[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

Here is an excerpt from an article about the 2013-14 Cup winning Kings season.

Spoiler!

It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

After ranking 26th in the regular season in goals scored per game at 2.42, the Kings offense ran roughshod over the NHL’s finest in the postseason. L.A. averaged a league-best 3.38 GPG in the spring and appeared unstoppable when it mattered most.

By the time the Kings were crowned champions, they had the four most productive players in the playoffs.

In addition to the acquisition of sniper Marian Gaborik at the trade deadline, the promotions of Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson brought a spark to a lethargic attack, infusing the forward ranks with speed and creativity in the latter half of the year.

The Kings were no longer wasting shifts on the perimeter. With their new-look lineup, they were intent on attacking from the opening whistle and generated higher-quality bids on a more consistent basis.

This is reflected in their shooting metrics.

Despite leading the NHL in five-on-five Corsi percentage in the regular season, the team shot a pitiful 6.6 percent in such situations. Once the pieces jelled and that rate rose to a more respectable level (8.9 percent) in the playoffs, the Kings suddenly appeared capable of scoring at will.

Sutter placed Toffoli and Pearson with Jeff Carter on the second line for much of the season’s back half, which relegated Mike Richards to the fourth line. Meanwhile, Gaborik’s presence on Anze Kopitar’s left wing pushed either Dustin Brown or Justin Williams down to the third unit.

Those moves created phenomenal, unmatched forward depth.

Kopitar and Carter gave the opposition fits. Williams won the Conn Smythe Trophy while spending the bulk of his shifts on the third line. Richards came up huge as a clutch figure plugged in and out of various spots depending on game circumstances.

L.A. suffered through down regular seasons across the board—especially from Brown and Richards. However, for the Kings, punching a ticket to the dance was all they needed.

Once there, their four-headed monster at center (Kopitar, Carter, Richards and Jarret Stoll) and talented wingers proved too much for any club to handle, translating their strong puck possession into outstanding production.

Sounds kind of similar to the season to date. Also looks like Sutter isn't afraid to insert kids when the time is right.

Who's our Jonathan Quick?