Muzzin, Playoffs: "...a real test"

Friday, 6 June 2014 16:00

Woodstock's Jake Muzzin is trying to bring the Stanley Cup to Woodstock.

It's been a long and tough playoff road for Woodstock's Jake Muzzin and his L.A. Kings.

LOS ANGELES -- L.A. Kings defenseman and Woodstock native Jake Muzzin is talking to his hometown between Stanley Cup Final games this week.

Knowing Woodstock is behind the L.A. Kings cup run, Muzzin says he's been overwhelmed by all the support coming from the city throughout the playoffs.

"A lot of messages and stuff have been sent and I haven't had a chance to get back to everyone because there's so many. But I do thank everyone for the support and the love from Woodstock, and hopefully this summer we can bring the Stanley Cup home and have a good time with it."

It's been a long and tough playoff road for Muzzin and his L.A. Kings -- something he agrees with, saying there hasn't been an easy series so far for the team, with each of the previous three playoff rounds going the distance for seven games.

From coming back down from 3-games down to beat San Jose, knocking off top Western seed Anaheim in seven games, to battling back to beat Chicago in overtime in Game 7 of the Western conference Final, Muzzin called it "a real test."

While Muzzin confirmed he's been getting all of the messages and well wishes from many around the local community during the Kings Stanley Cup playoff run and says his commitment to the team on, (and off the ice) has been so involving that it's been hard to even connect with those closest to him at times.

"Being so far from home, I haven't really had the opportunity to see much family, but I think with this final series, we're going to get some family down, and hopefully they're down when we win the Stanley Cup and that's the goal."

Muzzin says he's aware of the city's plans to fill the Southwood Arena with fans for Game 4 next week, calling it "awesome." He says he still comes back to the same ice every summer to skate and improve his game.

Game 2 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final goes Saturday night in Los Angeles. L.A. leads the series over the New York Rangers, 1-0.