In what was a great decade to be a Los Angeles Kings fan, the 2010s are drawing to a close.
The last two years have seen the Kings fall on hard times, but from 2010 – early 2018 the Kings won two Stanley Cups and made numerous playoff appearances. Here are the top ten LA Kings moments of the decade.
10. Bark Madness Begins (2015)
In the grand scheme of things, this wasn’t a very big deal, but Bark Madness is one of the funniest and wholesome annual traditions in hockey. Kings players share images and videos of dogs and let fans vote on who advances in the joke bracket. The whole event started in 2015 and takes place every March, which has given LA fans something to smile about, even when the Kings are outside the playoff picture.
9. The Kings Acquire Jeff Carter (2012)
The Majority of this list will be made up of playoff moments from the 2012 and 2014 seasons, but this trade allowed both of those runs to happen in the first place. On Feb. 23, 2012, the Kings traded Jack Johnson and a first-round draft pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Center Jeff Carter. This move would give them the final piece of their championship core that would produce two Stanley Cups in three years.
8. The Kings Upset the Top-Seeded Canucks (2012)
The Kings’ first-round playoff series from their first championship season wasn’t very exciting but it sure was significant. The team squeaked into the playoffs as the eighth-seeded team in the Western Conference but managed to upset the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks in five games. The Canucks were in the midst of a 111-point season.
7. The Kings Best the Ducks in Game 7 (2014)
The Kings and their archrivals, the Anaheim Ducks, met in the playoffs for the first time in 2014 which resulted in an exciting second-round series that concluded with a Los Angeles victory in seven games. Game 7 wasn’t very exciting, Los Angeles routed Anaheim by a final score of 6-2, but it was very satisfying for Kings fans to beat their rivals in the playoffs so decisively.
6. Dustin Penner Sends Kings to Stanley Cup Final (2012)
Los Angels’ 2012 playoff run didn’t produce any high-octane playoff series, but they did manage to win with some style points. The Western Conference Final against the Arizona Coyotes only lasted five games, but they dramatically ended the series. Dustin Penner scored in overtime to clinch the series for the Kings.
5. The Kings Erase 3-0 Series Deficit to drop Sharks in Game 7 (2014)
The Kings 2014 playoff run looked dead in the water right out of the gate as they quickly trailed 3-0 in the series to the rival San Jose Sharks. Against all odds, however, the Kings did what only three teams in NHL history have ever managed to do, win a playoff series after starting 0-3.
4. The Kings Drop the Sharks in Game 7 (2013)
Erasing a 3-0 series deficit was certainly more memorable, but the Kings’ best playoff series against San Jose actually happened the year prior. The Kings also bested the Sharks in seven games in 2013. Although 2013 didn’t produce another championship for the Kings, their series with the Sharks was a thrilling back-and-forth affair that resulted in the Kings going back to the Western Conference Final.
3. The Kings Outlast Blackhawks in Western Conference Final Game 7 Marathon (2014)
The Blackhawks eliminated the Kings in the 2013 Western Conference Final, so they Kings returned the favor by eliminating Chicago in 2014. The series produced several thrilling, but it all culminated in a thrilling Game 7 Chicago. The Kings trailed 4-3 for the majority of the third period, but Marian Gaborik tied the game late and Alec Martinez buried the game-winner in overtime.
2. Alec Martinez Wins the Stanley Cup in Double Overtime (2014)
The top two spots were very obvious as the Kings claimed two Stanley Cup titled this decade but ordering them was tricky. 2012 gets the top spot on this list, but don’t let that distract you from how epic the Kings’ 2014 title was. After winning three consecutive Game 7s on the road, Los Angeles dispatched the New York Rangers in five games. The Kings won all three of their home games in overtime. Alec Martinez ended the series with a bang, scoring a goal in double overtime of Game 5 that gave the Kings their second title in three seasons.
1. The Kings Finally Wear Their Crown (2012)
The Kings might be able to boast having multiple championship seasons in the 53-year history, but for most of their existence, the Kings were known as a franchise that couldn’t finish the job. That all changed in 2012 when the Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils in six games to claim their first Stanley Cup. The Kings entered the playoffs as the eight-seeded team but managed to take the league by storm and upset all four of their opponents.
