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

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

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                    GP       W         L       OT      PTS

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

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

Western Conference Standings

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

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

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

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

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.

Notes on the game:
– Great recovery on Dustin Brown‘s part to chase down a muffed pass from Alexander Frolov. Not only was he successful in retaining offensive zone presence, but slowed down, walked the puck in, and put a shot on net. Not a howitzer, but the right idea, which led to a goal.
– Fredrik Modin had an impressive game, yet again. With three solid scoring chances, he capitalized on one. His finest attributes are controlling the puck down low, and using his body in front of the net. Tonight, he did just that; Re-directing Dustin Brown‘s shot to beat Marty Turco.
– On Dallas’ 3rd period marker, Richard Clune and Jeff Halpern got caught chasing, and staring at the puck up top. Dallas capitalized on the over-committed Kings players high in the zone, eventually finding Brendan Morrow open on the back-door to beat Jonathan Bernier.
– After tonight, I’d like to see Peter Harrold take some playing time from Randy Jones. Jones had an awful game. Too many times Jones stood still with the puck, allowing defenders to close passing lanes, and shutting down offensive flow. His play in the corners has been terrible as well, concentrating more on the pressure from the oncoming hit, than making a play on the puck. This isn’t anything new with Jones, who has had Kings fans pulling out their hair with play like this on a regular basis.
– Jonathan Bernier‘s performance was quite spectacular tonight. However, I’m disappointed in Terry Murray‘s decision to sit Erik Ersberg. I felt it was a slap in the face to the current back-up goaltender, one who will be dressing come the playoffs. This has nothing to do with who I think is a better goalie, but how to manage a player who can become the team’s backbone in an instant; in the playoffs. I think it’s safe to say Bernier will be on the Kings roster come next season.

Your thoughts on the game? What did you think of tonight’s 2-1 victory? Impressed with Bernier? Frustrated with Jones? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

GOALTENDERS

#32 JONATHAN QUICK

GRADE: A+

A great way to start off this whole rating process, huh? Makes me look like an easy grader, but let’s be honest; would it be fair to mark Quicker any lower? In his second full season in the league, Quick has already started 55 games. What Fatigue? Quick is 1st in the NHL in goals allowed (139) and Victories (35). He has proven time and time again this season that he has the ability to perform at an elite level on a consistent basis. What I’ve been most impressed with? Quick’s poise. We’ve seen a few sloppy starts from him this season, but how he reacts to these slow starts is striking. Plenty of times Quick has made remarkable saves that have changed the momentum of a game, and that is huge for the players in front of him. The team has confidence in his play, and the Kings know they can be more aggressive offensively after falling behind because of having a goalie who knows how to regroup & compose. Bottom Line: Quick is a young goalie who has validated himself in having the traits of being a prestigious goaltender. With a young roster, it is key to have a persistent leader in net to spread confidence, and ultimately, success.

#31 ERIK ERSBERG

Grade: C-
With Jonathan Quick having such a stellar season, Erik Ersberg hasn’t seen a lot of ice-time. Ersberg has faced action in only 8 games so far, allowing 20 goals. You have to realize, though, Erberg’s situation isn’t very easy. He has been called upon rarely this year, which gives him no groove to work with. His starts often come so far apart, he’s rusty in terms of live-play. The reality of the situation is that a backup goalie needs to take full advantage of the few opportunities he has, and Ersberg has not done that. He has been average at best, but I’m marking him just below. This year, the Kings haven’t developed a confidence in Ersberg. You could argue that he hasn’t seen enough ice, and you could argue that Terry Murray is relying too heavily on Quick. But, how can you blame the guy? So, it’s tough to grade Ersberg, but an NHL back-up needs to be ready to provide stability in net whenever called on, no matter how infrequently. Bottom Line: Erik Ersberg will have a few more appearances this season; And one, if not more will be important games. Back-up goalies can be the difference late in the season, can Ersberg step up?

Part II: “Dancing in the Reign” on Kingscast.net will be pulling out the grade-book on Kings defensemen on the next installment on Kings Grade Reports. What would you grade King’s goaltenders so far? Please post comments downstairs!

January presents the Los Angeles Kings with 14 games; and, with a look at the schedule, the results will play a large factor in the outcome of the season as 9 games feature Western Conference opponents. Staples Center will play host to eight of the fourteen contests, a great opportunity for the Kings to take advantage of home ice. The Kings currently stand at 3rd in the Pacific and 8th in the Western Conference with 49 points.

Ovie and the Washington Capitals welcome 2010:
Los Angeles will kick off the new year as host to a team that sits in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. A tough opponent indeed, but all of the pieces are in place for a victory to inject a boost of momentum into this young, injury bugged club. Washington, led by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are coming off of losses to Carolina and San Jose. Expect the guys to come out hard in front of a home crowd in an effort to shut down the poster-boy of the NHL and start 2010, and more importantly, this month right.

Seven Game Home-stand:
Starting on the 7th against Detroit and ending on the 21st against Buffalo, the Kings have their longest home-stand of the season. A wonderful opportunity for the team to get back on their feet in the comfort of their home building. However, the opponents don’t provide Kings fans much comfort. We see the Western Conference leading Sharks twice, a Red Wings team that is close in the rear-view mirror standings-wise, and a team in Buffalo who is holding their own with a 3rd spot in the Eastern.

Five Game Road Trip:
This month ends with five consecutive matchups on the road. Tough opponents yet again including Detroit, Boston, and the Eastern leading New Jersey Devils with a couple of no-excuses stops in Toronto and Columbus against a couple of struggling teams.

Saturated with San Jose (left):
Arguably the most important three games the month of January has to offer for Los Angeles. Twice at home, once at the Pavilion, the Kings will be meeting a surging division-foe that is suddenly 10 points ahead of the Kings in the standings as well as current leaders of the Pacific Division and Western Conference. If Los Angeles wants to pose any threat as Pacific Division champs, two of these games must be regulation victories.

Erik Ersberg:
I’d like to see Erik Ersberg get a couple of starts in January, and expect him to get the call. As I mentioned in my last post, I think a key part to building his comfort and confidence is to put him in goal in front of the home crowd. Terry Murray was quoted as saying “Quick gives us the best chance to win at home” earlier in the year. That may be true, but I’m not completely on board with his statement. I could harp on this forever but here’s how I see it: Quick is a 2nd year goalie tied for the league lead in starts. Fatigue is bound to set in at some point, he’s tabbed to play in the Olympics (as a backup), and it’s vital to keep your starting goalie fresh. This may not be an issue to some, but developing your backup goaltender, and keeping your 1st stringer fresh throughout the season can eventually.. well, save your season.

Final Thoughts:
Jarret Stoll’s return from a groin injury is much anticipated, especially in the face-off circle. Will this be the month we find a winger who can mesh nicely with Kopitar and Smyth? I expect the Brown experiment to last a few more games to see how things work out. Purcell as their line-mate looks all but finished. I don’t expect Lombardi to make a trade in the near future to replace Williams’ absence, rather as a trade-deadline deal if the transaction is plausible. There’s no question we’re struggling to find a working option, but more time is needed to find the guy who can step up, and Dustin Brown may be that guy.

How do you Kings fans feel about the possibility of a trade to fill Williams’ hole? Sooner or later? Any possible transactions floating through your heads? Let’s hear it!

Of course Anze Kopitar had another good game. He didn’t notch a goal last night but did get two assists, so thumbs up to him and keep it going! Another roster tweak was that Erik Ersberg got his second start of the season with Jonathan Quick sitting on the bench. Ersberg got the solid win, and yes, he let in two “interesting” goals but I’d rather he shake off any in-game rust against Carolina than any other team right now.

As a team, the Kings had a great first period, began to falter in the second, but were able to finish in definite fashion in the third. Manny Legace was Carolina’s best player of the night and gave his team as many chances as he could to get back into the game. Unfortunately, the deal was essentially sealed after Wayne Simmond‘s goal in the middle of the third period and Justin Williams capped of the night with an empty netter.

This was a good win for the Kings, which they will continue through the Southeast Division, but there was one slight blemish on the stats sheet from this game. Teddy Purcell. 4:02 of ice time and a -1. I’m in no way angry about how he has completely disappeared the farther into the season they go; rather, disappointment accompanied by raised eyebrows comes across my face every game when I look at his play. His production is almost nil and I’m not sure how much longer he’ll stay up with the team. Maybe he needs to be sent back to Manchester for a stint?

On the other side of this NHL/AHL coin, Scott Parse is making a point. He only had 11:44 of TOI but you noticed when he was on the ice. His spark on the forecheck is very noticeable and he’s slowly earning his ice time from the coaching staff every game. Parse is how one should make an NHL showing when you’re leading the AHL team in points. I’m not saying Purcell won’t get there, but for now, he seems to have been pushed to the background for a bit while the rest of the team continues to sort itself out.

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On the news front, according to TSN, all roster questions have been answered regarding who will make the lineup for the season opener.

• Brayden Schenn has been returned to the Brandon Wheat Kings
• Jonathan Bernier has been sent to the Manchester Monarchs along with Thomas Hickey and Kevin Westgarth

This means a few things. The first being the 4th line center position might possibly just go Peter Harrold. Secondly, Erik Ersberg will take the backup role on the bench while Jonathan Quick starts the season in net hopefully being just as awesome as he was at the end of last season. Thirdly, Raitis Ivanans is a better player than Westgarth, which is something I’ve thought from Day Uno.

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Another update from last week (23rd): Rich Hammond of the Daily News will be newly employed by the Los Angeles Kings to basically do the same exact thing he was doing before. The most important part of this news is he will be able to provide for Kings fans real coverage on the road. The lack of road coverage for almost all teams is pretty despicable so I see this as a GREAT THING. He reiterated that he will not be censored by the Kings and will have full editorial control over his content. Naive me will believe this until his content proves otherwise. I’m really excited for this venture the Kings have decided to take and am happy for Rich Hammond for being the first beat writer to gain this type of recognition, visibility, and clearance by the team.

When the story broke, Frozen Royalty gave immediate props, Jon Moncrief was quick to the draw, and James Mirtle of course took note. Today Puck Daddy wrote an interesting writeup of what this could mean for Kings fans and how they get their team news.