New Jersey Devils regard Los Angeles Kings as similar, difficult team -NHL Playoffs Update
New Jersey Devils will be facing a team with such similarities for the first time in the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Playoffs as they fought through the Eastern Conference having various edges in each series.
Devils have termed Los Angeles Kings to be a mirror image of themselves, which obviously poses a great challenge, but still exciting as both clubs gear up to meet for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.
"You look at their fore check. They're very aggressive on the fore check," New Jersey forward, Patrik Elias, said. "They got some big bodies, big guys that play strong, physical hockey. You look in the back line. You have role players that know their roles.
They roll four lines, they have skill players, and everybody is doing their job. Their goaltender has been awesome.”
One aspect of the series that will certainly get fans rowdy is the competition between the two monstrous goalies, Jonathan Quick and Martin Brodeur. Despite having a 14 year age difference between the two, both seem levelled and in their prime to take home
the Stanley Cup this time around.
The way that Kings and Devils play is also very similar as Devils and Kings both play four lines and utilise them to the fullest while other teams focus on having top three lines in total along with six defenseman in three pairs to take the lead.
"I don't think it's an accident that the teams that are rolling four lines and six 'D' are still playing," Devils coach, Peter DeBoer, said. "I would bet (Kings coach Darryl Sutter) would say the same thing; it's been critical."
There is one aspect that might give the Kings an edge as Simon Gagne is expected to rejoin the club after being cleared later on in the series against Phoenix Coyotes. It is reported that the top-notch forward is training and healthy to return sometime soon.
Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils need all of their players to be playing top-level hockey if they hope to down the opposing team when the series kicks off at the Prudential Center in Newark on Wednesday.
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