Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks renew hostilities with more at stake than usual

The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings often have contentious showdowns, evidenced by this scrap between Tim Jackman, left, and Kyle Clifford in January, and will face off for the fifth and final time this season at the Honda Center on Wednesday night. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer)

The Ducks awoke Tuesday to find themselves in first place in the Western Conference standings, two points ahead of the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators. They also were tied with the New York Rangers with 95 points in the Presidents’ Trophy race.
The Kings’ day dawned with the second of two wild-card positions all their own, a tenuous one-point grasp on eighth place in the conference after a 1-0 victory Monday over the Arizona Coyotes. They also were in a virtual tie for seventh with the Calgary Flames.
So, if the Stanley Cup playoffs had started Tuesday, the Ducks (44-20-7) would have faced the Kings (34-22-13) in a No. 1 vs. No. 8 opening-round Freeway Series rematch of last spring’s seven-game test of wills and skills in the second round.
Since there are still games to be played, including the fifth and final regular-season matchup between the Ducks and Kings on Wednesday night, everything remains unsettled. The playoff picture is likely to change again and again and again before the regular season concludes April 11.
What is certain is there’s a great deal at stake when the Ducks and Kings renew their mutual animosity at the Honda Center, perhaps making the latest faceoff between the Southern California rivals as something more than just another evening of Hate Thy Neighbor.
The Ducks want to keep winning, continue their quest for a more consistent game and answer nagging questions about their goaltending and defense.
The Kings need to keep winning, plain and simple, because their margin for error is zero.
These are not unfamiliar scenarios. The Ducks have been one of the NHL’s best teams in the regular season for three seasons running, but haven’t advanced past the second round.
The Kings have sneaked into the playoffs, and yet still managed to win two Stanley Cups in three seasons.
“The last month has been about preparation and getting ready for the playoffs, and that means playing hard every night and not picking and choosing when we’re going to play (well),” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “Come playoff time, one win doesn’t get you anything.”
The Ducks’ Game 7 loss to the Kings remains fresh in their minds, as does their Game 7 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2013 playoffs. Each loss unfolded on home ice, bringing more painful memories for the Ducks.