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NHL
Sunday, May 13
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Kings at Coyotes: What bettors need to know
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Los Angeles Kings at Phoenix Coyotes (+101, 4.5)
THE STORY: Goaltending will be the focus as the Los Angeles Kings visit the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Saturday night. Kings netminder Jonathan Quick is enjoying the best season in franchise history, nominated for the Vezina Trophy following a dominant regular season and boasting similarly stingy numbers so far in the playoffs. Phoenix has its own star goalie in Mike Smith, the only player in the postseason with two shutouts on his resume.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS, TSN
ABOUT THE KINGS: Los Angeles is downright giddy to be in the Western Conference finals for the first time in 19 years - and why wouldn't it be? The Kings have been the best team in the playoffs, knocking off the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks in five games before dispatching the No. 2 St. Louis Blues in an emphatic sweep. "It's definitely a new thing for me," said Kings forward Anze Kopitar. "I don't think I've been excited like this for a long time. The last thing I can compare to this was probably my draft day, but this definitely tops it off because it's more and we're still going."
ABOUT THE COYOTES: Behind the continued heroics of Smith, Phoenix defeated the Nashville Predators in six games to reach the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Head coach Dave Tippett is especially proud of how his team evolved into one of the league's top teams. "It is very rewarding, because you love to see people rewarded for the work that they put in," he said. "You just think about how much work Shane Doan has put in. You think about the work that Mike Smith has put in this year and in his career to get to this level. This doesn't just happen by coincidence."
OVERTIME:
1. The Kings are 33-14-11 under head coach Darryl Sutter, who took over the reins in midseason.
2. Los Angeles prevailed in the season series, going 3-1-2.
3. The Kings share the top penalty-killing unit in the postseason, operating at a 92.1 percent clip. The Coyotes are fourth at 89.5 percent.
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Sunday, May 13
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings at Coyotes: What bettors need to know
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los Angeles Kings at Phoenix Coyotes (+101, 4.5)
THE STORY: Goaltending will be the focus as the Los Angeles Kings visit the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Saturday night. Kings netminder Jonathan Quick is enjoying the best season in franchise history, nominated for the Vezina Trophy following a dominant regular season and boasting similarly stingy numbers so far in the playoffs. Phoenix has its own star goalie in Mike Smith, the only player in the postseason with two shutouts on his resume.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS, TSN
ABOUT THE KINGS: Los Angeles is downright giddy to be in the Western Conference finals for the first time in 19 years - and why wouldn't it be? The Kings have been the best team in the playoffs, knocking off the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks in five games before dispatching the No. 2 St. Louis Blues in an emphatic sweep. "It's definitely a new thing for me," said Kings forward Anze Kopitar. "I don't think I've been excited like this for a long time. The last thing I can compare to this was probably my draft day, but this definitely tops it off because it's more and we're still going."
ABOUT THE COYOTES: Behind the continued heroics of Smith, Phoenix defeated the Nashville Predators in six games to reach the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Head coach Dave Tippett is especially proud of how his team evolved into one of the league's top teams. "It is very rewarding, because you love to see people rewarded for the work that they put in," he said. "You just think about how much work Shane Doan has put in. You think about the work that Mike Smith has put in this year and in his career to get to this level. This doesn't just happen by coincidence."
OVERTIME:
1. The Kings are 33-14-11 under head coach Darryl Sutter, who took over the reins in midseason.
2. Los Angeles prevailed in the season series, going 3-1-2.
3. The Kings share the top penalty-killing unit in the postseason, operating at a 92.1 percent clip. The Coyotes are fourth at 89.5 percent.
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