I really like that picture to the right, a lot. Is it because of the intensity of the shot? Nah. The black and white effect? Nah. Because Kevin Westgarth‘s face is blacked out? Yes. Look, I wouldn’t take shots at the guy all of the time if Terry Murray STOPPED PUTTING HIM IN THE LINEUP. JEEZ. The Kings showed their ability to hang with the San Jose Sharks Thursday night, and it’s vital that they don’t fall back on that precedent. Everyone knows who the favorite is, who’s expected to win, that we’re without our best asset in Anze Kopitar, and now our key player in the face-off circle and secondhand scoring outlet Jarret Stoll. The excuses could go on, but I expect nothing less from this club than what they showed Thursday, only with fewer miscues. As for the first installment of the playoff round, all who were expecting a Sharks win – myself included, were right. But not exactly, as the Sharks just barely muscled out the win in Overtime on a very well executed odd-man rush. Which brings me to the point that staggers in my mind as the single-most important aspect to the Kings having a chance in this series: Conservative defense, say it with me now. The back-end of this team is what’s going to win games, plain and simple. Capiche? Capiche.

Hey fellas, thinkin’ what I’m thinking?

And it ain’t politics.

To have any chance, defense must be stressed as the primary factor every shift. That will feed to Jonathan Quick‘s success, and will provide the forwards with more opportunity to transition off of turnovers. You look at the Sharks’ game-winning goal Thursday night, and notice how vulnerable we can be when our defense creeps into the offensive zone. Especially in overtime, we cannot afford to be playing with the puck up-top, granted there’s powerplay and/or ample time and space available. Neither of those were the case. You give San Jose open opportunity, and we’re all but finished. We maintained that mindset throughout, but faltered at a terrible time. Now, I will call myself out here. If Alec Martinez does control that puck, and/or Wayne Simmonds is able to posses it, you’ve got a prime scoring chance in the works. That’s playing the risk and reward game, guess how that turned out.

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Stoll-en from the Lineup

Jarret Stoll will serve a one-game suspension for his hit on Ian White. Don’t enjoy saying it, but Stoll deserved the suspendo. So, how did Oscar Moller end up filling his void?

Hey, looks like Oscar’s playoff beard is improving by the year!

I’d be grouchy myself if I was victim of seriously questionable roster choices, time after time. Well, the Kings opted not to call up Brayden Schenn after his team was eliminated from the WHL playoffs. Even though he still had a one-game cushion before burning a year off of his NHL contract, the Kings looked the other way. Not saying I like the decision, but can’t hate it. Maybe playing it a little too safe, Dean? The kid could’ve come out and had a huge influence, even for just one game. And hey, who knows, maybe the Kings would’ve sought burning a year off of his deal worth his addition.

The Kings then pursued calling up John Zeiler from the Manchester Monarchs. What?

Zeiler couldn’t clear waivers in time for the NHL to grant his presence to the Kings’ lineup tonight, so Oscar Moller slips back into Terry Murray‘s notepad again. Moller will manage his duties on the 4th line, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see some in-game shuffling for the Swede. He’s solid in winning races to loose pucks, especially on the forecheck. He won’t necessarily win those battles, but he’ll certainly disrupt the opponent enough to have an impact.

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Trap Game

This is most definitely a trap game for the Kings tonight, but the other way around. Usually when you’re talking this terminology, it means overlooking a sullen opponent and losing because of it. For tonight, it’s about the Kings not expecting to be neck and neck with the Sharks like the case was Thursday. A heartbreaking loss like that can often translate into a complete abomination in the contest to follow. Don’t come out just as hard, come out harder – with a vengeance. Focus on maintaining stay-at-home defense, protect Jonathan Quick, and execute on every offensive opportunity available. Get back what they took from you on Thursday, and head to Los Angeles with home-ice advantage.

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*Photo Credit:
Kyle Clifford, Jack Johnson, Kevin Westgarth – SharksPage at www.sharkspage.com

We’re less than 24 hours away, folks. The opening contest of the Western Conference Quarterfinals series between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks is slated for 7:00 PM PST tomorrow night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The two Pacific Division clubs will meet in the postseason for the first time in NHL history, the same year in which all California-based teams have qualified for the playoffs. Below, I’ll break down the series outlook, take a look back at their six meetings this season, note on key factors for the Kings, updates with analysis, and a prediction. Hey, and way to go NBC, no shock there. I bet it’s because Pierre Mcguire‘s forehead can’t fit into an airplane, that could explain the unbalanced regional telecasts.

These guys sure look ready, ARE YOU?!?

Maybe something a bit stronger, Anze.

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Season Series

Taking a look back on the six games played between the Sharks and Kings, you’ve got your share of lopsided scores, but the season series played out evenly with both teams going 3-3-0. San Jose outscored the Kings 18-13 in regulation, but the Kings were able to snag wins in both contests that extended to extra shots. Both teams have recorded shutouts in the meetings, Jonathan Quick on December 27 and Antti Niemi on January 1. The final meeting of the season was one you’d like to forget, the Kings got dropped like 5th period algebra in a 6-1 nightmare. However, that has failed to really have any significant lingering after-effect. An off-night for Jonathan Quick – he’s human, and a complete collapse by the defense. And of course, out Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Both aspects have recovered in decent form, and Williams looks to be making a postseason return. That’s a good thing, even if at 80%. As for venues, both the Kings and Sharks went 2-1-0 on home-ice, and 1-2-0 on the road.

November 15:   Los Angeles     3 @   San Jose   6
December 27:   Los Angeles   4 @    San Jose    0
January 1:         Los Angeles     0 vs    San Jose  1
January 26:       Los Angeles   3 vs    San Jose   2   SO
March 24:         Los Angeles   4 vs    San Jose   3   SO
April 2:             Los Angeles     1  @    San Jose  6

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Keys to the Series:

Not talking car keys, but some solid f*cking defense.

*FUN FACT: Davis Drewiske ALSO ties Matt Greene’s skates.

*** Maintaining Quick: Goaltending is going to be an enormous factor for the Kings, much like the defense. Jonathan Quick is coming off of six consecutive starts, going 2-4-0 during the season-ending string. He’ll need to be solid, the Sharks have the clear advantage on the offensive side. Jonathan Bernier‘s previous start resulted in a shutout performance in Edmonton on March 29. Bernier logged 34 minutes of ice in relief of Quick on April 4, but you can hardly leverage anything on that. Bernier hasn’t shown signs of rust after lengthy periods on the bench, and he’ll have to do the same this time around.

*** Conservative Defense: This is how the Kings, coupled with goaltending, are going to win in the playoffs. It’s the best thing going for them right now, and it has been throughout the season; granted a few breakdowns. As long as the Kings’ zone is clogged and Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier are protected from odd-man rushes and open scoring opportunities, we can maintain the Sharks. Sticking to a consistent defensive scheme is crucial, its not their responsibility to make up for lost assets on offense. After Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams went down with injuries, too often did the defense get caught deep in the opponent’s zone. If the Kings’ defense can create turnovers and instability for the Sharks’ offense, that feeds to offensive opportunity for our forwards. Which brings me to…

*** Executing on Mistakes: And this is huge. We’re not going to see many comprehensive end-to-end offensive pursuits with the roster we’re icing. The forwards must work with our defense. This means being in position to transition on loose pucks, turnovers, and tight coverage. They’re going to have to fill support roles, and be able to hound on any small opportunity available.

*** Forecheck: Another major factor in the Kings’ offense creating opportunities. Grungy goals, plain and simple. Eliminating cluster and troubles in the neutral zone must be avoided with getting the puck deep, and hounding. You’ve got to work San Jose’s roster for everything they’re worth. Continue to dump the puck, and disrupt on the forecheck. Here, you’re keeping the defense in safe position, while implementing constant penetration against San Jose’s defense.

*** Special Teams: If the Kings can solve their powerplay woes, it could be the deciding factor in the series. This has hampered the offense throughout the season, and the Kings didn’t end the regular season on good terms with the man-advantage. A powerplay is an opportunity, and opportunities are going to be the storyline for this offense. Any chance they get, they must take advantage. Traffic, shots, smooth entrance into the zone, it’s vital. As for the penalty-kill, you can’t head into tomorrow night feeling nervous about it’s stability. Defensive zone coverage a man-down has been a consistently solid aspect throughout the season. If you think we can afford powerplay goals to San Jose, you’ve got another thing coming.

He’s Back!

It’s official, Justin Williams will be in the lineup tomorrow night in the series opener. Williams has been skating with the Kings for the past few days, even participating in contact drills. He was cleared by the medical staff, and gave Terry Murray the “good to go” after today’s practice. Huge, even if he’s not at 100%. Williams accounted for 57 points with 22 goals and 35 assists until missing the final nine games of the regular season after suffering a separated left shoulder. His recovery was a lot faster than initially perceived, his presence is huge. It has yet to be determined what line Williams will group with tomorrow night, but you’ve got to be grateful for the simple fact that he’s back in the lineup. Just-in time? Nope, it’s Justin Time!

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Prediction

San Jose Sharks in 6 games.

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Series Schedule

Game 1: Thursday, April 14, 7:00 PM PST – HP Pavilion

Game 2: Saturday, April 16, 7:00 PM PST – HP Pavilion

Game 3: Tuesday, April 19, 7:30 PM PST – Staples Center

Game 4: Thursday, April 21, 7:30 PM PST – Staples Center

Game 5: Saturday, April 23, 7:30 PM PST – HP Pavilion

Game 6: Monday, April 25, Time TBD – Staples Center

Game 7: Wednesday, April 27, Time TBD – HP Pavilion

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Don’t Forget!

Make Sure to head over to KingsCast on Facebook for your chance to win a Bernie Nicholls autographed stick blade! Just hit us up with your prediction for the series, and the winners are entered into a raffle for the prize!

A sad day it was for the Los Angeles Kings community. Tanner Raboin, an avid fan, passed away this morning from his lengthy battle with Chronic Granulomotous Disorder. My thoughts and prayers are with the Raboin family, who have been a fixture among Kings fans since the mid-1980′s. It is only due respect to take a moment and grieve such a sorrowful loss. Here’s to the Kings making an honest push for the Stanley Cup in honor of Tanner Raboin. To get the full, in-depth story on Tanner, head over to Mayors Manor. R.I.P.

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There’s no easy way to transition to basic news, but there were some promising looks today in El Segundo at this morning’s practice. The Kings, who are just three days away from the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the San Jose Sharks, may not head into the Shark-Tank on Thursday night as short-handed as initially thought.

Looks like Alexei Ponikarovsky is giving Kyle Clifford a hard-time about the shiner that’s warped his left-eye. Funny thing is, that internal bleeding is probably better at maintaining puck possession in the corners than you, Alexei.

It may have more points, too.

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Just-in Time?

Justin Williams seems to be recovering from his shoulder injury at quite the pace. Suffering a separated shoulder on March 21st against the Calgary Flames, Williams was tabbed to miss up to six weeks. However, it is possible to see Williams on Thursday night in the postseason opener. On the ice today, Williams took part in contact drills, which is as good of a sign as you’re going to get from a victim of a separated shoulder. Talk about what would be a crucial return, Williams allotted 57 points with 22 goals and 35 assists before the injury. Even if not at 100% the Kings will gladly take what they can get, as the depth of the roster has seen a steep decline in talent since the recent string of injuries. Williams, who returned to the roster late last season after missing three-plus months to a broken leg, was a complete non-factor in the playoffs. The difference this time around, Williams has missed just about three weeks, and has been able to continue his lower-body conditioning. Further analysis will feed a stronger memo from the Kings tomorrow regarding Williams’ status. By the looks of it, I’d expect to see Justin Williams in the first-round, but not necessarily in the first game.

Who?

Things are also looking good for Scott Parse, who has played in just five games this season. Parse has been hampered by a hip injury he suffered in August during training camp. After more than a month of rehab, Parse attempted a return in early November that was cut short after five games. His short-stint was quite impressive, etching his name onto the score-sheet four times with a goal and three assists. Unfortunately, his ailing hip called the party. After a successful surgery and five months of rehabilitation, it looks as though Parse may be yet another last-minute addition to the Kings’ playoff roster. However, I can’t see Parse’s return more likely than that of Williams. Not only has he been out since mid-November, but his strength and conditioning has been idle. Just as important as the surgery itself is the strengthening of the muscles and tendons that support the affected area. Is it worth it for the Kings to bring back Parse at this point, or is four more months of rest and conditioning the smarter tactic for the long-term? Needless to say, if he’s cleared and willing to go, hop on board at-will, Scott.
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*Photo Credits:
Tanner Raboin: Mayors Manor, at ‘Mayors Manor’ on Facebook, and www.mayorsmanor.com
Kyle Clifford and Alexei Ponikarovsky: Meg Jarrell, at ‘Kings Court’ on Facebook, and at www.lakingscourt.blogspot.com
Justin Williams: Michael Zampelli
Scott Parse: Michael Zampelli

Solidifying their status in the NHL playoffs was the farthest the Kings went in handling their own destiny. The rest was shelved on two consecutive losses to the Anaheim Ducks, and a Detroit Red Wings victory this afternoon. Although a few contests do remain on the NHL‘s regular season slate, none have any relevance to the Kings. The final horn in today’s contest between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks officially stamped the Kings’ first-round opponent as the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks’ 2nd seeding matches with the Kings’ 7th spot, with home-ice set in Northern California. The series is tabbed to start Thursday night in San Jose. The official dates, times, and venues will be released by the NHL at 7:00PM PST tonight. I’ll provide those along with a full preview of the San Jose Sharks – Los Angeles Kings Western Conference Quarterfinal series early in the week here at ‘Dancing in the Reign’. In the meantime, a few tidbits on the NHL going Pacific.

California Love

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The California Republic is sending all three of its NHL clubs to the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. That’s three-times more than what the entire country of Canada is representing for the postseason. Crazy, eh? Since the trio was completed with the Anaheim Ducks‘ inauguration in 1993, not once has every California team qualified for the postseason in the same year. The San Jose Sharks finish the season at 2nd place in the Western Conference, the Anaheim Ducks at 4th, and the Los Angeles Kings at 7th. Stanley Cup dreams, California dreamin’.

Playoffs on the Pacific

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The NHL is seeing a lot of ‘firsts’ develop as the 2011 playoff tree approaches full-blossom. The Dallas Stars are the lone team in the Pacific Division sitting on the outside looking in. However, they can slide into the Western Conference‘s eighth and final playoff spot with a victory tonight against the Minnesota Wild. Dallas needs two points, and they must come with a victory in regulation or overtime. If they advance to a shootout, Chicago claims the tie-breaker and clinches the final playoff spot. They need two points without a shootout, plain and simple. The Stars own the tie-breaker with the Chicago Blackhawks at the moment, they’ll send the defending Stanley Cup Champions to the golf course a bit early with a non-shootout victory tonight. If the Stars do in fact pull off a win, this will be the first time since the NHL‘s division realignment in 1993 that an entire division qualifies for the postseason. Maybe a little more respect for the oft-forgotten NHL teams located in tropical climates, no?

 

No ‘subtitle’ option for hockey games, yet people can do everything but put food in their mouth with their cell phones these days. If I heard one more heavy-treble alternative rock song in the background of tonight’s broadcast, or during commercial-cuts which were just as guilty as Honda Center, I probably wouldn’t have done anything. But it was really annoying, and added to the lengthy ‘con’ list of everything having to do with Orange County. The music selection coincided with the night’s results, the Kings falling by a score of 2-1 to the Anaheim Ducks, who clinched a playoff berth with the victory. That’ll upset the gut.

And to top it off, these two trolls ran their mouths all night since Bob and Jim took the night off.
Take the ‘hlers’ out of ‘Ahlers’, and replace it with ‘sshole’. Then, take the ‘ayward’ out of ‘Hayward’ and replace it with ‘orrible announcer’.
There, that’s good.

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Western Conference Standings, At 81 Games

TEAM                     GP     W     L      OT     PTS
4. Nashville              81   44    26     11       99
5. Phoenix               81    43    25     13       99
6. LOS ANGELES     81   46    29     6        98
7. Anaheim              81    46    30     5         97
8. Chicago               81    44    28     9         97
9. Dallas                  81    42    28     11       95

81 Deep: The NHL‘s final weekend couldn’t look any better, each club approaches their 82nd regular season contest with an array of positioning possibilities. The top seven spots have been clinched in the Western Conference, with two teams still in pursuit of the 8th and final spot. The Chicago Blackhawks have control over their own destiny, they clinch with just one point attained in their final game against the Detroit Red Wings. The Dallas Stars need a regulation victory against the Minnesota Wild, and a regulation loss for Chicago in order to qualify. If that happens, it will be the first time in NHL history that an entire division qualifies for the postseason. For the Kings, they can finish anywhere from 4th to 8th in the Western Conference. It all hinges on one game, it’s either home-ice advantage or a seriously scary first round opponent.

Terry’s Quick

I’m going to bring up an issue that doesn’t deserve acknowledgment right now, due to Jonathan Quick‘s uncanny performance tonight. The guy stood on his head, but Jonathan Bernier should have gotten Terry Murray‘s call. I’m heavy on the mental aspect of the goaltender game, and Murray slipped again. Look, Jonathan Quick got the opportunity to redeem himself after the debacle in San Jose, why not utilize tonight as an opportunity to express both trust and respect to your backup? Tonight wasn’t a ‘must-win’, but a huge-win game. Seemed sensible to me, now you’ve got Quick going five straight starts heading into the postseason, assuming he gets the call tomorrow night. Bernier’s seen just 34 minutes of ice since his shutout performance in Edmonton on March 29th. It’s tough to argue the issue when Jonathan Quick stands on his head, at least the goalie situation is a lot healthier than this point last season.

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It’s Kings – Ducks for the regular season finale tomorrow night in Los Angeles. Both teams have clinched playoff spots, the game simply determines positioning in the Western Conference‘s playoff picture. Tomorrow night will also be the final night in which the black “Los Angeles” hem-line uniforms will be worn this season. The Kings have again opted to don the alternate uniforms at Staples Center for the playoffs. Not only is it the final time they’ll be worn this season, but the final time as a ‘primary’ uniform. They’ll be the alternates next season, with 10-15 appearances. Tonight was the final showing of the white ‘Los Angeles’ hem-line uniforms in regular season action. This design will be scrapped permanently at the end of the campaign, but will grace the team on the road throughout the postseason.

Say the pressure’s off the shoulders, take pride in labeling them an underdog, and have more faith than a chapel on a Sunday morning, but you can’t ignore the fact that this isn’t the roster we planned on leading us into the postseason. With just three games remaining on the Kings’ regular season slate, things look alright – but don’t necessarily feel that way. We’ll be looking for another taste of Midwest magic tonight. If the Columbus Blue Jackets win, the Kings are in. However, it’s always better to control your own destiny. It would take a complete collapse for the Kings to not etch their name into the NHL‘s playoff tree for the second consecutive season. The Kings would have to lose all three remaining contests, with the Dallas Stars winning their final four. After last night’s 6-1 drubbing by way of the San Jose Sharks, the final three games must instill rejuvenation. Below, I’ll break down the five key components that must attract focus for this club’s survival.

The Remaining Three, They’re Key: This is a seriously vulnerable team without Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams in the lineup. In their first opportunity to clinch a playoff spot last night, the Kings dropped a dud. The 6-1 San Jose slugging exposed the Kings’ defense and goaltending in the harshest manner we’ve seen since February. With three games remaining, the Kings need two victories; Not for playoff positioning, but for confidence and momentum. This team needs something positive to feed off of entering the postseason terribly shorthanded. A date with the Phoenix Coyotes, and two with the Anaheim Ducks. Both playoff teams, and both possible first-round opponents. The Kings most certainly have to pocket some points before the postseason arrives. Don’t let last night’s monstrosity be the kicker, it is crucial to segway into the Western Conference Quarterfinals on a positive note – especially with the injuries that have bruised the roster.

Goalie Carousel – Keep It Moving: Miserable performances from Jonathan Quick AND Jonathan Bernier last night. There’s one way for Terry Murray to react to the collapse last night, and that’s with consistency. You’ve gotta go Quick-Bernier-Quick for the remaining three games. With this, you provide our starter with an immediate chance to abolish last night’s disaster. Just as important, Jonathan Bernier gets another start before the postseason. Two opportunities for Quick to regain composure, and continuity for Bernier. You’ve got to establish clean trust in both goaltenders with the playoffs so close, while providing opportunity for both to enter the postseason on good terms.

Conservative-ism: With our top two goal scorers out of the lineup, the Kings must stick to conservative play. Our defense, Drew Doughty especially, has been caught deep in the offensive zone making extra efforts to create scoring chances. The aggressive mindset isn’t terrible to see, but the opposing odd-man rushes that have ensued from the defense pinching is a problem this roster can’t afford. This was spotlighted in Thursday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks, which materialized two of their tallies. Last night posed the same issue, it’s crucial that the same approach is taken in the defensive zone as it would be if our offense was healthy. Unfortunately, the defense and goaltending is going to determine the outcomes of games for the remainder of the year. The first priority must be establishing solid presence in our own zone. Scoring will have to hinge on turnovers, neutral zone transition, and puck control in the offensive zone.

Act Your Age, Ryan: I’m appalled at how drastically, and how quickly Ryan Smyth‘s production has curtailed. Smyth has 11 points in the previous 29 games, split with just 2 goals and 9 assists. His numbers, if you want to call them that, may not even be the worst part. His overall presence on the ice has taken a serious downfall. He looks sluggish, he’s been slow on the forecheck, he isn’t establishing any presence in front of the net, and just looks downright exhausted. Smyth turned away a lot of off-season criticism with a strong first-half, and suddenly the critics may have a point. He doesn’t look 34, he looks 40. You talk about veterans who need to step-up to subdue the losses of Kopitar and Williams, and Smyth is on that list. Dustin Brown and Michal Handzus have answered the call, where are you Ryan?

Westgarth’s Gotta Go: I’ve shared my displeasure with Kevin Westgarth numerous times throughout the season. Now, I can do that with more confidence. Those who refuted a claim that Westgarth shouldn’t be getting ice vouched for his “protection” of the team’s superstars. Well, no more Anze to tend to, get Westgarth off the ice. Not to mention, players whose abilities don’t go farther than playing the ‘enforcer’ role are not valued like they once were. More clubs are icing two-way tough guys, players who can contribute in some other fashion than throwing fists. We’ve got that player in Kyle Clifford. Shouldn’t we be worrying about dressing offensive outlets rather than ‘enforcer’ types, anyway? For the love of god, you’ve got Peter Harrold wasting away on the bench. Yes, wasting. A swingman who can play both sides of the ice, and has a bit of an offensive touch in his repertoire. Does anything else need to be said, Terry? Sheesh.
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*PHOTO CREDITS:
Jack Johnson, Los Angeles Kings, Home Primary: Michael Zampelli
Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings, Home Primary: Associated Press
Ryan Smyth, 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 March 28 with a look ahead to the week of April 4.

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The Week That Was: You’d think the Kings’ results from the week’s schedule would have fans ecstatic. With three victories and six points added to the name, the Kings slide into 5th place in the Western Conference. However, the week’s success came at a terribly expensive cost. Justin Williams and Anze Kopitar both suffered serious injuries, they’ll be out for the remainder of the regular season – and more. The Calgary Flames were the first opponent of the week, a club that is fighting to find it’s place in the conference’s top eight. The Kings kept the Flames on the outskirts, picking up two points in a 2-1 victory via shootout. San Jose’s final trip to Los Angeles called for a shootout as well, and the Kings were again successful in winning the breakaway battle. The 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks tacked on another two points, and some confidence as well – beating a club that is atop the Pacific Division and tied for 2nd place in the Western Conference. The week’s finale had the makings of a ‘trap’ game for the Kings. An afternoon affair, and against the sunken Colorado Avalanche. Focus and strategy was maintained, the Kings reeling off a 4-1 victory in smooth fashion. An eerie silence took over the Staples Center atmosphere after Anze Kopitar hobbled off the ice in pain, our beloved star now out for the first time in his NHL career.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                 GP     W     L     OT     PTS
San Jose              76    44    23     9        97
Phoenix              77    41    25    11       93
LOS ANGELES    75   43    26    6        92
Anaheim             75    42    28     5        89
Dallas                 74    38    26    10       86

Pacific Division Notes: Quite frankly, the Pacific Division standings instill very little meaning at this point. If one thing sticks out from this week’s division stat-line, it’s the downfall of the Dallas Stars. With a 1-3-2 record in their last six games, they’re slowly solidifying their status in the division’s basement. The Stars are the only club in the Pacific Division out of playoff positioning, but they’re only two points out of contention with games in-hand. The Kings are the hottest team of the group, and have two games in-hand on the Phoenix Coyotes, who are one point ahead. Once again, the Western Conference picture is where the true postseason relevance lies.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                      GP     W     L     OT     PTS
3. San Jose               76     44    23    9        97
4. Phoenix               77     41    25    11      93
5. LOS ANGELES    75    43    26    6        92
6. Nashville             76     41    25    10       92
7. Anaheim             75     42    28    5         89
8. Chicago              74     40    26    8         88
9. Calgary               77     38    28    11       87
10. Dallas               74     38    26    10       86

Western Conference Notes: The Nashville Predators are rolling, and are now riding a six game win-streak. With the Kings perfect week, they are now just one point from attaining positioning for home-ice in the first round of the playoffs. Realistic contention goes no further than the 10th-seed Dallas Stars, where an eight-point gap separates the 11th-seed Minnesota Wild. As for the two teams sitting outside the conference’s playoff picture but still fully entrenched in contention, the Calgary Flames don’t have the best outlook. Sure, they’re just one point behind the Anaheim Ducks, but have played three more games than both teams surrounding them. The possibility of all Pacific Division clubs making the playoffs is still strong, with the Dallas Stars just two points from completing the puzzle. Not only have the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings never qualified for the postseason in the same year, but never has a division sent all of it’s teams to the playoffs. History will certainly be made, in one aspect or the other.

The Week Ahead

- March 28 Through April 3 -
Tuesday: AT Edmonton Oilers
Rexall Place, 6:30 PM PST
Thursday: AT Vancouver Canucks
Rogers Arena, 7:00 PM PST
Saturday: VS Dallas Stars
Staples Center, 1:00 PM PST

The Week’s Outlook: Another three-game slate for the Kings this week, they’ll hit the road for two contests and return to Los Angeles for another Saturday matinee. The Kings will head off to Western Canada to face the Western Conference‘s worst Edmonton Oilers. Much like Colorado, the Oilers are another opponent considered a ‘trap’ for playoff contenders. The Kings will be looking for the season-sweep against Edmonton, carrying a 3-0-0 record against into Dustin Penner‘s homecoming. Next on tap is the Vancouver Canucks, a club that has been battered by injuries much like the Kings. They’re hot, winners of three straight, and stand atop the NHL with 109 points. The Kings are 2-1-0 against Vancouver this season, and will look to take the season series in yet another crucial contest. The week’s finale calls for another Saturday afternoon affair at Staples Center. This will be the last meeting of the season against the Dallas Stars, a team the Kings have handled well with a 3-1-1 record against. Another scary opponent, as the Stars are just outside of the Western Conference‘s playoff picture. The Kings will be shorthanded in the offensive department, moving on without injured ingredients in Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Defense and goaltending will be key from here on out, as offensive production will leverage on sound performances in the defensive zone.

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*Photo Credits:
Alec Martinez, Los Angeles Kings – Home Primary: Michael Zampelli
Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars – Home Primary: Associated Press
Mike Fisher, Ryan Suter, Nashville Predators – Home Primary: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
Oscar Moller, Anze Kopitar, Willie Mitchell, Los Angeles Kings – Home Alternate: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

Yet another depressing result to a Saturday matinee in Los Angeles, but this time it’s not due to the scoreboard. I type tonight without much motivation, but the reactions I’m seeing from the fanbase have me seeking some sort of closure on the day’s horrific loss. The Kings had no problem tacking on two points against the Colorado Avalanche, however that came at a steep cost…with no receipt. Anze Kopitar is done, the Kings’ leading scorer is out for six weeks with a fractured ankle. You talk about stomach churning, talk about the text message I received from Keith Korneluk today. Oh, and video of Kopitar’s injury. Out of respect, I won’t link video footage, you can go searching for that yourself if you desire. The shot caught on replay immediately tabbed Kopitar’s ankle-turn as a serious concern, the locker room X-Ray confirmed it. He’ll get a more in-depth look on Monday with an MRI. *Insert a bunch of senseless whining and crying here* I’ll be moving on with reality in the next paragraph, if you’d like to join me.

No one on this roster is going to replace the offensive presence Kopitar beheld, I think that’s a no-brainer. We’re coupling the loss of Kopitar with that of Justin Williams, who hit the injured reserved just days ago with a separated shoulder. That’s two assets of the first-line…gone, in a matter of days. Thankfully, this roster has developed some depth on the offensive side, where a lot of chipping away will be needed to make up for the value lost. A group effort it must be, where secondary assets must shoulder primary responsibilities. Dustin Brown, who’s shown some resurgance as of late, needs to continue that drive with consistency. Players like Jarret Stoll, Michal Handzus, and Wayne Simmonds need to be inking their name on the scoresheet…consistently. I’m killing the term, and it’s not due to my grammar capabilities. Look, enough of these streaky point-parties that we’ve been getting from the majority of the roster throughout the season. There’s no secret that full-on group efforts are a must from here on out. The goals may come ugly, and so may the wins. But at this point, you take what you can get. Can we get it? That’s the nauseating lingering aftermath to Kopitar’s injury.

Turn to the defense folks, because that’s what the remainder of the season hinges on. In order to give this offense opportunities to subdue the losses of Kopitar and Williams, the defense must continue it’s stalwart play. The Kings are an impressive 6th-best in the NHL with just 2.39 goals allowed per game. The Kings are also a respectable 4th-best in the NHL with an 85.8% success rate on the penalty kill; not to mention they’ve cleared 40 of 41 of the opponents’ previous powerplays. The goaltending has been terrific as well, Jonathan Quick is clearly in better spirits than he was at this point last season, getting more rest with the dependable Jonathan Bernier in the back-up slot. For the back-end of this roster, the gameplan must continue to be stressed as if today never happened. If solid play can continue to be attained, the more opportunity for the hampered offense to make up for two crucial losses. Things aren’t looking good, that doesn’t mean they can’t be. Keep your heads up, because the way I see it, this team is on track for a postseason berth. No reason to waive the white flag, hardships have been overcome multiple times throughout the year, time to bite the bullet and continue to push forward. Get well soon, Anze.

 

Another three-point contest, and I’m not talking about the only respectable aspect left in the NBA‘s All-Star Weekend. Maybe Kevin Westgarth should apply for the dunk contest, he’s tall, right? Some advice for him from Dancing in the Reign: Get a choir group to sing behind you, then jump over the hood of a sedan – with a basketball. Queue it!

 

Laser Show.

Holy Wow.
Dustin Brown is back, and Jarret Stoll is a f*cking cannon. I was calling for Stoll’s head in early January, tabbing him as deadline-bait. That was certainly what many considered his status at the time, with Terry Murray backing up the criticism by voicing his displeasure with Stoll’s play in public fashion. Since January’s valley, Stoll’s numbers aren’t showing a drastic difference as far as point production. However, his shot count has skyrocketed, he’s re-established his point presence on the powerplay, and he’s contributing on a consistent basis. Consistency, that’s what you need from secondary offensive outlets. Now take a look at his shootout numbers, talk about being a lock in Terry Murray‘s notepad. Jarret Stoll has buried the puck on seven consecutive shootout attempts, he’s capitalized on eight of his nine opportunities this season. Since the wake-up call in January, Jarret Stoll has proven himself as a crucial commodity to the Kings offense.

The Captain’s Back.

Dustin Brown has found his scoring touch again, and it couldn’t be coming at a better time. Brown has reeled off four goals and an assist for five points in the previous five games. Prior to this rebirth, Brown was struggling with a measly nine points in twenty-three games. The captain came out with a vengeance tonight, and when it meant the most. Another contest with extremely heavy postseason implications, and the guy puts up two regulation goals, a shootout tally, and was just a prayer away from burying the winner in Overtime. The second-line of Ryan Smyth, Michal Handzus, and Dustin Brown is starting to develop some chemistry. You really can’t help but notice that Smyth’s age is starting to show itself. He looks exhausted, plain and simple. There’s only one stop on the Los Angeles County rail-system tonight, and that’s BrownTown. Call your friends.

Old news to most at this point, but the rumors regarding the Kings tweaking their attire gained some serious credibility on Sunday. Rich Hammond of the LA Kings Insider first reported, and just about confirmed that the Kings will be donning new threads for the next campaign. Earlier in the season I hypothesized what Kings fans could expect in a uniform change, I considered the possibilities to be a no-brainer. I wasn’t correct across the board, but I wouldn’t consider myself wrong either. ‘Wrong’ is a fair assessment to how the organization has handled adjusting the Kings’ closet. It’s like Don Cherry designed the new look on tranquilizers. I’ve anticipated this since the evening of November 22, 2008 – when the current alternate uniform was revealed. Since then, underground reports of a full-on Kings’ uniform revamp have slowly built into what is now a straight-laced statement directly from the organization’s most dependable reporter.

Per Rich Hammond – LA Kings Insider

“This has been a very poorly kept secret, but the Kings are likely to change their primary uniforms next season. The current third jersey — the black jersey with the “LA” logo — is scheduled to become the full-time home jersey, while a newly created white version of that jersey would become the full-time road jersey. The current home jersey, the black-and-purple jersey with the crown logo, would become the third jersey. Is that confusing enough?”

I could have gone a few more months with that secret in hush-mode, Rich. Man, talk about a flop. This is a pathetic, half-hearted, listless attempt to change the look of the organization, one that must be implemented into their wardrobe for the NHL‘s two-year minimum uniform policy. You look at the decisions made, and there’s got to be some head-scratching. For one, the team has decided to part-ways with arguably the best uniform worn in the entire league this season. And secondly, what’s with the decision for the new alternate? Are they serious? It’s not that I don’t like the design, but it doesn’t fit the look anymore. You can’t move a long-used primary uniform to the alternate slot easily, that’s taking the complete opposite approach to introducing a 3rd sweater. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place – It’s better than the jersey it’s swapping duties with, yet it’s pushing the vintage gems to the side. Looks like an uncomfortable last few years for the black hem-lines. Tough way to go.

 

- Clearance Rack -

And for the biggest disappointment, how in god’s name do these shirts not make the cut? Like I said before, you’re looking at quite possibly the nicest uniform worn in the NHL this season. Since it’s considered a ‘specialty’ jersey, the Kings dressed in these just four times – the three ‘Legends Night’ dates and the Vancouver Canucks‘ 40th Anniversary. When I predicted the Kings’ new looks in January, I had this beauty slated to be the new alternate. Name-plates were added in it’s second appearance, gearing me toward the assumption. The design itself should have been good enough, because it was.

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Adios to the road primaries as well, they’re getting the axe after four seasons. The Kings have used purple in their white templates since 1998, and it’s life-span is quickly dwindling. Aside from the purple retros, I thought this was the sharpest jersey of the current set. Simply a nice, clean look. The basic design has been tweaked a bit since the late 90′s, but Reebok really provided a face-lift when knocking the purple from the hem-line. I had absolutely no problem with this design, but would have been fine letting it go – if the replacements were decent. They aren’t, or won’t be. Not designed yet, whatever.

 

The Looks For 2011-2012

–              Home Primary                          Home Alternate                          Away Primary     -

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Backed Up In Black: Looking at the new set, I’m baffled as to why both the home primary and alternate uniforms are the same color. Wait, not baffled…I just don’t understand why people make horrendous design decisions. If you’re going to designate purple as the contrast for the alternate, there has got to be more of it. Black has been the trend for alternate’s around the league for some time, it’s getting old.
Home Primary: I am not a fan of the “LA” template, I think it’s a dull uniform. The logo is awful, the piping was poorly designed, and it’s downright boring. It’s purpose was to re-connect with the classic design from the Gretzky era, while sporting a modern look. Well, they did a bad job.
Home Alternate: As for the new home alternate design, I guess the only thing that catches my attention is the survival of the scripted hem-line. The “Los Angeles” word mark has been stitched into the bottom hem of Kings uniforms since 1998, nice to see a unique icon stick around. Other than that, not impressed with the move.
Away Primary: This is the only design yet to be officially introduced, it’s the only actual new design for the Kings. The photo above shows two templates spotted in Luc Robitaille‘s office in October. From the looks of it, they’ve got some potential. One of the designs looks to have thicker stripes, above the hem-line. Now, if they chose to go that route and apply the same to the black version, then we may have something.