Throughout the remainder of the NHL season, ‘Dancing in the Reign’ will be recapping each week in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. Track the Kings’ push for a second consecutive playoff berth, see which teams are hot and who’s not, and note on key divisional and conference match-ups. This edition of Sunday Night Scoreboard Watch recaps the week of March 7 with a look ahead to the week of March 14.

——————————————–

The Week That Was: Offensive outlets surging, goaltender turntable in smooth operation, and 4th place, and also 4th place. Could you ask for much more? The Kings bounced back from last week’s faltering finish to the homestand with three consecutive victories on the road. Overall, the Kings added seven points — in seven days, with a 3-0-1 record. The week’s slate both started and ended with the Dallas Stars. The Kings approached both meetings just one point behind Dallas, and almost surrendered extra points in both contests. A late collapse on Monday night did just that, the Stars leaving Los Angeles with two points earned in a 4-3 OT victory. Sunday afternoon flirted with deja vu, as yet another breakdown was briskly avoided at American Airlines Center. After Dallas’ Jamie Langenbrunner tied the score with just :43 remaining, Michal Handzus countered before the final horn with just :21 to play. The 3-2 victory cued the leap over the Dallas Stars in the standings. Redemption was certainly attained Wednesday night, a stellar performance from Jonathan Quick fueled a 2-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings. A huge victory for both the Kings and Quick, ridding any lingering aftertaste of Detroit’s recent visit to Southern California. Anze Kopitar single-handedly delivered the season-ending blow to the sinking Columbus Blue Jackets Friday night. Kopitar notched the second hat-trick of his career, contributing to his monster week with four goals and three assists.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                  GP      W     L      OT     PTS
San Jose               69      39    22     8        86
LOS ANGELES     69      39    25    5       83
Phoenix                70      36    23    11      83
Dallas                   69      37    24     8       82
Anaheim               69      37    27     5       79

Pacific Division Notes: The Kings’ seven points maintained pace in the division, and more – as they climb to second place. The San Jose Sharks continue to sit atop the group, picking up points in all three contests this week. Extra time was needed to decide all three San Jose contests, they dropped both Shootouts, and picked up their only victory in Overtime. Not one club in the Pacific Division is showing any signs of excluding themselves from the playoff race, everyone continues to win. The Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks went 2-1-0 during the week respectively, and the Dallas Stars posted an honorable record of 2-1-1. As intriguing as it may look, the Pacific Division standings are almost irrelevant at this point. With every team in the division at-pace for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, that goal becomes the bigger picture. Never in the NHL‘s history have all members of a certain division made the playoffs. The 2010-2011 Pacific Division is certainly making a strong case to change that.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                      GP     W     L     OT   PTS
1. Vancouver            70    45    16     9     99
2. Detroit                 69    41    20     8      90
3. San Jose               69    39    22     8      86
4. LOS ANGELES    69    39    25    5      83
5. Phoenix               69    36    23    11     83
6. Dallas                  69    37    24     8      82
7. Chicago               69    37    24     8      82
8. Calgary                69    36    26     9      81
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -
9. Nashville             69    35    24    10     80
10. Anaheim           69    37    27     5      79
11. Minnesota         69    35    27     7      77

Western Conference Notes: How attractive is that 4th seed? If the season ended today, the Kings would be looking at the Staples Center advantage in the opening round. Don’t ride the high-horse for too long, as only three points separate home-ice in the playoffs, from not even qualifying at all. Three points – unbelievable. So with that, enjoy it while you can, not a ton of security here. In a realistic mindset, contention isn’t plausible for teams behind the 11th-seed Minnesota Wild. Separation is slowly taking form, with the Columbus Blue Jackets as the newest representative. It’s simply coming down to late-season success. From the third place to eleventh, it’s a matter of winning games. Teams are too close to analyze it any different, the marathon has turned into a race. Consistency has been the trend in the Western Conference. Aside from the Vancouver Canucks‘ five-game win streak, and the Los Angeles Kings‘ three-game win streak, all other clubs in contention are maintaining pace in subtle form. Every point instills huge implications, and regulation victories become the all-important factor, especially for the Kings. The remaining schedule strictly calls for Western Conference opponents, and if extra points present themselves, they can’t afford to be surrendered.

The Week Ahead

- March 14 Through March 21 -
Tuesday: AT Nashville Predators
Bridgestone Arena, 5:00 PM PST
Thursday: VS St. Louis Blues
Staples Center, 7:30 PM PST
Saturday: VS Anaheim Ducks
Staples Center, 7:30 PM PST

The Week’s Outlook: Another Western Conference slate for the Kings this week. They’ll cap off the current four game road-trip Tuesday in Tennessee, and make way back to Staples Center for the next four dates. As for Tuesday, the Nashville Predators aren’t the most desirable opponent to hit the calendar. Coupled with the Kings’ recent troubled history with the Predators, is the fact that they currently sit at 9th place in the Western Conference. A win in their building won’t come easy. The return to Los Angeles welcomes the St. Louis Blues. The Kings have to win this game, there are absolutely no justifications for explaining a loss on Thursday. St. Louis is done, and playoff-caliber teams execute on sullen clubs. When you’re talking the finish to the week, you’re looking at a grand finale. I’d be shocked if the game wasn’t sold-out already. It’s the Anaheim Ducks, it’s a Saturday night, and the implications are fu**ing ginormous. This is hockey at it’s finest, folks. Let’s Go Kings.

- – - – - – - – -
*Photo Credits:
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary: Michael Zampelli
Alexei Ponikarovsky, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary : Associated Press
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary: Getty Images/Jamie Sabau
Wayne Simmonds, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary: Getty Images/Victor Decolongon

If recent games have portrayed anything other than the Kings’ dismal power-play, it’s got to be the rise in importance goaltending looks to be for a postseason berth. But really, when is it not? In analyzing the reoccurring inconsistencies that have plagued both the offense and the defense, you’ve got to turn your attention to the single-most important variable — goaltending. Take a look at the two victories in the Kings’ previous five games, the primary factors hit the eye immediately. A shutout performance from Jonathan Bernier notched two points Thursday against the Phoenix Coyotes. And tonight, Jonathan Quick had a dandy against the Detroit Red Wings stopping 28 of 29 shots. With just 15 regular season games remaining, they’re undoubtedly going to be prominent factors in the Kings’ playoff pursuit.

You may hope the issues are resolved, but you can’t depend on this power-play for ample support. A man-up, the Kings are a horrific 1 for 13 in their previous three games, and at times resembling confusion that makes you uncomfortable just observing the disaster. The offense in it’s entirety has been streaky throughout the year, it hasn’t justified itself as being the determining factor for these final 15 games. You can certainly argue that the defense has recovered from early-season woes to become a consistent asset, which attains to Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier signifying vitality.

There’s a clear-cut difference in the goalie situation this year than it’s status last season. That difference? Having two dependable names in the crease. After expressing his discontent to start Erik Ersberg early last season, Terry Murray used and abused Jonathan Quick to the extremity of exhaustion. This affected Quick’s play after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which carried into the postseason. Quick appeared in 72 games during the ’09-’10 regular season, and has gotten Murray’s call only 48 times this year. We’ve got two good things happening here: Jonathan Quick is getting consistent rest, and his back-up is one you can trust. Even better, the goaltending turntable has yet to show any negative mental effects from either Quick or Bernier. And if you look closely at Terry Murray‘s goalie decisions this year, they’re spot-on. He’s been able to decipher between the positive and negative effects of his goalie selections, which was not the case last season. Looking at the Western Conference standings, you’ll notice that the extra point for grabs in overtime and/or shootout games becomes quite crucial. Here, both Quick and Bernier have a huge effect. The pursuit of a second consecutive playoff berth hinges on every single point available, in every single game. Having two trustworthy goaltenders supporting a tumultuous roster helps the cause.

*Photo Credits:
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary: Getty Images/Ronald Martinez
Jonathan Bernier, Los Angeles Kings, Home Primary: Michael Zampelli

Throughout the remainder of the NHL season, ‘Dancing in the Reign’ will be recapping each week in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. Track the Kings’ push for a second consecutive playoff berth, see which teams are hot and who’s not, and note on key divisional and conference match-ups. This edition of Sunday Night Scoreboard Watch recaps the week of February 28 with a look ahead to the week of March 7.

——————————————–

The Week That Was: The six-game homestand endured with three contests at Staples Center this week. Unlike the perfect record attained the seven days prior, the Kings stumbled through the week with a 1-2-0 performance. The schedule wasn’t very favorable, calling for the Western Conference‘s top two slots and a Pacific Division opponent at-pace in the standings. The week started in ugly fashion, a 7-4 drubbing by way of the Detroit Red Wings. The Kings were certainly due for a letdown, as Monday night’s loss was their first in regulation in 14 games. Jonathan Bernier got the call from Terry Murray after the collapse, and returned to the crease in impressive form. Bernier proved to be the ultimate factor Thursday night, recording a shutout with 25 saves in a 1-0 victory against the Phoenix Coyotes. The last game on slate for the week welcomed the NHL‘s best Vancouver Canucks. The 3-1 loss to Vancouver on Saturday once again spotlighted inefficiency on the powerplay, and the offense as a whole. At week’s end, the Kings still find themselves maintaining playoff positioning in the Western Conference, and continue to be entrenched in the Pacific Division‘s pace-race.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                      GP     W     L     OT    PTS
San Jose                   66    38    22     6      82
Phoenix                    67    34    23    10     78
Dallas                       65    35    23     7      77
LOS ANGELES         65    36    25    4      76
Anaheim                  66     35    26     5      75

Pacific Division Notes: The San Jose Sharks continue to lead the division, and continue their rampid second-half push with an 8-2-0 record in their last ten games. Keeping pace has been the storyline for rest of the division, with just three points separating the 2nd place Phoenix Coyotes and the cellar’s Anaheim Ducks. A Pacific Division championship is still a reasonable possibility for all teams in the group, but should not attract focus. Of the 17 games remaining on the Kings’ regular season schedule, eight of those are against Pacific Division counterparts. This means 16 points at-hand for the Kings, plenty of opportunity for division movement.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                     GP     W     L    OT    PTS
5. Calgary               68    35    24    9      79
6. Phoenix              67    34    23    10     78
7. Dallas                 65    35    23    7      77
8. LOS ANGELES   65    36    25    4     76
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
9. Minnesota          66    34    25    7      75
10. Anaheim          66    35    26    5      75
11. Nashville          66    33    24    9      75
12. Columbus        64    31    26    7      69

Western Conference Notes: Just outside the range of my posted rankings, the Chicago Blackhawks sit at 4th place. They’ve won eight consecutive games, and nine of their last ten. Yet, they find themselves with only five points of security in the Western Conference‘s top eight. We’re finally seeing more separation in the standings as the regular season dwindles, with the Columbus Blue Jackets holding a 6-point gap from the heavily saturated group of contenders. However, Columbus has two games at-hand on the three teams ahead, making it difficult to jump to conclusions on the club’s chances. The Pacific Division continues to maintain a strong presence in the Conference, with the Anaheim Ducks the only team on the outside looking in. However, Orange County finds their team only one point from playoff positioning. The Kings’ remaining 17 games call for Western Conference opponents, eight of those within the Pacific Division. This doesn’t favor the Kings, as division games now account for heavy Western Conference implications.

The Week Ahead

Monday: VS. Dallas Stars
- Staples Center, 7:30 PM PST
Wednesday: AT Detroit Red Wings
- Joe Louis Arena, 4:30 PM PST
Friday: AT Columbus Blue Jackets
- Nationwide Arena, 4:00 PM PST
Sunday: AT Dallas Stars
- American Airlines Arena, 12:00 PM PST

The Week’s Outlook: The Dallas Stars hit the Kings’ calendar twice this week, the final two meetings of the season between the two clubs. To tab these dates ‘huge’ would be an overwhelming understatement. Dallas is just ahead of the Kings in both the Western Conference and Pacific Division, idle with 77 points, one-up on the Kings’ 76. Tomorrow night’s contest is the final installment of the Kings’ six-game stand at Staples Center, they’ll be back on the road for the next four dates. An opportunity for redemption presents itself on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. Monday night’s collapse against Detroit must be mentally dismissed for both the organization and it’s fans, and with Jonathan Quick in goal. Friday night presents the final meeting of the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Kings are 2-1-0 against Columbus this season. Columbus is arguably the hungriest team in the NHL right now. They’re flirting with disaster, 12th in the Western Conference with a points-gap that looks uglier by the hour. However, they have two games at-hand on the three teams ahead of them, which justifies their recognition in the Western Conference‘s playoff picture. From the looks of it, for the Kings, the playoffs have already begun. Big week, huge games.

Much attention will be directed toward the new-look first line tonight as Dustin Penner makes his debut in a Los Angeles Kings uniform. Rather than leveraging on the personal expectations that have followed Penner to Southern California, monitoring the effect he has on his new linemates is just as important. Anze Kopitar will maintain his role centering the group, with Wayne Simmonds filling the right-wing slot. This is where Penner’s effect catches my attention. Immediately weighing on personal performance, even for a player of Penner’s stature, must hinge on patience. His addition has already had a notable effect on the roster, with Dustin Brown moving to the third-line. Labeling this a demotion would be ludicrous, Brown is now expendable to fill a role that attributes more to his style. Wayne Simmonds now becomes the first-line’s dark horse, an excellent opportunity to re-establish himself as a primary component to this offense. Simmonds’ career in Los Angeles has set the precedent for the potential the organization drafted him for, continuing that development is key. For Simmonds, tonight provides resurgence to his growth within the organization.

Like most of the forwards on the roster, Wayne Simmonds has yet to stabilize himself with a consistent line. This has just as much to do with Terry Murray’s knack for roster shuffling as it does Simmonds’ performance. Tonight could initiate Simmond’s immunity from Murray’s carousel. Working alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Penner frees Simmonds to concentrate on his strengths, simplifying his game. He’s a consistent factor on both ends of the ice, steadfast on the forecheck and backcheck. He’s got scoring ability, speed, and a physical presence. To best utilize his capabilities, Simmonds needs guidance. The appropriate foundation has arrived to allow him to properly facilitate his skill. Pressure is now alleviated for Simmonds to force plays, now he fills a support role. And when you provide the support role to a player with Simmonds’ attributes, you’re opening greater possibilities. Simmonds enters the night hot, riding a three game point-streak recording three goals and an assist.

*Photo Credits:
Wayne Simmonds, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary – Michael Zampelli
Wayne Simmonds and Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, Home Primary – Associated Press

In it’s release, the Los Angeles Kings‘ 2010-2011 regular season schedule had me eyeing March 13th. This date is slated for a Sunday matinee in Texas, the Kings’ third and final trip to American Airlines Center to see the Dallas Stars. Was it the Pacific Division match-up that caught my attention? Nope. In order to elaborate, I’m targeting the media aspect of the Kings’ schedule. I’m talking National Television, do you dare associate the Los Angeles Kings with such a thing? Let’s push Versus Network and the NHL Network aside, please. Labeling those networks as honest national coverage is like claiming Marty Turco doesn’t suffer from reoccurring nightmares of failing to hold massive 3rd period leads at Staples Center. March 13th initially called for the Los Angeles Kings to appear in front of the nation’s public on NBC, that plan has been scrapped. NBC, the only cable television network currently operating under a contract with the NHL in the United States has further expressed it’s disinterest with hockey on the west coast. The consent initiating the NHL to agree with NBC clearly favors certain regions, dishonestly persuading the nation’s outlook on the professional hockey market.

But, they’re just trying to reel-in the casual fans, right? This network partnership, which is vying to rebuild the league’s fanbase is failing to expand appropriately. Instead, the conservative approach continues to be the network’s strategy, their comfort zone to attain reliable ratings. But really, what is reliable worth when you don’t experiment with the full-range market? As of Feburary 10th, the Los Angeles Kings and Dallas Stars were still scheduled to honor their March 13th appearance on NBC. Just three days later, that disappeared. Yes, I’m aware of NBC’s ‘flex scheduling’. If flex stands for Penguins, Capitals, Blackhawks, and Red Wings, that’s fitting terminology. So, who do we see instead on March 13th? If I said the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, would you be stupid enough to refute my claim? Of course not. Typical NBC. If they’re still hinging on Stanley Cup Champions and household names, they are not the seed for the NHL‘s broadcast rebirth. Until the National TV market expands, the Kings will continue to be hidden afterthoughts to the NHL‘s casual fan. Who knows, NBC may come crawling in late May.

When I claimed Anze Kopitar‘s numbers symbolized the desperate need for a deadline addition, this was the solution I was looking for. The Los Angeles Kings may not have deemed the most impressive team at the trade deadline, but the lone deal they struck can be argued as such. When you’re breaking down the transactions that took place throughout the NHL this past week, it’s quite difficult to find one sexier than what Dean Lombardi executed yesterday. The Kings acquired Edmonton Oilers‘ forward Dustin Penner, and the price at which – very favorable. For Penner, the Kings dealt defensive prospect Colten Teubert, who will join the Oklahoma City Barons, Edmonton’s American Hockey League affiliate. Teubert was the 13th overall selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, the Kings’ second overall pick behind Drew Doughty. For the Kings to gain a proven asset, it was no secret they were going to have to cut ties with a talented prospect. They did so, and targeted a position heavily saturated with skill throughout the organization – the defense. The Oilers also received the Kings’ 2011 1st round draft pick, as well as a conditional draft selection in 2012. Surrendering two draft selections is a cost the Kings can afford for the first time since Dean Lombardi’s inception as General Manager in 2006.

Colten Teubert is amidst his first full season of professional hockey. Teubert pursued his development after the draft splitting time with the Regina Pats of the WHL and the Ontario Reign of the ECHL. As far as his status with the Kings organization, Teubert was ingrained in one of the most impressive defensive assemblies in hockey. He was already staring at a stalwart blue-line set in Los Angeles, and his counterparts with the Manchester Monarchs mapped a long road to Teubert’s NHL career. He was alongside blue-line prospects Jake Muzzin, Vyacheslav Voynov, and Thomas Hickey. In 39 games with the Manchester Monarchs this season, Teubert recorded 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points. He beholds a pure defensive skill-set, and folks in Edmonton are already comparing him to a lanky Matt Greene. The Oilers have added a very promising asset to the club’s bright future. In Teubert, the Kings certainly parted ways with talent, but Dean Lombardi‘s success in building through the draft justifies the farewell.

The addition of Dustin Penner to the Kings’ lineup is exceptional. The pursuit of a top-six forward has been an issue for almost two years now. The extended hunt for a first-line left-winger has finally been put to rest, now supplying a proven forward to play alongside Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. A first-line of Penner-Kopitar-Brown has the capabilities of being lethal, lethal I tell you. Penner brings a physical presence that equates to Dustin Brown‘s, an unseemingly soft scoring touch for his 6’4″, 245 lb stature, and a dominant aptitude for positioning in front of the net. He will undoubtedly be implemented into the powerplay, providing another reliable fixture in the crease alongside Ryan Smyth. Penner has played in 62 games this season, tallying 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 points. His surroundings in Los Angeles are an immediate improvement to those in Edmonton, which provides more upside to the deal. His potential with the Kings is outrageously attractive, and he will certainly help in ensuring to expand on the capabilities this offense beholds.

*Photo Credits:
Dustin Penner – Edmonton Oilers, Away Primary: Canadian Press/Larry MacDougal
Colten Teubert – Los Angeles Kings, Draft Hat: Ottawa Citizen/Wayne Cuddington
Dustin Penner – Edmonton Oilers, Away Primary: Getty Images/Jeff Gross

December 11th presented the Kings with an intriguing project. When Marco Sturm was acquired that day, the Kings were hinging on reward for little cost, optimistic the Boston Bruins‘ veteran would find a way to bounce back from yet another knee injury. The Kings were undoubtedly taking a gamble on Sturm, who had been on Boston’s Injured Reserve since May 2010 with a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. However, there was reason to believe Marco Sturm would recover and instill his proven veteran presence to this offense. Sturm showed his ability to rebound from a knee injury last year. After tearing his left knee’s meniscus and ACL during the ’08-’09 season, Sturm bounced back with 22 goals, 15 assists, totaling 27 points in 76 games in ’09-’10. I maintained a positive outlook, claiming severe injuries to separate knees was better than reoccurring damage on just one. That was optimism, and we all know how that tends to pan-out. Knee tendinitis played role of the lingering after-effect, stunting Sturm’s opportunity to integrate into the Kings’ offense.

As foreshadowed by Terry Murray‘s harsh opinion after Thursday night’s return to Staples Center, Marco Sturm was placed on waivers Friday morning. Hours later, highly-touted prospect Andrei Loktionov suffered what looks to be a season-ending injury to his left shoulder in a game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, the only professional hockey organization to beat the Kings in regulation since January 20th. Loktionov filled Sturm’s void the past few weeks, returning to the Kings’ lineup for his second stint of the season, recording 3 goals and 2 assists in 12 games. Sturm’s return to the Kings’ lineup this week sent Loktionov back to the Manchester Monarchs on Sunday, a move questioned by many – including myself. Loktionov still provided a sense of security to Sturm’s injury history, with his duties just a phone call away. Instead, the hockey gods pulled the unthinkable. Just as the Kings allotted Marco Sturm for the taking to all NHL clubs via waivers, his replacement went down. Immediately, the 24-hour deadline for a team to retrieve Sturm triggered the nerves. The Washington Capitals claimed Marco Sturm early this morning, pounding the salt-shaker on Dean Lombardi‘s failed attempt to open roster options at the deadline. Instead, the Kings find themselves without Sturm, as well as the prospect responsible for upholding his void.

With the trade-deadline just hours away, the Kings find themselves shorthanded in unthinkable fashion. The options available within the organization aren’t very attractive. You’re talking players like Peter Harrold, Davis Drewiske, Kevin Westgarth, and Brad Richardson to mend the loss. Richardson aside, Marco Sturm and Andrei Loktionov are clearly better options, but no longer are they available. There’s still time for an addition, does Dean Lombardi counteract Friday’s losses with a deal? As for available forwards still on the market, the Kings could still be targeting four players; Brad Richards, David Booth, Dustin Penner, and Ales Hemsky. I don’t believe Friday’s occurrences strengthen Lombardi’s pursuit of a top-six forward, but they certainly trigger second thoughts when negotiating. Neither Sturm or Loktionov should be the cause of a knee-jerk rental acquisition, but their losses should ascend Lombardi’s hunt for a prioritized long-term offensive addition. Dean Lombardi‘s reputation for inactivity at the trade-deadline is further hampered by Friday’s bad timing. What remains to be seen is his reaction as the deadline approaches. Only time will tell, and there isn’t much left.

*Photo Credits:
Marco Sturm, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary – Getty Images/Thearon W. Henderson
Andrei Loktionov, Manchester Monarchs, Away Primary – Manchester Union Leader
Dean Lombardi – Getty Images/Juan Ocampo

It’s one thing for an elite player to have a supporting cast. It’s another thing for those surroundings to provide a boost. Among the reasons that justify Dean Lombardi making a deal by Monday afternoon, Anze Kopitar‘s offensive production may be the most telling. Through 59 games, Kopitar has recorded 17 goals and 38 assists, combined for 55 points. To label that as a poor stat-line would be a stretch, far from it; disappointing may be a better outlook. So what’s the reasoning for Kopitar’s decline in offensive production this year? Some may say the Kings have encouraged a stricter defensive gameplan for the centerman. His plus/minus rating attains to that theory, but that’s a statistic that many believe to be misleading. Kopitar is riding a +17 mark when on the ice. Here’s the bottom line; Anze Kopitar is making $6.8 million to be the Kings’ main offensive outlet, his defensive responsibilities shouldn’t hinder his point production. With the trade-deadline just six days away, Dean Lombardi must shop for an addition that feeds to rekindling Kopitar’s offensive potential.

Anze Kopitar has been the victim of inconsistent linemates for the past two seasons. His career-high mark of 81 points last year survived the carousel, but the irregularities of his surroundings may be starting to take a toll. Sometimes players have needs that must be honored by their organization; For the Kings and Kopitar, there’s no question that need is a top line left-winger. Adding a proven consistent offensive threat will open space for Kopitar, creating more opportunity. Targeted by opposition since the start of his NHL career, Kopitar’s game has been exposed. More time in the league has allowed teams to continually develop an approach in defending the Slovenian, which has undoubtedly had an affect on his game. Anze Kopitar is not the problem, finding a player who can work well with him on a consistent basis is. Kopitar needs a co-worker who attracts the defense, creating more space to work with, alleviating pressure and giving the green light to a pure offensive approach. If Dean Lombardi does in fact pull the trigger and bring fresh blood to Los Angeles, it’s got to be all or nothing. The player the Kings need, the player Kopitar needs, is going to cost the Kings a valued asset or two. If a respected name isn’t leaving Los Angeles if a trade is executed, then it’s not good enough. Steady may be comfortable, but that doesn’t translate into postseason success. The subtraction a trade will cost may be hard to swallow, but for Anze Kopitar, it’s addition by addition.

*PHOTO CREDITS
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, Away Primary: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings, Home Primary: Getty Images/Harry How

Throughout the remainder of the NHL season, ‘Dancing in the Reign’ will be recapping each week in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. Track the Kings’ push for a second consecutive playoff berth, see which teams are hot and who’s not, and note on key divisional and conference match-ups. This edition of Sunday Night Scoreboard Watch recaps the week of February 14 with a look ahead to the week of February 21.

——————————————————————

The Week That Was: The Kings extended their point-streak to 11 games, but the ride ended Saturday night in Long Island. The week’s results added up to a record of 1-1-1, the Kings earning three out of the possible six points on the board. Wednesday night kicked off the week in grand fashion. A 4-3 shootout victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets added two points to the record, but Kris Russell‘s game-tying goal with just 1:23 remaining in regulation pocketed the extra point for Columbus. The remainder of the week called for a long weekend in New York. The Kings returned to Madison Square Garden, the setting for Erik Ersberg‘s downfall. For the second straight season, Terry Murray called for the back-up goaltender on the road against the New York Rangers. Fortunately, Jonathan Bernier didn’t suffer the same effects. Bernier played well with 34 saves, while Matt Greene recorded his first goal of the season, tightening his ever-intriguing scoring race with co-worker Rob Scuderi. The week ended with a contest against the NHL‘s third-worst club, the New York Islanders. This may have been the ugliest performance of the season. Not much to say about it, not interested in analyzing Saturday’s nightmare. This was the first regulation loss for the Kings in 12 games, it was also the last Eastern Conference opponent of the season. The remainder of the season’s schedule calls for Western Conference counterparts, all three-point games.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                    GP       W         L       OT      PTS

Phoenix                 60       32       19        9       73
San Jose                 60       33       21        6       72
Dallas                    59       31       22        6       68
LOS ANGELES       59      32       23       4       68
Anaheim                60       32       24       4        68

Pacific Division Notes: Two things stand out looking at this week’s Pacfic Division lineup. The Los Angeles Kings have finally ended their vacancy in the basement, and the Dallas Stars have finally surrendered the top spot, dropping to third place. The Phoenix Coyotes stand atop with with a vengeance, winners of seven consecutive games. The Anaheim Ducks were without goaltender Jonas Hiller this week, he’s out indefinitely with recurring lightheadedness. Without Hiller, the Ducks allowed an astounding 21 goals in three losses, dropping them to last in the Pacific Division standings. The San Jose Sharks came just short of matching the Coyotes’ perfect week, picking up five points with a 2-0-1 record.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                      GP       W       L       OT        PTS
5. Nashville              59       31      20       8         70
6. Calgary                61       31      22       8         70
7. Minnesota            59       31      22       6         68
8. Dallas                  59       31      22       6         68
9. LOS ANGELES    59       32     23       4        68
10. Anaheim           60       32       24       4         68
11. Chicago            59       30       23       6         66
12. Columbus          58      29       23       6         64

Western Conference Notes: The headline of week looks to be the Calgary Flames, jumping to 6th place with three commanding victories scoring a combined 17 goals. They capped off the week in the spotlight in the NHL‘s 2nd Heritage Classic. Four clubs saturate the Western Conference‘s playoff boundary with 68 points respectively. The battle of 68 involves the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and the Anaheim Ducks. Three teams are just five points behind this group. Just as notable, the 68 point club is just five points behind the third place Phoenix Coyotes. How close it is. At this point, only two teams in the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings can be considered safe bets for playoff positioning. The St. Louis Blues are sliding back into contention with a 3-0-0 record this week, leaving the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers as the only two teams free to begin pondering their off-season plans.

The Week Ahead: As I noted earlier, the Kings faced their final Eastern Conference opponent of the season against the New York Islanders on Saturday. This makes regulation victories all the more important, as surrendering an extra point to a Western Conference counterpart at this point is too valuable. The franchise-record ten game road swing hits its final installment Wednesday night against the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings carry a 5-1-3 record on the trip, and have an opportunity to execute on an Anaheim club that is struggling without their starting goalie Jonas Hiller. The Kings return to Staples Center for the first time since January 26th to begin a six game homestand. The first guest in Los Angeles will be the Minnesota Wild, who stand with the Kings at 68 points. The week’s finale welcomes the Colorado Avalanche, one of the few teams out of the Western Conference playoff picture. All games continue to instill a must-win approach with two games against opponents sharing the Kings’ 68 point-total, and a no-excuses matchup with the free-falling Colorado Avalanche. Here’s to capping off the road swing, and continuing the push for a playoff position back in Los Angeles.

*PHOTO CREDITS
Matt Greene, Los Angeles Kings – GETTY IMAGES
Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes – ASSOCIATED PRESS
Curtis Glencross, Calgary Flames – ASSOCIATED PRESS

Throughout the remainder of the NHL season, ‘Dancing in the Reign’ will be recapping each week in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. Track the Kings’ push for a second consecutive playoff berth, see which teams are hot and who’s not, and note on key divisional and conference match-ups. This edition of Sunday Night Scoreboard Watch recaps the week of February 7 with a look ahead to the week of February 14.

——————————————————————

The Week That Was: The week started with a four-day break from action as the Kings prepared for an East Coast swing which called for a contest on Thursday night and a pair of matinees on Saturday and Sunday. The Kings, with a 2-0-1 record this week, have recorded at least one point in their last ten games with a record of 8-0-2. The injury-ridden Pittsburgh Penguins were the downpoint to the week, the Penguins recovered from a shocking loss to the New York Islanders with a 2-1 overtime victory with the Kings in town. Jordan Staal continued his strong return to Pittsburgh’s lineup with the OT decider against the Kings. Saturday afternoon called for 3rd period goals in bed. In what was a 9:30 AM puck-drop Pacific Standard Time, the Kings’ overwhelmed the Washington Capitals with three unanswered third period goals, leaving the Nation’s Capital with a 4-1 victory. You couldn’t have asked for a sweeter finale on Sunday, the Kings knocked off the Eastern Conference‘s elite with a 1-0 shutout victory. The win snapped the Philadelphia Flyers‘ three game win streak, a team who is also a stellar 13-3-0 in their last 16 contests. Anze Kopitar tallied his first goal in 11 games in Washington, just his second goal in his previous 20. Goaltenders Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier enter the week on good terms allowing only 3 goals combined with no regulation losses.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                GP     W       L      OT      PTS

Dallas               56     31       19       6         68
Anaheim           57     32       21       4         68
Phoenix            57     29       19       9         67
San Jose           57     30        21      6         66
Los Angeles   56     31      22       3         65

Pacific Division Notes: Although the Kings have grabbed points in ten consecutive games, they continue to vacate the cellar of the Pacific Division. The San Jose Sharks, who jumped to 2nd in the division last week find themselves back in 4th with a 2-2-0 record this week. The Dallas Stars manage to maintain the top slot with a 1-1-1 record following three consecutive losses. They’ve surrendered their cushion with a 3-6-1 record in their last ten games. The Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks continue to win, both clubs snagging six points this week with 3-0-0 records respectively.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                   GP      W      L      OT       PTS
5. Nashville           56      30     19      7        67
6. Phoenix             57      29     19      9        67
7. San Jose            57      30      21      6       66
8. Minnesota         55      30      20      5       65
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
9. Los Angeles   56      31     22      3       65
10. Calgary           58      28      22      8       64
11. Chicago           56     28      22      6       62
12. Columbus       56      28      23      5       61

Western Conference Notes: For the second consecutive week the Kings pocketed five out of the possible six points on the board. Even without a regulation loss, the Kings dropped out of the top eight, just goes to show how tight things are this year. The Pacific Division remains a stronghold in the playoff picture with the Kings as the only team in the group out of playoff position. A week away from the Western Conference allowed for point-implications to center in on this team, with extra points only available to the Eastern Conference. The previous two weeks have done little in separating contenders from pretenders, which may have an effect on moves initiated at the trade-deadline. The only way to keep pace in the conference is with wins. Three teams are within striking distance of the Kings’ 9th slot, with only 4 points separating the 12th seeded Columbus Blue Jackets. Add the Colorado Avalanche to the list of outsiders, they’re sinking fast with seven consecutive losses. You can safely count out the St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers from playoff contention as well. 12 out of the 15 teams in the Western Conference are wholeheartedly in the playoff hunt. Not a ton of room for error.

The Week Ahead: Three games are slated for the week, two more contests with Eastern Conference opponents along with the third meeting of the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The franchise-record ten game road trip hits it’s 7th, 8th, and 9th installments with a Midwest twist. The Kings start the week in Ohio against a Blue Jackets team that is riding two consecutive wins, just four points behind the Kings in the Western Conference. The remainder of the week calls for New York, Thursday night at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers and Saturday night in Uniondale against the Islanders. The Rangers hold the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference, the Islanders own the 14th position. Extra points are for the taking in New York, but Wednesday night’s visit to Columbus can’t afford much but a regulation victory.