a win on Wednesday, where would the Kings ranks in terms of the greatest postseason runs in NHL history?

We realize beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we'd go with the Oilers every day of the week if for no other reason than the entertainment value.

From our vantage point, this year's Stanley Cup Final has been pretty boring. With the neutral zone clogged and the Devils and Kings collapsing in front of their goaltenders, there is little space or time on the ice to make plays. There hasn't been many odd-man rushes or sustained end-to-end action.

Sadly, with scoring chances declining and blocked shots increasing, the NHL is starting to look like what it was in the pre-lockout days.

Once the Kings got up 2-0 Monday, there really was no point to continue watching. You knew the Devils weren't going to score two goals. A 2-0 lead for the Kings might as well have been 6-0.

Think of it like this: there have been 10 goals scored in the series, including two in overtime. That means eight goals have been scored in the nine regulation periods. That's less than three per game, which isn't enough.

The Oilers averaged more than five goals per game en route to the Cup in 1988 and scored six or more goals in a game six times.

Yeah, we knew it was a different game back then. More and more, we are pining for those days to return.

 

 

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