The 2012 Los Angeles Kings set a benchmark for success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Entering the postseason as the bottom seed in the Western Conference, the Kings systematically eliminated the top three seeds on their way to the Stanley Cup Final. By eliminating the New Jersey Devils for the first championship in franchise history, Los Angeles became the first North American sports team to win a championship as the eighth seed.

That never-say-die cast of characters has officially drawn up the blueprint for underdogs everywhere. Strangely enough, the Kings were stacked across their roster with talent and had been one of the disappointments of the season. They had underachieved all year, costing head coach Terry Murray his job in December of 2011. The Kings were shutout a league high 10 times on the year and really struggled to find a rhythm even after Daryl Sutter took over as head coach.

The eerie similarities between the 2012 champions and this year’s edition of the Los Angeles Kings go beyond just offensive inefficiency. The core of the cup-winning roster is intact, with all key players still in place. The Kings even swung a late season trade with Columbus, procuring sniper Marian Gaborik to duplicate their 2012 deal with the Jackets that brought Jeff Carter to the west coast.

The 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings are solidifying their playoff position this year by riding a seven-game winning streak. Their current run, combined with Anaheim’s puzzling losing streak has added some parity and spice to the Pacific Division race. While it might not be a realistic goal to cover the 11 points that separate the Ducks and Kings, Los Angeles has to like their chances against anyone once they qualify for the 16-team playoff tournament.

Getting into the dance is all that matters for teams like the Kings. The 82-game season is a battle of attrition as much as anything else. The jockeying among the top-level teams provides nothing more than a home ice advantage, but staying healthy has as much to do with winning a title as playing in front of your home crowd.

The Kings are more than capable of duplicating their 2012 success for every reason listed so far, but the biggest wild card will be in goal. Jonathan Quick struggled through most of last season as he returned from back surgery. While the lockout gave him an extended recovery period, Quick never seemed to find his groove and the Kings were unable to defend their crown.

This year the King’s number one goaltender has been on fire. He missed some time in December but has been spectacular since his return from injury. The win-loss total may not reflect his play, but in 20 starts since January 1st, Quick has allowed more than two goals only four times. This is very bad news for the rest of the NHL.

To finally answer the burning question, the Kings will not go on a Stanley Cup run in the 2014 playoffs. For as good as they have been lately, there have been stretches where this team has been downright awful. While the 2012 team also struggled on offense at times, they were resilient and never got too high or too low. This year’s team is too hot and too many times they have been way too cold.

Consistency is huge in the postseason and the Kings have shown that as quickly as they can streak in the right direction, they can slump in the wrong direction. They are certainly a dangerous team and are certainly capable of making some noise in a tough Western Conference, but this isn’t their year to lift the Stanley Cup again.