Bearded Ice, Shaved Ice meets the NHL playoff tradition of not shaving.

Bearded Ice – June 6

Bearded Ice, Shaved Ice meets the NHL playoff tradition of not shaving.

MiHockey’s Stefan Kubus here with you on the morning of Game 4.

Quick hits

Sad news out of Switzerland last night as former Red Wings draft pick Bryan Rufenach, 23, died recently while traveling around the country.

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you could help an Ann Arbor adult team raise money for Susan G. Komen.

Alec Martinez, Matt Greene, and the Los Angeles Kings have a chance to make history tonight in a few different ways should they sweep the New Jersey Devils at home to capture Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The Kings would become the first team to earn a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final since the Detroit Red Wings did it in back-to-back seasons in ’97 and ’98.

Highlight reel

Speaking of the last team to sweep for the Cup, here’s a Game 4 highlight video from 1998 against the Washington Capitals.

Outside the Mitten

Los Angeles could grab a share of the best playoff record since the league moved to the modern format in 1987 with a victory tonight over the Devils. A win would boost them to 16-2, tying the dynamically-talented 1988 Edmonton Oilers. Comparing rosters and the fact that this Oilers team played in an era with no salary cap, you have to give major props to the blue-collared Kings.

Additionally, a No. 8 seed has never won the Stanley Cup, so the Kings could do the once-unthinkable there. The Oilers came close in 2006, but ultimately fell to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Vladimir Krutov – an all-time Soviet Union great that was the “K” in the formidable KLM line along with former Red Wing Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov – passed away at the age of 52.

Check it out

Warren native, one-time Stanley Cup winner (Carolina in ’06), and current New York Islanders assistant coach Doug Weight offers his insight on tonight’s crucial Game 4.

Next up

Is tonight the night Dustin Brown accomplishes what Wayne Gretzky could not in bringing a Cup to L.A., or will the Devils live to see another day? Tune in tonight to find out!

Enjoy the game, and the rest of your day, folks!