Anaheim Ducks to Face Los Angeles Kings in Round 2
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Well it’s set.
The Anaheim Ducks will meet their crosstown rival the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After falling behind 3-0 to the San Jose Sharks, the Kings won four consecutive games to become the fourth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
Anaheim will have home ice advantage as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The season series was a one-sided affair as the Ducks rolled through the Kings, both indoors and outdoors. The Ducks finished with a 4-0-1 record against their rivals, including a win in dominating fashion at Dodgers Stadium.
A closer look at the season series:
| DATE | SCORE | W. GOAL |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 12 ’14 | ANA 4 at LAK 3 – SO | D. Smith-Pelly |
| Mar 15 ’14 | ANA 2 at LAK 1 | P. Maroon |
| Jan 25 ’14 | ANA 3 at LAK 0 | C. Perry |
| Jan 23 ’14 | LAK 1 at ANA 2 | P. Maroon |
| Dec 03 ’13 | LAK 3 at ANA 2 – SO | D. King |
(via AnaheimDucks.com)
While the Kings are set in net with Jonathan Quick, the Ducks are still deciding on whether to start rookie Frederik Andersen or go with the veteran Jonas Hiller.
When asked about the goaltending situation, Ducks’ head coach Bruce Boudreau was coy as usual.
"“I think I’ve got it handled. I don’t know if it’s the right decision. We’ll see. Sometimes I just play the game. Make (the opponent) work harder to find out things.” – Boudreau in an interview with reporters."
Andersen has struggled as of late as he was pulled in two of his last three games. Hiller, meanwhile, kept the Ducks within striking distance in Game 6 to spark the comeback.
No matter who is between the pipes for the Ducks, an Anaheim vs. Los Angeles playoff series will surely be something Southern Californians will never forget.
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