Kings-Canucks Playoff Preview Part III: Defense
Doughty could win or lose this series for the Kings. Most Kings fans would immediately give the advantage to Los Angeles here. The Kings allowed 2.07 goals per game, 2 nd best in the league but Vancouver wasn’t far behind allowing 2.22 goals, 5 th best. Both teams showcase two of the brightest young blueliners in the NHL. The Kings are led by 22-year old Drew Doughty, who burst onto the scene as one of Canada's best defenseman in the 2010 Olympics. The past two seasons have been filled with inconsistencies and a contract dispute but make no mistake he's still been the Kings most valuable blueliner. With the departure of Christian Ehrhoff to Buffalo via free agency, 25-year-old Swede Alexander Edler made sure the Canucks didn’t miss a beat and had by far the most productive season of his young career. The Kings and Canucks bluelines are built differently. The Kings have three puck-moving defenseman featuring Doughty, Slava Voynov, and Alec Mart...