2013 Second Round Game 6 vs Los Angeles Kings

Lore & Background

During the 1970s and early 1980s, the Kings had many years marked by impressive play in the regular season only to be washed out by early playoff exits. Their highlights included the strong goaltending of Rogie Vachon, and the 'Triple Crown Line' of Charlie Simmer, Dave Taylor and Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who had a famous upset of the rising Edmonton Oilers in a 1982 playoff game known as the Miracle on Manchester. In 1988, the Kings traded with the Oilers to get their captain Wayne Gretzky, leading to a successful phase that raised hockey's popularity in Los Angeles. Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, and Rob Blake led the Kings to the franchise's sole division title in 1990–91, and the Kings' first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1993, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens. After the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, the Kings entered financial problems, with a bankruptcy in 1995, which led to the franchise being acquired by Philip Anschutz and Ed Roski Jr. A period of mediocrity ensued until the Kings broke a six-year playoff drought in the 2009–10 season. Under coach Darryl Sutter, and with the acquisition of Jeff Carter, the Kings won two Stanley Cups in three years: 2012 over the New Jersey Devils, and 2014 over the New York Rangers. The team has had mixed success since then, qualifying for the playoffs from 2022 to 2026 but not advancing past the first round.

In Their Own Story

The ice sheet shimmered under the bright arena lights, reflecting the nervous energy of the crowd. A player skated toward the blue line, stickhandling through traffic, the roar of the fans drowning out the scrape of blades on frozen surface. In that moment, history hung in the balance, waiting for a single shot to decide the fate of another game.

Reader's Guide

The Kings were founded as part of the 1967 NHL expansion. They played their first season at Long Beach Arena before moving to the Forum. The team's colors were originally purple (or 'Forum Blue') and gold. Key players in franchise history include Rogie Vachon, Marcel Dionne, Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Rob Blake, Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams, and Jeff Carter. The Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014.

Did You Know?

• The Kings' name was chosen by owner Jack Kent Cooke to convey 'an air of royalty'.
• The Miracle on Manchester was a 1982 playoff game where the Kings erased a 5-0 deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers in overtime.
• The Kings share Crypto.com Arena with the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA.
• Jonathan Quick and Justin Williams each won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the Kings' Stanley Cup victories.