Los Angeles Kings 3 at San Jose Sharks 1 - April 23, 2011

I planned this roadtrip long before the NHL playoffs had been decided, but the hockey gods smiled on me and scheduled a game while I was in town. I actually saw San Jose's first ever home playoff game in 1994 (I also saw their first game in franchise history in Vancouver in 1991) so it wasn't a must-see game for me. When I went to the box office for the AFL game the night before, I also checked the ticket situation for the hockey game. They had a slightly overpriced single in row 4 of the upper bowl. I usually like sitting there so I splurged, but it turned out to be a mistake.

HP Pavilion

Located just on the edge of downtown San Jose, the HP Pavilion was opened in 1993. It was built to house the city's new NHL team, the San Jose Sharks, who had started play in 1991 and were using the outdated Cow Palace as their home. It was originally called the San Jose Arena, until Compaq bought the naming rights in 2001. When HP bought Compaq a year later, the arena was given its current moniker, which also is one of HP's computer models.

The central location means that street parking is available and you can avoid the $20 lots. I noticed people walking over to the Alameda, which is a continuation of Santa Clara Street, where parking was plentiful and only 10 minutes away at most.

The arena has two seating bowls and only one concourse, which is still wide enough to accommodate a sell-out playoff hockey crowd. Concessions are widely available although I didn't try any as usual. The carvery located on the mezzanine behind section 110 seemed to be the best option with tables and TVs tuned to the other playoff games.

As you walk around the concourse, you will notice the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame along the walls. It honours athletes and coaches who were associated with the area in some way. Below are the plaques for former Sharks' goalie Arturs Irbe and Bruce Jenner, who trained at San Jose City College before winning the 1976 Olympic decathlon.

When the arena was built, luxury suites were only included above the lower bowl. I remember coming here to watch the Sharks first home playoff game in 1994 and sitting at the very top of the rink in a folding chair. Those cheap seats have been replaced by a new row of luxury boxes encircling the upper bowl.

With only one level of luxury boxes,the upper bowl seats are quite close. Unfortunately, as you can see above, there are some obstructions that block parts of the ice for some seats in the first few rows. What is insanely stupid is that you are not supposed to lean forward to avoid the obstruction. I couldn't believe this, especially during an NHL playoff game, when you should be on the edge of your seat. But it's true, everybody politely sits back in their seats, even when the play gets exciting. No wonder the Sharks never win in the playoffs, the intensity of the stadium is not what it could be. To me, this is just terrible arena design and should be addressed by someone who is actually a fan.

To avoid this problem, don't buy the obstructed view seats. I wasn't told that my seat had an obstructed view when I bought the ticket (it was printed on the ticket but I didn't notice until the next day and it wouldn't have changed my mind anyway) so if you want to see the whole game, choose a lower bowl or end zone seat. Or just watch it on TV.

The Game

If you've been following the playoffs, you'll know that San Jose came back from 4-0 down to beat LA in game 3. Antti Niemi (below) was pulled in that game and Antero Niittymaki backstopped the Sharks to the victory. But Niemi played game 4 as San Jose won easily 6-3 to take a 3-1 lead in the series.

So the fans in San Jose were expecting a clincher tonight. Instead, they got a replay of the first half of game 3. The Sharks broke down defensively on two occasions in the first few minutes and Niemi wasn't able to save his mates. First Wayne Simmonds tipped a Kyle Clifford deflection just 3:36 in, and 3:38 after that, a San Jose giveaway at the LA blue line resulted in a 2-on-1 with Simmonds and Clifford. Simmonds took a hard shot and Niemi saved it, but the puck bounced out of his glove and right to Clifford, who banged home the easy rebound. Just 1:28 later, another San Jose giveaway, this one in their own zone, allowed Dustin Penner a weak wrister from the high slot that somehow beat Niemi and left the fans in stunned silence.

Niemi was pulled having given up 3 goals on 4 shots, the only save being the rebound that Clifford scored on. Niittymaki came on and much like game 3, the Kings again went into a defensive mode. San Jose attacked for the remainder of the game, constantly testing Kings' keeper Jonathan Quick, but this game they could only beat him once when Patrick Marleau (below) converted a goalmouth scramble early in the second.

The Sharks kept coming but were denied again and again by Quick (and at least once by the goalpost). San Jose finished with 52 shots, which was a Kings' playoff franchise record for shots against. Quick was fantastic and his 51 saves are the best in the playoffs so far. He's been inconsistent in the first 5 games, but his performance yesterday will certainly be giving the San Jose players something to think about.

Kings' captain Dustin Brown leads his team onto the ice

The final score - check out the shots

Notes

The game didn't have much to write about, so I include this section as an excuse to post more pictures (I took very few given the problems with my seat location).

The Sharks have three ex-Leafs, including Ian White (above) and Jamal Mayers (below). They were part of the Phaneuf trade but both escaped Calgary and ended up here (White also spent a short time in Carolina). White seemed confused to be playing hockey in late April for some reason.

The Sharks also boast Calder candidate Logan Couture (below).

Sharky came to visit our section and had the crowd cheering. Despite the early deficit, the fans stayed positive and almost nobody left early, which was a good sign. Of course, their team had already completed one incredible comeback, so there was hope in the air until the final whistle.

I think Niemi is exhausted after winning the Cup last season and playing 60 games this season, but the Sharks plan to use him again in Game 6, so we shall see what happens. Regardless, after watching this game, I can safely state that neither of these teams can be considered Cup contenders. I'm sticking with my Boston/Detroit prediction.

Best,

Sean

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LA Kings are the Stanley Cup Favourites?

The NHL has passed the halfway point and so it's time to check how each team is faring after exactly 41 games. The standings below show each squad's record at the midway mark. Naturally some teams have played games since then so the current standings are slightly different, but from the table below, we can set up the playoffs at the halfway pole.

East GP W  L  O Pts
Phil 41 26 10 5 57
TB   41 24 12 5 53
Bos  41 22 12 7 51
Pitt 41 26 12 3 55
Was  41 23 12 6 52
NYR  41 23 15 3 49
Mtl  41 22 16 3 47
Car  41 20 15 6 46
------------------
Atl  41 20 15 6 46
Buff 41 18 18 5 41
Flo  41 19 20 2 40
Tor  41 17 20 4 38
Ott  41 16 19 6 38
NYI  41 13 21 7 33
NJ   41 10 29 2 22

West GP W  L  O Pts
Van  41 27 8  6 60
Det  41 26 10 5 57
Dal  41 24 13 4 52
Nsh  41 22 13 6 50
LA   41 23 17 1 47
Minn 41 21 15 5 47
Col  41 21 15 5 47
SJ   41 21 15 5 47
------------------
Phx  41 19 13 9 47
Stl  41 20 15 6 46
Chi  41 21 17 3 45
Ana  41 20 17 4 44
Cmb  41 20 18 3 43
Cal  41 18 20 3 39
Edm  41 13 21 7 33

That's quite a logjam in the west, with 9 teams within 4 points. Ties are broken using the NHL rules which takes total wins first then head-to-head results, then goal differential.

Using the theory that the team that wins the season series will win a playoff series (with overtime wins less valuable than regulation wins but more valuable than shootout victories), the playoffs would play out like this:

Conference QF

Philadelphia over Carolina

Washington over Pittsburgh (one win each but Pittsburgh's was in a shootout)

Tampa Bay over Montreal

Boston over NY Rangers (one win each so take the better team)

Vancouver over San Jose

Los Angeles over Nashville

Detroit over Colorado

Dallas over Minnesota

Conference SF

Boston over Tampa Bay

Washington over Philadelphia (OT win vs SO win)

Dallas over Detroit

Los Angeles over Vancouver

Conference Finals

Boston over Washington

Los Angeles over Dallas

Wow, a Boston-LA final! What is this, the NBA? LA wins here too, based on their shootout victory in November. So the Los Angeles Kings are your Stanley Cup favourites.

Of course, the flaw in this theory is that early season games are just as important as those later in the season. LA knocked off Vancouver twice back in October, but the Canucks are now nearly unbeatable. So don't take this prediction to your bookie just yet; it's just for fun. I'll do it again after 62 games to see what's different.

Best,

Sean

Update (Jan 21st):  LA have gone 1-5 to open the 2nd half and are five points out of the playoffs. Guess the pressure of being the favourite got to them.

Update (June, 2011): Well, Boston won the Cup, not bad for this method that saw them take the East out of the third spot halfway through.

Update (June, 2012): LA won the Stanley Cup a year later out of the 8th spot. Hmm, maybe this theory needs 18 months to come true.

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Vancouver Canucks 4 at Los Angeles Kings 2 - Western Confernce QF, Game 6 - April 25, 2010

One of my favourite experiences is flying from Japan to the US and immediately watching a sporting event that day. This can most easily be accomplished when flying to the West Coast as the flights arrive early enough that you can make an evening game without any worry. Being in a high-energy environment of pro sports keeps you awake and helps with the jet lag. So when I realized that I'd have to visit LA as part of the London trip, I knew I could fly Sunday evening from Tokyo and see the Canucks-Kings game the same evening.

Due to the time difference, my Sunday was like this:

10 am: Wake up and watch San Jose-Colorado game on NHL GameCenter Live.

3 pm: Leave for Narita Airport

6:45 pm: Fly to LA

12 noon: Land in LA

6:00 pm: Watch playoff hockey!

There's always the underlying concern that a flight delay might cause me to miss the game, but there was no problem this time. The flight landed an hour early, which gave me a few hours to rent the car and check in to the hotel before making a short drive downtown, where the Staples Center is located.

The Playoff Experience

It was a gorgeous day in LA as I parked the car and walked over to the arena. The picture below is from the corner of Pico and Figueroa, where I found parking for $10. Considering that one block away was $20, I thought it was a good deal, although there seemed to be street parking around.

It was about 2 hours before game time but there were still a lot of fans milling about, including lots of loud and energetic Canuck fans. The CBC was filming a bunch of fans next to the ESPNZone for their opening sequence on Hockey Night in Canada. They did a number of takes; I didn't have a Canuck jersey so didn't try to get in the shot. Maybe when the Leafs finally make the playoffs...

I wandered around just soaking up the sun and the pre-game atmosphere, which was fairly low-key. The Kings theme was black and white and they had dressed the Gretzky, Magic Johnson, and Oscar De La Hoya statues in Kings jerseys. The ice girls were handing out beads and taking pictures with fans but there was a notable lack of energy. I think the fans knew that the 7-2 drubbing the Kings took in game 5 did not bode well for their chances today.

The ticket office was showing plenty of single seats in all price levels, and there weren't any obvious scalpers, so I ponied up the dough (well, the credit card) and got a lower level seat in row 8 in the end that Vancouver would shoot twice. Tickets were actually not that expensive, I paid almost the same in Tampa for the Leafs game and paid more in Ottawa last month.

I had a quick look at the ESPN Zone but it was packed, and with gates opening 90 minutes before the game, I decided to enter early and tour the rink.

Staples Center

The Staples Center is part of a larger entertainment complex known as L.A. Live, which includes the Nokia Theater and ESPN Zone. The arena itself is arguably one of the premier sports destinations in the country as it is home to the Lakers and Clippers as well as the Kings. Even the D-League has a team here as does the WNBA.

Staples Center is located on Figueroa St in downtown LA, and is close to the Pico Blue Line MetroRail station. Parking is available in nearby lots or you can try to find street parking north of the venue.

The front of the arena has 4 statues of local legends. Magic Johnson is the most prominent, with the Gretzky and De La Hoya statues standing nearby. The most recent addition is of late Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn. This statue was added just a few days ago and was very popular among fans for the unique photographic opportunity. You can sit in the chair next to Hearn's statue and have your picture taken.

Once inside, there are three levels of seating suitably named the 100, 200, and 300 levels. But in reality, the 200 level is only separated from the 100 level by a walkway, so they are quite far away from the ice. Furthermore, the prime sideline seats at this level are called "Premier" and are more expensive than the lower seats.

If you are capable of withstanding extended periods of time at altitude, you can try sitting in the 300 level. From my experience, seats at this level seem to be the furthest from the ice in any arena. This is because there are three levels of suites that rise vertically from the lower bowl, which pushes the upper bowl seats further away. In the picture below, you can see how the 100 and 200 levels are barely separated and then 3 levels of suites above that. The 300 seats are barely visible in the darkness.

The concourse in the upper level seemed quite narrow. Although I was there well before game time and there were few fans around, I got the impression that it would be crowded during intermissions. This is the view from the first row of the upper deck. I should note that the seats are all covered with towels which the fans wave whenever the Kings score.

Food options here are not that impressive, with McDonald's and California Pizza Kitchen the most notable options. Prices weren't exorbitant, but I didn't see anything worth trying.

One interesting and unique feature are red lights that are hung underneath each section in the upper bowl. These are turned on when the Kings score, which adds a bit of colour to the annoyingly loud celebrations.

The Kings have a couple of banners including their 1993 Campbell Conference Championship (ugh) but they are overshadowed by the Lakers banners, which include the 2009 NBA championship and are much larger in general.

Overall, I wasn't that impressed with the venue. It's a great location and a huge and imposing place, but doesn't seem to have that much to differentiate it from other rinks in the league. It could be because the Kings are overshadowed by the Lakers, but I didn't find anything here that would make me return on a regular basis.

From the Nokia Plaza after the game

Sneaking On the Ice

While I was wandering around the lower bowl, I noticed that a few fans had lined up and were getting their picture taken on the ice. They all had credentials of some sort, but that didn't stop me from playing dumb and lining up. Another Canucks fan lined up behind me and we managed to sneak onto the ice. Of course, the photographer asks us for our credentials but I don't care about the photo. I am standing on the ice at the Staples Center!!! Well, I'm standing on a mat actually, but it's the first time I've been on an NHL surface and it's pretty cool. The other guy begged to get an official picture but the photographer wouldn't do it, as the other fans had paid for the privilege. But he allowed me to snap a picture of the guy before leaving the ice. Didn't get a picture of myself, but I still spent a memorable minute there.

Scorer's table

From the ice

The Warmup

Before every hockey game, I like to stand next to the glass and watch one team warm up. You can get a feeling for how the team is feeling and also figure out the lines and defensive pairings which make it easier to watch the game.

Today, I watched the Canucks. I noticed that they were serious and focused, but still relaxed. After all, they were up 3-2 and coming off a rout two days before. There were several loud Canucks fans next to me banging on the glass but the players generally ignored them, although Ryan Kesler did flip a puck to one lucky gentleman.

The pics below are all from this warmup period.

Luongo stretches

Steve Bernier, who scored the first goal for Vancouver

Alexandre Burrows

Kesler

Kesler again, look at the torque on the stick

I have plenty more but that's enough for now.

The Game

It was a 6 pm start but I think the Canucks forgot this because they were pretty much non-existent for two periods. The Kings outshot them 16-5 and were up 1-0 on a wraparound goal from Alexander Frolov, who outworked Henrik Sedin and beat Roberto Luongo on the far side.

Drew Doughty and Daniel Sedin

The second period started much the same as LA continued to pressure the Canucks and it looked like they were about to go up 2-0 when Luongo was on his back and without his stick as the loose puck went to Ryan Smith in the slot. But Luongo made the save of the playoffs, waving his glove and nabbing the puck to keep the game 1-0. This ended up being the #1 play of the day on ESPN and it was doubtless one of the best saves I've seen.

Luongo peeks from behind Ryan Smith

Shortly thereafter, the Kings took a penalty and Vancouver capitalized when Steve Bernier tipped in an Alexander Edler point shot to tie the game. The save seemed like a turning point, but the Kings didn't give up and were rewarded when Drew Doughty scored from a point shot just as a Canuck penalty expired. The second period ended with LA up 2-1 and outshooting Vancouver 26-11.

Luongo was the difference, keeping his team in it and they finally responded. Just two minutes in, Kevin Bieksa took a harmless shot from the right circle but LA goaltender Jonathan Quick opened the five-hole nice and wide and the puck trickled in to tie the game. Quick immediately hung his head, knowing that the easy goal would be tough for the Kings to get back. A few teammates skated by to encourage him, but their body language was not positive. Still, Quick made a great save off Kyle Wellwood just 30 seconds after the goal and that seemed to give the Kings some lift.

The rest of the period had some great chances for both teams but Vancouver was definitely stronger. They were winning the battles along the boards and had several great rushes but Quick was equal to the task and it looked like overtime would be needed. With just over two minutes to go, Mikael Samuelsson broke his stick on a shot. The puck slid to Daniel Sedin who bounced it off the post and behind a startled Quick to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead and send the Vancouver fans into a frenzy.

The Kings pulled Quick on their next rush up the ice (above) but Alexandre Burrows added an empty netter to clinch things (celebrations below) and the Canucks were off to the second round.

The handshakes, Bernier thanks Quick for letting in the first goal

This was a great game. Lots of end-to-end rushes, some great goaltending including the save of the year, a last-minute goal, and the Canucks advancing. Very glad I made it over for this one.

Vancouver was the more talented team but they are inconsistent and rely on Luongo too much. You can beat LA this way, but Chicago will be more difficult (assuming the Blackhawks beat the Predators). The Canucks will need to improve their work ethic for the whole game if they are keep moving on. Let's hope they recognize this and get to the conference finals.

Notes

This is the second time I have seen the Canucks beat the Kings in a playoff game in LA. Back in 1993, 3 friends and I drove 24 hours straight to watch the Canucks win game 4 of the Smythe Division Final at the Great Western Forum. But the Canucks lost the next two games and watched as the Kings went to the Stanley Cup finals.

Three years ago I saw Vancouver eliminated in Anaheim in round 2. In that case, Anaheim went to the finals and won the Cup.

So, the trend is set. If I see a playoff game in LA, the team that wins the series goes to the final. Let's see if the Canucks can continue the tradition.

Speaking of the 1993 Kings, Wayne Gretzky was in attendance and shown on the scoreboard, which drew a loud cheer from the crowd.

One interesting banner was the numbers 16 down to 1 which represents the number of games that you have to win the Stanley Cup. 16 and 15 were crossed off, looks like they'll have to wait until next year for 14.

In the second period, a shot went off the post and sailed into the crowd just above my head. I had no idea as the fans were mostly wearing black so I didn't see the puck until a blur zoomed overhead. It landed two rows behind me and fortunately didn't hit anyone; there's no way any fan can expect to see it in time.

Next up

Tonight I drive north to Lancaster, where the California League's Jethawks host the High Desert Mavericks. Tomorrow the Lakers and Thunder do battle in game 5 of their series which is now tied 2-2. Tickets for that game are outrageously expensive and almost all gone, so no guarantee I can get in. After that, there's more baseball with a Cal League doubleheader on Wednesday (morning game in Rancho Cucagmonga, evening in Inland Empire) and the Pirates-Dodgers on Thursday. I'm going to be here on Friday too and just found out that #1 Arizona State is in town to take on #5 UCLA in NCAA baseball action. What a great way to finish the trip before I fly to London on Saturday.

On a related note, the Phoenix Suns are home tonight for game 5 of their series against the Trailblazers and then the Coyotes take on the Red Wings tomorrow night in game 7. I briefly considered driving over but the hockey tickets are way too expensive, so I'll stick with the original plan and see Phoenix next month.

Exclusive coverage here as always!

Best,

Sean

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