They are, without doubt, the dominant team of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

For now, at least, the Los Angeles Kings look unstoppable.

Their playoff pace has been spectacular: an 11-1 record, with seven straight road wins. L.A. could turn out to be the most dominant team in recent Stanley Cup memory.

Which would be a fine way to end the NHL's longest championship drought.

In actual fact, it's a tie between the Kings and St. Louis Blues. Both entered the NHL in 1967, and neither has ever lifted the grand old mug.

(The Toronto Maple Leafs last won it in '67. So that makes it a three-way tied for the longest dry spell. But at least Leafs fans have a long list of Stanley Cups to look back on.)

Here's the rest of the list:

The Longest Stanley Cup Droughts: A list of current NHL teams that have never won a Stanley Cup, and how long they've been trying.

See also:
The Stanley Cup History Page: Includes the complete list of champions, longest overtime games, unlikely heroes, MVPs, and more.

Photo: Like many before and since, Luc Robitaiile had to escape L.A. to win a Stanley Cup (Elsa Hasch/Allsport/Getty Images).

Shane Doan and the Phoenix Coyotes in the Stanley Cup Final?

Seemed an unlikely proposition a few weeks ago.

Until this season, the Coyotes and their captain had never won a playoff series, going 0-for-7 in the opening round since moving to Phoenix in 1996.

But the Coyotes and equally surprising L.A. Kings are the last teams alive in the Western Conference, so one of them will be in the championship series.

Here's the complete game schedule for the Conference Finals, with start times and network TV coverage listed.

Eastern Conference:
(1) New York Rangers vs. (6) New Jersey Devils
(series begins Monday)

Western Conference:
(3) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (8) Los Angeles Kings
(series begins Sunday)

You can check previous results at our Guide to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

See also:

• Stanley Cup History and Trivia
• Hockey for Beginners

Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

As the Stanley Cup seeks its new home for 2012, we've updated our image gallery dedicated to the culture of the greatest trophy in sport.

The Stanley Cup Photo Gallery offers a guided tour of the legends, customs, and unforgettable moments in the life of the world's greatest trophy.

Your tour includes:

• The Stanley Cup Rings
• The Classic Winner's Pose
• The False Idols
• The Immortal Etching
• Heroes of Yore

...and much more.

See also:

• Stanley Cup History and Facts
• A Guide to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Photo: George Armstrong (L) awaits his turn while Andy Bathgate quaffs from the big mug following Toronto's championship in 1964. (Pictorial Parade/Getty Images).

He left the Blackhawks bewildered and beaten.

Now he's a big reason why the Phoenix Coyotes have Nashville on the ropes.

But Mike Smith won't crack our all-time list of Unlikely Stanley Cup Heroes. Not yet.

Though he began the season as a fringe player, Smith has had a spectacular year, and probably deserved a Vezina Trophy nomination.

To be a true unlikely hero, a guy has to emerge out of nowhere, play like a Hall of Famer for one brief, shining playoff season, and never approach such heights again.

Kind of like Chris Kontos (1989) or John Druce (1990).

If Mike Smith leads the Coyotes to the Stanley Cup Final, bringing them within grasp of the big fruit bowl, we'll reconsider his qualifications.

Until then, he's best classified as an ordinary goalie in the midst of a dream season.

The All-Time List of Unlikely Stanley Cup Heroes: The guys on this list would be remembered by almost nobody, if not for one very special spring.

(Photo: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)