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.

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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