The Kings took a 1-0 lead in the series against the Devils last night in New Jersey, continuing their flawless streak on the road and maintaining their record of never falling behind in a series throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The last time the Kings made an appearance in the Final was back in 1993 when they were eliminated in Game 5 against the Montreal Canadiens. That season also marks the first year Gary Bettman began serving as NHL commissioner, so he understands and appreciates the excitement this series is bringing to the league.
But as they end of the postseason approaches, questions concerning the league's CBA situation arise. NBC Sports spoke with Bettman, asking what fans can anticipate as the league heads into the off-season.
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"My hope is that we can get through this quickly, quietly, and painlessly," Bettman said. "I know there's been a lot of speculation and a lot of pessimism, but we haven't had any substantive conversations yet, so I'm not sure anyone should be rushing to conclusions yet.
"I think it's better for them to enjoy what's going to happen in the next few days and weeks here between the Kings and the Devils."
The NHL has cracked down on on-ice antics as well as gear protection, and although we've seen top players in the league suffer long-sustained injuries this season, it seems like there's light at the end of the tunnel.
"For the first time in three years, the number of concussions went down... and that's in the face of us being much more aggressive in diagnosing concussions and much more conservative in their treatment."
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After seeing how Sidney Crosby, Chris Pronger, and even Jonathan Toews were affected by concussions, it's hard to believe that the issue is being resolved. But after seeing suspensions such as Raffi Torres' 25-game ban, it's apparent that the league is being stricter on reprimanding illegal play.