A Look at the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions, the LA Kings

        The wait is over in Los Angeles! The Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils in 6-1, in Game 6, to win the Stanley Cup. This is the Kings' first championship in their 45 year history. The Kings have been dominant  all playoffs long, going 16-4, defeating the top three seeded teams on the Western Conference (Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, and Phoenix Coyotes), as well as the New Jersey Devils, who made a remarkable playoff run of their own. It was no surprise to see Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick win the Conn Smythe Trophy, as the most valuable player during the playoffs. The Vezina Trophy finalist was phenomenal during the regular season and playoffs, and at times, we wondered if he was human, based on his super-hero-like performances. This was a team that almost didn't make the playoffs, and when they did, people expected them to lose easily in the first round.
        Earlier this season, when things weren't going as planned in Los Angeles, the Kings fired then coach Terry Murray, and brought in Darryl Sutter. Sutter clearly found a way to motivate this team, as they have only been getting better and better since he took over as head coach. Another key factor in the Kings' success was the play of captain Dustin Brown. Brown led the way all playoffs long, making some big hits and scoring some key goals for the Kings. He is the perfect example of what a gritty hockey player is. He's willing to sacrifice everything to be successful. Players like Dustin Brown are what makes hockey so great. The Kings put on a great show for hockey fans, and it is sad to see the season end.
        All in all, the Kings finished off their Cinderella story tonight, capping off another fantastic NHL hockey season. Another season is on the horizon. New questions are waiting to be answered. Will the Kings have it in them to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, or will the Stanley Cup hangover take over? With either question, we'll know the reason why: because it's the Cup.