Rink Royalty
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x – The Los Angeles Kings have clinched a playoff spot

By Cameron Franck

Apr 2, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles King defenseman Drew Doughty (8) talks with forward Anze Kopitar (11) during a stop in play against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles King defenseman Drew Doughty (8) talks with forward Anze Kopitar (11) during a stop in play against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports /
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For the second straight season, the Los Angeles Kings have secured a playoff spot.

As it stands today, the Kings are second in the Pacific Division and second in the entire Western Conference. Rob Blake nearly single-handedly turned this season around by acquiring Vladislav Gavrikov and Joonas Korpisalo at the trade deadline because, since March 3, 2023, Los Angeles has gone 9-3-2 in 14 games.

Particularly in Korpisalo’s case, he not only has put himself in a position to be the starter heading into the playoffs, but he also has locked it down between the pipes for the Kings since arriving here. In eight starts, he is 5-2-1 with a .937 save percentage and a 1.75 goals against average.

A .937 save percentage would tie him with Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins for the best save percentage in the league, except Ullmark’s save percentage is for the whole year, which is absurd. Rob Blake needs to figure out a way to re-sign Joonas Korpisalo for next season because he is a pending unrestricted free agent, and with the way he’s playing it only makes sense to keep him on the team to pair with Pheonix Copley for another season.

Anze Kopitar will lead the Kings into the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 7th time in his career.

Jan 24, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) waits in the tunnel to take the ice for a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) waits in the tunnel to take the ice for a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

The 6-foot-3 native of Slovenia joined the Los Angeles Kings organization when he was drafted 11th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. And that day, he and the Kings didn’t know that he would change the course of the program for years to come. In 1,287 career games, he has recorded 391 goals, 744 assists, and 65 game-winning goals.

Not to mention his two Stanley Cups and two Selke awards. Anze Kopitar’s No. 11 should undoubtedly join Dustin Brown’s No. 23 in the rafters forever.

The Kings are only six points away from scoring the most points in franchise history. In the 1974-1975 season, the Los Angeles Kings recorded their highest point total ever at 105 points.

With only five games remaining this season, the Kings either need to win three games outright or take a few games into overtime and either win or lose. The remaining schedule is as follows:

7:30 PT. ESPN. 148. Tuesday, April 4, 2023. 0. 67. . 0

0. 67. 942. 7:00 PT. . BSW. Thursday, April 6, 2023. 0

0. 67. 7:30 PT. 0. 103. BSW. Saturday, April 8, 2023.

0. Monday, April 10, 2023. 7:30 PT. 104. BSW. 0. 67.

Thursday, April 13, 2023. 105. 7:00 PT. 0. 67. . BSW. 0

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