Chicago Blackhawks or Anaheim Ducks – It’s A Terrible Choice For Los Angeles Kings Fans

After last night, when the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Calgary Flames 3-2 on a Corey Perry overtime goal, the Western Conference Final is set.

Two of the other superpowers of the West will meet to go to Stanley Cup Finals:  the Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks.

A winner will be crowned, but it’s a tough choice for Los Angeles Kings fans.

The Freeway-Faceoff rival Ducks are brothers from California.  That could make it easier to root for them.  It can also make it easier to root against them.

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In the last two Stanley Cup Playoffs the Kings and Hawks have met in the Western Conference Finals.  Both times the series could be summed up as an epic war.

In 2013 Chicago defeated the Kings 4-1 in the series, going on to defeat the Boston Bruins for their second cup in three years.  Last season the Kings beat the Hawks 4-3 in a Game 7 overtime.  L.A. denied a Hawks dynasty, while keeping their own chances alive by beating the New York Rangers in Game 6 overtime to capture a second Cup for L.A. in three years.

Now with the Kings on the sidelines is it better to root for the other super-power in Chicago?

Should L.A. hope the Hawks get their third Cup in five years this year, so Chi-town can pass it back as the trend dictates?

Or . . .

Would it be better to see the Ducks advance and represent the West.  A fellow California team, and some fresh faces in the Finals, does that sound more exciting?

If the Ducks make it to the Finals it will continue to help promote hockey in Cali.

Honestly, watching the Hawks and Kings go to war at the past few conference finals was some of the best hockey to watch; some say the 2014 West Finals was one of the best series in NHL history.  It’s hard to argue against it.

If nothing else the series put your heart in your stomach and your throat, entertaining us as we watch on the verge of having a stroke . . . or destroying our televisions.

Having the Kings in the playoffs this year would have changed the entire landscape.  For L.A. now, that’s an ‘if’ from a season ago.

It’s certainly a hard pill to swallow.  Forced to choose do you take the purple pill for the Ducks or take the red pill and wake up with the Hawks in the finals again?

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Feb 5, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19), Anaheim Ducks left wing Emerson Etem (65), Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81), and Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy (6) battle for the puck during the third period at the Honda Center. The Blackhawks won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports