New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings Preview, Pick, Scores, Results
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Frank Doyle
Is the West really best? The underdog New York Rangers battle for the 2014 Stanley Cup against the Los Angeles Kings. Can the Kings deliver again or is the Cup coming back to Broadway?
New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings
Sports Interaction’s Stanley Cup series odds: Los Angeles Kings -185, New York Rangers +155
New York Rangers:
The New York Rangers knew they were going to be underdogs in this series after they eliminated the Montreal Canadiens, but that’s nothing new to this group. They’re finally getting a bit of credit as a solid four-line team that boasts strong defence and exceptional goaltending. Alain Vigneault has transformed the Rangers into a club that forces its opposition into mistakes with speed up and down the lineup without sacrificing defensive positioning. This Rangers team is no fluke. They struggled with a terrible schedule while they learned a new system to begin the season and were playing catch-up from that point forward. However, they went 29-13-4 in the last 42 games of the regular season and have only gotten better with the addition of Martin St. Louis. Everyone says the West is best and there’s really no arguing that point because it is. That’s no reason to count out this Rangers team though. There are so many Rangers playing with extra motivation in this series for various reasons – St. Louis, Dominic Moore, Brad Richards, Brian Boyle. Plus, they have Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes. The Rangers may not match up well with Los Angeles on paper, but that’s not where the Stanley Cup is won.
Los Angeles Kings:
Can the Kings really keep this crazy ride going? They’ve won three straight series in seven games and have shown incredible resiliency through this postseason run. They have some elite scoring weapons and a strong defensive group led by Drew Doughty. They have an elite goaltender in Jonathan Quick. They’re big and fast and strong. Really, there aren’t many faults with the Los Angeles Kings. That said, you have to wonder how much they have left in the tank. The playoffs are just as much a mental grind as a physical marathon and this team has been put through the wringer to get here. The Kings will look to get pucks deep on the Rangers and hit everything that moves to try to slow New York down. Los Angeles must stay disciplined and make the most of scoring opportunities because Lundqvist isn’t going to give them anything. The Kings have allowed 16 goals in their last three games and are beginning to look like they’re losing their legs. Unless they can get them back, they’re in trouble against this speedy Rangers team.
Key factors:
The hangover. Remember when the Montreal Canadiens came back to upset the Bruins in Game 7 and then hosted the Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern final? That’s the kind of situation the Kings are in here. Everybody’s saying the Western final was the defacto Stanley Cup. Now the Kings have to regroup in a hurry after three Game 7s. Remember that Vigneault knows this Kings team very well from all his years in Vancouver too. The Rangers won’t be surprised here.
Prediction:
The Kings are the favorites for a reason. If you’re one of the many thinking West is best and side with Los Angeles, I don’t blame you. I don’t think you’ll be right either, though. New York has been among the best puck-possession teams in the league since Christmas and has come together as a group through the St. Louis and Moore tragedies. These Rangers are playing for each other. Maybe they’re not as big and strong as L.A. but their speed game will give the tired Kings some problems and Lundqvist is capable of stealing this series himself. New York needs a big series from Rick Nash, St. Louis, and Richards, but this club has serious scoring depth now. I liked New York in six over Montreal and I’m going back to the well on that again here.
Pick: New York Rangers win in six games.
Full disclosure: I had New York Rangers at +2800 to win the Stanley Cup before the playoffs started.