Playoff Hockey Is in Full Bloom in L.A.

Who says there’s no change of seasons in Los Angeles?

The careful observer doesn’t need colorful leaves, falling snow or blooming flowers to know the time of year. If it’s fall, everyone’s complaining about USC’s football coach. In winter, everyone’s complaining about UCLA’s basketball coach. And in the spring, the Portland Trail Blazers are going through their ritual meltdown at Staples Center before getting bounced from the playoffs by the Lakers, while the Kings are battling the Colorado Avalanche.

And the only thing that never gets old is Kings-Avalanche.

It might lack originality, with the teams following the same route as last year to get to Game 6, including a Kings’ overtime victory at Colorado in Game 5. But it also has almost everything you could ask for in a playoff: Stars and goaltenders rising to the occasion, drama and controversy.

The only thing missing is some quality trash talk. King Coach Andy Murray even went into painstaking, sentence-parsing detail to ensure that what he wrote on his team’s board wouldn’t end up on Colorado’s board. Before Game 5, he wrote: “Win Thursday and we will be playing Game 7 Monday.”

“But I didn’t use the word ‘guarantee,’” Murray said Friday afternoon. “To me, guarantee means it’s gonna happen. You’ve got to make it happen.”

The only time Murray talked tough was when he discussed the prospects of playing without defenseman Philippe Boucher (out because of an eye injury) and right wing Adam Deadmarsh (doubtful because of a neck strain).

“That’s just a test for us; a challenge,” Murray said. “Bring it on.”

The Kings don’t want to antagonize Colorado goalie Patrick Roy, because there’s a perception that he plays better when he’s angry, whether it’s at opposing players or hometown reporters and fans who dare question his greatness.

“I don’t want to get him mad with anything that I say,” Murray said.

Here’s something that can’t be construed as trash talk, simply an observation of what has happened: Felix Potvin has matched or surpassed Roy in the nets the last three games. And Roy has been at his all-world standards.

One hot goaltender can nullify everything else that happens on the ice and make up the difference in depth. Potvin has allowed two goals in the last three games.

“He’s played great every year in the playoffs,” center Jason Allison said.

Like a baseball player in a hitting streak, Potvin didn’t want to elaborate on his stellar play.

“Playoff hockey, goalies are stepping up, there’s not a lot of goals scored,” he said. “You have to be on top of your game all the time.”

After the wide-open play that characterized the first three games, the middle of the ice has been shut down like a freeway lane under repair. So it’s going to come down to one or two breaks.

The Kings got them Thursday night, when a shot by Colorado center Joe Sakic hit the crossbar, and an overtime pass by Jaroslav Modry bounced off Craig Johnson’s skate and past Roy into the net.

And that’s where the big C--for Controversy--jumped over the boards and skated into this series. The Avalanche players and coaches thought Johnson kicked the puck into the net, a violation of NHL Rule 70A.

There was so much talk about kicking on Friday it felt like a Rockettes’ performance. The Kings are convinced that Johnson did not make “a distinct kicking motion,” which is how the rulebook defines it. Murray even replayed the goal for reporters, while pointing out that the Colorado broadcasters on the videotape didn’t squawk about the play. Johnson might have turned his skate for an optimum angle, but he didn’t kick.

For a clear distinct kicking motion, check the tape of Thursday’s Laker game when Dale Davis punted the ball over the baseline press table.

Man, the Trail Blazer act sure is getting old. Let’s get that series over with. I pleaded with Robert Horry to end it on Sunday.

“I’m going to try my hardest,” Horry said.

Maximum effort from Horry--another sure sign it’s spring.

The request of the Kings is to extend it. Go back to Colorado for Game 7. That way we’ll have an upset victory or the sight of the defending champions coming through when pushed to the limit. Quality stuff either way, with the prospect of more great battles in years to come.

Johnson’s goal is the type of play that can simmer all summer and cook up a good rivalry. You don’t think Roy already has bad memories of the Kings piling up in front of him after the winning goal, trapping him in his own net?

It will be bumpin’ at Staples Center today.

One of the motivational tidbits Murray gave his team before Game 5 was the thought of how great it would be to step on the ice for Game 6 at home.

Now it’s here. It feels just like last year. It feels like springtime in L.A.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at his e-mail address: j.a.adande@latimes.com.