And they’re rolling.

Amidst their playoff success as a whole, the Kings have found most of it away from home, albeit they’ve only hosted two playoff dates thus far. They’ve stapled themselves as a serious visiting threat – now holding a 5-0 record when playing away from Staples Center. This hasn’t been an easy feat, starting things out in Vancouver’s hosting Rogers Arena, and now in St. Louis.

Scottrade Center?

Coming into this series with the Kings, the St. Louis Blues had lost just seven games in regulation at home all season – that being in 44 games. The Kings have ousted the Blues in two consecutive contests on home ice, and in convincing fashion. Not just that, but they’ve beat the NHL‘s statistically best goaltender in Brian Elliott, in a building he had failed to lose in twice in a row all year long.

Welp, that’s changed.

KopiStar

The Kings beat St. Louis in every facet of the game Monday night, starting things off with a Mike Richards goal just 31 seconds in. That’s an early trend to set, and they certainly didn’t fail to live up to it – tapping home four goals in the first period. It was over, and it only had just begun.

If the Kings are comfortable playing down a goal in front of Jonathan Quick, a four-goal lead just about gives them nine lives.

Most notably, Kings goals came off the sticks of players who sorely needed some postseason production. Three players notched their first goals of the postseason: Justin Williams, Jeff Carter, and Mike Richards. Anze Kopitar pitched in with two goals himself, one of them being the Kings’ 4th shorthanded tally of the postseason – quite possibly the league’s top goal of the year.

Catchin’ ‘em off guard, even the score clock.

- Game 3 Outlook -

I mentioned this during the final week of the regular season when expressing my hopes to wrap up the Western Conference #7 seed, and see the Blues in the first round. St. Louis is an extremely vulnerable club.

Before this season, the Blues had won just a single postseason game since 2004 – appearing in the playoffs just twice in that eight-year span. They’ve got a hungry fanbase and local following, something that can be overwhelming to a club returning to the playoffs after such a long period of time. See: LA Kings – 2010, 2011.

This raises the expectations exponentially, and for a young roster that doesn’t have a ton of postseason experience. The Kings have developed a seasoned group of players, and are running on a third consecutive playoff push – but with eased expectations stemming from their #8 Western Conference seed.

So, the point – the Kings have been able to take the St. Louis Blues away from their game, almost to the point where they look confused as how to skate, yet don’t let them drag down their momentum. The Blues lost it Monday, they lost it on all counts. They tried to counter it with a viciously physical attack, and the Kings countered right back with just that – hitting. This gave St. Louis absolutely no leeway.

So, the move back to Staples Center tomorrow night should have little effect, because the Kings focus is exactly where it should be. That’s hockey – any building, any time.

Final Notes

Home away from home: It won’t be the same routine for the Kings in preparation for Games 3 (Thursday) and 4 (Sunday) at Staples Center. There will be no pre-game skates along the shores of Manhattan Beach at Toyota Sports Center, and players won’t see their own beds on the nights prior to each of the upcoming two home games.

The second-coming of God, head coach Darryl Sutter, is not so much pushing for a road-game mentality, but focus. This keeps the Kings close to Staples Center, and ensures close compatibility and smart choices the nights before puck-drop.

Hello, Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn. Ah, those Russians.

This also gives the Kings the chance to skate on Staples Center ice prior to games, something they never do – the building’s schedule gives them no opportunity. This is huge, especially if St. Louis is stationed at Toyota Sports Center. The ice-sheet at Staples Center has one aspect of consistency – being under the NHL‘s par for quality. With the amount of stress and closure the ice sees here, getting a feel for conditions just hours before puck-drop is an important thing to have. Plus, it keeps the team together throughout the day until the game.

 - Simon Gagne skated with the Kings in practice today, unfortunately it’s only a good sign for a player who’s got a career in question with a lengthy string of concussion injuries. Don’t expect Gagne back anytime soon, if at all. However, good for you, Gags.

 - Alex Pietrangelo also skated with the Blues today after missing Game 2, and is said to be a ‘game-time’ decision.

 - The Kings give me no specific outlook to harp on heading into tomorrow night, they’re as tight and sophisticated as I’ve seen them all season long. It’s clicking on all cylinders.

 - Oh, and Vegas now has the Kings with the best odds to take home the Stanley Cup.

 - The track the Kings have laid this postseason has train-horn written all over it. Queue it on Figueroa St. tomorrow night.

Carter caters

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Kopi Delivers

And this ain’t the imagery coming from the ‘Lou

Order me up some buffalo boo-bird wings while you’re at it, fools

Make sure it’s got Blues cheese dressing on the side.

Don’t mistake it for Brian Elliott, that’s Swiss cheese.

LAK-STL GAME 2 RECAP in Episode 157 HERE
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“We were real average, quite honestly.” — Darryl Sutter

Back to work: It may have been an average performance, barely topping the NHL‘s worst club in Columbus — but the fashion in which the Kings earned the two points was anything but. Before we get to the positives from last night’s contest, and how you really couldn’t ask for a bigger momentum swing to start post – All Star break play, there’s a simple explanation for Staples Center clock controversy as Drew Doughty netted the game winner with just 0.4 seconds to play. Kings GM Dean Lombardi said it best, in response to Columbus GM Scott Howson‘s premature accusations.

“Those clocks are sophisticated instruments that calculate time by measuring electrical charges called coulombs — given the rapidity and volume of electrons that move through the measuring device the calibrator must adjust at certain points which was the delay you see. The delay is just recalibrating for the clock moving too quickly during the 10—10ths of a second before the delay. This insures that the actual playing time during a period is exactly 20 minutes.”

“That is not an opinion -— that is science -— amazing device quite frankly.”

“The clock stoppage is actually common, just not always in the last seconds of a game leading to a GWG in that final second. It is the clock’s display syncing with the internal clock/computer.”

So, to get technical, it came down to coulombs in the last-second victory against Columbus.

Would Dean Lombardi be saying the same thing if this had happened against the Kings? Maybe not, probably not. But, when you’re on the losing side of a situation like that, you tend to let frustrations get in the way of clear, calm thinking. Plus, many times have I seen Staples’ clock pause in such a fashion it did last night in the final minute of a period. Drew Doughty scored that goal prior to the 20-minute mark, case closed.

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Not just Average: Kings coach Darryl Sutter was right on the money tabbing last night’s performance ‘average’, but it’s got the makings to give this club a huge boost, a great deal of momentum. If winning a game in front of a home crowd with 0.4 seconds left to play isn’t enough adrenaline to build off of leading into the season’s longest road trip, those who contributed, and in what situations, should provide some much needed optimism.

For starters, the Kings executed on two of three powerplay opportunities, which further shows the resurgence play in man-advantage situations has seen the past couple of weeks. The last time the Kings saw the Columbus Blue Jackets on January 7th, a 1-0 loss, the Kings went 0-8 on the powerplay. What a difference it can make, no?

Justin Williams, who chipped in with a powerplay goal of his own netting the first goal of last night’s contest, now has points in nine consecutive games. Williams has 35 points in his 49 appearances this season, he’s notched 11 in his current nine game scoring streak. This is huge.

Dustin Penner hounded on a turnover he caused and used his strength to find a lane straight to the net in beating a helpless Curtis Sanford for the Kings’ second tally of the night. Penner isn’t riding a point streak like Williams, but whenever you can get production from the struggling forward, you’re gladly going to take it. Plus, the guy has consistently been looking better each game.

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If you were somewhere under a rock last night, here’s a clip showing multiple replays of Drew Doughty‘s goal. If you get to the :49 second mark of this video, you’ll clearly see the clock’s stoppage at 1.8 seconds. However, there’s no reason to be afraid to see this again, as it simply was the visible clock re-syncing with the internal mechanisms. 10′ths of a second can be a bit hard to keep up with, this happens more than you think. It’s difficult to notice, as the clock had the full spotlight this time around. A good goal it is, tough break for the Blue Jackets.. yet again.

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Tune into KingsCast’s Episode 142 HERE
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LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — Since taking over the reins as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings on December 20, 2011, head coach Darryl Sutter has already juggled his line combinations a few times, trying anything to get his team’s struggling offense going.

The first, most notable change was to move center Mike Richards to left wing on the first line, with center Anze Kopitar and right wing Dustin Brown.

Despite the move, the Kings’ offense remained locked in its deep freeze. But Sutter shuffled the deck again when the Kings hosted the Alexander Ovechkin-led Washington Capitals on January 9, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

For that game, Sutter moved right wing Justin Williams up to the first line with Kopitar, while Brown skated across the blue line to left wing, where he prefers to be while on the attack.

The result: The Kings dominated the high-powered Capitals in a 5-2 victory, and have not looked back.

Indeed, since that game, the Kings have scored 17 goals in those five games, averaging 3.40 goals-per game (GPG), with the line of Brown, Kopitar and Williams combining for eight goals and ten assists for 18 points.

Although the Kings still rank dead last in the league in scoring with an average of 2.15 GPG, that 3.40 GPG clip would place them second in goals per game in the National Hockey League, behind the league-leading Boston Bruins (3.54 GPG).

Indeed, after struggling mightily for much of the season, the offense is finally coming around. But how?

“Maybe we’re more aggressive, which is causing turnovers,” said Richards. “But we knew that if we stuck with the system, we would, eventually, get some opportunities.”

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty.

This show is sponsored by Barry’s Tickets. Enter the promo code “kingscast25″ to receive 10% off!

“Dustin Penner needs to workout ‘this much’ during the summer.”

“This is also my reaction every time we’re on the Powerplay.”
“Ryan Smyth‘s nose is this big.” Next Question?

Per Rich Hammond of the LA Kings Insider, who sat down for an interview with Kings’ General Manager Dean Lombardi earlier today, a preview was provided of their transcribed dialogue. No direct quotes are provided, but Hammond gives a pretty clear view of how their talk played out. Of course, the first topic of discussion revolved around the NHL Entry Draft, which takes place in Minnesota this weekend. The two continued to touch on an intriguing contract renewal offer to a well-known defensive asset, the offseason free-agent market, Dustin Penner‘s summer, and the status of players on the mend. Quite frankly, Dean Lombardi seems to be on par with my outlook.

“The Kings, whose first pick in the draft is scheduled to be No. 49, would consider options to trade back into the first round but only for a deal that makes sense, not just for the sake of it. This year’s first round is not considered especially deep.”

Couldn’t agree more, and don’t expect Lombardi and the Kings to find a sensible deal this weekend either. Prospects aren’t atop the list of priorities this club needs to approach in the coming years, there is plenty of development in the Kings’ system. This isn’t the type of draft you throw a party for, the Kings are slotted for a 1st selection at #49 overall in the 2nd Round, and the year’s group isn’t too deep from the looks. This feeds into the mindset that trading up for a selection is clearly unnecessary, the Kings take the best player at their given time, nothing more needs to be done this weekend.

“Within the past few days, the Kings have made a “major” offer to Drew Doughty’s agent. Lombardi has made two trips to Toronto — location of the office of Don Meehan’s, Doughty’s agent — within the past four weeks, and the Kings would like to get a deal done before the draft, if possible. Lombardi said he is certainly aware of the risk of an offer sheet to Doughty but is not overly concerned.”

Key word – major. This quote screams long-term deal for Drew Doughty, just about cements Doughty as a King for the majority of his NHL career. Did I expect this to be an off-season move for Dean Lombardi? Not necessarily. Lombardi has preached work ethic and offseason conditioning since he’s been in Los Angeles, two departments many agree Doughty has lacked in. However, the smarts, the skill, and the presence are too much to risk parting ways with, especially when there’s experience and maturity still needed. I was 50/50 when it came to offering a long-term offer this summer, I was leaning toward a 2-3 year deal. Really, you couldn’t go wrong either way, and the player we’re dealing just has too much promise to even consider breaking ties with.

“The Kings are still in the market for a top-level forward, either through free agency or trade. Lombardi said that even if it was guaranteed that Dustin Penner would have a big season, statistically, the Kings would still seek outside help to improve their scoring numbers, both 5-and-5 and on the power play. Penner, Lombardi said, has been dedicated to working hard so far this summer, and Lombardi expressed optimism.”

Stop showing up looking like you spent your previous night engulfed in High Life’s after dinner at some grease barn. And, stop playing like shit. Liking that Lombardi stresses staying on the market this summer, as there are a few notable names in the mix that would fit the Kings’ direction. I’ll talk Zach Parise until it becomes a favorable rumor, as the New Jersey Devils filed for arbitration on their contract negotiations just days ago. He’ll be 27 years old at the start of the season, and is coming off of 92 and 84 point campaigns prior to just playing 13 games this year due to injury. He’s undoubtedly a top-line left winger, and will provide other options for fitting Dustin Penner into the system.

“Anze Kopitar is making great progress from his recovery from ankle surgery, Lombardi said, as is Justin Williams from his shoulder surgery. Willie Mitchell and Jonathan Quick also had minor medical procedures but will be ready for the start of training camp.”

As expected, good news coming regarding injuries, which is usually the case during the offseason. Anze Kopitar, who is back in Slovenia for a part of the summer, was feeling good enough for a round of golf just a few days ago. Kopitar played in a charity event, with some sick shorts and ankle tape for support. Rich Hammond blogs it here, and the original article here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These guys sure look ready, ARE YOU?!?

Maybe something a bit stronger, Anze.

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Season Series

Taking a look back on the six games played between the Sharks and Kings, you’ve got your share of lopsided scores, but the season series played out evenly with both teams going 3-3-0. San Jose outscored the Kings 18-13 in regulation, but the Kings were able to snag wins in both contests that extended to extra shots. Both teams have recorded shutouts in the meetings, Jonathan Quick on December 27 and Antti Niemi on January 1. The final meeting of the season was one you’d like to forget, the Kings got dropped like 5th period algebra in a 6-1 nightmare. However, that has failed to really have any significant lingering after-effect. An off-night for Jonathan Quick – he’s human, and a complete collapse by the defense. And of course, out Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Both aspects have recovered in decent form, and Williams looks to be making a postseason return. That’s a good thing, even if at 80%. As for venues, both the Kings and Sharks went 2-1-0 on home-ice, and 1-2-0 on the road.

November 15:   Los Angeles     3 @   San Jose   6
December 27:   Los Angeles   4 @    San Jose    0
January 1:         Los Angeles     0 vs    San Jose  1
January 26:       Los Angeles   3 vs    San Jose   2   SO
March 24:         Los Angeles   4 vs    San Jose   3   SO
April 2:             Los Angeles     1  @    San Jose  6

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Keys to the Series:

Not talking car keys, but some solid f*cking defense.

*FUN FACT: Davis Drewiske ALSO ties Matt Greene’s skates.

*** Maintaining Quick: Goaltending is going to be an enormous factor for the Kings, much like the defense. Jonathan Quick is coming off of six consecutive starts, going 2-4-0 during the season-ending string. He’ll need to be solid, the Sharks have the clear advantage on the offensive side. Jonathan Bernier‘s previous start resulted in a shutout performance in Edmonton on March 29. Bernier logged 34 minutes of ice in relief of Quick on April 4, but you can hardly leverage anything on that. Bernier hasn’t shown signs of rust after lengthy periods on the bench, and he’ll have to do the same this time around.

*** Conservative Defense: This is how the Kings, coupled with goaltending, are going to win in the playoffs. It’s the best thing going for them right now, and it has been throughout the season; granted a few breakdowns. As long as the Kings’ zone is clogged and Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier are protected from odd-man rushes and open scoring opportunities, we can maintain the Sharks. Sticking to a consistent defensive scheme is crucial, its not their responsibility to make up for lost assets on offense. After Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams went down with injuries, too often did the defense get caught deep in the opponent’s zone. If the Kings’ defense can create turnovers and instability for the Sharks’ offense, that feeds to offensive opportunity for our forwards. Which brings me to…

*** Executing on Mistakes: And this is huge. We’re not going to see many comprehensive end-to-end offensive pursuits with the roster we’re icing. The forwards must work with our defense. This means being in position to transition on loose pucks, turnovers, and tight coverage. They’re going to have to fill support roles, and be able to hound on any small opportunity available.

*** Forecheck: Another major factor in the Kings’ offense creating opportunities. Grungy goals, plain and simple. Eliminating cluster and troubles in the neutral zone must be avoided with getting the puck deep, and hounding. You’ve got to work San Jose’s roster for everything they’re worth. Continue to dump the puck, and disrupt on the forecheck. Here, you’re keeping the defense in safe position, while implementing constant penetration against San Jose’s defense.

*** Special Teams: If the Kings can solve their powerplay woes, it could be the deciding factor in the series. This has hampered the offense throughout the season, and the Kings didn’t end the regular season on good terms with the man-advantage. A powerplay is an opportunity, and opportunities are going to be the storyline for this offense. Any chance they get, they must take advantage. Traffic, shots, smooth entrance into the zone, it’s vital. As for the penalty-kill, you can’t head into tomorrow night feeling nervous about it’s stability. Defensive zone coverage a man-down has been a consistently solid aspect throughout the season. If you think we can afford powerplay goals to San Jose, you’ve got another thing coming.

He’s Back!

It’s official, Justin Williams will be in the lineup tomorrow night in the series opener. Williams has been skating with the Kings for the past few days, even participating in contact drills. He was cleared by the medical staff, and gave Terry Murray the “good to go” after today’s practice. Huge, even if he’s not at 100%. Williams accounted for 57 points with 22 goals and 35 assists until missing the final nine games of the regular season after suffering a separated left shoulder. His recovery was a lot faster than initially perceived, his presence is huge. It has yet to be determined what line Williams will group with tomorrow night, but you’ve got to be grateful for the simple fact that he’s back in the lineup. Just-in time? Nope, it’s Justin Time!

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Prediction

San Jose Sharks in 6 games.

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Series Schedule

Game 1: Thursday, April 14, 7:00 PM PST – HP Pavilion

Game 2: Saturday, April 16, 7:00 PM PST – HP Pavilion

Game 3: Tuesday, April 19, 7:30 PM PST – Staples Center

Game 4: Thursday, April 21, 7:30 PM PST – Staples Center

Game 5: Saturday, April 23, 7:30 PM PST – HP Pavilion

Game 6: Monday, April 25, Time TBD – Staples Center

Game 7: Wednesday, April 27, Time TBD – HP Pavilion

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Don’t Forget!

Make Sure to head over to KingsCast on Facebook for your chance to win a Bernie Nicholls autographed stick blade! Just hit us up with your prediction for the series, and the winners are entered into a raffle for the prize!

A sad day it was for the Los Angeles Kings community. Tanner Raboin, an avid fan, passed away this morning from his lengthy battle with Chronic Granulomotous Disorder. My thoughts and prayers are with the Raboin family, who have been a fixture among Kings fans since the mid-1980′s. It is only due respect to take a moment and grieve such a sorrowful loss. Here’s to the Kings making an honest push for the Stanley Cup in honor of Tanner Raboin. To get the full, in-depth story on Tanner, head over to Mayors Manor. R.I.P.

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There’s no easy way to transition to basic news, but there were some promising looks today in El Segundo at this morning’s practice. The Kings, who are just three days away from the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the San Jose Sharks, may not head into the Shark-Tank on Thursday night as short-handed as initially thought.

Looks like Alexei Ponikarovsky is giving Kyle Clifford a hard-time about the shiner that’s warped his left-eye. Funny thing is, that internal bleeding is probably better at maintaining puck possession in the corners than you, Alexei.

It may have more points, too.

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Just-in Time?

Justin Williams seems to be recovering from his shoulder injury at quite the pace. Suffering a separated shoulder on March 21st against the Calgary Flames, Williams was tabbed to miss up to six weeks. However, it is possible to see Williams on Thursday night in the postseason opener. On the ice today, Williams took part in contact drills, which is as good of a sign as you’re going to get from a victim of a separated shoulder. Talk about what would be a crucial return, Williams allotted 57 points with 22 goals and 35 assists before the injury. Even if not at 100% the Kings will gladly take what they can get, as the depth of the roster has seen a steep decline in talent since the recent string of injuries. Williams, who returned to the roster late last season after missing three-plus months to a broken leg, was a complete non-factor in the playoffs. The difference this time around, Williams has missed just about three weeks, and has been able to continue his lower-body conditioning. Further analysis will feed a stronger memo from the Kings tomorrow regarding Williams’ status. By the looks of it, I’d expect to see Justin Williams in the first-round, but not necessarily in the first game.

Who?

Things are also looking good for Scott Parse, who has played in just five games this season. Parse has been hampered by a hip injury he suffered in August during training camp. After more than a month of rehab, Parse attempted a return in early November that was cut short after five games. His short-stint was quite impressive, etching his name onto the score-sheet four times with a goal and three assists. Unfortunately, his ailing hip called the party. After a successful surgery and five months of rehabilitation, it looks as though Parse may be yet another last-minute addition to the Kings’ playoff roster. However, I can’t see Parse’s return more likely than that of Williams. Not only has he been out since mid-November, but his strength and conditioning has been idle. Just as important as the surgery itself is the strengthening of the muscles and tendons that support the affected area. Is it worth it for the Kings to bring back Parse at this point, or is four more months of rest and conditioning the smarter tactic for the long-term? Needless to say, if he’s cleared and willing to go, hop on board at-will, Scott.
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*Photo Credits:
Tanner Raboin: Mayors Manor, at ‘Mayors Manor’ on Facebook, and www.mayorsmanor.com
Kyle Clifford and Alexei Ponikarovsky: Meg Jarrell, at ‘Kings Court’ on Facebook, and at www.lakingscourt.blogspot.com
Justin Williams: Michael Zampelli
Scott Parse: Michael Zampelli

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

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                   GP    W     L      OT    PTS

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

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

Western Conference Standings

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

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

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

Justin Williams was on fire to start the 2009-2010 season, which has me a little tentative writing this. Knock on wood, please. He played with consistency and was a regular on the scoresheet, but yet again, an injury stubbed another season for the 29 year-old. He was able to heal before season’s end, but his return to the lineup was abysmal. His inability to regroup at the end of last season carried unease about his recovery into a long summer, which does nothing but open doors for speculation from hockey fans. We’ve got to talk about something, right? Did this add wind to the fire that was the off-season pursuit of a talented left-winger in the open market? Of course. Williams was going to make the roster, but was he going to be first line material? Well, what do you know, he’s got five points in five games, snagging the PA announcer’s tongue in four of those five contests. He’s regained his confidence with great positioning in the offensive zone. He’s not going to produce with speed, strength, or highlight skill, but with his ability to find open space with passing and/or shooting lanes. He’s done that, and he’s jumped on loose pucks, a player who is arguably better without the puck. We weren’t seeing that from Williams at the end of last season. A player such as Williams, who relies on positioning to be a factor in the offensive zone, can’t afford to hesitate on plays. His job is to read his linemates, giving them safe options when pressed, and winning battles to loose pucks. You can throw any questions you have regarding Williams’ recovery out the door. Unfortunately, his ugly injury history has ingrained itself into his persona. I tell myself not to think about it, but I just wrote about it. Don’t think about it.

I love Ryan Smyth. He’s got the class of Steve Yzerman, and #94 had my heart at the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. Late, I know. I’m young, you mine as well date my fondness of Smyth back to 1994. For the acclaim Dean Lombardi received for the acquisition of Smyth, and the offensive boost he provided to the team last year, he didn’t deserve the negative speculation he received over the summer. A fractured ankle is not a hockey-friendly injury, but Smyth suffered it in May, less than a month removed from the Western Conference Quarterfinals, alotting him more than four months to recover. So really, we’re talking a recovery that depletes leg strength, not lower body endurance. Of course he depends on both, but endurance centers in on his style more than muscle build, especially at his age. He’s not an overpowering forward, he does his best work with his stick and slot positioning in front of the net and with his puck control along the sideboards and the corners. We’re five games in, and Smyth is tied with Dustin Brown for the team-high in points with six. He’s had one rough game, and a couple of his goals have been soft, but early indications are promising. Of course, fatigue is going to be monitored closely throughout the year for the aging winger, but if his surroundings can continue to support his duties, he’ll be just fine.

Notes on the game:
– On Nashville’s first goal, Randy Jones did everything right in defending Steve Sullivan. Jones forced Sullivan to the outside, making him have to release a shot from a low-percentage angle. Unfortunately, the puck slipped through the pads of Jonathan Quick, who had a shaky start.
– The powerplay continues its success as the Kings were able to capitalize on their only opportunity today. Drew Doughty utilized his control and presence with the puck when under pressure, and managed to not only get the puck down-low, but drag a couple of Nashville defenders with him. This cleared up space in the slot, which Michael Handzus took advantage of by feeding a wide open Anze Kopitar for the goal.
– Good job by Dustin Brown to walk the puck in from the side-boards forcing Pekka Rinne to move. Brown released mid-stride in the middle of the slot, catching Rinne off-guard.

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.

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!

Teddy Purcell sent us this:

Justin Williams sent us this:

Anze Kopitar sent us this:

Wayne Simmonds sent us this:

Finally, Drew Doughty sent us this:

Sweet gestures from these players. Which is your favorite?

Disclaimer: These holiday cards were not actually sent by players but are representations created solely by KingsCast. (Duh)

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.

A great stat from the night was that Michal Handzus and Anze Kopitar both rocked it in the faceoff circle with 81% and 80%, respectively. Also, Wayne Simmonds has continued to impress everyone watching. Tonight he drew a penalty shot where he faked out Mike Elliott and slide the puck between his legs getting the lead back for the Kings. I’m so pleased with his entire game and development so far this season. Go Simmer!

The most surprising part of the game was the goal by Randy Jones in the first minute of the game. In the past that would be the kind of thing the Kings wouldn’t be able to do. I seem to recall a game against the Detroit Red Wings two seasons ago where the puck dropped and I could feel it in my bones that the Kings would utterly fail. As predicted, Henrik Zetterberg scored about 51 seconds into the game. Someone can check that number, but I don’t think I’m too far off since that memory is seared into my memory bank.

The power play still needs some work. The Kings had two 5-on-3 opportunities back-to-back. That’s all I need to say about that. My apologies for the short post and the fact that I’m jumping around a bit, but life is getting in the way for now. Go Kings!

Overall there’s not too much to say about this game since there wasn’t any improvement in any aspect really. Frolov was put back on the first line and absolutely nothing changed. Surprised? I think not. Ryan Smyth is probably gnashing out his teeth with every game he’s sitting out. With Justin Williams still playing solidly and Anze Kopitar‘s play at a standstill, no one here is questioning the x-factor. C’mon Captain Canada!

(LAKings.com)

I’m sure that was nice.

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A sick slap into the net

Don’t have the time to do a better recap, but you can find your way over to these other guys and get your fill:

For a good time, call Rudy Kelly.

For a very in depth overall to the game at Frozen Royalty.

Also don’t forget to check out Hockeywood, L.A., which will open for viewing tomorrow!

By the way, did you ever think you’d see this?

*~*~*~*~*

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.

From the weekend festivities I felt the main message for fans to take with them was that the Kings are still moving in the same direction toward the same goal. The management team hasn’t deviated from its original end goal and there’s no reason to think it might happen this year. If anything, the fruits of this plan should be showing itself with more goals from the forwards, continued solid defensive support, reliable goaltending, and an elevated consistency across the board. The team has been working towards this ideal, and I think they will finally make something of their potential this season. This doesn’t mean it will happen automatically; the steps to the finish line will be siphoning more blood and sweat from the players with rabid fans looking on.

Day 3 of Hockey Fest had three panels with the first consisting of current management. Dean Lombardi, Ron Hextall, and Terry Murray expressed the commitment of further improvements from the roster. As I said in my first recap, no one reinvented the wheel this past weekend; everything has been said before and other things seemed more common sense than anything else. For example, Lombardi stated that the Kings did not market Drew Doughty like the Tampa Bay Lightening did with Steven Stamkos. They let him come in and earn the respect of his teammates. Essentially if Doughty did not live up to any marketing hype, “the veterans would resent him.”

Any sort of resentment would not have been the product of unsuccessful marketing; rather, the resentment would have stemmed from the expectations of an 18-year-old kid leading this team into the playoffs. Lombardi also mentioned Doughty has been rounding out his nutrition and shedding his baby fat and was now developing into an athlete with more upside than one with minimal bodyfat coming in. This obviously has been a topic that has generated enough attention since the summer before he was drafted, which is why I made sure to ask Doughty about what steps he had been taking in regards to his nutrition.

Lombardi fielded a question specifically about Dany Heatley from the audience and I’m glad this shut down any of those still thinking his coming here was a possibility. Right after the question was asked, Lombardi spoke about two things:

1. The most important things for the team are for Anze Kopitar to step up his game and for Doughty and Jonathan Quick to keep progressing.
2. The second is to look at San Jose’s progression; they have improved six years in a row with the average age dropping each year. The Kings are on the path to now be able to find players who can be added to fit specifically into the system. He would “like this group to reach its potential before looking outside of the club.” It would be too risky of a move to take a chance on Heatley right now while the core is still forming. Basically, he doesn’t want to guess if he doesn’t have to.

If anyone is surprised by this, you should go back and read everything Lombardi has preached since he’s arrived. He wants to be sure that any big move the Kings make takes “the team to the top.” Getting Heatley could potentially do more harm than good, which would move the team backwards effectively stunting its growth. If he ends up a bust, he’ll add a negativity to the forming core while taking up the most dollars on the salary cap, which I’m sure no one else would want to deal with. The improvement of Kopitar is the key to this team making a jump. Lombardi emphatically said to look to Kopi for “that dynamic goal”and that “great things start to happen off the fundamentals of the game.”

Preaching to the choir.

DL also addressed Teddy Purcell’s roster spot saying that college players have no clue how to play in tight corners and that “he’s not going to play unless he pays the price.”

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It’s no surprise that the ex-goalie of the management group is the one to take goalie-related questions, right? Of course!

During the Q&A, Hextall said he considered Quick to be the number one goalie with Erik Ersberg as the backup, and Jonathan Bernier would be best served going back to the Manchester Monarchs. I’m sure the knowledge of Bernier’s impatience of getting to Los Angeles isn’t foreign, so I won’t feel too badly in completely agreeing with Hextall. Bernier’s cocky confidence is felt 3,000 miles away and I’m in the mood to keep him at arm’s length from the roster. The unknown for Hextall is definitely Ersberg. He’s a solid goalie but isn’t sure if he has the physical ability to play 60-65 games a season due to his size. To add to the bottom line, Hextall stated that there were no plans to move Ersberg. That being the case, anything can happen during the season. It appears the goalie situation hasn’t deviated from the end of last season up until now, which makes me a whole lot more comfortable than this time last year.

I got a rare insight into Quick from Dustin Brown that I’m sure the everyday fan is unaware of; the fact that he has a cocky attitude both on and off the ice. You’d never know it from watching the way he plays, but Brownie spoke very highly of him when we lobbed a few questions his way. Of Quick: “He’s cocky in a way that you actually like him,” and he ended that by saying, “You can have an average team in front of you. If you’re a good goalie, you have a good team.”

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Terry Murray said what Terry Murray usually says; the Kings don’t want to lose sight of last year and will focus on getting more pucks IN the net starting at training camp. He would like the team to be an aggressive forechecking team, which I am completely on board with. He also mentioned that his lines were already down on paper so he’ll have set lines to try out at training camp. The definite lines he said out loud were the first line (Ryan Smyth – Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams) and the first two defensive pairings (1 – Drew Doughty – Sean O’Donnell; 2 – Rob Scuderi – Jack Johnson). The only line up in the air for TM is the 4th line. Who could it be?

Raitis Ivanans – John Zeiler – Peter Harrold? (Whoa… I just threw up in my mouth a bit.)

Other than this little tidbit, there weren’t any earth-shattering bits of insight. But one thing I asked specifically was if he had a surprise rookie forward in mind who could make a statement out of training camp. He responded by saying he wasn’t 100% sure on anyone but that Richard Clune might make a name for himself. Regarding the playoffs, he said if they didn’t make the top 8 spots in the West, it wouldn’t be a huge disappointment but that they had to show improvement. This was a bit different than what Lombardi said earlierabout the playoffs. If the Kings didn’t make it, according to DL, it “would not be a major disaster but would be a major disappointment.”

I honestly can’t disagree with anything said during the weekend. Everything was inline with how the Kings are being built up and, in the end, I’m happy with how everything went. The venue was very nice, clean, and sent the message that the Kings were continuing to move forward in the players’ development. From the fan perspective I was pretty pleased at how everything was presented although the area could have used a bit more signage on the exterior to showcase what was going on and where to go. The heat was killer but that didn’t stop the street hockey tournament even on the black asphalt. Much thanks to the Kings for providing this opportunity

Make sure to check out all the news on the event on KingsCast, Frozen Royalty, The Examiner, and the Press Box Perspective!

Next stop: the playoffs! (…or not…)

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Despite seeing his team fail to qualify for post-season play for the sixth consecutive season, Los Angeles Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi expects his team to end that long drought in the 2009-10 season.

One glaring flaw with that expectation is that he seems be banking rather heavily on winger Justin Williams to not only provide a significant boost to the offense, but also to stay relatively healthy.

But Williams has hit the thirty-goal mark just twice in his career and has otherwise struggled just to remain in the lineup, suffering from a myriad of injuries, including two serious knee injuries, casting serious doubts on his ability to regain his thirty-goal form.

Indeed, the odds against Williams returning to form, let alone staying healthy, would seem to be very, very high, if not astronomical.

Nevertheless, Lombardi is counting on Williams to add to the offensive production of his younger players to help lift the Kings into the playoffs.

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty