"I think I've watched more NBA playoffs than NHL."

--Kyle Okposo, in Newsday

Sacrilege! And from a good Minnesota boy at that! Why, I tell ya this is the problem with all these kids and their newfangled {rabble rabble rabble, shouts at cloud}.

More seriously, that quote is from a Newsday profile on how Okposo and Matt Moulson have a keen interest in the Stanley Cup finals thanks to respective Minnesota buddies and -- stop me if you've heard this -- in-laws. Good piece.

As to the actual game, some SB Nation coverage: Kings fans generally pleased; Devils fans expecting a shakeup of the lines. From my end, despite the Kings controlling play, I thought Jonathan Quick was a little too scrambling out there -- more like old Quick rather than 2011-12 Quick. Devils missed a chance to steal one.

Back to Newsday, they were required by community mandate to blow out the one line from Gary Bettman's State of the League address that referenced the Islanders. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Speaking of mandates, in that address Bettman also blinked his eyes in code said he was optimistic about the Coyotes sale. Lather, rinse...

• Elsewhere, here's a recap of the wild and circuitous junior career of Kirill Kabanov. [FanShot]
• Eyes on the Isles reviews Mark Streit's season.
• Dave Lewis, dealt to the Kings in the Butch Goring trade, recalls the L.A. years.

General Hockey

• That franchise's first coach, Red Kelly, recalls the beginning.
• GM plans: Slipping standards on obstruction, hybrid icing, etc.
• Upon Nicklas Lidstrom's retirement (being announced this morning), here's a great feature from April.
  
• On New York's little brother teams.
  
• Keith says this was a great listen: The Michael Kay Show (John Tortorella) : 5/30 - ESPN New York
• But was it as awesome as this? CBC's Stanley Cup Finals Video Montage Is Awesome, As Predicted - SBNation.com
• Or this? Strombo | 'Please Forgive My Misconduct': Classic Hockey Music Videos | CBC Television
• (And back to mandates: We are obliged to follow that with a clip of Rangers shame - Hockey Sock Rock - New York Rangers - YouTube)
• More talk of defensive pairings than you can possibly digest.
• Likewise, the evergreen "black jerseys get more penalties?" theory.
• Cool tale of the Stanley Cup in Port Hope
• Neat Subban tale: Strombo | P.K. Subban Gets A Surprise From His Brother | CBC Television
• You don't say: Blackhawks concerned about Patrick Kane’s off-ice escapades - Chicago Sun-Times
• The KHL had their draft. Here is their list of your general Konstantins and Shakhvorostovs.

Meanwhile, Russia celebrates its IIHF world champions. (Do you have the degree Merited Master of Sport?) I didn't think so. ... And then buried in that update: Another team is threatened to disappear. According to media reports Metallurg Novokuznetsk is not able to pay the players and staff anymore as club sponsor Evraz won’t cover debts summing up to 250 million Rubles (€6m).