Anything Else Might Be Icing on the Kings’ Cake

Every time you think the Kings are out of it, they suck you back in.

CRAIG EVANS

Anaheim

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The Kings win a fifth consecutive playoff game. Is this a hockey town or what?

JACK WOLF

Westwood

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The new nickname for our Kings should be: Wunderkings!

JIM PAPPAS

Torrance

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Forget James Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa. Luc Robitaille for mayor!

ADAM RICH

Sherman Oaks

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An open letter to Mrs. Mangan, my son’s second-grade teacher:

Please excuse my son, Joseph, if he is tired lately. It’s a hockey thing. Please let me explain.

I know we told you at the beginning of the season that he wasn’t allowed to go to King games on school nights. We adhered to that during the regular season, sure. But you don’t really think that applies to the playoffs, do you? Yes, we know it was rough that first day back from spring break with only six hours of sleep under his belt, but didn’t the adrenaline from the “Stunner at Staples” carry him through past lunch?

At least he’s completing his homework. You’d be surprised how much you can get done during that drive to and from Staples, and between periods during televised games. And don’t worry about his math skills--do any other 8-year-olds understand plus-minus ratings and save percentages? Hey, now that you’re teaching the times tables, may we suggest this word problem: If the King game is still tied after three overtimes, how many minutes of bonus hockey is that (and how many hours past your bedtime is it)?

Fortunately, it looks like this could go on a while longer--we hope through June. So bear with us and please excuse our son if he is a little tired this week, or next, or next. It’s a hockey thing.

CINDY AND JOE McMAHON

Manhattan Beach

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The time has come for Dave Taylor to get his “props.” The departure of Rob Blake has received all of the attention, but any true fan realizes that Dave Taylor has manufactured so much more than the acquisition of Aaron Miller and Adam Deadmarsh.

He is responsible for building a lineup that includes Jozef Stumpel, Ziggy Palffy and Bryan Smolinski. He has invested in young talents Eric Belanger and Lubomir Visnovsky. He traded for Kelly Buchberger and Nelson Emerson. He brought Stu Grimson to a team that needed the toughness he provides on the ice and the spirit he brings to a locker room.

He acquired Felix Potvin in a “timing” move and it cost the team nothing. The instinct that Taylor showed to put Andy Murray behind the bench is remarkable. And most importantly, he put future Hall of Fame winger Luc Robitaille back into a King uniform. While Marcel Dionne, Rogie Vachon, Wayne Gretzky, Rob Blake and Taylor himself are endeared in our hearts, it is Robitaille who deserves his title as the most popular player in franchise history. While the rest of the hockey world scoffs at our exuberance over one playoff series victory, I would like to say that I never have been more proud of L.A. fans than I was during this past week. Championships are not built overnight and as fans we are aware that this year may only turn out to be a “baby step” to winning it all, but what a way to take that first step!

KURT KUEHN

Culver City

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I would like all of those who wrote in before, criticizing Dave Taylor for his trades, to say, “I’m sorry, Dave, you are not the idiot that I said you were. You are the best GM in the league. Thank you for bringing us Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, Felix Potvin, and one of the best series I have ever seen.”

CHIO BALDOCCHI

Los Angeles

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Considering the media’s usual obsession with alliterative names or headlines for unusual events, I’m surprised The Times didn’t have a better headline for the Kings’ victory over the Red Wings. Since we had “The Miracle on Manchester,” how about calling this latest win “The Go Figure on Figueroa?”

JEFF OLMSTEAD

La Crescenta

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The Kings are in the second round of the playoffs and the game is being shown on Fox Sports Net 2, and because I live in Santa Maria, I can’t watch the game. As someone who has been a King fan for years, I have lived through the good times and bad and now that things are going well, I can’t watch the game because my cable provider, Comcast, the only one in Santa Maria, does not carry Fox Sports Net 2 and ESPN2 has the game blacked out. So someone in New York, or Atlanta who couldn’t care less about this game gets to watch it and I, a longtime fan, do not. There is something fundamentally wrong with that.

JESSE CLINE

Santa Maria