Stanley Cup Playoff Papers

Note: Reminder that if any Stanley Cup Playoff games go to overtime, we will be having our #ICOTpool contest. Similar to the #ICGWG contest in that you pick one player (total) from either team and @ tweet us (@illegalcurve) with your selection as well as the hashtag #ICOTpool. Winner gets IC Gear.

Stanley Cup news:

Scores:  Kings 2 Sharks 1
Games: Wings @ Hawks at 7 pm cst on CBC.

Kings 2 Sharks 1 (Los Angeles win series 4-3):

LA Times:  Kings advance to Western Conference finals with 2-1 win over Sharks.

LA Times:  NHL chief Gary Bettman – ‘Hockey is thriving in California’.

San Jose Mercury News:  A different, hardier kind of Sharks postseason exit, but still another exit.

Other Cup news:

Detroit Free Press:  Wings need big things from Datsyuk, Zetterberg tonight.

Chicago Sun-Times:  Two of Original Six heading to Game 7 is heaven for hockey fans.

Boston Herald:  Plenty of Bruins-Pens history.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:  Key matchup in series? Try Crosby vs. Bergeron.

NHL news:

TSN:  NHL, new Coyotes ownership group meet with Glendale.

Denver Post:  Patrick Roy’s goals with Avs again all about winning the Stanley Cup.

Toronto Star:  Former Leaf GM asks court if he can serve notice online .

Winnipeg Jets news:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Crafting a Draft.  The run to the draft has the entire organization focused on the next generation of Jets prospects.

Winnipeg Free Press:  If Noel’s the guy, Jets need to say so.  Nobody wants a lame duck year from coach Noel.  As Gary says you either extend him or set him free if you don’t feel he is the guy.

Illegal Curve:  Latest Alexander Burmistrov news.  Host of the TSN 1290 Rona Round Table Rick Ralph spoke with Slava Malamud, a journalist who works for the Russian sports daily Sport-Express, and also is a contributor for NHL.com and they briefly touched on Alexander Burmistrov and the KHL.