Terrific. The crappy team that finished third in its five-team division

[KamaAina]

will now face a team that finished fourth in its five-team division for the once-revered lawn ornament.

At least the Devils were not the lowest-scoring team in the entire league.

[HuckleB]

1. So, suddenly North Americans are offended by playoffs?

Please note the last two Super Bowl Champions before responding.

[KamaAina]

2. Only when the mediocre team comes out on top

and does so by stepping on a Bay Area team in the process.

[HuckleB]

8. So the playoffs should be rigged?

[MrSlayer]

3. Not so crappy if they're in the final.

Both the Kings and the Devils have played perfect playoff hockey. This should be a hell of a final.

Sour grapes?

[KamaAina]

14. Look at it this way.

This is the only hockey post out there.

Which oughta tell you something.

[MrSlayer]

15. Yes, it's sad.

Greatest, fastest, toughest sport in the world and so few appreciate it. Their loss.

This is going to be a Hell of a final.

[KamaAina]

16. Let's hope so.

Because we all know who rules Hell. The Devils!!!

[Swede]

4. They deserve to be there.

That's the way it works.

[JonLP24]

5. What you say is a little misleading

Only one team allowed fewer goals than LA and finished just 1 game back from the division lead. Plus they were 26-13-11 since starting the season 14-14-4. Also NJ finished w/ 102 points which would have tied for first place in the Northeast division and easily would have won the Southeast(they defeated that division winner in the first round).

Anyways I'm glad NJ won for giving me 9 wins in a row on SFTC. I felt it was a risky pick even though NJ outplayed NY the entire series with the exception of a couple of periods.

[KamaAina]

6. So basically, they're a one-man team

without Quick, they'd have trouble beating the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

And why are you, of all people, defending them, after the other night??

[HuckleB]

9. If one man is getting them there, then one is getting them there.

That's really irrelevant to the games.

[JonLP24]

10. It took more than him to reach the final

They had some great performances by Dustin Brown & Kopitar as well as their defense. It was like the Predators & Blackhawks rolled into one, they had the D Nashville had and the offensively skilled players Chicago had. And yes, Quick is playing better than any goalie in the playoffs.

The reason why I defend is because it is reality. Kings are playing at another level that the other teams in the playoffs aren't and deserve to be there. If I were to say anything it would be the non-calls but I won't because it isn't the reason the Coyotes lost, sooner or later my teams will get the benefits of calls, & it comes off as sour grapes. Though the players couldn't contain themselves.

[KamaAina]

13. Predators reference: FAIL.

They exist only because Bettman saw 17,000 seats that could be filled -- on a good night.

They have a "Hockey 101" section on their website, in which they introduce people to such new things as the "blue line" and the "faceoff".

Question: Who was the Tennessee high school hockey champion last year?

That's what I thought.

The hell of it is, before they got the expansion team, they were recruiting -- wait for it -- the New Jersey Devils.

[joeybee12]

7. Well, it's always good to see a NY team lose!

However, will New York fans now embrace the team one state over?

[Renew Deal]

12. No

[Renew Deal]

11. It looks like a good series to me

The Kings have played out of their minds in the playoffs. The Devils have been good against tough competition. The series is a surprise, but it looks solid. I hope the Kings get their first Championship.