When Anchors Lose Bets

((HT: KABC-TV))

The local ABC anchors in New York and Los Angeles had a Stanley Cup bet and WABC-TV anchor Rob Powers lost to Rob Fukuzaki- which meant he had to wear a Kings sweater in New York City

Your evidence

D'Oh! Why You Shouldn't Wear Heels on Ice (Video)

Hate it when this happens, but damn it is funny...

Check out the background of this TV News live shot from KNBC reporter Mario Solis after the LA Kings beat the NY Rangers to win the Stanley Cup Trophy.

Watch the woman walking from screen right towards screen left.

Doh! Faceplant.

Someone did come to check on her, and she did get up quickly with the "I'm ok!" "Nothing to see here" look....

But it's still funny...

ICYMI: The LA Kings Might Have Won The Stanley Cup in 2 OT's

((ht: nhl.com))

I'm quite honestly surprised Brother Jon hasn't gushed all over this story...but then again as a life-long, devoted Kings fan, he may still be celebrating.

The Los Angeles Kings won their 2nd Stanley Cup Title in 3-years Friday night with a 3-2 win in Double Overtime over the New York Rangers, the game was played in L.A.

The win gave the Kings a 4-1 series win over the Rangers and while it looked on the surface like a Kings runaway, the series was much closer than it looked.

Defenseman Alec Martinez dropped in a rebounded shot at the 14:43 mark of the 2nd OT and becomes a hero in NHL annals. It was Martinez, who had an overtime game winner in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals vs. the Chicago Blackhawks.

Needless to say, without Martinez's heroics, we may not be having this conversation.

The Kings Justin Williams walked away with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP and it was well deserved,

Your highlights from NHL.com:



UPDATE: Yes, Brother Jon was celebrating quite well...

Hockey Night Montage for Game 5 Gives Us The Who

((HT: Tim Thompson))

If this is the last "Hockey Night in Canada" montage in the history of CBC's coverage, Tim Thompson was all over it for the four-billionth time. His work is top-notch and lends itself to the story-telling that the game itself gives us night in and night out.

This time, it was The Who and it made us a little dusty.
When you see a particular edit, you'll know why...


The HQ only hopes that Sportsnet finds a place for Thompson in their next decade of coverage...

Stanley Cup Final Heads Back to Los Angeles

((HT: NHL on NBCSN/Sportsnet))

And the New York Rangers have Henrik Lundqvist to thank- considering he had to stand on his head for the entire third period in a 2-1 survival against the Los Angeles Kings.

Curtis Joseph talks about King Henrik and his 40 saves
And for those of you who want to be readily awake now, here's the highlights with Doc, Edzo, and Pierre...

Things You Can't Unsee: LA Kings Rap for da Stanley Cup

((ht: puckdaddy))

Ok. So, the good news about the video at the bottom of this story and in the title is that no actual Los Angeles Kings players sang...or rapped in it.

Though it might have helped....

We aren't sure why but pretty much every attempt at a music video for a championship sports team that we can think of has sucked.

And this one certainly does that.

The performer--an Alexandra Case. We suspect you've never heard of her.

There may be a reason for that.

Behold the LA Kings Rap for da Stanley Cup and cross your fingers it doesn't become the teams anthem as they eventually close out the New York Rangers and win the Cup.

Jeff Carter Plays "Beat The Clock"

((HT: NHL on NBCSN))

It was one that Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist should have kept in the glove, but it entered the net with less than a second to go in the first.

The only .7 of a second that the Kings had led in regulation in the Stanley Cup Final before the second period began...

ICYMI: LA Kings win Gm 2 of Stanley Cup Finals...In 2 OT's

((ht: nhl.com))

Okay...if you love sports, there is no excuse for watching the Stanley Cup Finals.

There is nothing more intense, more exciting, more fun to watch. And yes, that includes the NBA where they whine about no air conditioning.

Late Saturday night, the Finals were as exciting an event as you'll ever see after the Los Angeles Kings came back from a 2 goal deficit for the second game in a row to beat the New York Rangers 5-4 halfway through the 2nd Overtime period.

Dustin Brown, the Kings captain, was Saturday nights hero after he deflected in a shot at the 10:26 mark of the 2nd overtime period.

This was after Kings forward Marian Gaborik tied the game just 7 and a half minutes into the 3rd period at 4.

Game 3 will be Monday night in what will undoubtedly be a raucous Madison Square Garden in New York City.

If you have the time, it's well worth watching.

Here's your Game 2 highlights from NHL.com:

Mr. Game 7 Takes Game One

((HT: NHL on NBC))

The Los Angeles Kings gave up ANOTHER two-goal lead out of the blocks in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final.

The HQ knows how that's working for everyone else...

It did take an extra couple of minutes, but the Kings are winners of Game 1 with Game 2 after the horse race Saturday night.
Here's the highlights


Gene Principe catches up with Mike Richards about Mr. Game 7
((HT: Sportsnet))

THIS MIGHT BE THE WILDEST ENDING TO REGULATION IN MODERN MEMORY

((HT: CJZero/NHL on NBC))

This was the end of regulation for Game One of the Stanley Cup Final


Absolute, bat-s*** crazy ending and they headed to overtime...

This Is Why Drew Doughty Was Drafted 2nd Overall

((HT: LA Kings their own selves))

Doughty tied Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at twos with this move...


Yeah...

Not bad...

The game still goes on at present...

Poor, Poor Youppi: Pays Off Bet With Jimmy Fallon And It Was Sad

Oh, wither poor Youppi...

The Montreal Canadiens mascot finally paid off a bet the good people of Montreal made with NBC Tonight show host and New York Rangers fan Jimmy Fallon.

The bet: Montreal wins their Stanley Cup Playoff series and Fallon wears a Canadiens jersey for a monologue during one of his shows. But if the Rangers won--Youppi had to walk the streets of Montreal in a Rangers jersey.

It was all chronicled by the team...and yeah, it was kinda sad...

The Kings Are Back In The NHL Finals

((HT: NBCSN/NHL))

First, let's just say that the one thing better than a Game 7, mutual-elimination game where the winner gets to go to the Stanley Cup Final is an overtime, Game 7, mutual-elimination game where the winner gets to go to the Stanley Cup Final

Here's the highlights- if you're a Kings fan...


And the reaction in Los Angeles
((HT: MyFoxLA))
Los Angeles Local News | FOX 11 LA KTTV

With an early preview
((HT: ESPN))

Storytelling At Its Finest: Dominic Moore's Road Back...

((HT: ESPN))

The story of the return of the New York Rangers' Dominic Moore is heartbreaking and encouraging as to the core of all of us...

Jeremy Schaap and Rich Ackerman get the credit on E:60


The fact that Moore got the game-winner last night to move the team to the Stanley Cup Finals is even more awesome.

Rangers Advance To Stanley Cup Finals For First Time In 20 Years

((HT: NHL.com/NBCSN))

And our man-crush on Doc Emrick manifested itself last night once again...


Now, the Rangers wait for (hopefully for them) a seven-game series between Los Angeles and Chicago.
Game 6 is tonight in Los Angeles

John Moore May Not Be Around For A While

((HT: CBC/NHL))

For this...


The HQ gives PK Subban credit for steering Dale Weise back to the bench since he, probably, couldn't even remember what day of the week it was after the shot to the head...

But John Moore's Dory Funk, Junior impression should get him, at least, a 2-game sit...

What say you...???

Rangers Carcillo Does Something Stupid That Could Cost

((HT: SomeHockeyVideos/CBC))

The New York Rangers Dan Carcillo could be gone for a while...
You, simply, do not do this...


Carcillo, understandably, got an ejection for that from linesman Scott Driscoll. And it will be Driscoll's report to the league office that will determine the length of any suspension. Some people are talking ten games, some twenty games.

Keep an eye on any references to rules 40.2 and/or 40.3
From the league rule book:

40.2 Automatic Suspension – Category I - Any player who deliberately strikes an official and causes injury or who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official with intent to injure, or who in any manner attempts to injure an official shall be automatically suspended for not less than twenty (20) games. (For the purpose of the rule, “intent to injure” shall mean any physical force which a player or goalkeeper knew or should have known could reasonably be expected to cause injury.)

40.3 Automatic Suspension – Category II - Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official in any manner (excluding actions as set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intent to injure, or who spits on an official, shall be automatically suspended for not less than ten (10) games.

With Montreal now only down a game, it will be interesting to see how much the suspension will impact the Rangers plans from here forward in the rest of the series.

Pens Lose 3 In A Row To Rangers, Head To Golf Course...

((HT: Sportsnet))

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 102 of the last 105 shots he faced in the Rangers-Penguins series. Because of that, an anemic offense that Sidney Crosby had nothing to do with, a power play that didn't exist, and shaky goaltending by Marc-Andre Fleury the New York Rangers won the last three games in the Round 2 Eastern Conference series and will play either Boston or Montreal in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pens head coach Dan Bylsma has now lost three big series in a row (if you count the Olympics as a series) and may be out of a job. He hadn't thought that far ahead when asked after the game...
Here's Crosby speaking the obvious... The team rallied around Martin St. Louis after the loss of his mother and you could tell the series and the series win meant a lot to him being a part of his new team... ((HT: CBC/NHL)) And here's how it happened...

St. Louis Reflects On A Long Few Days

((HT: MSG/NHL))

Martin St. Louis' mom passed away suddenly Thursday. He went home to help take care of what the family needed to do. But after talking it through it was decided that his mom would have wanted him to play Game 5 tonight in the Rangers-Pens series.

The Broadway Blues won and kept the series going, and he got to talk about it after the game.


In a classy move that reinforces just how hockey players are, here's Sidney Crosby talking with St. Louis
Cassie Campbell-Pascall has the lead-in
((HT: CBC))


Classy... very classy...

Hockey's Trading Week Ends With a Flurry (not Theo)

Time to wrap up your NHL Trade Deadline deals and as usual, there were quite a few of them. This year though, outside the Martin St. Louis to the Rangers deal, no earth shakers.

Let's start with the aforementioned Mr. St. Louis.

The long-time Tampa Bay Lightning sniper, age 38, leaves sunny Florida for the New York Rangers. In return, the Bolts get Ryan Callahan and a couple of draft picks.

There was friction in Tampa between St. Louis and team G.M Steve Yzerman and Callahan, a soon to be unrestricted free agent, wasn't able to come to a contract extension in New York.

Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars swapped goaltenders. Tim Thomas leaves Florida and Dan Ellis leaves Dallas. The Stars are battling for a playoff berth and believe Thomas gives them some stability along with fellow goalie Kari Lehtonen.

The last "Name" move was Jaroslav Halak moving to his 3rd team this season. Halak, recently acquired by Buffalo in the Ryan Miller trade with St. Louis--not San--louie. The Sabres sent Halak to Washington for a 2015 3rd round pick.

Oh, and Columbus sends former all-star Marion Gaborik to Los Angeles for a couple draft picks and forward Matt Frattin

Those are the biggies--How did your team do? Let us know what you think....

Meanwhile, the nattily dressed Barry Melrose breaks down the St. Louis deal on ESPN: