Congratulation goes out to the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings as the unexpected has happened. Out of all the professional sport organizations in Los Angeles, the Kings are placed in a different category amongst other Los Angeles teams. With the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship in 2010, the Los Angeles Galaxy winning the MLS Cup in 2011, and the rise of the Los Angeles Clippers (NBA), Dodgers (MLB), and Angles (MLB); The Kings have been the lowest team on the totem pole. As the Los Angeles Clippers made a key mid-season acquisition gaining an NBA All Star point guard in Chris Paul, the Clippers gained potential of winning the battle of the Staple Center against the more dominant Lakers, as well as gaining a loyal fan base. For the Dodgers the potential of all their young stars including MVP candidate Matt Kemp and the 2011 Cy Young Award winner, in Clayton Kershaw the Dodgers currently have the best record in the MLB. The Angeles made possibly the biggest off-season move in the MLB as they lured in the 3-time winner of the National League MVP award (2005, 2008, 2009), and a 2-time World Series Champion (2006, 2011), Albert Pujols from the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings have made history by winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Kings are the first No. 8 seed team to ever win the Stanley Cup, the first team to take a 3-0 series lead in all four playoff matchups in NHL history, they are the only team in history to knock of the top 3 seeds in their conference, and coach Darryl Sutter becomes the fifth midseason replacement to win the Stanley Cup. Not only did the team make history but so did the Kings Captain Dustin Brown, as he became the second American-born Captain to win the Stanley Cup. Out of the 21 skaters for the Kings who have played in at least one playoff game, 17 have scored at the least one goal, and 18 have recorded at least a single point. The Kings only suffered three losses throughout the entire playoffs, all three losses were at home in Game 4s and only suffered one road loss during the playoffs, which was in Game 5 against the Devils. They were 16-4 this postseason, 10-1 on the road, tied for the most postseason win in a single playoff year. When the Kings scored first their record was a staggering 11-1. Game 6 started off with the Kings scoring three power play goals in the first period on a 5-minute boarding penalty. In Game 6, the Kings defeated the Devils 6-1 to capture Lord Stanley's Cup. Congratulations to Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, third American-born player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP), second straight year the award has been won by a goaltender (2011 Tim Thomas).
What's more impressive? The No. 8 seed team, who barely made the playoffs, now have managed to capture their first ever Stanley Cup; Winning 16 out of 20 games, sweeping 2 out of 4 series; Dustin Brown becoming the second ever American-born to hoist the Stanley Cup trophy; or a franchise who fired their head coach midseason and having the replacement coach lead them to their first Stanley Cup.
As of 2012, the Los Angeles Kings shall be known as the KINGS OF LA and recognized not only as a city full of basketball and baseball stars, but a historical hockey town.
