NHL Playoffs 2012: Los Angeles Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes Series Preview

The Western Conference Finals will feature the Los Angeles Kings versus the Phoenix Coyotes. The winner will receive the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl and move on to the Stanley Cup final. 

The last time the Kings made it this far Wayne Gretzky was on the team. For the Coyotes, this is the first time they have ever made it to the conference final.

The Kings come into the series with an 8-1 record in the playoffs, led by captain Dustin Brown and goaltender Jonathan Quick. 

The Coyotes are 8-3 in the playoffs, with four of those wins coming in overtime. Much of the credit goes to goaltender Mike Smith, who has stood on his head throughout the playoffs.

The Kings and Coyotes tied their season series 3-3, with three games needing extra time. However, the Coyotes managed to win the Pacific division, finishing just two points ahead of the Kings. 

Considering those numbers, it’s likely the Western Conference Finals will be a long series. 

Offense

Goals For

Coyotes—Playoffs: 2.64 goals per game, ranked 5th.

Coyotes—Season: 2.56 goals per game, ranked 18th. 

Kings—Playoffs: 3.00 goals per game, ranked 4th.

Kings—Season: 2.29 goals per game, ranked 29th.

The Coyotes don’t have the household names that scatter the Kings' roster, but they have found a way to score at the most crucial times in the playoffs.

Forty-year-old Ray Whitney led the Coyotes with 77 points in the regular season and has six points in the playoffs. Antoine Vermette has five goals and eight points in the playoffs, while Mikkel Boedker has notched two overtime winners.

Lead by Dustin Brown’s 11 points, the Kings’ top two lines feature a variety of offensive weapons. Anze Kopitar has three goals and seven assists for 10 points in the playoffs.

Second line centre Mike Richards has nine points and continues to be a factor both five on five and on the power play. Jeff Carter has only one goal in the playoffs, so look for him to step up and for the Kings to have a slight advantage offensively.

These two teams have the ability to score, but with the play of Quick and Smith, it’s safe to assume that goals will be tough to come by in this series.

Defense

Goals Against

Coyotes—Playoffs: 1.91 goals against per game, ranked 2nd.

Coyotes—Season: 2.37 goals against per game, ranked 5th.

Kings—Playoffs: 1.56 goals against per game, ranked 1st.

Kings—Season: 2.07 goals against per game, ranked 2nd.

Blocked Shots in the Playoffs

Coyotes: 17.45 blocked shots per game.

Kings: 14.88 blocked shots per game.

The Coyotes and Kings are equally strong defensive teams, who each boast depth on the blue line.

Each of the Coyotes defensemen is averaging around 20 minutes of ice time in the playoffs with the exception of Oliver Ekman-Larsson who has played over 26 minutes a game. Yandle and Klesla have also contributed offensively, combining for 14 points in the playoffs. The only knock on the Coyotes defense is their inability to hold a lead late in the game.

Drew Doughty and Willie Mitchell each average over 25 minutes of ice time, while no Kings defenseman averages less than 15 minutes. All six Kings defensemen are plus players in the playoffs.

The Kings and Coyotes both have defensemen who play tough, but disciplined. Both teams also have forwards who are willing to back check and play a strong two-way game. Look for blocked shots to be a determining factor in the series, as they have been throughout the playoffs.  

Goaltending

Playoff Statistics

Mike Smith: 8-3 with a 1.77 goals-against average, .948 save percentage and two shutouts.

Jonathan Quick: 8-1 with a 1.55 goals-against average, .949 save percentage and one shutout.

Mike Smith and Jonathan Quick were remarkable in the regular season and have been even better in the playoffs. It’s hard to give either goaltender an edge considering how close their playoff stats are and how consistent they've played. 

Jonathan Quick is up for the Vezina Trophy, and if it wasn’t for the play of Henrik Lundqvist and Pekka Rinne, Smith would be too. Expect the winning goaltender to be a strong candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy, even if their team doesn’t win the Stanley Cup. 

Special Teams

Power Play in the Playoffs

Coyotes: 16.1 percent, ranked 9th.

Kings: 8.5 percent, ranked 15th.

Penalty Kill in the Playoffs

Coyotes: 89.5 percent, ranked 4th.

Kings: 92.1 percent, ranked 1st.

The Coyotes have had only 31 power play chances, the least of any team that made it to the second round. The Coyotes scored on five of those chances, with three goals coming from Vermette and Ekman-Larsson adding a goal and three assists.

The Coyotes penalty kill has been consistent and should thrive against a Kings squad that struggles to score on the power play.

It’s important to remember the Boston Bruins' power play was operating at 8.7 percent when they won the Stanley Cup last year.

Also, what the Kings lack in power play offense, they’ve made up for on the penalty kill. They’ve scored four short-handed goals, two of which came off the stick of Dustin Brown. Led by Jonathan Quick, the Kings penalty kill has been almost unbeatable throughout the season and playoffs.

Prediction

The Los Angeles Kings will win the Western Conference Finals in six games.

This is new territory for the Kings and Coyotes because neither team boasts significant playoff experience.

They are two tough, physical teams who play solid two-way hockey. They are evenly matched defensively, on special teams and in goal. With that being said, I believe the Kings' forwards, led by Dustin Brown, will give the Kings the edge needed to win the series.