.

After Regulation: Edmonton’s Taylor Hall (pictured right), who was drafted at Staples Center in June of 2010, put the Kings atop a certain mark in the NHL – one that’s not so flattering. With his Overtime goal Sunday night, the Kings took sole possession for the most OT/SO losses in the league. However, with the Boston Bruins successful shooutout bid tonight, the Florida Panthers now share that dismal stat-line with the Kings – each club with nine losses when extending contests to extra time.

For the Kings, it’s harped on their struggles in shootouts, something the club keyed on for success last year. Two names immediately focus on the downfall – Jarret Stoll and Jonathan Quick, who were guaranteed vices for shootout fortune last season.

The shootout frame was absolutely owned in Los Angeles jerseys last season. The Kings extended contests to extra shots twelve times last year, and won eleven of them. Much of this was due to the stalwart play of Jonathan Quick, and of course, Jarret Stoll‘s record-setting season. Stoll, who was tabbed to shoot ten times by Terry Murray, came through with goals on nine of those ten attempts – setting a single season NHL record with his 90% rate.

Jarret Stoll‘s top-right success has been tamed, due to it’s domination last season

Extending the Struggles: The Kings’ play has heeded much criticism during regulation play, and it hasn’t been much better afterward. In 15 opportunities to grab an extra point after regulation, the Kings have only capitalized six times. When it comes to Overtime losses, Eastern Conference opponents don’t prove to be nearly as detrimental as Western Conference clubs, where surrendering the extra point does it’s least damage to the Kings.

However, in the Kings’ nine losses after regulation, six of them have been to Western Conference opponents, four of them within the Pacific Division. These extra points are huge, especially when it’s within the Conference, even more so within the division. For as questionable as things have been this season for the Kings, small statistics like these are going to be a huge factor as the postseason inches closer.

Jarret Stoll is 2-8 in shootout attempts this season, but is still worth the shot.

Dustin Brown, for some bewildering reason, gets penciled in the majority of the time for his lumbering moves.

Trevor Lewis was given the green light from Darryl Sutter against Dallas for his breakaway goal. An intriguing choice from Sutter, but quit while you’re on top.

When do you put an Andrei Loktionov in there, a Slava Voynov? Something new, something undetected.

When it’s after regulation, thinking outside of the box may be your best bet – especially the way things have gone this season.

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KingsCast is back in action with exclusive coverage and interviews from Tip A King 2011. In this installment we interview Kyle Clifford, Simon Gagne, Terry Murray, Willie Mitchell, Dustin Penner, Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Drew Doughty, Justin Williams, Kevin Westgarth, Jarret Stoll and Ethan Moreau taking everything from team chemistry, Staples Center nicknames, the 1-3-1 trap, pranks and so much more!

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“Be a pal and step-in on this dance for a minute, Craig.
@KingsCastBlog just hit me up on the Twit!“

“I’ll be in the lobby, fools.“

Back on board: We’re back to celebrate tonight’s commencement of the NHL regular season, and of course highlighting the Kings’ opener tomorrow at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. This will be the first official contest overseas for the Kings, after putting a cap on preseason action Tuesday choking out a 5-4 victory in Germany against the DEL‘s Hamburg Freezers. The Kings will open the work-year against the New York Rangers, the second consecutive season the Kings start in the Eastern Conference. Let’s take a quick back-track and see how the Kings’ preseason ventures shaped out.

Early Preformances

As bland as tumultuous gets: Take exhibitions with a grain of salt. You’re going to catch a few striking moments, and a few that kill the nerves. Up-down, up-down, which seemed to be the ride taken during the eight-game preseason stretch. The Kings tallied 4 wins and 4 losses in the eight contests that were spattered with heavy roster movement in some unfamiliar buildings.

Manchester’s got V’s: Slava Voynov took advantage of Drew Doughty‘s absence, potting two goals and an assist before his dismissal to Manchester. Don’t be surprised to see Voynov in Los Angeles sometime this season, as he was the leader to be tabbed Doughty’s replacement if the holdout ensued into regular season play. Andrei Loktionov, who’s familiar with Los Angeles, failed to overcome the hardship that is being a prospect at the center position in the Kings organization. Nevermind the top two centerman, but Loktionov just isn’t a better option than Jarret Stoll or Trevor Lewis. A strong transition to a wing position may be the harsh reality to Loktionov’s near future with this organization. A goal and an assist, Loktionov back to Manchester as well.

Familiar faces: You look at the numbers game, Anze Kopitar headlined the roster with four goals, Jack Johnson topped the assists category with three. However, back to the up-down concept. September 28th provided it all; Beside the 6-0 Colorado Avalanche drubbing, all of Johnson’s assists were recorded this night, as well as three of Kopitar’s four goals. And how about Alec Martinez? I’m tabbing him as the dark-horse for the Kings defense this season. Not only has he shown the knack to be downright steady in the defensive zone, but netted two long distance calls with a shot that’s going to be a threat on the Kings powerplay unit this season – Book It.

Eight’s gotta be great, that’s baggage for the fashionably late.

Opener’s Outlook: The player that sparked the most off-season ruckus is settled with the roster after a controversially late arrival, while the player that sparked the most off-season criticism looks to be out for tomorrow’s contest. Drew Doughty in, Dustin Penner out. Expect Jonathan Quick to get the crease call, cross-end from New York’s Henrik Lundqvist, who will be the hometown tender tomorrow night, a Swedish native from Åre, a bordertown of Stockholm. Not only is this an absolute superb goaltending matchup for an opening contest, but against an elite name Quick rarely gets to front the pipes against.

Offensive Factor: The Kings’ offseason acquisitions centered on forwards. The Kings’ offseason acquisitions have fueled huge expectations. We’ve got big changes in offensive personnel, and we’re dealing with seven defensemen that share familiarity and growth as a group. The fact of the matter is, the forwards are expected to spotlight tomorrow’s contest, especially against this goaltender. Drew Doughty‘s going to hear the gripe unless he’s absolutely flawless, but you’ve got to expect this defense to be somewhat of a safe haven for the club. There are no holes on the Kings’ blue-line, just instances of passive, under-performing play. SEE: Jack Johnson.

Old Friends

While we’re in Sweden: How about a quick update on former Kings prospects Oscar Moller and Bud Holloway. Both players, respective in their 2nd and 3rd round draft positions in concurrent years, have scoped out a different route, and you really can’t blame either of them. In fact, you’ve got to respect it in some manner. Both players signed with Skelleftea HC of the Swedish Elite League during the summer, and the numbers symbolize a smooth transition. Both Moller and Holloway have dressed in Skelleftea HC‘s first seven contests. Oscar Moller is sitting on 5 points with 3 goals and 2 assists, while Bud Holloway has chipped in with 4 points in the form of 3 goals and an assist.

Bailey goes f*cking chow-town on the MLB Playoffs for random snacks.

“OH SH*T! It’s f*cking opening day.“

“OH SH*T! I better not play like sh*t.“

Let’s do this until June – Go Kings.

The Pre-Season is in full gear with the regular season opener right around the corner! In this episode we head back to ‘The Stape’ in exhibition fashion, talk about the Drew Doughty situation and break down the roster and depth chart. Question of the Day; Is This the Year?

Filling that Kings hockey void is Part 5 of the 2011 KingsCast Roundtable series. In this brand new episode, the experts discuss who’s played their last game as a King, who’s got a future with the team & how the roster compares to that of current Cup contenders. Detailed debate on Stoll, Smyth, Handzus, Mitchell, Richardson, Lewis and more! In memory of Jon Moncrief.

The Kings were on Staples Center ice for just the third time in nine contests, sulking into Los Angeles along the 5 freeway with an ugly 1-7-0 record that symbolized their previous eight dates — talk about a low-point. The lone victory during that slump-fest happens to be #5 on the list in TOP FIVE. Florida’s visit to Staples Center was quickly overshadowed when the Kings pulled off an absolute dandy against the Detroit Red Wings on the premises just two nights later, but it certainly still deserves recognition. This night had some substance. The Smyth-Stoll-Williams line does it’s thing in due fashion before it’s sudden downfall, Peter Harrold scores, Anze Kopitar with a pre-injury golden moment, and Peter Harrold scores. Oh, and it also fueled December’s resurgance, the Kings snagging two points in eight of the next eleven games. Can’t go wrong here, really.

BAILEY Cameo – TOP RIGHT

For the “Sunshine State”

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December 2, 2010 – Regular Season Game #24
Los Angeles Kings (3) – Florida Panthers (2)
Staples Center – Los Angeles, California

Highlights can be seen below, Bob and Jim with the Fox Sports West feed. Not the prettiest game you’ll see, but a crucial one at that. Does Florida even have a broadcast team anyway? And why does their arena have bright green seats, I’ve never understood that. Probably designed the place around an early ’90′s Arena Football League team or something that folded two years later.

Why it’s #4: There are no green seats in the background because this game was not in Florida. That comment above was completely irrelevant to anything recognizable to this game. Anyway, not necessarily one of the most appealing wins this season, to the casual viewer at least. However, it came with a marvelous finish and kicked the Kings out of the valley they were trapped in. That valley was located in Shitty F*cking Defense-ville, in the country of WhereTheFuckIsJonathanBernier-istan. The eight games prior to this win against the Florida Panthers saw the Kings grab just two of sixteen points available, seven losses in regulation, but stole a Shootout win in Boston to curb the dismal state of play. After the refresh, the Kings went running, pulling off an 8-2-1 record in the next eleven games, taking 17 of 22 points on the board.

Defense Due: I shoulder a lot of blame on defensive struggles for the Kings’ November slump, but they were due for a win. In the two games prior to Florida, the defense was showing signs of it’s early-season form, the offense just couldn’t take advantage of it. A 2-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and a 2-0 dud against the Anaheim Ducks had everyone waiting for the offense to hop aboard. The defense stayed honest, surrendering just 6 goals in the next 4 games. The offense joined the party too, putting up 12 tallies in the same next 4 games. Talk about making ends meet, the Kings would go 4-0-0 after the forwards started to put some pucks away.

Prior To Vacation: Unfortunately, tonight was one of the last memorable sights of the formerly-known “geezer line”. Jarret Stoll wouldn’t score a goal for the next 15 games, totaling just 3 assists in that span. For the Williams, Stoll, Smyth line as a whole, it all went downhill with Stoll’s numbers, which queued Terry Murray to call out the centerman in public fashion. Murray sent the message in late December, and Stoll responded almost as well as you could have expected. Jarret Stoll is certainly an interesting offseason subject as his contract with the Kings has expired. The guy deserves some serious consideration for a new contract, he’s a staple in the face-off circle and can fill multiple roles in a team’s offensive scheme.

PETE!: Always nice to see Peter Harrold put one in, his only goal of the season would come in this game against Tomas Vokoun and the Florida Panthers. He gets the game-tying goal here, only for it to be his last of the season. In the following game, Harrold assists on the game-tying goal, to also be his last of the season. 9 more times he’s etched into the lineup, but with a questionable presence you really couldn’t tab as either valuable or harmful. He’s an under appreciated player in this organization, there’s no doubt. With an NHL career dating as far back as the ’06/07 season with the Kings, Harrold has been a comfortable substitute, especially as a swingman. He can fill slots anywhere on the ice except the crease. Not only does he have a two-sided skill set, but he can do it respectively at an on-call basis. Not easy to do. His status as a King isn’t necessarily expected to continue into next season, tougher issue to delegate than it looks. Best of luck with your future endeavors, Pete.

You bet your ass he’s staring at that two-spot. Either that or the Jumbotron captured the guy I saw rocking a Peter Harrold jersey two years ago. Peter Harrold probably likes seeing people in Peter Harrold Jerseys. Then again, it’s probably him staring at the scoreboard that’s been juiced-up due to his snapper after intercepting a Florida clear-attempt, thinking about how many more people are going to buy Peter Harrold jerseys because of his CRUCIAL goal.

Anze Kopitar ends it late in the third period. More from him later. If you recall what happened in the game scheduled after this one, the writing’s on the wall.

Like a drunken townie reminiscing their high school athletic career, we’re taking a look back at the TOP FIVE LA Kings games played this season. The NHL Playoffs are in full-swing, and we’re just getting started with offseason coverage here at KingsCast.net. Look out for a new episode of Overtime by the end of the week, Chris and Keith will be at you with a Season Review in Episode 107. For the time-being, let’s get to #5 on the list.

November 20, 2010 – Regular Season Game #19
Los Angeles Kings 4 – Boston Bruins 3 (SO)
TD Banknorth Garden – Boston, Massachusetts

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Highlights can be seen below, unfortunately we’re working with the Bruins’ NESN feed here. Enjoy yourself a nice helping of Jack Edwards, the same guy who related a Bruins playoff victory to the Revolutionary War. Please now.

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Why It’s #5: When targeting the low points to the Kings tumultuous season, the second-half of November stands out as the worst stretch of hockey played by this club. From November 14th to December 1st, the Kings earned just one victory over a span of eight contests. That single victory is the one we’re talking now, the epitome of a diamond in the rough. Although the Bruins were able to recover from a 3-goal deficit, the Kings stabilized the onslaught to extend the game to a Shootout – where the Kings absolutely own Boston. In fact, the Kings are 5-0-0 against the Bruins dating back to the 2008-2009 campaign, locking down three victories by way of a shootout, a win in OT, and a win in regulation.

Quick Fix: Tim Thomas may have been higher on Team USA’s goalie depth chart in the 2010 Winter Olympics than Jonathan Quick, and he may have been selected to the 2011 NHL All Star Game while Quick was questionably ignored, but he has no business in a shootout against the Kings goaltender. That’s three head-to-head shootouts between Thomas and Quick since 2009, and Quick is eating his cake too.

You know what that means, time for another…

At least he doesn’t throw milk crates like Tuukka Rask.

Secondary Scoring: Another great aspect to this game, with Kings goals coming from Brad Richardson, Michal Handzus, and Jarret Stoll. It just goes to show how crucial depth in the offensive department can be, consistency with that was the problem for this roster.

Early Signs: Trevor Lewis had one hell of a game here folks. His puck control in the neutral zone opened a lane for Brad Richardson to coast in for the Kings’ first tally, one of Richardson’s few appearances this season. Don’t let a 6-game playoff series fool you, SEE YA Brad. Lewis then took part in Handzus’ goal, beating Boston’s defense to a rebound off of a Dustin Brown shot, and utilized time and space low in the zone to structure the play.

‘Zus On The Loose: Michal Handzus had quite a performance, netting the game-clincher in the 6th round of a scoreless shootout. Handzus’ regulation goal saw him make use of open space in the slot, where he found himself alone, hammering home a rebound from a Davis Drewiske point shot. That would be Drewiske’s final point of the season.

The Countdown: Be on the lookout for the next installment of TOP FIVE, where I’ll break down #4 on the list. Anyone else have the Tampa Bay Lightning as this year’s sleeper team? I sure do.

We all took issue with Jason Demers’ hit on Ryan Smyth the other night. Well everyone except the National Hockey League. Gann Matsuda of Frozen Royalty takes a look at the discipline that Jarret Stoll faced and the discipline that Jason Demers didn’t face. You gotta love the NHL!

Before you start rolling your eyes, this is not really about the merits of Los Angeles Kings center Jarret Stoll’s hit from behind on San Jose Sharks defenseman Ian White in Game 1 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal series on April 14. It is also not about if Sharks defenseman Jason Demers should have been suspended for his hit on Kings left wing Ryan Smyth in the same game. Even the punishment Anaheim Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan should receive for stomping on Nashville Predators defenseman Jonathon Blum’s’s foot in Game 2 of their first round series on April 15 is not what this story is about.

These incidents shine an ultra-bright spotlight on the haphazard way the NHL hands out fines and suspensions. Indeed, it often seems that whether or not the incident results in an injury, along with the severity of the injury, dictates whether or not a suspension is handed down, not to mention the number of games.

Of course there are examples where the resulting injury does not appear to factor in the decision. But, more often than not, that is exactly what happens.

To illustrate the haphazard nature of NHL discipline, Stoll received a one-game suspension for his hit from behind on White, and will miss Game 2 of that series on April 16.

But compare that to former Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger, who threw a vicious elbow to the head of Ottawa Senators forward Dean McAmmond during Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Final series on June 2, 2007, and received a one-game suspension.

At the time, Pronger was already a repeat offender in the eyes of the NHL, and had a reputation for head hunting going back to his days with the St. Louis Blues. Yet all he got was a little, teeny, slap-on-the-hand one-game suspension, rather than being forced to miss several games, as he deserved.

Of course, this incident is just one out of many that have bewildered hockey fans for decades.

Stoll is not a dirty player, and did not appear to run White with any intent to hit him in the head. Nevertheless, the hit was clearly from behind, and he made contact with White’s head. It was the kind of hit the league is trying to rid themselves of.

But Demers’ hit on Smyth also falls under that category, as he skated hard at Smyth and launched himself, leaving his feet with his left elbow raised, hitting Smyth in the head.

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty.

The Los Angeles Kings were playing great hockey….and, then, Anze Kopitar went down for the season. Is all lost for Kings fans? In this episode we talk about the implication of Kopitar’s injury, discuss the games against Colorado and Edmonton and, in the spirit of the 1980′s – we do some lines.

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

Laser Show.

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

The Captain’s Back.

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