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They’re back in it, albeit barely.

It’s been a soul settling rebound from the horror shows seen in Columbus and Detroit last week with two crucial victories against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. That’s led the Kings to their current 78-point total, where they stand tonight in the Western Conference‘s 11th seed.

The Kings’ 11th place marker makes the situation look a bit worse than it actually is, but it isn’t good. The 8th and final playoff berth is owned by the Colorado Avalanche, who stand at 81 points. There is a positive here, the Avalanche have played 73 games, the Kings just 70. That’s six possible points on the board for the Kings on Colorado, a huge boost to have this time in the season.

The two clubs that separate the Kings from playoff hopes also have 78 points to the name, and both are playing hockey as I scribe away at the typewriter. The San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames are the Kings’ hurdle, but optimism points at the Kings chalking up to even with San Jose in games-played after tonight, and being one game in-hand on Calgary. San Jose had four games on the Kings just a couple of weeks back, that’s a battle won in itself.

*Update: Flames add two points in victory over Phoenix Coyotes, now at 80 points.

There’s still some face-time to be had with the Sharks and Flames, the Kings slated to see Calgary for one more game, and scheduled to see the Sharks a whopping three times in their final 12 contests.

Power hour

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It’s without question Jeff Carter has had a major impact on the improvements in the Kings’ scoring, a team that has compiled 29 goals in the past nine games, the nine games in which Carter has been in LA. Carter has chipped in with seven points himself, notching give goals and two assists. He’s contributed quite nicely, and when he hasn’t been on the scoresheet, he’s been opening opportunity for others on the roster.

An eye-popping stat churned out by Rich Hammond of the LA Kings Insider here: Since the Carter trade, the Kings have scored on six of their previous 21 powerplays, a shocking sight to see after the way Jamie Kompon‘s offensive special teams operations have worked this year.

Compare powerplay success in the past nine games (28.6%), with that of the entire season’s (16.5%). There’s got to be a factor somewhere.

Speaking of power, save some energy with Matt Greene, damnit.

Short sighted

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Anze Kopitar has two shorthanded goals in the last four games. Nothing short of hell yes.

Wilson could probably sit for free

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The Kings are 2-0 with Tom Hanks in the building, get him on the bus.

Brown delivers against the Ducks

It’s a date with the Anaheim Ducks Friday night, a team in which the Kings have fared quite well against offensively, with 14 goals in five games, and overall – notching a 4-1 record against the cross-town Pacific Division rival. And of course, it’s another must-win game, as they all shall be tabbed from here on out.

Tune into KingsCast’s Episode 147 HERE
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The Los Angeles Kings are in an all-out battle to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. The “bubble” teams are giving LA very little help in the matter. In this show we talk about the games against the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and the Red Wings (again). We also give some thoughts on scoring, thank a few fans and talk hockey.

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It may just not work for the Kings this year. That’s not criticism, it’s what’s been happening.

A lackluster performance in Columbus on Thursday, followed by a complete and utter collapse Friday in Detroit have the Kings slowly inching out of the playoff race, and making it very difficult in having a shot at reclaiming a spot.

The Kings have fallen to 11th in the Western Conference, with 74 points to the name. With 14 games remaining on the regular season schedule, there’s still time for drastic change – good or bad, but as close as the standings are, the Kings don’t have much room to move – that’s what makes the last two losses so detrimental.

Because when it’s this close, idle movement in the standings can certainly be a good thing.

They haven’t been idle in Los Angeles, they’re moving back, and that’s a scary step to take. At 11th, the Kings can only reasonably be within reach of 7th place in the Western Conference, owned by the Phoenix Coyotes (76 pts) who don’t even have an owner themselves. There are five clubs from 7th-11th place in the Western Conference, and are all separated by a maximum of two points.

Hence Phoenix (7th – 76), Los Angeles (11th – 74).

So there’s some hope to be had, but that’s a tough battle to win.

 Fit for a King

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If you’re looking for a bright spot, look to Dwight King. King, in his second stint with the Kings as a call-up from the AHL‘s Manchester Monarchs, has fared quite well in his second go-around. Since his promotion, King has delivered seven points in 13 games with three goals and four assists.

He’s shown impressive puck-control low along the boards, he’s shown reliable consistency with presence in front of the net, and he enters the zone with strength and smarts – with or without the puck. As a line-mate of Mike Richards‘, King showed strong signs of promise. Since Jeff Carter replaced rookie Jordan Nolan on their line, Dwight King almost becomes a regular 2nd line asset in your mind.

Dwight King wins that game in Detroit, the Kings lose it.

Kompon can’t get the bird these days

They’ve scored 22 goals in their previous seven games, that’s well above their average – which ranks dead last (30th) in the NHL. That’s over three goals per game, crazy isn’t it? So quite frankly, the problems are stemming from areas other than the forwards these days – imagine that.

It has been seen as of recent. Having both Alec Martinez and Slava Voynov in the lineup combines to be more of a liability than Jack Johnson in the defensive zone. Jonathan Quick had the weakest game of his season Tuesday night in a 5-4 win against the Nashville Predators, and he chooses to do so when this offense scores an uncanny five goals for him. Jonathan Bernier, as always, got the call in Columbus. A very solid game from the backup, but fell victim to those in front of him.

None of these problems are snowballing, they’re just all coming together at the wrong time. Not much time to make things right.

And they release this during the week, this is unecessary and unfitting for everything this season. But even so, a video dedicated to goal celebrations deserves a look. Take it away, f*ck face Patrick O’Neal.

How about a video compilation of best reactions regarding this.

Tune into KingsCast’s Episode 146 HERE
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KingsCast Hockey Podcast on  —  Facebook  -  Twitter  -  Youtube

As noted in the last piece, we’ll be finishing the TOP FIVE segment here at KingsCast in compact fashion, breaking down the top three games in one blog. You can only flirt with the past for so long, plus there are more important things to get to. Look out for an in-depth interview coming soon with Jonathan Moncrief, your go-to voice for the Los Angeles Kings at the LA Examiner. What was once considered the impossible has reveled into existence! Your TOP THREE Los Angeles Kings games of the 2010-2011 campaign crunched into one segment. Hit it now!

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March 24, 2011 – Regular Season Game #74
Los Angeles Kings 4 – San Jose Sharks 3 (SO)
Staples Center – Los Angeles, California

Why it’s #3: All was right in the world for the Los Angeles Kings after this respectable victory. However, the game to follow would put a premature ending to Anze Kopitar‘s season – but that’s beside the point. The powerplay showed some late-season glimpses of existence, with Dustin Brown capitalizing on two man-advantage opportunities. The final minutes were quite wild with the Kings taking a 3-2 lead with 1:42 remaining, only to see the Sharks tie the contest with just :05 to play. Alec Martinez, who has become my favorite defenseman on the roster, posted assists on both of Dustin Brown‘s PP goals. Jarret Stoll continued to be automatic in the shootout, cranking one off the cross-bar to juice up his 8-9 record in breakaways this season. Dustin Brown with the unnoficial hat-trick to clinch a crucial win later in the shootout.

December 4, 2010 – Regular Season Game #25
Los Angeles Kings 3 – Detroit Red Wings 2 (OT)
Staples Center – Los Angeles, California

Why it’s #2: The Kings were fresh off of a much needed victory against the Florida Panthers, which happens to be #4 on the list in TOP FIVE. Even with the win against Florida, the Kings were stumbling, allotting just two victories in their previous nine games. The Kings overcame two deficits in this contest, eventually pocketing two points with Anze Kopitar‘s goal in OT. Kopitar’s goal was huge for this team, a game-winner from your premier player can certainly be a shot in the arm for any group. The Kings would go on to win seven of their next ten games, proving the worth of Kopitar’s finish. Justin Williams was his brilliant self netting the first Kings goal, and Alec Martinez continued to solidify his roster position with the second tally. Peter Harrold notched an assist on Martinez’ goal, likely to be his last ever point in a Los Angeles Kings uniform.

November 4, 2010 – Regular Season Game #12
Los Angeles Kings 1 – Tampa Bay Lightning 0
Staples Center – Los Angeles, California

Why it’s the best: These two teams should meet more often. The night this game took place, I recall mentioning the fact that this could end up being the contest of the season. Well, it was. It was also determined by the Kings’ top goal of the year as well – argue if you wish. Holy jeeze, Justin Williams. Earlier in the year, I related the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Kings, but just one year behind our process. I’m either wrong, or playoff success has too many variables to dictate credibility. This was an honest game throughout; the numbers in Shots Taken, Hits, and Faceoffs were shoulder to shoulder. Tampa Bay’s coach Guy Boucher said “That was a real playoff game,”, while Kings coach Terry Murray mentioned “There were a few hits, a few confrontations, a little old-time hockey.” Those two excerpts almost say it all.

The Los Angeles Kings are on the road one more time and they’re taking the Midwest by storm. In this episode, we talk about the games between the Blue Jackets, Red Wings and Stars, interview Rick Nash and update you on a little bet. How did you expect the Kings would do on this roadtrip? Saddle up and enjoy!

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

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

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

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

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

The Los Angeles Kings are, yet again, on a bit of a losing streak but still clinging to a playoff spot. In this episode we’ll talk about the games against the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars, say goodbye to Colten Teubert and our draft picks and try to figure out what’s wrong with the core.

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.

The battle for a playoff spot continues with an action packed week! In this episode, we discuss the Red Wings debacle, the new contract for Justin Williams, the acquisition of Dustin Penner and we say goodbye to Marco Sturm…in KingsCast ‘See Ya!’ fashion. Question of the Day; how do you think the Kings did at the trade deadline?