I am desperately trying to rev up all my Kings happiness after a yawner of a trade deadline day by Rob Blake and senior management over at Staples Center. One thing I know for sure, Rob knows how to turn potential UFAs into draft picks and put out ultimatums like this:
With the Trade Deadline now behind us, the expectations are set for the rest of the LA Kings season.
— LA Kings (@LAKings) February 25, 2019
But after that moral victory in Tampa Bay where my goosebump moment was denied after Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman out-filthied Anze Kopitar and Ilya Kovalchuk in the shootout, I needed a fix. I compiled a near complete list of the most exciting Los Angeles Kings moments during the YouTube era.
Notable exceptions are Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final (that entire game is goosebump situation), the 2014 Western Conference Final (the magic puck), and the overtime games in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.
Enjoy the good times…
Wayne Gretzky Introduced as a King
August 9, 1988
The single most important press conference in Los Angeles Kings history. At the time, Gretzky had been in the league nine years and held or tied 41 NHL records. It was the date Kings fans were taught that it was okay to expect to win. We get to see Gretz pulling on his jersey, Bruce McNall with his Cheshire Cat Grin, a young Rogie Vachon, and Dr. Jerry Buss (why?). All of this went down at a Sheraton (why not the Forum?).
Miracle on Manchester
Western Conference Divisional Semi Finals
Game 3 vs. Edmonton
April 10, 1982
Bob Miller kicks off the video: “Anderson to Gretzky…and he scores! And the Oilers lead five to nothing.” The next thirty seconds see Bob rattle off six unanswered goals. You could stop there, the rest of the seven-minute remembrance is something to relive, especially when Bob tells us that the owner, Dr. Jerry Buss, bailed out on the game (2:27 mark).
Stunners at Staples Center
Western Conference Quarter Finals
Game 4 and Game 6 vs. Detroit
April 18 and 23, 2001
You might not remember now, but the Red Wings were something special in the mid-90’s all the way through the late 2000’s. They won Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008. They might have one another in 2001 but the Kings mustered up some magic, taking the last four games in their Western Conference Quarter Finals matchup. None was more special than game four at Staples Center where the Kings came back from a 3-0 deficit to win in overtime. (Followed by the game six overtime winner.)
Holy Toffoli!
October 28, 2017
Kings score with 00.9 left to beat Bruins in overtime. You may never see anything like this in a game again.
Double OT Flame-out
Western Conference Divisional Semi Finals
Game 6 vs. Calgary
April 14, 1990
In 1990, the Calgary Flames were the defending Stanley Cup champions. The were set to repeat but they came up against the upstart Kings who were five games under .500 despite being the second-highest scoring team in the league (the Flames were first). This was the series that saw the famous 12-4 Kings win in game four where Dave Taylor, Tomas Sandstrom, and Tony Granato all had hat tricks. Game 5 saw the Flames shutdown the Kings 5-1. Returning home, the Kings won improbably in double overtime. I was there. A scalped ticket cost me $50 in the upper colonnade section. (Yes, it was called scalping back then and in Los Angeles you could have gotten arrested for buying and selling tickets.) Mike Krushelnyski was the hero, swiping at the puck while laying on the ice with a Flame sitting right on him.
Carter in OT
2012 Stanley Cup Final
Game 2 vs. New Jersey
June 2, 2012
As the reality of a second straight overtime win began to sink in, the Kings took a commanding two games to none lead in the Final. For the first time since 1951, the opening two games of the Finals went to overtime. Jeff Carter scored after 13:42 of overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings a 2-1 victory. The win pushed the Kings to a perfect 10-0 on the road in the 2012 postseason at the time.
Fight Night In Philly
October 3, 1979
For all you fight fans, there had to be one in this mix. Try these stats on for size:
- Most penalties, both teams, in one period: 48
- Most penalty minutes, both teams, in one period: 352
- Most penalty minutes, one team, in one period: 178 (Philadelphia)
- Most penalty minutes, one player, in one game: 55 (Randy Holt, Kings)
- Most penalty minutes, one player, in one period: 9 (Randy Holt, Kings)/
Kopitar in OT
2012 Stanley Cup Final
Game 1 vs. New Jersey
May 30, 2012
Every long time Kings fan remembers game one of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. Sitting at 1-1 in overtime, you had that sick feeling the Kings were going to drop this one in New Jersey, despite having a perfect road record of 8-0. And just like that, Anze Kopitar got loose using his patented “Kopi Stretch” to score a spectacular breakaway goal with 11:47 left in overtime. This was the game that was really the beginning of the end for Martin Brodeur.
Butch Goring’s Magic
Western Conference Quarter Finals
Game 6 vs. Boston
April 22, 1976
Butch Goring scores in overtime to beat the Big Bad Bruins in Los Angeles to force game seven in Boston. Believe or not, this game was only available on radio in Los Angeles. That’s right, there was no television locally.
Jazz Hands
2014 Stanley Cup Final
Game 5 vs. New York
June 13, 2014
Alec Martinez puts home a rebound off the right pad of Henrik Lundqvist to win the Kings’ second Cup in three years. This video is incredible with the Bob Bob Miller and Nick Nickson intertwining their stories of that final call. Goosebumps guaranteed.