Great Moments in Los Angeles Kings History

The Kings were one of six teams the National Hockey League (NHL) added in the 1967 expansion.  The team played their first 32 seasons at The Forum in Inglewood, California, before moving to the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles in 1999  This has been their home ever since.  Here we list the top 5 Los Angeles Kings moments. As always we love to hear you say!  Here we go!

• The Trade

In 1988, the Los Angeles Kings traded with the Edmonton Oilers to get their future Captain Wayne Gretzky, leading to a successful phase of the franchise that raised hockey’s popularity in Los Angeles.  An entire nation was left with a bitter taste in its mouth as an all-time great was gone from the Edmonton Oilers.

• Gretzky Leads Kings to Cup Final

Injuries limited Gretzky to 45 games in 1992 – 1993 regular season but didn’t hinder his performance in the playoffs.

In the Campbell Conference Finals, the Kings were an underdog against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Game 5 was won by the Leafs in overtime giving them the chance to eliminate the Kings.  Game 6 had the Kings ahead 4 – 2 before Leafs Captain Wendel Clark scored twice in the third period to force overtime.  Just prior to the winning goal, Gretzky high-sticked Doug Gilmore of the Leafs in the face but the referee did not call a penalty on the play, allowing Gretzky to score sending the series to Game 7.  (It’s a moment Leaf fans will never forget.)

Two days later at Maple Leaf Gardens, Gretzky would play one of the best games of his career and scored a hat trick (3 goals) and had an assist to send the Kings to their first Stanley Cup Finals.

• Miracle on Manchester

Miracle on Manchester is the nickname given to a playoff game between Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers on April 10, 1982.  The game, the third in a best-of-five, was played at The Forum (the Kings home at the time) which was located on Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood California.

The Kings had won Game one 10 – 8, before losing Game two 3 – 2.  Game 3 saw they were losing 5 – 0 through two periods but when play resumed in the third period, the game took a drastic turn.

Goals by Jay Wells and Doug Smith cut the lead to three only six minutes into the period.  Charlie Simmer and Mark Hardy scored less than two minutes apart and with four minutes left in the game, the Oilers only led by one.

With the net empty and less than ten seconds remaining, a rebound from a Hardy slap shot was tapped home by Steve Bozek to tie the game.  Minutes into overtime, Daryl Evans scored his now infamous goal off a faceoff.

The Kings completed the largest comeback in NHL Playoff history and went on to win the series in five.

• First Stanley Cup Victory 2012

The Los Angeles Kings faced the New Jersey Devils defeating them in six games to win their first Stanley Cup Championship in franchise history.

•  Stanley Cup Victory 2014

The Los Angeles Kings faced the New York Rangers defeating them in five games to win their second Stanley Cup Championship in franchise history.

As you can see the Kings have some great moments in their NHL history. Capture some of those moments and visit our Los Angeles Kings autograph section for your piece of Kings history!

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