5 Reasons to Believe the LA Kings Could Beat the Blues in the Playoffs

The NHL playoffs are right around the corner, and the postseason's landscape is already starting to take shape.

Among the teams in the top three of the Western Conference are the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings. Both of these teams have had better than expected seasons, pushing their teams into top contenders for the Stanley Cup.

The Blues are a team that turned their season around, at one point being a non-contender. Luckily, they have turned their season around and are among the top contenders in the NHL. It looks like they will probably be a No. 2 seed, possibly the No. 1 seed if they can pass the Vancouver Canucks.

The Kings are destined to be the third seed, as they are probably going to be the winners of the Pacific Division.

Although the Blues have been a force this season and are among the top couple favorites to win this tournament, if they are to run into the Kings, there is a very good chance the Kings could win the series.

Here are five reasons why the Kings could give the Blues a run for their money should they meet in the playoffs.  

Special Teams

Although both teams are very similar in terms of how efficient their special teams are, it really comes down to who has the better penalty kill, in my eyes. Power-play units are very important, but if you have one of the strongest penalty-kill squads, it will be more valuable in the playoffs.

Currently, Los Angeles has the third best penalty-killing squad in the NHL, having a proficiency of 88 percent. That stat only falls behind the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens.

This is especially useful, as the Blues are ranked 15th in power-play percentage. The Kings will be able to take away more scoring possibilities using their superior penalty kill.

Road Warriors

In the playoffs, every game is crucial. Although home games are a lot easier for teams to grab wins in the postseason, teams that can win on the road always fare well.

The Kings are a team that can steal road wins, as they are the ninth-best team in terms of road victories. They are able to outscore teams in their own stadiums, with their combination of great goaltending and aggressiveness.

If the Kings can steal a game or two in St. Louis, which will be hard, they have a significantly better chance of taking the series.

Jonathan Quick

Both the Blues and Kings are fortunate to have outstanding goaltenders on their teams, but Jonathan Quick has hands down been one of the best goalies this year.

Quick has frustrated opposing teams with his outstanding play, which may be one of the reasons the Kings are a top team in the West. He is one of the favorites to win the Vezina Trophy right now.

The statistics talk for themselves. He has started the third-most games this season. Despite the amount of games he has played, he still has a 1.89 goals against average and a .931 save percentage. Add that to the fact that he is the league leader in shutouts (10), and you have a goalie ready to have a legendary postseason.

Another thing that will aid Quick is that this is his third NHL postseason, so he will have playoff experience coming in.

Regular Season Record

The Kings have played the Blues four times this season and have their number.

The Kings were 3-1 this season versus the Blues, shutting their offense down and pressuring their goalie. The Blues were especially tough this year for any team to beat, but it seems as if the Kings have figured them out.

This is an important statistic to look at going forward into the postseason, especially if these two teams meet up.

Experience in the Playoffs

Experience is always valuable in the playoffs, and that is one thing that the Kings have and the Blues do not.

The Kings have made the playoffs for the last two seasons, while the Blues have only made it once in the last five seasons (2008-2009 season). 

Even more than that, the Kings have players that not long ago were on other playoff teams, which has allowed them to garner even more experience. The Blues have a lot of younger guys who have been with the team for their careers, so they lack the experience.

Just look at the Kings' top guys:

Anze Kopitar: Six playoff games played (two goals, three assists)

Justin Williams: 51 playoff games played (11 goals, 18 assists) Stanley Cup Experience

Mike Richards: 63 playoff games played (16 goals, 34 assists) Stanley Cup Experience

Jeff Carter: 47 playoff games played (13 goals, eight assists) Stanley Cup Experience

Simon Gagne: 105 playoff games played (37 goals, 22 assists) Stanley Cup Experience

Dustin Penner: 40 playoff games played (seven goals, 12 assists) Stanley Cup Experience

The list goes on, but the Kings are well-equipped for the postseason push, especially against teams such as the St. Louis Blues.