4. Los Angeles Kings
Can the Los Angeles Kings shock the world and beat the Edmonton Oilers in a seven-game series? They got off on the right foot by defeating the Oilers in overtime on Wednesday, 5-4. Thanks to Anze Kopitar's overtime winner, hope has been restored in Hollywood for a good ending for the Kings.
One area Los Angeles can hang their hats on over the Oilers is their goaltending. Cam Talbot has been a pleasant surprise this season, carrying a 2.50 GA/G and a save percentage of .913. David Rittich has also been reliable for Los Angeles, with a GA/G of 2.16 and a save percentage of .921 in 24 games.
If the Kings are to shock the world, their goaltending must be top-notch. Luckily, Los Angeles employs their vaunted 1-3-1 neutral zone trap, which prevents any offensive zone work from being done. With three defenders in the neutral zone, it clogs the zone and acts as a wall. It's a system that's frustrated many teams and people, with some wondering if the neutral zone trap's bad for hockey. However, it's how the Kings got to the postseason this year and it's one that could bring them the Stanley Cup.