If Kings win Stanley Cup in Game 4, it might rain ‘Kopistars’ for Anze Kopitar

With the Los Angeles Kings one victory away from the Stanley Cup and a sweep of the New Jersey Devils, one imagines we'll see many a prop in the stands at Staples Center: signs, brooms, faux Cups and, of course, Kopistars:

Reader Joe G. said he and his crew are "ready to help make it rain 2,500 Anze Kopitar 'KOPISTARS' onto Staples Center ice after Game 4 of the Finals, in support of our MVP favorite Anze Kopitar."

Does that mean they'll still fly when Jonathan Quick wins the Conn Smythe?

The KOPISTAR has its own Twitter feed (of course), and they're going to be available to fans around Nokia Plaza.

This brings up two questions on this fine Wednesday morning:

1. Is there any chance Kopitar snags the MVP from Quick?
2. Have you ever created and brought a prop to an NHL game?

I have, in fact.

My father and I had tickets to Game 4 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Final between the Devils (my team) and the Detroit Red Wings (on the precipice of being swept). Wise-ass that I am, I decided to have a go at the octopus tossing tradition of the Wings.

I rummaged through the garage and found an old aquamarine-colored rubber ball, about the size of those mini-basketballs used in carnival games. I gave it to my sister and had her draw a face on it, because I have the artistic skills of an elephant dropping dung on a canvas.

Next was an old mop head I found in the basement. I braided the dirty white tassels into eight "legs," and then fastened the ball on top of it. I attached a stick to the bottom of the mop head, so I could raise the little bugger into the air like a pennant during the game. I added a cartoon bubble that said "SWEEP ME!" and my mock-topus was complete.

Long story short, this prop earned me a few uncomfortable photographs with Red Wings fans at the Meadowlands; oh lord, were they uncomfortable. And, in full disclosure, I did hurl the thing from the upper deck in euphoria after the final buzzer sounded.

I think it made the ice. Or maybe it just nailed someone in the lower level. One of the two.