Top Line: Is Kings' run L.A.'s best ever?; NHL rules changes on tap; more

Author:
amuir29
Publish date:
Jun 10, 2014

Goalie Jonathan Quick and the Kings have put together a playoff run for the ages. (Scott Levy/Getty Images)

An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:

• Veteran columnist Bill Plaschke says that a town dominated by Lakers magic and Dodgers miracles, USC bowl bashes and UCLA basketball madness, might be witnessing the best postseason run in Southland history. Ever.

• Rangers fans waited 20 years for this?

• Before the Stanley Cup finals started, the consensus was that New York had the advantage in goal. Not anymore.

• Jonathan Quick was so amazing in Game 3 that he deserves a second fawning tribute. Here's Nick Cotsonika on the keeper's contributions to the Kings' 3-0 series lead.

• It's not that the Rangers are being outclassed in the Cup finals. Look at the way L.A. put up three goals on Monday night and it's more like New York is being outbounced.

• Bad luck isn't the only thing that has the Blueshirts in a bind. The cause of death in this series could be a bad power play. It's not just that New York went 0-for-6 on Monday night, it's when New York went 0-for-6. So many of those chances came when the Rangers needed to push back against the Kings and New York couldn't get it done.

• Brian Costello says that someone's trade deadline "mistake" is guaranteed to wind up winning the Stanley Cup.

• And now, a few words from Darryl Sutter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6rV_eiI05s

• Here's an apple that looks like Sutter. I smell the start of a hot new website ... or maybe a delicious pie.

• It has to be tough for the now-healthy Robyn Regehr to be relegated to the sidelines, but fill-in defenseman Matt Greene has proved to be a real Rangers killer in this series.

• Why aren't there more hockey players from New York? Blame the Rangers, and a lack of facilities.

• I suspect that some of are so opposed to Mike Milbury that you wouldn't agree with him if he said that Game 4 was in New York on Wednesday night. That's fine. You should still read this piece by Bob Raissman praising the commentator and his cold heart.

• It doesn't sound like we'll be seeing video review of goaltender interference situations any time soon. There are, however, some rules changes on the horizon.

• Ben Kuzma says that this year's will be the most important draft in 15 years for the Canucks. The future of the franchise rests on new GM Jim Benning getting it right with the No. 6 pick.

• One Western Conference team could be looking to improve by swapping for Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza or Ryan Kesler.

• Former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has caught the eye of the Panthers. So has one particular draft prospect.

a 49-save performance from Michael Hutchinson

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