There’s times when you just see it shaping together. You just see it.

For the short-sighted, it’s best to forget tonight’s debacle in Dallas, Texas.

And for this article’s sake as well.

Drew Doughty‘s fifth season in a Kings uniform has been a respectably impressive, yet terribly underrated one. Most of the quiet criticism has centered on the 24 year-old’s low offensive output this year, which is, well, the way many faces came to know the youngblood.

If Doughty has built his NHL resume on one key or attention-grabbing tactic, it’s that of his knack to score at the position he plays, and in the casual, yet baffling way he does it. When it becomes a big enough threat to your game, the opposition is going to adapt. Either that, or you’re going to hit a bump in the road, a la a human being.

Statisticians have been busy with Drew Doughty‘s name the previous three regular season campaigns, where the Kings’ defenseman tallied 37 goals and 98 total assists. When you add serious dependability on the defensive end – which is his main job, well, you’ve got quite a player.

The buzz made sense.

Now you see him with four goals and 14 assists through 40 games this season. And those numbers mean as little as they are low – low, if we’re talking the expectations Drew Doughty’s built.

You may want to be reminded of Drew Doughty early last season after his lengthy contract dispute, which saw him sit out the Kings’ entire training camp and preseason schedule. There, you’re going to be fulfilled with highlights of a defenseman being out of his designated position at crucial times, due to an overdose of his offensive knack, ultimately hurting the team.

Probably not, though. Maybe you’re looking for an answer to right now.

Maybe it’s got something to do with Doughty maturing; taking on a more responsible, defensive approach. That doesn’t mean his future sees him as a stay-at-home defenseman. Please now.

Maybe it’s got something to do with the Kings having the best offensive scheme they’ve ever had in franchise history. Jarret Stoll isn’t our 3rd-leading scorer these days. The defense can play their game.

Maybe it’s got something to do with the Kings starting the season and playing it through so far without the two biggest stay-at-home defensively stalwart names on this roster: Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene.

Maybe the Kings are in 4th-place in the Western Conference with eight games left to play, with a comfortable gap in points, just about cuing a fourth-straight appearance to the NHL playoffs.

Maybe the Kings got throttled tonight by the Dallas Stars, falling by a horrid 5-1 score at the American Airlines Center via surrendering four-unanswered third period goals.

Maybe it’s just one game.

Maybe he’s just getting started

While one finishes

Cup and Out: It was basically already figured, but Willie Mitchell will be out for the remainder of the season, with no return to the Kings’ lineup expected, no matter how lengthy a postseason stretch could last.

I say it out of respect, and what I think many others – deep down, would like to see happen as well: Good career, Willie Mitchell. From a real life perspective, Mitchell should call it a done deal.

The guy can still play, and the Kings would love to have him back on the ice. His unfortunate health history is not worth the return. He’s suffered a myriad of concussions, and has been sidelined all season for a “different” injury.

To put it simply: Life itself, especially with a family involved, is not worth risking while playing the game of hockey. Especially so, when you’ve had an NHL career-run such as Willie Mitchell‘s.

Call it finishing on top.

And better yet, with plenty of life ahead.

Headway

Facetime, Replace time: Because really, the biggest concern regarding this roster at the beginning of the season was the defense. Major injuries to Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell at the beginning of the season seemed to weaken the Kings’ defensive corps terribly.

This is when depth and minor league development pays off. The Kings have the ninth-best Goals-Against-Average percentage in the NHL today, allowing a calculated 2.36 goals per game.

That, without the presence of the two biggest penalty-killers, shot-blockers, and lane cloggers on the Kings’ roster. For the Kings to find themselves where they are today without Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene playing regularly, is saying something extremely special.

It speaks to the second-year Vyacheslav Voynov, who plays like a 10-year veteran. It praises Jake Muzzin, who’s poise trumps that of all other Rookie defensemen in the NHL. It thanks Davis Drewiske for his last-minute time, and gives Robyn Regehr a chance to play alongside #8.

But you talk about a backbone

Colorado Down: The Kings are playing the NHL‘s lowest of lows Thursday night at Staples Center, slated to host the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado is in the midst of some dark days, holding the NHL‘s lowest point-total, with internal struggles tagging along for the ride.

Time to pounce.

On who other, than the team Drew Doughty netted his first-career NHL goal against.

Colorado Doughty

Puck drops at Staples Center against the Colorado Avalanche at 7:30PM PST Thursday.

Episode 186 KingsCast TV: Robyn Regehr in, Davis Drewiske out – HERE
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The postseason is no guarantee, far from it.

It’s too bad, it really is. And even more so, it’s hard to believe.

Hollywood Ink: Coming from an offseason that saw Kings’ GM Dean Lombardi reel off two major deals that brought elite offensive talent in Mike Richards and Simon Gagne to this roster, the Kings are mired in one of their worst scoring seasons in franchise history.  On paper, the moves were drastic improvements. In reality’s results, it’s been anything but. February 27′s NHL trade deadline, even though I hate to say it, may be Dean Lombardi‘s final chance to maintain his managerial career in Los Angeles.

I will say this again, and only because I think it is a major factor in the lopsided differences we’ve seen in offensive production this season and the past, that I target Ryan Smyth as the lead factor on Lombardi’s failures in Los Angeles. It was his biggest deal in 2009, reeling in the veteran forward to mature a young core, it was his biggest loss in 2011, not winning the satisfaction of a proven NHL scorer and allowing him to walk out on his own terms. Many still like the point blame at Smyth here, but it’s a GM’s job to make it work.

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Before you point finger at Dean Lombardi, consider the ultimatums in the failures of his signings of Simon Gagne and Mike Richards to bring success to this club. Gagne has been out with a concussion since December 26, who had posted 17 points in 34 games before the injury. As for Richards, he’s been without support, and his play deems little criticism, it’s hard to do the job alone. Again, this is why Ryan Smyth pops into the equation again, missing a reliable winger for Phildelphia’s former.

The trade-deadline is nothing I’m seeing big change coming from, nor am I fan of it. Really, the only player the Kings are sure to get anything worthwhile for is Jack Johnson. His contract is certainly tradeable, but then again we’re talking Dean Lombardi here. That’s a big name player, that’s a big time deal, Lombardi doesn’t fit that history, especially with the big moves he made just months ago.

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But who knows, it’s gotten to a point of desperation for Lombardi, who is starting to feel pressure as the promise he’s built in LA is crashing hard – and fast. It’s come to the Kings recalling forwards Jordan Nolan and Dwight King from the AHL‘s Manchester Monarchs to provide a Hail Mary boost to this lost offense. That’s not going to solve the problem, neither is a deal that doesn’t involve Jack Johnson.

And let me be clear, Jonathan Bernier has no business getting dealt before the 27th. Bernier is worth more than a last-ditch effort for a GM on the hot seat. At the very least, leave all other options open (including Johnson), and hope for a top-8 Western Conference seed.

That’s all you can hope for at this point, that’s what Dean Lombardi needs to maintain hopes of further employment in Los Angeles.

If you’re going to hit rock bottom, try not to do it here

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Where else would you find concourse golf at an NHL game than in Florida? I wouldn’t mind swinging away a few worthless periods at Staples Center. Something they may have to consider.

Unfortunately the only thing taking fans away from the Kings’ miseries are those $9 beers.

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The Kings are in Dallas, Texas tomorrow afternoon in an effort to salvage whatever they can from this horrible road swing. Posting a 1-4 record on the trip, the Kings have now seriously put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

For a bit of good to the heart, here’s a classic against the Dallas Stars at Staples Center back in 2007. Six goals, in less than ten minutes. It’s hard to imagine ’07 being better times, but it flirts with you.

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Tune into KingsCast’s Episode 143 HERE
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Cat Nipped: Thursday night’s meet with the Florida Panthers brought home two points for the Kings by way of a 2-1 victory, but at an extremely healthy cost. Willie Mitchell, the most stable Kings defenseman other than Rob Scuderi, lasted one shift before calling the night in order to tend to an undisclosed lower body injury – never to return. Mike Richards, undoubtedly the Kings’ most vital asset on the offensive side so far this season, suffered a solid – yet subtle, blow to the head from Florida’s Sean Bergenheim. Richards, who has been placed on the Injured Reserve, is very, very likely to be suffering from concussion symptoms.

Not to say our defense has struggled, because it really hasn’t. But, it has been unstable in terms of personnel and pairing, which has lost this blue-line’s aggressive impact in the offensive zone. Mitchell poses to be a new missing threat for the Kings’ back-end, the loss of a stay-at-home defenseman. So far, Davis Drewiske has filled the gap, and he may continue to dress even if Alec Martinez returns before Mitchell does. Martinez has shown to be somewhat of a liability in the Kings’ zone, Drewiske could possibly see all games available until Willie Mitchell returns to maintain solidity in the defensive zone.

Talk about the last guy you want to see seriously injured, the guy with 10 points in his previous 11 contests, 9 of those points being goals. Mike Richards, he’s been the spotlight performer in all aspects of the Kings’ offense, 5-on-5, the powerplay, and the penalty kill (two shorthanded goals, a hangnail away from three). There wasn’t much luck without Richards in uniform Saturday afternoon, a lone goal being scored off of a Dustin Penner deflection overshadowed by a game filled with missed opportunities and draggy puck movement.

Have you seen puck movement like this from Kings jerseys once this year? Here’s a nice example of entering the offensive zone in valiant form, rather than taking the puck wide for a weak, bad-angle shot with no bodies to even seek rebounds.

At least Kostitsyn’s got ties with the Russian Mafia.
That’s kinda cool to couple with an NHL gig

Just to finish

Broken Record Player: You can’t depend on shot totals to link honest analysis, because for the Kings this season, it’s become somewhat of a scapegoat. And when saying this, that’s a mental reaction to their play. Sure, they’ve got no problem going shot-for-shot with another club over a 60-minute span, but if they were to cut down shot total, while raising the percentage of shot quality, we’d be in a better suit.

Looking simple can be great, looking simple can be awful. The difference? The mental status. The Kings are at awful, and it’s coming to the point where smart (yet non-intrusive) passes and decisions are being made to cure a terribly sterile offensive strategy. That means hitting Kopitar low along the boards, or going cross-ice to a defenseman with flat feet. There’s no such thing as simple wrist-shots, snap-shots, or anything you do with the puck to just get it ON NET with this offense. Well actually, I guess there is:

While you were in total shock of Dustin Penner scoring a goal, you missed the player (Doughty) who actually made it happen. Downright spectacular foot movement inside the zone, creates space for a simple snapper ON NET. Damnit! Can’t you see?!?

The Week Ahead: This may be the most important string of contests on the slate so far this season, the Kings are set for two Pacific Division puck-drops, and a meet with the team atop the entire Western Conference and the NHL. Tonight will be the third installment of the Kings’ six matchups with the Anaheim Ducks, who continue to sputter out of contention early, honed at the bottom of the Pacific Division and 14th in the Western Conference with a 1-7-2 record in their previous ten. If Bruce Boudreau is in fact the fix for Anaheim, the results won’t show this year.

Then it’s the NHL‘s best in the Minnesota Wild, who have taken role atop the entire league with 37 points, currently running with four consecutive wins. Their offseason dealings with the San Jose Sharks have paid off dearly, both Dany Heatley (17 pts) and Devin Setoguchi (13 pts) providing serious output for their new club. To finish the week, it’s a meeting with the only club higher in the Pacific Division than the Kings – the Dallas Stars, who sit just one point ahead. This will already mark the fourth meeting this season with Dallas, the Kings faring well for the most part going 2-0-1; however November 23rd’s meltdown still remains a sour aftertaste.

The Five Goal Club: In the Kings’ 26 games played this year, they have managed to hit the 5-goal mark in just four of them. However, that’s where this week’s opponents share a common trait – the Kings have found offensive success against Anaheim (5-3W – 11/17), Minnesota (5-2W – 11/12), and Dallas (5-3W – 10/27). This doesn’t mean much, but facing clubs that the Kings have found relatively recent success against could be a notable mental jolt for this lost offensive group.

Ahh yes…Time for another round of this unecessarily labeled cross-town rivalry

Since Bob Miller no longer can stress the deliciousness of Carl’s Jr. chicken tenders, which are breaded “ON THE PREMISES”, I’ve yet to decide what’s better this season…

Telling us to “Feel the Mexcellence”

Or going bad-ass bold marketing the Outlaw Burger

No child’s play for the Kings this week, especially with Minnesota on the slate

Tune into KingsCast’s Episode 132 HERE
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Out of State: For a club that plugged through possibly the most difficult travel schedule in recent NHL history to start the season, the Kings have been settled in ideal confines for some time now. In the previous six contests, the Kings have hosted five dates at Staples Center, marking the visitors category just once with a quick jump on the highway to see the cross-town Anaheim Ducks.

In that six-game span, the Kings posted a 4-2-0 record, accounting for 8 of 12 possible points. The lingering gray areas surrounding this team’s performance certainly make those results acceptable. The Kings losses came at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings; both slow, frustrating offensive performances. However, the Kings were able to take both matchups from the Anaheim Ducks, although handing a point Anaheim’s way allowing a late goal that extended the first contest to OT and a shootout.

Unique Uni’s: This will be a quick road trip, with back-to-back dates tonight against the St. Louis Blues and tomorrow night against the Dallas Stars. The Kings won’t be donning their regular visitors’ wardrobe, but a sweater that has only made one regular season appearance away from Staples Center in team history – November 2, 2009 at Jobing.com Arena against the Phoenix Coyotes. It’ll be the black and purple crown hemline shirts for both contests on this trip. The Kings are 1-1 in the purple hems this season.

Berning up

Bernier for One: As expected, and as predicted, Jonathan Quick got the nod for both contests against the Ducks and for Detroit’s visit. Previously looking ahead to Bernier’s next start, I tabbed tonight’s date in St. Louis to be the most plausible – and Terry Murray has notioned those same feelings, as Jonathan Bernier will be in net for the Kings tonight at the Scottrade Center.

It’s best to let Quick occupy the crease against a Pacific Division opponent in Dallas tomorrow. Bernier has just two starts in the Kings’ previous 13 games, and the performances have been nothing above average. Then again, it’s tough to perform well under such a spotty schedule. Quick, like the rest of the Kings roster, looked flubbish in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to Detroit, and was also riding his 5th consecutive start. Murray’s goaltending decisions regarding this two-game road set are completely validated.

Not OV-er yet

Not Russian the Process: Even though Dustin Penner and Alec Martinez are now eligible to return from the IR, neither will due to further recovery needs – and maybe, further analysis from Kings’ brass about the situation at-hand. Both Andrei Loktionov and Viatcheslav Voynov immediately injected a boost into this offense, and the roster’s overall tempo.

It was clear in the Anaheim double-take last week that the Kings were playing at a faster, crisper pace than seen so far this year. Don’t be short on admitting, Loktionov and Voynov were huge factors in the upbeat play. It’s not so much that they’ve provided production at a great level, but these two players open a lot more opportunity and space when on the ice. Loktionov has been an upgrade in every facet of a hockey player’s skill-set than Dustin Penner, and Viatcheslav Voynov has shown more poise and control than Martinez on the blue-line, also equaling Marty’s 16 game point-total in the three games he’s been back in the NHL.

Chances are, it’s going to be the same old song for Andrei Loktionov, reporting for AHL assignment upon Penner’s return to the lineup. As for Voynov, there’s no question his status upon Martinez’s return is a hot front office topic. There’s plausible options to consider in efforts to keep Voynov at the NHL level, which could involve waiving Davis Drewiske, keeping Alec Martinez as the 7th defenseman, or trading Martinez. There have been talks, but nothing worth getting into right now. By keeping Martinez and Penner out for this road trip, the Kings could be buying time for more than just injury recovery.

Where ya been?

Secondary Slump: The Kings’ 3rd and 4th lines haven’t been providing too much spark to offensive production, if any at all. Quite frankly, you’re going to have to back-track to the Kings’ 5-goal outpour against the Minnesota Wild to find any evidence, Colin Fraser‘s goal. I wouldn’t go as far to say they’ve been a detriment, but consistent scoring still should be coming from your back-end forwards.

Speaking of which, Brad Richardson and Trevor Lewis have absolutely disappeared, and it looks like they literally will tonight in St. Louis – both are healthy scratches. Both players have a single assist to their names, and have dressed in a heavy majority of games played this season. Richardson got high-praise for his 5-point series in the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the San Jose Sharks, I had difficulty buying into it – Richardson’s current output is showing why. As for Lewis, he’s seriously reliable on the defensive end, he tends to disappear when crossing the red-line.

This looks like a guy who’s got an itchy ear

This also looks like a guy who’s about to get canned.
1-7-3 in your last 11 ain’t gonna cut it, bubs – even with a new contract. That sucks.

Tune into KingsCast’s Episode 130 HERE
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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?

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.

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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
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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.

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*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

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.

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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
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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.

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.

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.

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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
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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.

The Week That Was: The Kings resumed play with a donut in Minnesota, but managed to snag five out of the six points on the board this week. Extra points were surrendered to Western Conference counterparts Minnesota and Calgary with shootout implications in each contest. After Niklas Backstrom blanked the Kings in 65 minutes of play and three rounds of a shootout, the Kings responded with six goals in their next two games, three of those goals coming on the powerplay. The offense has seemed to embrace a heavy-shooting approach since the drought in Minnesota. Jonathan Quick has two consecutive wins, and Jonathan Bernier is riding a shutout. Justin Williams was a factor in Calgary, and it’s been too long. Williams’ tallied three points in the game, equaling his total in his previous eight games. Dustin Brown decided to take part in Saturday night’s scoresheet as well, with a goal and an assist. Brown recorded his first goal since December 8th, and his two points in the game eclipsed his total in his previous eight games.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                   GP    W     L      OT    PTS

Dallas                  53     30   18     5        65
San Jose               53     28   19     6        62
Anaheim              54     29    21    4        62
Phoenix               54     26    19    9        61
Los Angeles      53     29    22    2       60

Pacific Division Notes: The San Jose Sharks were the story of the week, jumping from 4th place to 2nd in the division. San Jose knocked off Pacific Divison clubs in the Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes to return from the break. The Sharks finished the week in Boston with a shutout victory over the Bruins, giving them a 2-0 start to their season-long seven game road trip. Just as notable, the top spot in the division remained idle, as the Dallas Stars failed to add to their 65 points with three consecutive regulation losses. Anaheim and Phoenix fell one spot in the division standings respectively. The Coyotes finished the week with a 1-2-0 record, and the Ducks split their two games going 1-1-0. What seemed far-fetched just a week ago suddenly becomes a realistic goal, a Pacific Division championship. The Kings, although still sitting in the basement, are only five points out of first place.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                      GP    W      L     OT     PTS
4. Nashville              53    28    18      7        63
5. San Jose               53    28    19      6        62
6. Anaheim              54    29    21      4        62
7. Phoenix               54    26    19      9        61
8. Los Angeles      53    29    22     2        60
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9. Minnesota           52    27     20      5        59
10. Calgary              54   26     21      7        59
11. Chicago             52    27    21      4        58

Western Conference Notes: With the 5 points pocketed this week, the Kings find themselves back in the Western Conference‘s top eight. In a matter of three games, the Kings hopped three slots to improve from the 11th seed they held last week. This makes the Pacific Division the only grouping in the NHL to have all of it’s teams in the playoff picture. Breaking the top eight is no reason to sit satisfied, six teams are within six points of the Kings. 14 of the 15 teams in the conference are contending, the Edmonton Oilers have a furnished basement. You really can’t argue security unless you’re talking the Vancouver Canucks, who are undefeated out of the break, riding five consecutive wins and atop the Western Conference with 77 points. The Kings take a break on conference opponents this week, slated for contests with three teams that make up the Eastern Conference‘s top five.

The Week Ahead: The franchise-record 10 game road-swing continues with three games scheduled for the week. And boy, does it look difficult. The Kings visit Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin for their only meetings with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals this season. Pittsburgh holds the 4th spot in the Eastern Conference, and Washington is in the shadows in 5th place. For the Penguins, they’ll be without Evgeni Malkin, who is out for the season with two torn ligaments in his right knee. Crosby has yet to return from his concussion syndromes, his status for Thursday night is unclear. Pittsburgh is 8-2-0 in their previous ten games. As for Washington, they’re slowly recovering from January with two consecutive victories and a 5-2-3 record in their previous ten games. Defenseman Mike Green, who took a puck to the head off of a Brooks Orpik shot earlier today, isn’t expected to miss any time. The Kings will cap off the week while finishing their back-to-back weekend matinee series in Philadelphia. The Flyers are atop the Eastern Conference with 75 points, and hold an 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games. The Philadelphia Flyers are 1-0-0 against the Kings this season with a 7-4 victory on December 30th in Los Angeles.

Notes on the game:
– Let’s start this out on a positive note. As for the Kings only goal tonight, how many times have we seen this sequence? Drew Doughty to Anze Kopitar on the sideboards, a hard wrister on net for a Michal Handzus rebound goal? Music to my ears, eye candy. Beautiful goal, an unfortunate high-point to tonight’s game.
– The Stars came out with a vengeance in the 2nd period. Dallas was able to capitalize on 3 of their 9 shots in the period, setting their tone to the game. The carousel that was the Stars power-play began to run in full-force. With three second period power-play goals, and four overall, the Stars keyed in on a struggling Kings penalty-kill.
– Former King Brandon Segal had a couple of solid scoring chances tonight.
– The Dallas Stars earned their first victory in tonight’s Pacific Division season-series finale.
– Every goal was recorded on the power-play. Tough outing for the Kings, as they only capitalized on 1 of 7 power-play opportunites, and allowed 4 goals when a man-down.

Why Ersberg Should Get The Call:
Erik Ersberg will be on the Kings bench come the playoffs, Jonathan Bernier won’t. That, right there, is huge to me. Teams that expect to make a run for the Stanley Cup need a back-up goaltender they can trust. Now, Ersberg hasn’t played great, but the opportunites have come few and far between. Let’s not get into stats, because quite frankly those should be thrown out the door regarding this argument. Ersberg needs a couple more starts, some live-action, something to shake off the rust; loosen the nerves. Quick has been great, but goalies can hit a wall come post-season. The fatigue starts to set in, and playing the same opponent consecutive games can be difficult for a goalie to handle. Bottom line is, the Kings, and Terry Murray, should start to realize Ersberg needs to be a viable option down the road. And what better way than tomorrow night? If he loses? Well, I still think it’s the correct decision. Look folks, this is THIS SEASON, the Kings are striding toward the playoffs, and Erik Ersberg is THE back-up goalie. Save the Bernier – Ersberg competition for training camp. Right now, it’s time to test Ersberg; Give the guy a start, and look to build his confidence.

Who do you think should be between the pipes for the Kings tomorrow night? I’d love to hear your thoughts, disagreements, and opinions on the decision at hand in the comments section below.

If games were only 40 minutes long, I’d say with 100% confidence that the Kings played their best hockey. Alas, they are 60-minute contests and, for this game, the Kings played their usual up and down, inconsistent hockey. The modified lines looked decent and actually performed wonderfully… but only for 40 minutes. It’s a bit difficult to compliment the team on how they made the Stars looks like fools when they themselves didn’t hold on to their level of play. This is definitely a bittersweet reflection.

The good: Anze Kopitar owning this game… well, the first two periods of the game by getting his first career hat trick. He is turning into the player management knew he could and has definitely been earning his paycheck. He completely controlled the game as he scored like a madman. As of today, he’s tied with a certain Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals in points (8G, 8A and 9G, 7A, respectively).

(LAKings.com)

The Kings were looking fantastic going into the third period, but their hopes were fading as they watched the Stars tie up the game 4-4 forcing the game into OT. Heart breaker. I hardly have the stomach to comment on the third period, but I was happy when Michal Handzus killed the Stars just 55 seconds into OT. His slapshot blasted past Alex Auld and the game was done. I’m very happy that overtime ended in the Kings’ favor but the two points don’t make up for the poor third period performance. I honestly wondered why Terry Murray pulled Quick at the end of the second period with just 2.7 seconds left in the game when they were up 4-1, but I definitely understood the reasoning 20 minutes later.

The Bad: First off, one thing I can’t understand is why Brad Richardson is on the ice during important times in the games. Last night, he was on the ice with just a few minutes in regulation, which is exactly the opposite of what I’d expect! Secondly, Jonathan Quick letting in the goals he did; I’m just in a little bit of shock.

The Needs to Improve: Teddy Purcell received 12:31 of ice time and ended at a minus 1. I’m sure the improvement will explode sometime this season, so I’ll continue to wait. To address Alexander Frolov; his play was fine. I honestly didn’t think he was any better or worse than before he was benched. I have zero words of wisdom for these two players. Just… focus?

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Currently the Los Angeles Kings are sitting 8th in the Western Conference with 10 points and are 3rd in the Pacific Division. With 9 games in I’m neither ecstatic nor depressed with the results; the Kings are showing that they can compete and that they can take a nosedive at any moment. This was the end of their longest road trip of the year and it just may be the start of something great.

On Saturday evening, I had the unfortunate occurrence of accidentally seeing the score of the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets while watching another game. Too bad Leafs TV is really good about keeping you updated around the league. The Toronto Maple Leafs started their game at 4:00 pm PST; I saw the Kings were down 4-1 around the middle of the 3rd period of the Leafs game, and (since the games began at the same time) I knew the Kings were going to lose the game. How utterly deflating. There is absolutely nothing that can salvage the feeling of already knowing the outcome of a game, especially when it’s in favor of the other team.

At first I was upset that I saw the score, and then I was irritated that the Blue Jackets got 4 pucks past Jonathan Quick. Needless to say, I was not very enthusiastic watching the game later. There’s something about watching a game knowing your team is going to lose that is very unappetizing. It might have led to my falling asleep at times. That being said, the Kings didn’t look THAT bad. In my zombie-like state, I didn’t think they played worse than some of their other losses. With that, I’m done with this recap.

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For the game I was actually awake and excited for, the Kings decided to bounce back and play like a coherent team yesterday against the Dallas Stars. They won 4-1 to the relief of everyone and proved they can play hockey like professionals. Everything about this game was better than their previous game and capped off this road trip very nicely. They were over .500 in the faceoff circle (thank you Jarret Stoll), ceased taking sloppy penalties for 60 minutes, and collapsed around their own net protecting the goalie.

Going into this game, Bob Miller and Jim Fox mentioned that the top line of Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar, and Justin Williams had a combined 29 points in the first 8 games. After they picked up another 6 points against the Stars, the top line is sitting pretty with 35. Okay people, I’m fully on board with the Smyth Train. Williams? I’m getting there. Also I’m over Marty Turco. I don’t quite understand the love affair people have with him. I’ve witnessed far too many meltdowns to have any confidence he’s going to stop enough pucks to win games for his team. Am I being too critical? I think not, but let me know what you think!

Also Alexander Frolov is on the hot seat. After the poor performance against the Blue Jackets, Frolov was benched for being a turnover machine while also falling down at inopportune times causing goals against, among other things. Rich Hammond of LA Kings Insider posted a transcript of his conversation with Frolov about what happened between him and the coaching staff. Per Hammond: here’s what Terry Murray had to say and here’s what Dean Lombardi said.

Decide for yourself what really is going on. I personally believe if he doesn’t shape up and sign a contract Lombardi-esque, he’s going to be sent off to wear a stranger’s crest. I will subsequently be heart-broken, but that’s only if nothing else negative comes out of this situation.