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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“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 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.

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.

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.

Getty Images / Harry How

After quite an impressive start to begin the season, Jarret Stoll‘s offensive production came to a halt. The stats don’t lie, Stoll marked the scoresheet frequently and consistently recording 7 goals and 17 assists for 24 points in the first 19 games of the campaign. The next 19 games? 0 Goals, 5 Assists. Near the end of Stoll’s recent drought, Terry Murray called out the struggling forward. Per Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times, here’s what Murray had to say about Stoll’s recent play:

“One goal, five assists in the month of December and that was Dec. 2. I’m aware of it. The line, we need it to get going. That’s the line that played very well for us at the start of the year.”

Shortly thereafter, Terry Murray demoted Stoll to the third line. Since the move, he’s answered with 5 goals and an assist. Among the numerous line changes that have jumbled the lineup, you can give a thumbs up to this one. Let’s be honest, Jarret Stoll is not a second-line caliber centerman on a good, playoff contending team. For some time, that’s where he’s been for the Kings, and it’s due to the lack of having a solid core of top six forwards. This has been a good fit, yet it’s only been five games. There’s no question he’ll continue to see time on the powerplay as well, and we saw changes last night that fit Stoll’s approach. The Kings are shooting more, they’re creating traffic by putting the puck on net. Stoll’s got the shot, and he’ll find success in the low slot when he’s on par.

At this point, you can’t help but ride the streak and keep him put. When you’re getting points from depth players such as Jarret Stoll, it opens opportunities for the top two lines. It’s going to give the third line faceoffs, with Anze Kopitar and Michal Handzus still spreading their traits with their respective sets. When trade talks arise, Jarret Stoll‘s name usually graces the discussion. He’s locked down through the 2011-2012 season with a cap hit of $3.6 million a season. If a big name does in fact catch the eye of Dean Lombardi as the trade deadline approaches, the Kings are going to need to dump some cash. If Stoll continues his success on the third line, and proves he can be a valuable asset on the back end of this offense, he may not have to depart if we do acquire a top six forward.

First up is Kings enforcer Kevin Westgarth:

Next up is your second line center Jarret Stoll:

This one was a joint card from Oscar Moller, Dwight King and some Russian guy:

General Manager Dean Lombardi remembered us this year as well:

Finally, that guy who was supposed to be the starter (according to the Canadian media) sent us this ditty:

Happy holidays from your boys at KingsCast and the Los Angeles Kings!

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.

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Notes on the Game:
– On Chicago’s First Goal: I’m usually harsh on the Kings defensive play, but Chicago moved the puck down-low perfectly for their first tally. Patrick Kane and Adam Burish did a wonderful job of controlling the puck behind the goal line, ultimately finding Patrick Sharp for the goal. No blame on Kings defense here, kudos to the Blackhawks.
– On LA’s first Goal: Sean O’Donnell was the key to Dustin Brown‘s wrap-around marker, making it possible as he stepped up from the blue-line to keep the puck in offensive territory that had all intentions of clearing the zone.
On LA’s second Goal: Drew Doughty and Jarret Stoll work the puck on the blue-line beautifully to feed an open Anze Kopitar who rifled a gorgeous wrist shot to beat Antti Niemi on the power-play. Great puck control on the point with heavy pressure to construct a goal.
On Chicago’s second Goal: Matt Greene, on his back feet, failed to clear the puck, allowing Kris Versteeg to find the puck in front of the net, eventually capitalizing on his own rebound to tie the game.
On Chicago’s OT winner: Brad Richardson, who was defended well with control in the neutral zone, tried to make the best of it with a blind back-hand pass. A risky play in overtime, Dave Bolland cut off Richardon’s neutral zone pass and fed a wide-open Patrick Sharp who walked in alone on Jonathan Quick and ended the game beating a helpless Quick on the back-hand side.

FORWARDS

DUSTIN BROWN #23
GRADE: B
SYNOPSIS: Dustin Brown has had a solid season for the Kings, bringing his high intensity, physical play whenever he’s on the ice. Brown has been impressive on the forecheck, utilizing his speed and strength to create offensive zone posession. With 15 goals and 27 assists, Brown has been a key contributor, but there are still some flaws. I like to see Brown make the dump & chase work for the Kings with his heavy pressure down low, but often find myself frustrated when he enters the zone with the puck. Too often Brown is fancy with the puck with his through the legs deke, and still has an issue with missing the net with his shots. Bottom Line: You can always count on Brown to make a presence physically, but he’s had issues with the puck. A couple of scoring droughts have lowered Brown’s point totals, but his leadership on and off the ice is crucial to the team.

ALEXANDER FROLOV #24
GRADE: C-
SYNOPSIS: I’ve been frustrated with Frolov’s play all season, which I see as having a lack of heart and intensity. Whether it’s giving up on the back-check, or skating circles without the puck, Frolov has been a huge disappointment. The guy has skill, and his 13 goals and 27 assists is sub-par for a player with his capability. Frolov has made plenty of bad decisions, namely his constant wrap-arounds, and has shown his inability to occupy the front of the net. Bottom Line: Frolov has been the center of trade rumors this year, and there’s still a chance he could be dealt after the Olympic break. Frolov, even with his lackluster style of play, has the ability to create points for the Kings as they stride toward the playoffs.

MICHAL HANDZUS #26
GRADE: B+
SYNOPSIS: Handzus, with 33 points this season, has been a solid contributor up front for the Kings. Not a flashy forward, but extremely versatile. Handzus has shown he is capable of winning face-offs, scoring from the top of the circles, and creating traffic in front of the net. #26 is a veteran who can center a wide variety of wingers. Handzus’ smart play has worked well with the various line combinations Terry Murray has drawn up. Bottom Line: An essential part of the Kings offense, Handzus rarely makes costly mistakes. Whether it’s his puck control down low, his body in front of the net, or his shot selection from the top of the circles, his intelligence on the ice meshes well with his line-mates.

RAITIS IVANANS #41
GRADE: C-
SYNOPSIS: Ivanans is on the roster for one reason; To be the enforcer. If there’s a player who’s going to drop the gloves, look to Raitis. Even though it’s not his function on the ice, Ivanans has yet to record a point, which is troubling at 54 games played. My main problem with his play is the stupid retaliation I’ve seen from him this season. I have no problem with him dancing when necessary, but it’s been a recurring instance where Ivanans takes a revenge penalty that hurts the team. Bottom Line: Ivanans has a spot on the roster to have the back of his skilled teammates. #41 needs to be a little smarter when choosing to stick up for his team, and make sure he isn’t a burden to their success.

ANZE KOPITAR #11
GRADE: A-
SYNOPSIS: Kopitar had a stunning start to the season, even leading the NHL in points for a period of time. The hot start was quickly crushed with a lengthy stretch of games where Kopitar failed to produce. However, he regrouped to again become an offensive force for the Kings. I believe his slump was in part to pushing too hard. #11 never stopped working, but just couldn’t catch a break. He never left his game, but over-did it at times. Once he was able to settle down, and had healthy surroundings, he’s become the vastly improved player we saw at the start of the season. Bottom Line: Kopitar’s skill has been coupled with his revamped strength this season to create a player who is on the verge of being a superstar. A long stretch into the playoffs will only help Kopitar’s process of maturing and growing into an elite NHL player.

OSCAR MOLLER #9
GRADE: B
SYNOPSIS: I, for one, didn’t expect much out of the young Swede this season. I figured Moller would get shut-down because of his size. Yes, I judged, but you can’t deny that was the story last season. Now, he hasn’t been putting up the points, but he’s not afraid to go into corners and fight for the puck. I like to relate him to a mosquito. Small, but extremely bothersome. Moller uses his speed to disrupt the opposition. Does he always win the battles? No. But he distracts the flow of his counterparts. Bottom Line: Moller is annoying to the opposition. He doesn’t scare them, he bothers them. This is what allows him to create turnovers down-low utilizing his small stature and quick feet.

TEDDY PURCELL #54
GRADE: D+
SYNOPSIS: Late decisions, and bad ones. That can describe Purcell’s season so far. Teddy had a semi-promising ending to last season, but has completely flopped this year. 3 goals and 3 assist through 41 games, Purcell has been awful. There hasn’t been one positive to his play. At times he looks lost, and at other times he just looks bad. Bad passes, bad shot selection, poor puck control down-low, I’ll stop now. Bottom Line: I’ve just about given up hope with Purcell. Will he be a factor down the stretch? I don’t think so. A part of me wants to have some faith in him, but there’s been no reason to build it.

BRAD RICHARDSON #15
GRADE: B+
SYNOPSIS: Boy, talk about an impressive player coming from nowhere. Richardson, who was pointless for a long stretch at the start of the season, began to blossom into a key forward. The guy just works hard. Always hard on the forecheck and backcheck, Richardson works for his points. He’s provided a spark to the offense with his work ethic, and has earned every single one of his 21 points. Bottom Line: A young winger like Richardson who takes pride in hustle, he can create big plays for the Kings down the line. No question he’ll be a factor in plenty of games, and his intensity will be a great fit come playoff time.

WAYNE SIMMONDS #17
GRADE: A
SYNOPSIS: There’s no question Simmonds play has led him to become a fan favorite. A forward who mixes in a bit of everything when on the ice, he has posted 35 points. Simmonds physical play on the forecheck and ability to fight make him even more of a threat. His speed allows him to beat the opposition to the puck. His long, fluid stride helps as well. Bottom Line: In only his second season, Simmonds has been a huge surprise. A player who is still developing, only expect to get more results from Simmonds for the rest of the season and beyond.

RYAN SMYTH #94
GRADE: A
SYNOPSIS: Smyth is hands-down the best off-season acquisition for the Kings. He’s had such a big impact on the team both on and off of the ice. Smyth has managed to tally 19 goals and 19 assists even being out for over a month. His presence in front of the net is a key factor on the PP. Knowing where to be on the ice at all times, Smyth makes his line-mates better. He gives his teammates confidence when putting the puck on net or down low, knowing Smyth will be scrapping for possession or a deflection. Bottom Line: There’s no doubt Smyth will be an important factor down the stretch. Not only is his play crucial to the team, but his experience as well. Smyth went to the Stanley Cup Finals with Edmonton in 2006.

JARRET STOLL
GRADE: B-
SYNOPSIS: Stoll has fought back from numerous injuries this season to put together a solid overall performance. With 12 goals and 23 assists, Stoll has backed up his success in the face-off circle with production in the offensive zone. A key part of the PP, Stoll moves to the blue-line because of his shot. You have to be impressed with the embattled forward fighting through injuries and still bringing a strong performance to the ice. Bottom Line: Stoll’s biggest contributions to the team will be face-offs in the O-Zone and to continue to pose a threat from the blue-line on the PP.

On Attendance:
I’ve just about accepted the fact that section 325 will no longer be completely vacant for my pleasure for the remainder of the season. The days of scalping any ‘ol 300 level seat without care or concern about the 14th row corner section I just shelled out 10 bones for, an automatic ass-cushion in the three-two-five…are over. I noticed the sudden boost in attendance after the holidays last year, and likewise this year on the 28th against Minnesota. It’s gotta be the holiday ticket packages. It’s gotta be!

On Stolly’s Return:
Hammy said it, Jarret Stoll will be back in the lineup tomorrow night at the Pavilion. Good to hear, but don’t expect a full serving of Stoll right away. If there’s one player to feel comfortable with taking draws, its #28. I’d like to see him work his way back on the PP as well. There’s nothing like a Stoll-Doughty or Stoll-JMFJ tandem feeding each other juicy D to D passes across the blue-line resulting in absolute bombs from the point.

On Scuds:
Rob Scuderi has proven to be a great off-season acquisition for Los Angeles. Not a player that gets a whole lot of love from fans because of his style of play. He gets the job done in the defensive zone. Not a flashy player, and sticks to his priority of playing a defensive-minded game. This gives his defensive partner, whomever it may be, Doughty or Johnson, to step up in the offensive zone and take a couple of chances. Great example here from back in September.

Scuderi’s play is underrated, and I love it. When you can sign a veteran defenseman who can not only teach the youngsters in Doughty and Johnson, but give them the support to allow them to make an offensive presence, you have yourself a key player. One with a lot of playoff experience and a ring on his finger. Expect Scuds to be a gamebreaker later on this year.

On Tonight @ San Jose:
Huge game, no question about it. Like I said previously, the Kings need victories in at least two of the three meetings with San Jose this month in regulation to have any hopes of a shot for the Pacific Division Title. Jarret Stoll will be back with the 4th line centering Ivanans and Moller. Randy Jones is still out recovering from his concussion symptoms. Brown – Kopitar – Smyth leading the top line again. What do you expect to see from this game? Predictions? The win against Washington was huge, and following it with a victory against San Jose would be a shot in the arm for the Kings.

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!

Stream of consciousness to follow: Did anyone else notice that Justin Williams had a ridiculously fantastic game? He was definitely the standout for me registering the primary assist for Jarret Stoll’s GWG in the second period. Stoll has also been strong on every shift; he played 19:25 last night and I think he has deserved every minute. Speaking of more minutes, Brad Richardson has been rewarded with more and more time and has been effective on all shifts as well. His hop has been pleasantly surprising along with Scott Parse‘s continued production. It’s fantastic that these guys are utilizing their short amount of minutes, and I’ve been very pleased all around with everyone’s play.

(LAKings.com)
There’s obviously the elephant still in the room with Anze Kopitar‘s lack of scoring. It has been quite a while (I’ll admit), but I personally am not panicking. I’m sure everything will smooth itself out in the near future (a.k.a when Ryan Smyth gets back in the lineup).

Oscar Moller was called up for this game, and it’s looking like he will stay for awhile. Awesome for him and for the fans. Once again, no complaints here.

Final thought on the game: Raitis Ivanans actually dropped the gloves and scraped it out with Brian McGrattan. Finally! Ivanans is doing what he’s supposed to be doing.

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I’ve been a little behind on the updates, but the best one of month is that the 2010 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Los Angeles!!! I’m incredibly excited for the entire event and will be counting down the days the closer it gets. Click here for the logo, which I think is sharp.

Drew Doughty‘s birthday has come and gone. He is now a ripe 20-year old. Crazy.

Don’t forget I’m on Twitter! Follow if you’d like.

The first 10 minutes of the game were north-south to the max. The feeling out process for teams in different conferences takes a bit of time, and thankfully the Kings were the first to gain control. Jarret Stoll was able to score off a sharp angle on Brian Boucher for the first goal of the game. (I seem to remember Boucher letting in a similar goal last season when they faced the San Jose Sharks.) The second period went back to neither team dominating causing an overall manic feel and the third was flat out frantic. The 5-on-3 advantage the Kings had should have slowed the game down drastically in their favor, but it was just about the worst man-advantage I have ever seen. The Kings couldn’t get the puck past the offensive blueline let alone set anything up. The Flyers were aggressive all around and the 2-man advantage expired with nothing to show for it.

Let me make it clear that Alexander Frolov doesn’t belong on the top line. I’m not saying he played terribly; I’m merely saying Frolov is best served on, at most, the second line. He was supposed to up his game and compliment Kopitar and Justin Williams on the first line, but nothing changed for Frolov. He looked the same and I’m not sure what to say other than there will be a different left wing on that line Saturday against the Calgary Flames. Williams, on the other hand, had a strong showing with 8 total shots on net. Kopitar had 6 shots while Frolov had only 1. As a team, the Kings landed 39 shots on the Flyers goaltender with Jonathan Quick seeing just 20.

This was a high hitting game and I was mildly impressed with some players and not with others, as is usually the case. In this particular game, Teddy Purcell stepped up his visibility a touch while Davis Drewiske did not. I’m not going to strategically analyze their play for this one game; rather, I’m just going chock it up to playing in modified lines against a team they are unfamiliar with. (Let me know when that line gets old.)

The incredible high/low light of this game was the rolling puck parallel to the Flyers’ blueline that could have led to the Kings tying goal with just seconds left in regulation. The insanity at the end of the game could have tilted just one degree in favor of the Kings, but it predictably didn’t and the large “L” loomed upon them on the stats sheet. That, my friends, is the definition of heartbreak.

Twitter me up!

Like the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, this contest was a physical battle with one pretty significant difference, the Panthers are more organized defensively than the Lightning. They had a much more aggressive defensive mindset, their forechecking was harder, and their defensive box was much bigger than what the Kings are used to. The extra pressure put the onus on the second D to accept that first pass out of the zone, but missed pass after missed pass put the stress on their own shoulders. In the end, it was another hard fought victory that was less physical than the last game but still saw the shootout. This time around the Kings only needed Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson to stand at center ice, and Jonathan Quick was his beastly self in stopping all shots taken by the Panthers.

Ryan Smyth left the game twice with an unknown injury. There haven’t been any updates released by the Kings so we can only sit and wait… nervously.

Lastly, something that’s bugging me: is it legal for a player to sweep away a goaltender’s stick when it’s laying outside of the crease? I’m talking about moving a goalie’s unbroken stick to the boards so it’s completely out of his reach. That’s exactly what happened to Quick on the weird bounce ending in a goal against with a massive scramble at the goal mouth. It definitely would have been illegal if the opposing player picked up the stick and tossed it away toward the boards, but c’mon, that’s so cheap to clear an unbroken stick away like that giving your team a lame advantage. (Replace “cheap” with a harsher word and you’ll get what I really mean.)

Next up are the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday back in Staples Center; they have 23 points and are third in the Atlantic Division. I’m definitely looking forward to this game and grabbing two more points in the standings. I realize I’m getting more and more greedy for these precious points; I can’t help it. It feels so great when the Kings rack them up because it means the Pacific Division is looking more in their favor and those in the Eastern Conference are noticing more and more. Having a winning team is creating an almost (but not-yet) insatiable lust for more points!

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.

Last night his first goal was scored less than 30 seconds in was the best wake up call the Kings could have given to the Pens who have been doing very well for themselves so far this season. Sidney Crosby looked mortal and ended the night with a -1. This game wasn’t won on pure luck but hard work by everyone on the roster.

I’m not sure what was more surprising: both teams scoring on their first shots on net or the 23 seconds between Jarret Stoll‘s goal and Michael Handzus‘ goal in the third. Actually, the latter was more surprising for me because no one is doubting Kopitar’s production. I absolutely loved Stoll’s exuberance from scoring on Marc-Andre Fleury. This was his 4th goal of the season and his faceoff percentage was back to normal at 83%. I’m not sure how Fleury was feeling last night, but I was sure how all Kings fans were feeling; total excitement and happiness. Two things Kings fans have finally been able to experience beyond a game-by-game basis.

Jonathan Quick had two of the sickest pad saves and led the Kings to their victory. The San Jose Sharks sit two points higher for the Pacific Division lead and the Kings are vying for that spot. At this point in time, the Kings don’t need to look at those in their rear view mirrors anymore. The focus is forward for every game.

Last night the Kings faced the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second time this season where they fared quite a bit better winning 6-2. The story of the game was Jason Chimera getting up ended by Rob Scuderi. Scuderi went to deliver what looked like was going to be a hip check but ended up actually clipping Chimera right in the knees. It was definitely low but it wasn’t an intentionally dirty hit. Unfortunately, Chimera looked like he got his head throttled back as he flipped over, but I honestly can say Scuderi wasn’t intending for that to happen, which I’m sure is something we all can agree on. Many people will have an opinion, so have at it. Or not.

By the way, the punch to the back of Alexander Frolov‘s head was REALLY not needed. You can be frustrated, Chimera, but let’s leave the punching off the ice. Speaking of Frolov, this weekend he notched two goals and two assists, and I can only hope that he has officially been let out of the doghouse with his production. You really couldn’t have asked for more from Frolov in last night’s game; perhaps he could have stayed on his feet more against Phoenix, but Fro isn’t perfect so I can’t hate.

Ryan Smyth continues to be his beastly self logging big ice time and making sure his presence is felt by the opposition. He was on the Fan590 on Friday and was asked about the upcoming Olympics. I don’t think anyone is surprised that he was honored by the invite and would love to be a part of Team Canada.

The difference between this game and Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Coyotes is that the Kings beat the Jackets handedly while they were on the verge of another collapse against the Coyotes. This was a 5-3 win for the Kings but, let’s be honest, it could have resulted in another OT stint or just a straight up loss. Instead the Kings readjusted themselves and finished the game with two more points.

Dustin Brown and Jarret Stoll were the highlights of this game. Brownie had over 21 minutes of TOI and had two goals. One was an empty netter, which neither the team nor he really needed. It appeared that he was just skating toward the Coyotes’ empty net with no real intention to finish the game off with a pompous gesture. I’m not even sure the puck slid past the goal line before time ran out, but I would have still been happy if it wasn’t counted. Stoll had two goals, 18 minutes of TOI, and a respectable 50% win in the faceoff circle.

Some more tidbits to chew on:

• Jonathan Quick is currently tied for first in the NHL in wins. He has 8 wins, as do Craig Anderson and Marc-Andre Fleury.
• Drew Doughty lead the team in ice time for both games: 27:38 against the Coyotes and 23:34 against the Blue Jackets.
• The most invisible player on the ice has been Teddy Purcell. What is the issue there?

• The Kings’ best period from these two games was the 2nd against the Rangers. The question of “Can the Kings sustain that kind of offensive pressure through the entire game?” is something they’re still addressing.
• The Kings were better in the faceoff circle against the Rangers (54%) and sustained the percentage in Detroit (52%). Jarret Stoll rocked it getting a 91% win in the 2nd game.

• Marian Gaborik got the goal that sealed the deal for the Rangers by cherry-picking the play. That was a goal Eric Ersberg should have had but he was beaten plain and simple, which he was well aware according to his post-game quotes. Jonathan Quick returned for the Detroit game and didn’t fare as badly considering he was helping to kill penalties for almost 10 minutes.
• Nicklas Lidstrom notched his 1,000th career point on just about the sickest pass slash goal to Henrick Zetterberg. That was just pure eff-ing skill.

• By the way, FSN West. The “technical difficulties” was not appreciated. I don’t want to listen to the radio if I have the option to watch the game on TV. Bad form.
• David Drewiske was on the ice causing more mistakes than he needed to. His 14:08 in New York was too long and he played more in Detroit (18:25)! Granted his play was better in Detroit, 18 minutes is still too much ice time to give to him.
• For a positive, Dustin Brown scored his first goal of the season against the Red Wings! He definitely needed this spark and his game is on track getting back to where it needs to be.

These two losses do not mean the Kings are deteriorating and that the winning streak was a fluke. This is a better team compared to last year and they will go through the season as such. They are in Columbus tomorrow playing a team that is on a 2-game winning streak. Catch it; 4:00 pm PST on FSW.

Every game brings me closer to saying, “I’m cool with Ryan Smyth.” I can’t deny he does what the Kings have needed for a long time, get a body in front of the freaking net, and I can comfortably say I like Smyth better than Justin Williams. I feel like I’m never going to be sold on him; what’s the deal? Someone please have a discussion with me! I give a definite two thumbs up to this win with the only time the Kings faltering in their play was the incident that led to Alexander Steen’s goal, which was in and out of the net so quickly that play was not halted immediately. The defense looked great and Jonathan Quick was solid.

The score was also 2-1 for today’s game on the Island, but the noted difference was that both teams were allowing the play to move back and forth through both zones instead of one team asserting themselves over the other. The Kings didn’t control the game until Anze Kopitar‘s PP goal in the 2nd period. I can definitely see Kopitar’s potential beginning to show itself from his past seasons If he keeps this point and performance streak moving forward, he will definitely get noticed outside of the greater Los Angeles area. The noted player of this game was Drew Doughty wearing facial protection due to the puck-in-the-mouth incident in Saturday’s game. Jarret Stoll did an awesome job on this play drawing the opposition to him while he was bringing the puck into the Islanders’ zone, which left Doughty wide open for the pass. Doughty slapped the puck and got it far side on Marty Biron for his second goal of the season. SICK.

Even though the Kings are 4-1, there are still plenty of things the Kings need to work on, firstly, their faceoffs. Here are the percentages in the circle so far:

• 44% against the New York Islanders October 12
• 40% against the St. Louis Blues on October 10
• 38% against the Minnesota Wild on October 8
• 43% against the San Jose Sharks on October 6
• 41% against the Phoenix Coyotes on October 3

No need to paint a hazy picture from these stats; they’re poor and everyone knows it. The amount of crucial faceoffs being lost is unbelievable. If the Kings gain the possession AT puck drop, it’d definitely reduce the number of heart attacks on my part.

By the way, who scored the lone Islanders’ goal? Matt Moulson of course! He was looking quite scragly with his new coif, which probably is very much needed on the east coast. The funniest part about Bob Miller and Jim Fox’s discussion of Moulson was his relationship with Jonathan Quick‘s wife’s sister. It was mentioned twice that Moulson was perhaps Quick’s future brother-in-law. Now, now, let’s not jump the gun.

The stats for this game overall weren’t impressive in terms of shots on and hits. The Kings had 22 shots while the Islanders had 29. Hits were 22 and 34, respectively. It’s fantastic the Kings are getting the wins, but the it’s the little things that add up to carrying a solidly performing roster deep into the season. The individual players still have many parts of the game to work on, so that’s definitely promising. There is room for lots of growth over the entire season, and I’m (almost) happy with the current team on the ice.

P.S. I love Raitis Ivanans. He played 2 minutes and 44 seconds and absolutely pounded the HELL out of Joel Rechlicz, whoever that is.

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A few more things:

• Happy birthday to Mr. Bob Miller! Still looking great!
• Check out Hockeywood, L.A. for great content on the Kings!

Kings center Anze Kopitar led the way for the Kings with a goal and two assists, while defenseman Davis Drewiske scored his first National Hockey League goal and added an assist. Center Michal Handzus contributed two assists.

After taking a 4-0 lead past the midway point of the second period, the Kings collapsed, allowing four straight power play goals, the tying goal scored by Sharks forward Dany Heatley at 14:24 of the third period.

But just 26 seconds later, Purcell got the puck in the right corner of the Sharks zone and wristed it towards the net. The puck snuck in between the pads of San Jose backup goaltender Thomas Greiss, who replaced starter Evgeni Nabokov at 12:16 of the second period after he allowed the Kings’ fourth goal of the game, a long wrist shot by Kopitar from high in the right circle, a shot Nabokov should have stopped easily.

Drewiske’s empty-net goal at 18:41 of the third period gave the Kings their final margin of victory.

NOTES: Kopitar’s two goals and three assist for five points in the first two games; the line of Kopitar, Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams has scored three goals with six assists for nine points in the two games; Defenseman Drew Doughty bounced back after playing the worst game of his young NHL career against Phoenix on Saturday. Against the Sharks, Doughty contributed an assist and earned a +3 plus/minus rating after recording a -2 rating on Saturday; Jarret Stoll won eleven out of fourteen face-offs (78.6%), but the rest of the Kings’ centers were awful in the face-off circle. Handzus won 30.4% of his face-offs, Kopitar won 35.4% and Brad Richardson won only 33.3% of his face-offs; Smyth has eighteen goals in 49 games against the Sharks.

Post game audio courtesy of Frozen Royalty

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It is T minus 4 days until Frozen Fury, and I’m giddy with glee to see the Kings back on the ice for the only preseason game I’ll be watching. This is a great opportunity for the young players to understand what it means to play with the big club; the excitement is unbelievable in the bowels of the MGM Grand where the Kings will face off against the Colorado Avalanche. I’m unsure what the lineup will be, but it should definitely be closer to the roster of opening night than of the one tonight at the Sprint Center where the Kings will face the New York Islanders sans John Tavaras. According to Rich Hammond at Inside the Kings, the lineup will start out with:

Let’s just say I’m glad I’m going to Frozen Fury and not this game. That fourth line of Raitis Ivanans – Marc-Andre Cliche – Kevin Westgarth looks ROUGH. Wow. Although perhaps the third line will help to energize the fourth line.

Some quick thoughts:

The only forward line that will remain the same after tonight’s game is the second one. I know what it looked like last season and am hoping for more offensive output; not too much to ask for. You know, shutdown the other teams’ top lines while trying to move the puck into the offensive zone. They’re big boys; they can do it.

I’ll admit I like the first line; Trevor Lewis stood out for me opening day of training camp. He had the most jump from the group of players who weren’t in LA last season. That’ll be a quick line off the draw if Jarret Stoll can stay loose enough on the ice. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing this line on the ice at Staples Center, FYI.

Looking forward to Saturday, I will venture a guess that the top line of Ryan Smyth – Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams will be starting the game in Vegas. At least I hope so. I want to see the potential on the ice! I want to see the excitement! I want to hear the crowd! I will be present cheering my heart out.

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Lastly, If you’re on Twitter, you should follow LAKingsTrainer. This is Joe Caligiuri who is a real person tweeting from this account and NOT a bot giving dry bits of unimportant information. I have yet to find any Kings players with Twitter, so this is the best for now.

I can fully breathe a sigh of relief at this outcome now that Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll are safe (for now). I’m not sure what the rest of the day will hold as training camp starts tomorrow! I’m hoping to be there checking out the potentials for the remaining roster spots.