Kings ransom: With Lakers and Clippers out, L.A. grudgingly turns to hockey

After an astounding run through the playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings are in hockey's Stanley Cup finals. When Los Angelenos get over the Lakers' collapse, they might tune in.

By Daniel B. Wood,?Staff writer / May 24, 2012

Two Los Angeles Kings fans watch cyclists pass Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday.

Jae C. Hong/AP

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The Los Angeles Kings are in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1993. Is this a big deal in the city boasting 16 NBA Championships? Yes, even if it pales by the comparison to the elation caused by the Lakers.

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When Laker excitement is high ? during big games, big championship series ? cars speed down the boulevards to make their purple-and-gold car flags snap in the wind. They honk to make their point. The Kings? You have to go to a game to witness the real mania ? which is deep but not as widespread. But give it some time, sports fans here say.

?There?s a lot of anger right now about the Lakers losing ? maybe even more than the happiness that the Kings are in the finals,? says Vincent Bonsignore, sports columnist for the L.A. Daily News. ?You turn on the radio, and they?re still talking about how to fix the Lakers and what trades to make.?

The NBA?s L.A. Clippers also became contenders after adding Chris Paul this year, and so add that barometer reading to the L.A. sports landscape ? ?steady drizzle? after they fizzled to a four-game sweep at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs.

?This will hit a crescendo, give it some time,? says Bonsignore. ?We?re starting to see some Kings hats and jerseys coming out of the woodworks, it?s not like the Lakers, but these fans are extremely passionate. They had an incredible run.?

It was made even more incredible because no one saw it coming.

The Kings replaced their coach midseason after lots of struggling ? primarily, figuring out how to score. Still tinkering as the end of the 82-game season approached, a trade for forward Jeff Carter seemed to make something click. Carter has been far from a savior, but with him the team has become more balanced and more difficult to defend ? and goals have come, at last.

Even so, their postseason run has been nothing short of astounding. They entered the Stanley Cup playoffs seeded No. 8 of the eight playoff teams in the Western Conference. Since that point, they have won 12 games and lost two against the Nos. 1, 2, and 3 seeds in the West.

?Everything lined up, the stars lined, and it came together at the right point of the season,? Dustin Penner, who scored the series-winning goal against the Phoenix Coyotes Tuesday, told the L.A. Daily News. ?We knew once we were in [the playoffs] that it was anybody?s game.?

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