2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Picks – Western Conference Finals LA Kings vs Phoenix Coyotes Odds and Predictions

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Picks – Western Conference Finals LA Kings vs Phoenix Coyotes Odds, Series Price and Predictions: When the Stanley Cup playoffs began, there weren’t many hockey fans expecting Los Angeles to be facing Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals, and who could blame them? After all, the Kings were the No. 8 seed, and the Coyotes were, well, the Coyotes. Both franchises are still looking for their first-ever Stanley Cup, and until this season, Phoenix had never even won a division title. It is a battle of underdogs, and a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals is up for grabs.

For being the No. 8 seed, the Kings have certainly made their path to the conference finals look easy. They knocked off the top-seeded Canucks in just five games and swept the second-seeded Blues. The Coyotes have been nearly as dominant, taking out the Blackhawks in six games and dismissing the Predators in five games. It is also important to note that while Phoenix was the No. 3 seed courtesy of winning their division, the Coyotes actually had the third-fewest points of any team in the Western Conference playoffs and had fewer points than both teams they have faced so far. In other words, both Los Angeles and Phoenix picked the perfect time to start beating teams that had been beating them throughout the regular season.

The similarities between the two teams are striking. Goaltending has carried both sides, with the Kings riding Jonathan Quick and the Coyotes doing the same with Mike Smith. Quick has been arguably the top goalie in the postseason, posting a playoff-best 1.55 goals against average and .950 save percentage. Smith hasn’t been too far behind, and he enters the conference finals with the third-best GAA (1.77) and the second-best save percentage (.948). Both goalies have shut down some excellent offenses along the way, and considering that neither Phoenix nor Los Angeles have been all that great on the offensive end, goals will likely be very tough to come by during this series.

With defense and goaltending the strengths of both teams, even a slight edge on offense could be huge. In this series, that slight edge should favor Los Angeles. Center Anze Kopitar is probably the most-talented player for either side, and he already has 10 points in eight games this postseason. Seven of those points have come via assists, and Kopitar’s playmaking ability makes him one possible X-factor in this series. Another difference maker for the Kings could be right wing Dustin Brown. He has been on fire during the playoffs, scoring six goals and logging a team-high 11 points.

Phoenix has been using a balanced approach on offense, and while getting contributions from a variety of sources can be useful, it is likely going to take special individual efforts to beat either of these goaltenders. The Coyotes just don’t have a dominant offensive player on their team, and since Quick has already shut down the high-powered Canucks and all their stars, there is a good chance he can do the same against Phoenix.

In many ways, this series will be a repeat of the conference semifinals for Los Angeles, when they faced a St. Louis team with a mediocre offense and a hot goaltender. As the sweep suggests, the Blues were no match for the red hot Quick, even with a great goaltender of their own. Unfortunately for Phoenix, Smith and the Coyotes could suffer a similar fate.

Prediction: Los Angeles Kings Win in 6 Games

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Los Angeles Kings vs Phoenix Coyotes Series Price
Los Angeles Kings -165
Phoenix Coyotes +145