You can take some good out of Sunday’s loss.

It may not have to relate directly to hockey, because in anyone’s eyes, a shutout loss at home in the playoffs is nothing to write home about, nor praise.

I had to catch myself as time ran out in the Kings’ 2-0 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes Sunday afternoon. A momentary strike of anger and frustration hit – and then I realized how stupid that was. As phenomenal as the Kings’ 11-1 start to the postseason has been, you cannot allow yourself to get intertwined in the success to the point where it builds into heavy-set expectations.

Now it’s 11-2 for the Kings, and still just one victory away from the Stanley Cup Finals. If that’s not a situation you can be grateful to be in, I’m lost at what is. You want it to be good, but not too good – and the Game 4 loss to Phoenix may very well be a blessing in disguise.

They say closing a series at home is one of the more difficult things to do in hockey. When it becomes not only clinching a series, but sweeping one – for a ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals, the pressure is insurmountable.

We all want a party, we want it on home ice, and you just want it too bad.

Then you think about the feat of beating Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith four consecutive times, while simultaneously grinding Shane Doan to be an absolute ‘non-presence’ – and that’s something very few, if any, NHL clubs are capable of doing.

And heck, if there’s one thing Kings fans know; It’s that sometimes, things just don’t go your way.

Bounce house

Not Today: Quite frankly, there’s a certain point in a game when you can start to realize results may not click in your direction. For the Kings, they once again outshot the Phoenix Coyotes, hammering Mike Smith with 36 shots, but they were shooting at goalie who had the day locked in his hands. The Kings maintained solid pressure throughout, but were simply not getting the help from any graceful bounces.

Not to mention, they’re facing one of the league’s elite goaltenders.

And the elite stepped up for Phoenix, Shane Doan took the game into his own hands, potting both Coyotes goals. If you expected Phoenix to die quietly, you weren’t taking them seriously enough. And if you expected Shane Doan to go without an impressive fight – well, you’re just expecting too much.

Those were my keys to Game 4, getting under Smith’s skin early, and keeping Doan off of the scoresheet. That didn’t happen. When those two get a bite of success, that makes the day’s job much, much more difficult. They’ve managed to do it once, but that’s nothing compared to what the Kings have accomplished this series.

Phoenix on a string

- Game 5 Looks -

– The Kings are back on the road Tuesday night, back to Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, AZ. This will be a positive environment for the Kings, as they’ve shown to be a ‘road team’ not just in recent history, but throughout this playoff run. The Kings are undefeated in road confines this postseason, taking their 8-0 mark with them into Game 5.

– The only previous loss for the Kings in the playoffs came in another Game 4. This, in their Western Conference Quarterfinals bout with the Vancouver Canucks. The Kings would clinch the series on the road, winning Game 5. You’re looking for a repeat instance Tuesday night in Phoenix.

– The Kings were shutout for the first time in the postseason in Game 4, a grim reminder of the offensive struggles imposed on this club throughout the year. It’s crucial that doesn’t sink into the mental aspect of this team again, especially now. Shots haven’t been a problem for the Kings this series, and firing at Mike Smith with a large quantity is once again vital.

– Shots are important, but quality shots are vital. The Kings, although putting up another sexy shot-total in Game 4, were limited to shots from the outside for much of the contest. This, along with failing to find open lanes, the Phoenix Coyotes blocking an astounding 12 shots. Regaining presence within Phoenix’s defense in the middle of the ice will be important in the opportunities granted on Mike Smith.

– The Kings were unsuccessful on the powerplay in Game 4, and they looked a bit stagnant during their man-advantage opportunities. To couple with that, they finally faltered to Phoenix’s powerplay, allowing Shane Doan to score the game-winning goal. Special teams is a deal-breaker in this matchup, something the Kings need to regain success on for Game 5.

– Response has been the key to the Kings’ success, and that’s exactly what they need in Game 5. A 3-1 series lead feels comfortable, but it shouldn’t be. Darryl Sutter has engrained a solid mindset in this club, one that has shown little to no weakness when faced with adversity. If you start to give Phoenix time and room, that’s when things will start to get a bit scary. You stop that from happening, you do so with a Game 5 win.

– Alas, things are far from over for this Kings club. It’s sitting there, it’s waiting for us. All you can do is execute, which is what this roster has been doing for the past month.

If you haven’t done so already, give yourself a second to realize where this team has come from, what they’ve done to get here. If you do it genuinely, perfection certainly doesn’t fit the bill. That’s what’s been so great about it, and may that story continue Tuesday night.

Another crack at adversity

LAK-PHX GAME 4 RECAP in Episode 162 HERE
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Find a way to wrap your head around it.

Find a way to embrace it.

The Kings are just one victory from representing the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It’s been no fluke, it’s been everything that good hockey represents, and it’s coming straight out of Los Angeles. The Kings have already burned through two of the top three teams in the NHL, and are well en rout to knocking off another. If the Kings do finish off the Phoenix Coyotes, they will be the first ever club to beat a #1,#2, and #3 seed in one playoff year.

Do I guarantee a win on Sunday? Absolutely not.

Do I expect a win on Sunday? Absolutely yes.

Expectations labeled this team at the beginning of the season, and they faltered in the eyes of many. Those expectations have been regained, but only because of raw performance – not offseason acquisitions. It’s different now, it’s about beholding this team in their truest form – their best form.

That’s difficult to do with a team that has let you down with so many glimmers of hope throughout the year, only to fall back to disappointment. That’s clearly over, they’ve kicked down the wall that was stumping their progress, and have restructured NHL history while doing so.

For the Cup, it’s hands up

Nails in the Coffin: The Phoenix Coyotes are dragging to Staples Center Sunday, running on few hopes and an empty tank. The Kings have just about run Mike Smith to the ground, albeit his team hasn’t helped him very much. The Kings have averaged just over 38 shots on Smith each game this series, and they’re shutting down any room for error by shunning Phoenix from any offensive success. Beat Smith while he’s down, shots early.

Doan and out: When you’re a team in a situation like Phoenix, you may lean toward leadership right now. That’s something they’ve been missing from their Captain Shane Doan. His on-ice performance has been abysmal in itself, totaling four shots, one point, and a minus-three rating. As for his performance as a whole, Doan’s 19 penalty minutes, which come with a touch of unclassy, make it not too shy of embarrassing. That’s purely on the Kings, and give him no breathing room tomorrow. Down and out, continue to put him out.

Responding: The Phoenix Coyotes led the Kings in goals for a moment Thursday night, the only time they’ve upped the Kings on the scoreboard the entire series. That lasted 2:07, as Anze Kopitar would knot things up with a breakaway beauty. That’s what’s making the Kings so dominant, constant and consistent response. They’re shutting down any chance for the Coyotes to build momentum, any type of chemistry, any groove. This has been the big factor for the Kings throughout the postseason. They’ve allowed opposition to score two consecutive goals once in 12 games, you don’t beat that. And, it’s important for it to continue.

Sun’s up

Big day: It’s another 12:00PM start at Staples Center, another thing that should no longer effect the game’s outlook. The Kings threw their ugly history for playing home afternoon contests to the side against the St. Louis Blues, pulling out the brooms in their 3-1 series clincher just 13 days ago. You factor the Kings current state in all aspects, and a start-time is about as worrisome as Raffi Torres‘ presence – none.

Road life: Not to mention, Darryl Sutter is pulling the same trick again – a genius one at that. The Kings will be sleeping next to Staples Center tomorrow at a hotel, going old-school with the ‘road at home’ feel. You think about how they’ve maintained such level, focused heads, and this tactic has to be quite a reason for how well Darryl Sutter has coached this club. Plus, I think 172 other events are being held or based near L.A. Live, so no travel issues.

Embellishing disgust

Final Notes

– Martin Hanzal will return after serving his one-game suspension. This gives Phoenix their 1st-line centerman back.

– The Kings failed to score on the powerplay in Game 3, but held Phoenix blank yet again on the man-advantage. The Kings have been so good in 5-on-5 play, holding the Phoenix powerplay is more important than scoring on it.

– Watch Anze Kopitar‘s Game 2 goal again, and watch Dustin Brown‘s assist. Beyond spectacular.

– The Coyotes will undoubtedly come with their best effort in Game 4, but they’re extremely fragile right now. Another fast start is crucial, and quite frankly – it’s the queue to the end of Phoenix’s season.

– Keep in line with the strategy and mindset used throughout the postseason. I’m not smart enough to fully analyze it, no one is. It’s damn near perfect.

And because

LAK-PHX GAME 3 RECAP in Episode 161 HERE
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The Kings have pulled the same postseason story in their desert duo, the script that’s been haunting the NHL‘s best clubs – and their buildings.

With a crystal-perfect 4-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes Tuesday night, the Kings haven’t just swiped home-ice advantage from their counterpart, they’ve sucked the life right out of them.

It’s home-bound for Staples Center with a commanding 2-0 series lead.

The Kings aren’t just beating teams, they’re stealing their heads. Not one team has been able to make successful adjustments and/or play level-minded against them. The Phoenix Coyotes boiled over in frustration to a point which saw them rely on cheap tactics, classless moves that saw them lose their Captain Shane Doan and their 1st-line center Martin Hanzal – Hanzal will sit for Game 3 as well.

It’s gotten so bad for the Coyotes, NBC broadcasters were praising Phoenix for staying out of their own zone…sometimes. At this point, the Kings were out-shooting the Coyotes 7-1.

I’m in Phoenix, trick.

- Game 2 Looks -

Carter’s catering: Look who decided to show up. Jeff Carter has been a much better player this series, he’s had a strong presence – even if he has botched a few golden scoring chances. At least he’s been there, and that’s the difference. Being “there” will deem you success, and that came for Carter in the form of three goals – your natural hat trick. Beautiful.

Carter was impressive in Game 2 before he even began to bury goals. Carter improves this team in more ways than stats will show, so his presence early in the game fed into his goal-scoring quite fittingly. They’ll come if you’re there, good to have #77 back on board.

Taking shots: After rifling a season-high 48 shots on Mike Smith in Game 1, the Kings came back with another flurry with 40 on Phoenix’s frustrated goaltender. This, against a notoriously stingy Phoenix defense – which also gets praise for it’s shot-blocking ability. Not only are the Kings unloading a high number of shots, they’re smart shots. This means shooting for rebounds, and the Kings haven’t been scoring too many pretty goals lately. Garbage is gold.

Quick-out: Jonathan Quick was stellar yet again, stopping all 24 Phoenix Coyotes shots to record his second shutout of the postseason. If there’s one factor that’s underlooked with this Kings team, it’s the importance of being confident in the goalie you’re playing in front of. That loosens things up, makes it easier to play. How much more confidence could you possibly have in this guy right now. Unfathomable.

Going for a Strollsy

- Game 3 Looks -

Suspendo: Out of the three Coyotes’ players to pull gutless moves in Game 2, only one has been given supplementary discipline. Martin Hanzal will be out for Game 3 for his hit on Dustin Brown. Hanzal hasn’t been much of a factor in the series, but regardless, when you take Phoenix’s 1st-line center out for a game, it’s something you can queue as a bit to capitalize on.

Power playing: The Kings were standstill with a 4 for 51 success rate on the powerplay this postseason heading into Game 2. That trend shifted a bit, the Kings executing with goals on 2 of 8 man-advantage opportunities Tuesday night. Special teams’ success is a huge bonus in this matchup, and the Kings didn’t just finally solve their powerplay woes, they maintained their dominance on the penalty kill, once again blanking Phoenix. This will be a major storyline throughout the series, starting again tomorrow night.

Letting it ride: There could be more to say, or you could just own up to the uncanny manner in which this team is playing. They’re too hot to touch, so don’t overdo it. Game 3 – bring home another win on Figueroa St.

Trick fix

Fist pump

What?

Did I stutter?

LAK-PHX GAME 1 & 2 RECAP in Episode 160 HERE
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Those Phoenix fans wear white at home for the playoffs.

It must be an effort to add some sort of kick to the building’s atmosphere or something I guess. That’s cute.

Meanwhile, their team got worn out, just got outright beat in every facet of the game by the Kings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals Sunday night. The Kings showed no signs of letting their 7-day hiatus slow them down. In fact, they came out playing absolutely out of their minds.

Dwight King‘s got the name, don’t call it fame. Give him a sharpie to sign that “whiteout”.

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in Glendale, but Kopi’s getting nippy

- Game 1 Looks -

They’ve started this third-round tilt on a tear, peppering Mike Smith with a whopping 48 shots, beating him genuinely three times, with many more chances that hinged on a bounce or a break.

The Kings are now 6-0 on the road in the postseason, they’re 9-1 in total, and have just momentarily stolen home-ice from the Western Conference‘s 3rd-seed club. This, after dropping both the #1 and #2 seeds in utterly stunning fashion.

Two big names for the Kings came through again on Sunday, Anze Kopitar starting the Kings’ scoring, potting a back-hand upstairs, while Dustin Brown tallied the game-winning goal on a beautifully-placed shot that handcuffed Mike Smith.

And then there’s Dwight King, who’s become a staple on the Kings’ second line after spending the majority of the season with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. King has shown it in all aspects since his late season call-up. He’s been a menace in all three zones, and has the speed and scoring touch you don’t see too often from guys his size.

He continues his impressive trend by potting two goals Sunday night – beautifully reading a 2-on-1 with Mike Richards to notch the Kings second goal, then sealing the deal with an empty-netter. You talk about a huge late-season addition, you talk Dwight King – very much so for his Rookie counterpart Jordan Nolan. The Granite State’s been great.

Jonathan Quick played very well once again, but didn’t see too much action from the Phoenix offense. Quick stopped 25 of 27 Coyotes’ shots to seal his 9th postseason win. The big story may be his flub on Derek Morris‘ goal from center ice, but if there’s any goalie due for a slip-up, it’s Quick. The factor here, neither Quick or the Kings faltered or surrendered momentum after the lapse.

Hold up now

- Game 2 Looks -

Head Balance: I’ve said it time and time again, and every time the Kings have proven themselves stable enough to feed off of early-series accomplishments. A Game 1 victory gets you nothing but just that, a win. You can only expect the Phoenix Coyotes to come out stronger Tuesday night, and they’re built to do that without surprise.

They’re going to make adjustments, which is something teams have failed at doing so far against the Kings this postseason. You’ve got to remember the goalie which they’re playing against, Mike Smith, and their well-known stingy defense. For the Kings to beat Phoenix’s attempt at making successful adjustments to their game, the Kings should make no adjustments.

You don’t change the way you’re playing right now, because it’s absolute gold.

Not to mention, the Coyotes are well-aware of how the Kings managed their two series’ with the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues, they’ve seen it. The goal here is to not allow them to change the pace the Kings are, and have been riding.

Final Notes

– The Kings have let opponents score two consecutive goals just once during the entire postseason, that being in their only playoff loss – Game 4 of their first-round mosey with the Vancouver Canucks. Responding to goals doesn’t just keep you at pace, it shuts down the opposition. That was huge Sunday night with Phoenix’s two tying tallies, and it will surely be a major factor again Tuesday.

– The powerplay has looked good, but hasn’t put up numbers. Man-advantage scoring is a huge bonus when we’re talking this matchup, the Kings need to spark it. You can’t look for too much, though. The Kings shut down Phoenix’s powerplay last night, and have allowed only three man-advantage goals in the playoffs. The Kings have scored more times on the penalty kill (4 shorthanded goals) than they have allowed (3).

– A quick start is so valuable, a la seen in the Kings’ 1st period frenzy Sunday night – outshooting Phoenix 17-4. Strong starts can certainly set the tone, and that’s been the Kings’ tune for the most part. Don’t give Phoenix any room early.

–  The Kings topped their game-high total for shots on Sunday, this includes the regular season. With 48 shots, that climbs above their previous total of 44 against the Minnesota Wild in December. That’s a good sign, because if you’re going to beat Mike Smith, you need a heavy gauge of shots.

Desert King

Get this guy one ‘o them free t-shirts

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Take a ground-level look at this one, because it ain’t gonna come easy.

This third-round date calls for a club the Kings are all too familiar with. Or are they?

It’s the Phoenix Coyotes tomorrow night to kick-off the Western Conference Finals, and this Pacific Division foe is the only club that stands in the way of the Kings and a Stanley Cup Finals bid. Although the Kings have seen the Coyotes six times this season, these two clubs have changed face since the postseason hit.

If not changed, they’ve both certainly hit a stride no one has seen all year.

It’s a battle of two clubs who have keyed playoff success on phenomenal goaltending, outstanding defense, special teams’ success, and production from depth. You looked at the St. Louis Blues before last series, and you saw most of this. There’s a clear-cut difference when looking at Phoenix, they’re doing it in the postseason.

As for the Kings, they’re doing the same – if not better. It’s difficult to have any doubts about this Kings team right now, especially with the play of Drew Doughty. Play it back now.

Cactus practice

- Season Series -

As is the case with divisional opponents, the Kings met with the Phoenix Coyotes on six occasions during the regular season. The Kings had the upper hand, ending with a 4-1-2 record against Phoenix. Five of the six contests were decided by one goal, the other by just two. Three of the games went into extra time, and Jonathan Quick recorded two shutouts – Mike Smith with one.

Game Notes: Jonathan Quick would record his second consecutive shutout, stopping 28 Coyotes’ shots. Ironically, the one he recorded two nights prior to this game was against the St. Louis Blues. Dustin Brown would score the game-winner, and Kyle Clifford would add the insurance tallying the Kings’ 2nd goal – and it may be up for grabs as the most awesome celebration of the year. Not because it had style, but because they were freaking the f*ck out.

Game Notes: The Kings had won 5 of 6 games coming into this contest, but this would see them kick into a turn where they would lose 5 of the next 6 games. Anze Kopitar and Mike Richards with goals, but Radim Vrbata had two of his own – plus a Daymond Langkow OT clincher. Mike Smith was a wall, stopping 37 of 39 Kings shots.

Game Notes: Rob Scuderi would bury his only goal of the season in this contest, Willie Mitchell would follow suit chipping in with his second of five goals this season. The Kings amassed 35 shots on Mike Smith, Jonathan Quick stopped 26. Raffi Torres netted two goals for Phoenix, but the guy is a complete non-factor right now.

Game Notes: This was your typical match-up with the Coyotes. Boring, low-scoring, and probably on some crappy week-night. However, Drew Doughty ended things on exciting terms with his offensive zone rush goal. Not to be forgotten, Jonathan Quick nabbed his sixth shutout of the season, stopping all 22 Phoenix snips.

Game Notes: Goal-scoring woes shot the Kings in the foot again. Mike Smith stopped all 28 Kings’ shots, and Radim Vrbata snuck the game’s only goal past Jonathan Quick in the 2nd period. This would see the Kings and Coyotes tied for the Western Conference‘s 7th seed at the time.

Game Notes: The final matchup with the Sun Dogs, good habits turned bad, and bad habits turned good. The Kings found three early 1st period goals, but gave it up. This may have been Jonathan Quick‘s weakest game of the season, stopping 25 of 29 Phoenix shots.

- Series Look -

Starting on the same foot: It will have been an entire week since the Kings have played live-hockey come puck-drop Sunday night, ending their series with the Blues last weekend. Downtime is always a tricky variable to balance in the postseason. However, the Kings had six days off after their series win against the Vancouver Canucks, and showed up for Round 2 just fine. All are healthy, a stable mindset has been put in place by Darryl Sutter, the break in action should not cause any setback for this Kings club.

Stacking Bricks: As if Jonathan Quick wasn’t facing a good enough opposing goalie in Brian Elliott, him and the Kings now turn to standout Mike Smith. Smith, who’s regular season stats were stellar, has carried over that performance into the playoffs. Along with his .948 save percentage and 1.77 goals against, Smith has two shutouts to go with his 8-3 record in 11 playoff contests.

Quick ups the ante, though. He’s untouchable with an 8-1 record, chiming in with a .949 save percentage and 1.55 goals against. This is certainly going to be another series where the focus of outcome lays heavily on performances in the crease.

Depth’ll do it

From all faces: Balanced scoring from a roster is one of the most valuable commodities to have in postseason play. In fact, that may be the reason these two teams are surprising the NHL – output coming from defensemen and 3rd and 4th lines. Both the Kings and Coyotes have received wealthy contributions from their back-end players.

To really feed into how crucial it is, Justin Williams puts it best when addressing the importance of the 3rd and 4th lines in a postseason matchup:

“Sometimes the first couple lines offset each other, and it’s the so-called unsung heroes who get the stuff done.” – LA Kings Insider

And that’s exactly been what’s happening for both of these clubs. In nine postseason games, the Kings have had goals from 15 different players – how magical is that. 11 of those are forwards, the other four players are defensemen. It’s coming from both ends, ain’t it sweet.

Phoenix on the other hand, has seen 13 different players score. However, they’ve played two more playoff games than the Kings. They’ve struck gold with 10 forwards, and three defensemen.

Out of the box

Special opportunity: Surprisingly, the Kings have scored just as many short-handed goals (4), as powerplay goals. But really, you can’t count on short-handed scoring, keying in on man-advantage opportunity and maintaining solid defense on the penalty kill is the ultimate factor in executing and shutting down on crucial moments.

The Kings started the playoffs with three power-play goals in their first two games. Since then, they’ve scored just one in 35 chances through seven games. That may not be doing it the fancy way, because they’ve been doing it the defensive way. The Kings have allowed just three goals in 38 instances when they’ve been a man-down.

The Coyotes have been quite impressive as well, scoring on five of 33 power-play opportunities, and allowing 3 goals on 38 instances when shorthanded. These teams are so closely matched in all aspects, all you can really focus on is the Kings continuing to play aggressive in special teams situations, while staying loose and relaxed. Trying to do too much is what often kills you.

For the Kings, maintaining pressure in the neutral zone on the penalty-kill, while continuing to enter offensive territory on the power-play, will be their shot in the arm. Because when it’s a match-up this close and this familiar, finding success in the special teams department can go a very long way.

Chalk up some W’s for Foxy, deal with NBC’s horrid broadcasting

And he’s waiting

Right now you can feel it, back then you could hear it

Fourth-line production, and don’t let those faces fool you. It’ll be just as important, and just as exciting for this group to continue to roll on all ends.

Plus, if a Kevin Westgarth – Kyle Clifford connection can’t heed good luck, I don’t know what will.

No series prediction here – and that’s been working quite well.

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Canucks fans….Welcome.

.

Arguably the best game of hockey the Kings have been involved in this season, tonight in Nashville.

The last time the Kings played hockey in music city, eight short nights ago, the biggest storyline – or non storyline at that, was the passing of the NHL‘s trade deadline. The roster, namely Dustin Brown, was safe. However, the Kings would drop another offensive failure into the hands of the opponent, falling 2-1 to the Predators.

It’s been different since the Kings’ last trip to Nashville, it’s been good.

Three-de-feat: Tonight’s return to music city exemplified and pushed the proof of the Kings’ improved play. With five goals recorded in tonight’s victory, the Kings have amassed a total of 13 in their last three contests. I won’t dig into the statbooks to provide solid proof, but if I were to be a betting man, I’d say that’s got to be the highest goal output in a three-game span seen from this club all season long.

It’s got to be.

Back in the picture

.

Pending on tonight’s outcome in the San Jose Sharks‘ tilt with Edmonton, the Kings have at least momentarily inched back into the NHL‘s postseason picture. Now with 74 points, the Kings have claimed the final spot (8th) in the Western Conference, just one behind the 7th seed Phoenix Coyotes who are at 75 points.

Not a sense of security, though. The Kings have three teams trailing hard, all within two points in the standings. That includes San Jose, but the Sharks’ games-in-hand on the Kings are dwindling, and San Jose will have played just one less game than the Kings after tonight. That’s a positive step regardless.

Carter cater’s

.

His name may have hit the scoresheet in just one game since he’s been a King, but Jeff Carter‘s addition to this offense has certainly brought an uptempo sense of balance.

Since Carter’s first game as a King, the team has gone an astounding 4-1, totaling 18 goals in those five games. For a club that’s been absolute worst in the NHL in scoring for the majority of the season, and for a team that has struggled to chunk together a handful of wins, there’s something about the Jeff Carter deal that makes it right – everything.

While acquiring a proven top-six forward, the Kings also maintained defensive strength. And for their current cause, they may have improved that defense with the loss of Jack Johnson. Johnson, who was prone to struggle defensively, is being replaced by two prospects who may fill his role equally – if not better in their own zone. As for the opponents’ zone? Alec Martinez and Slava Voynov are offensive defenseman, they’ve added to the Kings’ offensive boost, even if it isn’t in the stats.

If this guy wakes up…

Well, how do ya do, Columbus?

The Midwest swing begins Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio. It’s not your average tilt between these two clubs – far from it. Drop the Jack Johnson reunion and Jeff Carter‘s return to Nationwide Arena into the equation of an already critical game. Can’t get much better.

The boo-birds could be out for Carter every time he touches the puck. In fact, in his first return to Columbus at least, they could be Rob Blake – esque for a Staples Center perspective. It’ll wash over, but it’s too soon to believe the anger has subsided.

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The General Manager is now in question, players are being tossed around for a deadline deal, the playoffs are in doubt — and could quickly become a long shot.

It’s been bad, it’s getting worse.

The Kings’ inconceivable lack of scoring has had an awful effect all year long, those effects have hit this roster no harder than in the past two games.

Two 1-0 losses, two consecutive shutouts on home ice, both against clubs that hopped over the Kings in the standings with those wins. That’s not going to cut it, not even close.

This team now finds themselves out of playoff positioning. Sitting in the Western Conference‘s 9th-seed slot, the Kings are in a frenzy to find a solution, to find an answer — and fast. With 65 points, the Kings are no safe bet to recover and solidify a postseason bid. They are far from alone in claiming the final playoff spot, with four clubs trailing just five points behind them, going down all the way to 13th in the Western Conference, where the Anaheim Ducks stand with 60 points.

Same result, all year long

.

Dealing with Dean: The way things have continued to play out for the Kings, a deal prior to Monday’s trade-deadline may be the only solution in order to fend for a third consecutive playoff berth. Two big names that have been tossed around the grid both belong to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are reportedly open to dealing a couple of major assets.

Yes, that would be Rick Nash and Jeff Carter.

The Jackets, who are mired in their worst season in franchise history, are starting to hint at a full rebuild. This means they’ve got to get something of very high value to part-ways with either of these players. For Nash, Columbus is reportedly asking for Jonathan Bernier, Jack Johnson, Andrei Loktionov, and maybe even a bit more.

Do I like this? No. Am I worried about a desperate knee-jerk move made by Dean Lombardi? Yes.

Ask yourselves, how much thought is Lombardi genuinely putting into the Kings short-term future here, rather than just this season alone? Because, quite frankly, there’s a good chance he’s shown the door if things don’t turn around quickly, and at a very impressive rate. He’s got to act now, and that may not be as good of a thing as it sounds to be.

The last thing you want to do is give away highly talented youth, who have yet to hit their prime stride, for one man’s last-ditch effort at saving his job.

As for Jeff Carter? Well, all right. His attitude is shaky to say the least, but at least he’s got strong connections with Mike Richards. Plus, he’s quite a bit cheaper than Nash, and could fill in as a winger on any of the top-three lines. I’d definitely mull it over.

The Kings are desperate, but they can’t be desperate for a trade. They’ve got to be desperate at playing hockey. The talent is here already, I’ll say it again. If it happens to be one of those year’s in which things just don’t click, then so be it. If a deal is made at the deadline, we can only see how it pans out.

The worst time to shoot yourself in the foot is when you’re already down. For the Kings, I wouldn’t go after anything higher than a Jeff Carter. Add a couple of pieces if you can, just be sure to still value the players this team has now. A big deal, well one that’s too big, could potentially haunt this club for years.

All you can do is wait and see

Desperate in the Desert: It’s a date with the Phoenix Coyotes, yet again. This one is huge, this one is mammoth. The Kings (9th – 65 points) and Coyotes (7th – 67 points) meet just five days after their last affair, which saw the Sun Dogs take a 1-0 shutout victory at Staples Center. The Kings could find themselves as high as 7th in the Western Conference with a win, or continue to separate themselves from the playoff bubble even more. To call this the biggest game of the year wouldn’t do it justice.

At least the Kings have proven they can beat the Coyotes with just one goal. The problem they’re facing tonight, is scoring that goal.

That’s some optimism to build off of.. Right?

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Double Deuces

Four goals in a single game

Bigger Than You’d Think: For the first time in 14 contests, and for the first time since November 22nd, the Kings managed to score more than two goals in regulation. In fact, the Kings tallied four goals – in a proverbial ‘four point game’ against the Pacific Division foe Phoenix Coyotes. With the regulation victory over the Sun Dogs, the Kings sit even with Phoenix at 39 points to share the 3rd & 4th slots in the Pacific Division‘s rankings.

Out of the Woodwork

Out of the Gate: We’re seeing clear differences with this club with Darryl Sutter housing the Kings’ bench. It’s energy, it’s effort, and we’re starting to see it early in games, and in the third period – missing components that have plagued this roster throughout the season.

When it comes down to good coaching, 2nd Period play is important, it’s about maintaining consistent effort and mentality from the roster. However, it’s not often going to make or break your overall output. Fast starts and strong finishes are the true gauge, the Kings are starting to exemplify those situations, and made perfect example of such tonight.

If you’re going the pessimistic route, you’re going to target tonight’s second frame, in which the Phoenix Coyotes took back complete control of the game. The Coyotes handled the middle frame in dominant fashion, but the Kings began, and finished tonight’s contest in a form that we’ve rarely seen all year long.

And that’s the key

Ahoy, Cap’n!

All smiles on board

Here’s some proof

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 Live from Two Places

The Simultaneous Series

Los Angeles Kings @ Phoenix Coyotes – 7:00PM – Jobing.com Arena
Los Angeles Kings VS Phoenix Coyotes – 7:30PM – Staples Center

This means three things: Empty seats, gaudy uniform numbers, and goals.

Main roster players from both clubs will get their first live in-game action tonight, along with a heavy slew of prospects who are still in tryout mode. The Kings won’t make their first Training Camp cuts until tomorrow, deeming this do or die for a handful of names, most of whom wouldn’t be in serious contention for a roster spot anyway. So yes, that means split-squad, where both the Kings and Coyotes will ice two rosters balanced with veterans and prospects.

The Phoenix Coyotes’ season-ticket holders (4) had a little fun with this gig last year, deciding to “Split-Squad View” the games. How clever! Fred and Marissa (pictured) stayed put in Glendale, while Bob and Kim (not pictured) traveled to LA! Bob and Kim won’t make it this year unfortunately, they sold their season seats to subdue the tax raise they’re getting slammed with just to keep the Coyotes in town.

But it’s hockey!

Probably too much, probably.

About that time – Interior Design

Fresh Surface: The Staples Center staff began paint application to the Kings’ new ice surface this morning, a process that will likely take a day or two longer to complete. As noted in a couple of previous blogs, the new ‘LA shield’ logo will make it’s center-ice debut on September 21st in a split-squad preseason contest against the Phoenix Coyotes. This replaces the black, purple, and silver crown as the rink’s featured art-work, where it was tucked inside the center-ice circle since the 2002-2003 season. However, the crown is hanging around, creatively implemented into the red-line.

Talking Aesthetics, Again: Just when you think the Kings were settled on uniform plans for the 2011-2012 season, another questionable decision blindsides the fanbase. It was understood that the Kings’ former primary home uniform would be implemented as the new home alternate, making room for the new ‘LA Shield’ primary home and away sweaters. Well, not quite the case. In what was first reported via MayorsManor, and later released in an official statement from the Kings, purple has been dropped from the repertoire. But, has it? Not really, which justifies this decision as being terribly senseless.

The purple-less crown (left) will take place as the new crest on the template shown (right).

And it makes no sense: The Kings didn’t actually rid of purple from the wardrobe, unless I’m missing something here. So, while keeping purple on the elbow piping and shoulder caps on the “new” alternate uniform, you’re going to eliminate purple from the uniform’s crest? This is going to look terrible, and it will last for two years – maximum. Mark my words. Talk about an ugly ending for the crown and the black hem-lines.

Speaking of ugly endings.

Joe Thornton will never have a bigger moment than this in his NHL career.

This is your final sighting of the Kings’ Crown on ice. Let’s talk in two years, I guarantee more uniform changes. This has been a complete disaster, I’m looking forward to the amendment of this summer’s uniform debacle. I can deal with it, this club is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Unfortunately, the organization failed in providing a solid wardrobe for the show.

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

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

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

Throughout the remainder of the NHL season, ‘Dancing in the Reign’ will be recapping each week in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. Track the Kings’ push for a second consecutive playoff berth, see which teams are hot and who’s not, and note on key divisional and conference match-ups. This edition of Sunday Night Scoreboard Watch recaps the week of February 7 with a look ahead to the week of February 14.

——————————————————————

The Week That Was: The week started with a four-day break from action as the Kings prepared for an East Coast swing which called for a contest on Thursday night and a pair of matinees on Saturday and Sunday. The Kings, with a 2-0-1 record this week, have recorded at least one point in their last ten games with a record of 8-0-2. The injury-ridden Pittsburgh Penguins were the downpoint to the week, the Penguins recovered from a shocking loss to the New York Islanders with a 2-1 overtime victory with the Kings in town. Jordan Staal continued his strong return to Pittsburgh’s lineup with the OT decider against the Kings. Saturday afternoon called for 3rd period goals in bed. In what was a 9:30 AM puck-drop Pacific Standard Time, the Kings’ overwhelmed the Washington Capitals with three unanswered third period goals, leaving the Nation’s Capital with a 4-1 victory. You couldn’t have asked for a sweeter finale on Sunday, the Kings knocked off the Eastern Conference‘s elite with a 1-0 shutout victory. The win snapped the Philadelphia Flyers‘ three game win streak, a team who is also a stellar 13-3-0 in their last 16 contests. Anze Kopitar tallied his first goal in 11 games in Washington, just his second goal in his previous 20. Goaltenders Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier enter the week on good terms allowing only 3 goals combined with no regulation losses.

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                GP     W       L      OT      PTS

Dallas               56     31       19       6         68
Anaheim           57     32       21       4         68
Phoenix            57     29       19       9         67
San Jose           57     30        21      6         66
Los Angeles   56     31      22       3         65

Pacific Division Notes: Although the Kings have grabbed points in ten consecutive games, they continue to vacate the cellar of the Pacific Division. The San Jose Sharks, who jumped to 2nd in the division last week find themselves back in 4th with a 2-2-0 record this week. The Dallas Stars manage to maintain the top slot with a 1-1-1 record following three consecutive losses. They’ve surrendered their cushion with a 3-6-1 record in their last ten games. The Phoenix Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks continue to win, both clubs snagging six points this week with 3-0-0 records respectively.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                   GP      W      L      OT       PTS
5. Nashville           56      30     19      7        67
6. Phoenix             57      29     19      9        67
7. San Jose            57      30      21      6       66
8. Minnesota         55      30      20      5       65
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
9. Los Angeles   56      31     22      3       65
10. Calgary           58      28      22      8       64
11. Chicago           56     28      22      6       62
12. Columbus       56      28      23      5       61

Western Conference Notes: For the second consecutive week the Kings pocketed five out of the possible six points on the board. Even without a regulation loss, the Kings dropped out of the top eight, just goes to show how tight things are this year. The Pacific Division remains a stronghold in the playoff picture with the Kings as the only team in the group out of playoff position. A week away from the Western Conference allowed for point-implications to center in on this team, with extra points only available to the Eastern Conference. The previous two weeks have done little in separating contenders from pretenders, which may have an effect on moves initiated at the trade-deadline. The only way to keep pace in the conference is with wins. Three teams are within striking distance of the Kings’ 9th slot, with only 4 points separating the 12th seeded Columbus Blue Jackets. Add the Colorado Avalanche to the list of outsiders, they’re sinking fast with seven consecutive losses. You can safely count out the St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers from playoff contention as well. 12 out of the 15 teams in the Western Conference are wholeheartedly in the playoff hunt. Not a ton of room for error.

The Week Ahead: Three games are slated for the week, two more contests with Eastern Conference opponents along with the third meeting of the season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The franchise-record ten game road trip hits it’s 7th, 8th, and 9th installments with a Midwest twist. The Kings start the week in Ohio against a Blue Jackets team that is riding two consecutive wins, just four points behind the Kings in the Western Conference. The remainder of the week calls for New York, Thursday night at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers and Saturday night in Uniondale against the Islanders. The Rangers hold the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference, the Islanders own the 14th position. Extra points are for the taking in New York, but Wednesday night’s visit to Columbus can’t afford much but a regulation victory.

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
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
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.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

The Week That Was: Like the rest of the league, the Kings’ had a short week of work due to this weekend’s NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, NC. Only two games were on the slate this past week, an Eastern Conference opponent in the Boston Bruins and a Pacific Division rival in the San Jose Sharks. With victories against both opponents, the Kings entered the break on a three game win streak. The Kings now have 55 points through 50 games, here’s where they stand in the Western Conference and Pacific Division:

Pacific Division Standings

TEAM                GP     W     L      OT   PTS

Dallas                50    30    15     5      65
Anaheim            52    28    20     4      60
Phoenix             51    25    17     9      59
San Jose             50    25     19    6      56
Los Angeles     50    27   22    1      55

Pacific Division Notes: If you’re looking for a surprising division, look no further. Out of this group, there were two highly touted favorites to win the division; the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings. Hasn’t really worked out. The Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars have shocked the league, and they continue to win; Anaheim and Dallas have 7 wins in their last 10 games respectively. As of now, the Kings’ attention must be centered on a top 8 seeding in the Western Conference. A division championship seems far-fetched at this point, and quite frankly shouldn’t even be stressed.

Western Conference Standings

TEAM                     GP      W     L    OT     PTS
5. Anaheim             52    28    20    4       60
6. Phoenix              51    25    17    9       59
7. Chicago              50    26    20    4       56
8. San Jose             50    25    19     6       56
9. Colorado            50    25    19     6       56
10. Minnesota        49    25    19     5       55
11. Los Angeles  50    27    22    1       55
12. Calgary            51    24    21     6       54

Western Conference Notes: This is as tight of a conference you’ll see at this point of the season. There are six teams within five points of the final playoff position, only the Edmonton Oilers can truly count themselves out at this point, sitting in the basement with a lowly 38 points. With 55 points, the Kings sit at 11th place, but only one point from breaking the top eight. Talk about Pacific Division dominance this season, the Kings are the only team in the group out of the top eight.

The Week Ahead: The schedule out of the All-Star break certainly doesn’t favor the Kings. A season-long 10 game road swing begins tomorrow night, with three games slated for this week. Looking at the upcoming three opponents, you could tag them as “should win” games. Unfortunately, “must-win” is the only manner in which these opponents can be approached. Tuesday night calls for the Minnesota Wild, who sit one spot ahead of the Kings in the conference with 55 points. The Kings are 1-0-1 against Minnesota this season. Wednesday night is slated for the Edmonton Oilers, the cellar dwellers of the West. The Kings are 2-0-0 against Edmonton this season. The week will continue, and finish in Alberta. The Kings’ will skate with the Calgary Flames Saturday night; Calgary sits one spot behind in the conference with the 12th seed with 54 points. The Kings are 1-1-0 against Calgary this season.

This year’s opener will be more successful than the last. Yes, you remember that debacle against Phoenix. It would be difficult to play worse than the Kings did in the opener last year. The hype surrounding that team was a bit premature. They were in Los Angeles against a comfortable Phoenix Coyotes opponent, and were expected to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Media and public relations piled on extraneous pressure and pumped up egos that needed to be tamed. Most players were affected by it, but each in their own way. Escorting the players into Staples Center like it was the freakin’ Grammys while completely exposing them to the public just two hours before the game had disaster written all over it. I was looking over my shoulder in hesitant anticipation for the players to jump on floats into a parade down Figueroa. Good fanfare, but added unnecessary distractions to the team. Expectations continue to skyrocket leading up to this year’s opener, which is why starting on the road is a good thing. Better to have distractions of opposing fans than too much hype. Extra pressure is often built in front of the home fans after a long summer, playing with clear heads against an important opponent is an attractive fit.

Turn back the clock. Not literally, we’ve got another month or so of evening daylight. However, the Kings will be rocking the retro gold and purple uniforms that were worn by the franchise from their inception in 1967 until 1988. The uniforms were tweaked a few times during that 21-year period, but nothing substantial. The jersey piping and number borders were the only subtle changes, and I’m not sure which specific set the Kings are going to unveil. The Vancouver Canucks are celebrating their 40-year anniversary this season, and both teams will be donning vintage sweaters for all four match-ups this year. Too bad they’re not celebrating 20 years, I’d rather see the 90′s silver and black.

Roster Finalized to 23 Players today. The Kings announced the set roster they’ll be working with to start the season. Most notable are the prospects who survived training camp. Forwards Andrei Loktionov, Kyle Clifford, Brayden Schenn, and Trevor Lewis will be competing for long-term spots, and defenseman Jake Muzzin will get time on the blue line. Scott Parse, who was tabbed as the favorite to take the second-line left wing spot, looks to be starting the season on injured reserve as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Look for one of these forwards to be assigned to Manchester once Parse returns, unless that player is Kyle Clifford, who is qualified to return to the Barrie Colts of the OHL unless he plays in 9 games for the Kings. The competition between Brayden Schenn and Andrei Lotkionov for a 4th line centerman spot should continue to play itself out. Not to say this year’s results have any long-term impact on the two, but could ultimately pinpoint which player is ready to have a solid impact this season.

Bernier’s Extension. Smart move by Dean Lombardi here, not to say it wasn’t expected. Jonathan Bernier, who was slated to become a Restricted Free Agent at season’s end, is now locked up for the next three years. Granted a two year extension through 2013, Bernier is now allotted plenty of time to continue his growth at the NHL level. The best part about Bernier’s extension is the buffer zone now provided to Jonathan Quick. This is long-term, and this is Quick’s season. To have both goaltenders signed for the next three seasons gives ample time to decide on a franchise goalie. Who knows? Maybe they’ll end up as a solid tandem and become a good rotation. They’re both just too good I think, no?

Drew Doughty showed up by attacking the offensive zone for a goal that the team desperately needed. The Kings have been taking one too many passes for their own good. (Scott Parse, when you’re in the slot with the puck, take the goddamn shot!) So I say “thank you” to Doughty for getting his behind to the net and putting the Kings on the scoreboard. The goal by Parse to tie the game at 3 apiece was great, except for the fact that Eric Belanger slapped them in the face 12 seconds later. The Wild got their go-ahead goal and gained two more points.

(LAKings.com)

You can’t deny the effort and drive is there for the Kings to get as far up the standing as possible. At the same time, they’re meeting teams just as hungry as them, which makes for high-paced drama at every turn. They could have been floundering at the bottom of the standings like in the past few seasons, but they’re fighting every game and I can’t fault them there. I think they’re doing as well as they can while trying to stem the injury floodgates at the same time.

How do I feel about Teddy Purcell being on the top line? I’d call it a work in progress. Having Justin Williams out of the lineup is bad, but losing him to a broken leg is worse than people realize. He was the solid player on the top line while Anze Kopitar was struggling to find his game after Ryan Smyth left the lineup. Now that Smyth is back and Williams is out, we’ll all be sitting on our hands waiting for Terry Murray’s next move. I’m not sure how this is all going to shake out, but check back in for more thoughts and opinions about this topic.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Michal Handzus has been names to the Slovakian team for the Olympics. Awesome. I’m looking forward to whom from the Kings is named to Team Canada and the US team.

• The Los Angeles Kings gain another two points over the Phoenix Coyotes in a 3-2 shootout victory on Thursday night. As of this morning, the Kings are a mere two points shy of the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks. The Kings play the Dallas Stars tonight and another victory will bring the sort of happiness to the hearts of Kings fans that is not very often felt.
• Oscar Moller scored his first goal of the season on the sweetest shot over Ilya Bryzgalov’s left shoulder. Just to illustrate how awesome Moller is, he wasn’t on the ice for more than 7 minutes the entire game! 6:49 to be exact.
• Jack Johnson‘s goal from the high slot was almost a heart breaker, but he got the lucky bounce back right to him to get his third of the season (once again) over Bryzgalov’s left shoulder.
• In the longest shootout in Kings history, only two Kings scored while Jonathan Quick was the wall on the other side of the rink.
• I must admit, Alexander Frolov is making himself noticed on the first line creating his own chances and grinding it out, but I will also say that the first line lacks the spark from the beginning of the season. I think everyone sees that, but there’s no mistaking this current first line can notch some points.
• This has to have been the most exciting game against the Coyotes in recent memory. I wasn’t bored in the first 10 minutes of the game and it was a nail biter to the end.

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?

I watched this game on a massive delay last night and I’ve come to realize that I don’t think I made a bad decision in not renewing my season tickets. The utterly poor performance of the Kings was quite embarrassing, and I don’t think it mattered that they played the Phoenix Coyotes. They could have played anyone and it would have been just as bad.

(lakings.com)

Is it season-starting nerves? Do all the players have the flu? What do you supposed it is? The Coyotes dominated the Kings for basically the entire game, and not all 6 goals against were Jonathan Quick’s fault. There were plently of mistakes coming from all over the Kings roster. Drew Doughty was particularly noticably making a some timely (bad) decisions while players like Teddy Purcell and Anze Kopitar were nearly invisible. The most frustrating part of the game was the 2nd Kings goal where they spent nearly the entire PP trying to get the puck past Ilya Bryzgalov. Missed shot after missed shot finally found Kopitar getting the puck in the net off a Ryan Smyth rebound. Ugly.

I must end this post here since I have other things to attend to. The season opener was a poor excuse for effort on behalf of the fans and themselves. I’m sure no one was happy with that so-called performance, so we’ll see what happens between now and Tuesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks.

LOS ANGELES — One of the questions making its way through the Bob Miller Press Box at Staples Center on Saturday night was:

Which team is bankrupt and has no owner again?

Indeed, although the Phoenix Coyotes are owner-less and are in the midst of bankruptcy, it was the Los Angeles Kings who played like they were the bankrupt team in an embarrassing 6-3 opening night loss that was played before a sell-out crowd of 18,118 disappointed fans who booed the Kings off the ice at Staples Center.

The one positive was the Kings’ power play, which ended the game with three goals on four power play opportunities.

But that is where the positives ended, as the Kings were absolutely atrocious in five-on-five play and especially in their own zone, where they resembled the Keystone Kops more than a National Hockey League team.

On a separate note, there were some new faces in the press box on Saturday night, including Mark Medina, who writes for the Los Angeles Times. Virtually all of you read Rich Hammond’s work, now on LAKings.com and LAKingsinsider.com…but instead of his usual, informal but still appropriate-for-work attire, he looked rather snazzy as he followed the NHL dress code for team employees…he was wearing a suit. Of course, we had to poke some fun at him…also in the press box was Los Angeles media blogger extraordinaire, Kevin Roderick, publisher of LAObserved.com. You can read his thoughts about the game in his piece, Saturday Night At Staples Center.

For post game audio, visit Frozen Royalty

To celebrate, the National Hockey League has introduced a contest on Twitter they call the #NHLPick15. The rules are simple. First and foremost, you need to get an account on Twitter. Next, you need to predict the winning team in all 15 games played on Saturday, October 3. The one fan that picks all 15 games correctly will win a trip for two to a regular season game of his choosing. Ten other entrants will be selected at random to receive a free season of NHL GameCenter Live.

To enter, send a message to @NHL, and pick the 15 teams you think will win using the three letter team code below. You must include the hashtag “#NHLPick15″ to be entered, you must answer the tiebreaker question, “What is the total, combined number of penalty minutes that all 30 NHL teams will have in the games played on October 3rd?”

Here’s my entry into the contest:

@NHL CHI, DET, VAN, BOS, BUF, NJD, PIT, NYR, WAS, TBL, CBJ, NSH, CGY, SJS, LAK, 268pims #NHLPick15

Here’s the match-up for Saturday, October 3rd:

CHI @ FLA
STL @ DET
VAN @ COL
CAR @ BOS
MTL @ BUF
PHI @ NJD
PIT @ NYI
OTT @ NYR
TOR @ WAS
TBL @ ATL
MIN @ CBJ
NSH @ DAL
CGY @ EDM
SJS @ ANA
PHX @ LAK

For more information (including all rules in English and French), visit NHL.com.

KingsCast Take: The National Hockey League is taking the fans seriously. With teams taking to Twitter and Facebook to promote themselves, you can now interact directly various members of the organization. Gone are the days when you had to wait for the latest issue of The Hockey News to appear at your doorstep. Not only that but there are cool prizes given out almost daily by individual teams and the NHL. The push the NHL is doing in social media is huge and it’s great for the fan.

I know most of you interact with the Los Angeles Kings on either Twitter or Facebook so what is the coolest thing you’ve heard from the organization lately? Tell us here!

Don’t forget to friend us up on Twitter and Facebook. See you at Staples!

At Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Wayne Simmonds scored two goals for the Kings, but that was not enough as the Coyotes handed the Kings a 4-2 loss.

Erik Ersberg got the start in goal for the Kings, allowing two goals on sixteen shots in 40:00 of ice time.

Jeff Zatkoff started the third period for the Kings, allowing two goals on fourteen shots.

Ilya Bryzgalov went all the way in goal for the Coyotes, allowing two goals on fourteen shots.

At Staples Center in Los Angeles, defenseman Jack Johnson scored two goals and added an assist while Teddy Purcell and Justin Williams each scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Coyotes,

Mikkel Boedker, Keith Yandle and Peter Mueller scored for the Coyotes.

Johnson’s second goal at 11:06 of the third period drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd as he took a lead pass at the Kings’ blue line from defensive partner Rob Scuderi. Johnson carried the puck through center ice, splitting two Coyotes’ defenders at the Phoenix blue line. He them moved in on Coyotes goalie Al Montoya, deked in front and then lifted a backhand top shelf, beating Montoya over his left shoulder for a spectacular, highlight reel goal while the Kings were shorthanded.

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty.

Indeed, the Kings prospects were a step slow from the opening face-off on Wednesday night at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California. They were outworked and outhustled throughout by the Coyotes prospects who seemed to be intent on skating on, over and through their counterparts.

In that first game, the Kings took some early penalties and immediately put themselves at a big disadvantage and things spiraled out of control from there.

“You get four power plays in the first period, that really set the tone [for Phoenix],” said Kings head coach Terry Murray. “We were outshot 17-4 in the first period. It gets to be an easier game once you get a 2-3 goal lead.”

“They’re good, young players,” added Murray. “They’re talented guys. They’ve got to start playing more together. There was a lot of individual stuff. Whenever you get behind by a couple of goals you want to try to do too much by yourself and, as a result, it goes the other way.”

“Especially in that first period, once you get behind the eight-ball like that it’s really tough to chip away when you’re down,” said Kings defenseman prospect Thomas Hickey. “That’s was the biggest problem. Tomorrow, our focus will have to be on starting [our] game early and getting more shots because they really outplayed us in the first and that set the tone.”

“That’s where the young guys need to manage the game better,” said Murray. “When you’re playing against a team that’s going to line up at the blue line, like they did when they had a 2-3 goal lead, the open ice is what’s behind them. Again, that’s where you get into too much individual stuff, stick-handling, over-thinking and trying to create something that’s not there.”

The Coyotes prospects were intent on taking the game to the Kings physically, and it was evident that Hickey was their primary target. But Hickey did not help himself in that regard, either.

Read the rest on Frozen Royalty.

EL SEGUNDO, CA — National Hockey League training camps are still almost a week away, but NHL rookie camps are open across the league, including at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California, where the Los Angeles Kings are getting a close look at their young prospects.

The Kings opened their 2009-10 Rookie Camp on Saturday, September 5, with meetings and physical testing.

The rookies began two-a-day, on-ice practice sessions on Sunday and that will continue through Tuesday, September 8.

A two-game rookie tournament against the Phoenix Coyotes is scheduled for September 9 and 10 (details here).

Since their July Development Camp, Kings head coach Terry Murray has noticed improvement overall among his young prospects.

“[Saturday] was a very good day with the on-ice/off-ice testing,” said Murray. It was very demanding and we’re seeing a real good upside to a lot of the guys.”

“I see a change in players coming back from the Development Camp,” added Murray. “Physically, they look better, young guys getting stronger and improving.”

Although anything is possible, no one should expect one of the young prospects to make the Kings roster this season, especially not one coming straight out of junior hockey.

“Never say never and I mentioned that yesterday in our introductory meeting,” Murray emphasized. I pointed out that at the end of the season there were five guys—rookies who made major contributions [on our team last season]. We’re looking for good things—I want to throw that encouragement out there.”

But Murray was rather blunt in adding that no one should get their hopes up too high…

Read the rest at Frozen Royalty

Training Camp Schedule

Training Camp Roster

If you have the spare time, head on over to the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo at 555 North Nash Street and take in the workouts. After Hockey Fest, the LA Kings have set the bar fairly high that this will be an important season. So let’s see who’s going to make the team and who’s not this season.

Also, coming up this weekend on September 6 will be the Kings rookie camp and tournament (where they will face off against the Phoenix Coyotes). The first game will be held on Wednesday, September 9, at 6:00PM PDT and the second game will be held on Thursday, September 10, at 2:00 PM PDT. To purchase tickets head on over to LAKings.com/rookie09.

Who’s heading to camp?

LOS ANGELES — The last thing commissioner Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League wants during the Stanley Cup Playoffs is embarrassing controversy off the ice and that is exactly what they have with the Phoenix Coyotes filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in recent days.

To be sure, there is a great deal of controversy brewing over whether or not Coyotes majority owner Jerry Moyes had the authority to file for bankruptcy and move to sell the Coyotes to Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Research In Motion, Inc., the makers of the wildly popular Blackberry.

Balsillie, who also attempted to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators (both attempts failed), would like to move the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario’s Copps Coliseum.

Read the Rest on Frozen Royalty