Sutter, Clifford and Nolan on fighting, being physical

Fighting is down in the NHL about 20-25%, according to recent statements by Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Scoring for the LA Kings has been, well until recently, down significantly since last year too.

For Kyle Clifford, it's been a bit of mixed bag in those two areas. True, his fighting majors are down - he had 18 last season and with only seven so far this year, he should come in significantly below that number.

Yet. on the offensive side of things, he's actually not that far behind his pace of a year ago - which is rather shocking considering (a) the Kings offense as a whole is down and (b) he's been used in a different role, especially since the hiring of Darryl Sutter.

With 10 points already in the books, and 16 games to go, he'll likely come close to the 14 points he tallied last year.

Playing along side Colin Fraser and Jordan Nolan of late may be freeing him to do concentrate on other things too, rather than just be a physical presence on the ice.

"Yeah, it definitely takes that kinda pressure off," said Clifford. "We have guys that have done that all year though. You look at Greener, even Brownie - he stepped up and dropped the mitts (vs. Shane Doan, here). So, it's always nice to have that extra piece here with Nolan, and Kinger can grab 'em too. I've seen him fight. He's a pretty good fighter. It's always nice having the extra physical bodies."

Cam Jannsesn - then of the Blues, now with the Devils - came on MayorsManor last season and talked about using websites like HockeyFights.com to scout opponents, including Clifford and Kevin Westgarth.  However, not every player puts as much thought into things ahead of time.

"I try not to analyze it too much," Nolan explained. "I don't like to square up with guys or tap them on the shins and fight. I like to fight in the heat of the moment and the battle, when you're into the game. Those are your best fights."

VIDEO: Kyle Clifford hit in Phoenix leads to non-suspension

Besides how or why the Kings were defeated by the Coyotes last night, after being up 3-0 in the first period, the other hotly debated issue coming out of the game was the legality of Kyle Clifford's hit on Gilbert Brule. Opinions on social media sites ranged from it was a hockey play to penalty-worthy on up to he should be suspended.

Today, the ultimate judge and jury ruled when the NHL opted to not even hold a hearing on the matter (per Helene Elliott of the LA Times).

Here's the play...

If Brule's name sounds familiar to you for some reason, it's probably because he was the initial (injured) player the Oilers tried sending to LA in the Ryan Smyth deal. Of course, he was later replaced by Colin Fraser.

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LA 3, TB 1: Post-game audio from Kings' Kyle Clifford

Kyle Clifford has been on a little bit of a roll the past few weeks and he kept things moving right along tonight in Tampa Bay - picking up his third goal in the last 12 games. It stood as the game winner in a 3-1 defeat of the Lightning. Back in the locker room, he was asked about his performance tonight and then, in a somewhat out-of-left field question, he was asked about Brian Campbell of the Panthers. Sure, LA is playing Florida next. However, he's not somebody that Clifford would have had much experience against (three games last year, once this season). Listen to his thoughts from after the game...



Earlier, we posted the audio from coach Darryl Sutter's post-game media scrum. If you missed it, click here to listen now.

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Kevin Westgarth on what goes into preparing for a scrap

As sometimes happens when you sit down with Kevin Westgarth, the conversation can drift. His insightful answers to questions on topic A can quickly lead to you asking about topics B, C and D. Such was the case recently when we began talking about something as simple as taping his wrists.

"I do a light tape," began Westgarth, who is celebrating his 28th birthday today. "Even for the game, it kind of solidifies your grip and your wrists. A lot of guys I've run into have either hand or wrist problems. So, in some sense I'm sure it's probably placebo, but I'm sure there's something to it. It keeps things a little tighter and makes you a little more solid."

Not everybody agrees with him, per se. "I've never taped my wrists," said Kyle Clifford. "But, I'm not throwing heavyweight punches like him. So, it's kind of different."

There isn't a guide to follow when it comes to preparing for a game - and the possibility of a fight - says Westgarth, "It's mostly trial and error. In Manch (Manchester, AHL), I was the heavyweight. So, it was a lot of blazing my own trail. But, I tried to learn as much as I could, even from watching guys on other teams that I respected. There was some help from a few of the older guys. But, they weren't as into it as maybe I have to be. In the summers I also try to talk to different guys that I'm training with or just run into. Marty (McSorley), here, is a great resource too."

Pregame comments from the Kings, plus tonight's ticket contest

Last hour we heard from Dustin Brown in advance of tonight's Kings vs Blue Jackets match-up. Here, we went around the locker room and gathered additional comments from a few others...

Anze Kopitar - "We have to worry about ourselves. We know if we bring our 'A' game to the table, I like our chances. That's the big thing. We have to worry about our game and the rest will come."

Matt Greene - "We have to be ready to work. They work real hard and we have to be ready to match whatever they put into it. They're a gritty team and we have to make sure it's a tough game and be ready right away. We can't wait to ease ourselves into it."

Jack Johnson - "Teams that are so-called 'out of it' have nothing to lose. So, sometimes they're dangerous to play against - just like Edmonton is a dangerous team because they have nothing to lose. If things are going right for them during the night, they're tough. Even when you're out of it, teams have a lot of pride and individual pride. So, they're going to play hard. But, we have to make sure we keep getting points to stay in the playoffs."

With Quick away, what are the other Kings doing?

Last season, the Kings had only four days off for the NHL All-Star Game. While they may not have been much time, several players took the opportunity to get out of LA. For example, Kyle Clifford flew back to Toronto to see some family. Taking a shorter trip was Matt Greene, who went out to Pioneertown.

So, with Jonathan Quick away for this weekend's festivities in Ottawa, what are some of his teammates doing? Let's take a quick lap around the locker room and find out...

Kevin Westgarth - "A friend of mine is getting married and I'm in the wedding. So, I'm heading there. It's very exciting actually because it's great to be able to make it to any one of your friends weddings. It'll also be a little relaxation and a change of scenery, which is great. I think everybody is looking forward to a little rest. We've been getting pounded pretty good with the games and the travel. Even with the homestands lately, it's been a pretty good grind. A little time off to recharge the batteries will be good for everybody."

Rob Scuderi - "We just had another baby, so it's kind of tough to go anywhere. We'll just stay local and relax and enjoy the time."

Clifford - "I'm going to keep it real low key, not a whole lot going on. I might head home for a couple days. I haven't really decided yet. I just want to stay focused with what we have going here...but definitely get some rest."

Colin Fraser - "Going away with my wife to a snowy climate for some relaxation."

Westgarth and Clifford talk aftermath of the Gordie trick

Sometimes you get lucky.

Back in November 2010, sitting in the locker room in El Segundo, after some otherwise meaningless weekday practice, Kevin Westgarth and I were chatting about his rookie season in the NHL. Down the aisle about five stalls away was the only other player there at the time - Kyle Clifford.

During one of Westgarth's many stories, the usually quiet Clifford piped up and offered a challenge. The first one to get a Gordie Howe hat trick would owe the other dinner. Westgarth was more than willing to accept and suggedted they would celebrate when their girlfriends were in town. No problem, both sides agreed and a deal was born.

After Clifford turned the trick last night - getting a goal, assist and fight in the same game - Westgarth laughed when reminded of the other little known detail from that original conversation.

Looking to extend the future double date to include some post-meal entertainment, Westgarth had suggested they make the reward dinner and a movie, to which Clifford replied with simply one word - 'No.'

In the locker room last night, Westgarth laughed when reminded of the bet being dinner only. As for what took place on the ice vs. the Senators, "If anybody else had to do it (before me), he'd be my second choice," said the Princeton grad. "It's going to be a nice little dinner. I don't feel too bad buying him that one at all. That was a hell of a game by Kyle Clifford right there, it's great to see."

Coach Sutter's presser vs Sens: full comments vs Sutterisms

Below are full comments from coach Darryl Sutter's post game press conference following the Kings 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. See if you can pull out a few of his popular three-word Sutterisms...

On the balanced effort from the team - "We got lots from... probably half of our shots came from our defense. The power play scored a big goal in the second, and a penalty-shot goal."

On the killer instinct in the second period - "I thought, emotionally, our second period was a strong period. That’s all I was trying to get, was to emotionally draw something out of them tonight."

On Justin Williams eight-game point streak - "Their line wasn't as effective tonight. I don't know if Kopi and Brownie even had shots on goal. So, I don't think if they were nearly as effective tonight."

VIDEO: Highlights of Kings 4-1 win vs Ottawa Senators

Led by Kyle Clifford's first Gordie Howe hat trick, the Kings downed the Senators 4-1 tonight and improved their record to 11-1-1 vs. Ottawa. The video below includes some great saves by Jonathan Quick, Trevor Lewis taking a penalty shot - plus goals by Willie Mitchell, Clifford and Jack Johnson.

If you'd like to watch Clifford's first period fight with Zenon Konopeka, click here.

Daniel Alfredsson, who stopped by MayorsManor prior to the game to discuss the Kings and the upcoming All Stat Game (link), scored the lone Ottawa goal.

We'll have post-game notes and quotes up early in the morning

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Matt Greene's New Year's Resolutions for his teammates

Yes, it's January 1st, which means it's time for a New Year's article. Only this time, instead of hearing about what somebody hopes to accomplish or change in the coming year, we have one of the Kings' players sharing some resolutions for his teammates.

Kevin Westgarth started the tradition on MayorsManor last year and it seemed like a good idea to give it another whirl. So, here are some New Year's Resolutions Matt Greene offers up to his fellow LA Kings...

Mike Richards - Score more

Dustin Brown - Tip in a couple of Jack's shots (Johnson, sitting in the stall nearby, jokingly added, 'Yeah, instead of blocking them!')

Anze Kopitar - Play more minutes

Kyle Clifford - Get harder, you're getting soft off the ice.

Willie Mitchell - Be more vocal, talk a little bit more and make sure everybody knows what's on your mind.

Clifford cements his role on fourth line, others on the clock

Kyle Clifford is still 20 years old.

That's an important point to remember. Yet, sometimes, a hard fact to keep in mind. People have been calling him things like 'a kid trapped in a man's body' for the last few years. While true, some were expecting more from The Colonel coming into the season - especially after his coming out party during last year's playoff series with San Jose.

He's played in all 27 games this season and has three points to show for it (one goal, two assists). In his 27th game last year, he picked up his second goal and fifth point. So, he's not that far behind.

However, back the post season, he put up five points in six games - including tying for the team lead with three goals.

Still, while nobody probably expected him to be a top-six forward this year, does he belong on the fourth line?

"Well, that's actually where he should be, is on the fourth line, in reality" said coach Terry Murray after practice today. "That's where he played last year. He showed great signs in the playoffs last year, had some nice success. You'd like to think he could make a step up to third line and he will be there someday - that would be his position down the road. But, again, second year, it's not easy. His work ethic, his attitude, his try is tremendous. He loves the team. He works hard for the team and wants to win every night. But, there's a process that you need to go through and he's in the middle of it right now."

Warming up the leftovers with Clifford, Greene, Westgarth

Things have been a little busy lately, so it's time to play catch up this morning. Sometimes, you have 'extra' quotes that just never see the light of day because of timing, other news stories popping up, etc. Then, they're lost forever. Rather than let that happen, let's back track for just a moment. After all, this should be a slow Monday...

Below are comments from Kevin Westgarth and Matt Greene after the physical game vs Florida on Thursday - plus, Kyle Clifford following Saturday's contest with Montreal.

Westgarth on the surprising amount of rough play in the Kings-Panthers game - "There was a bit of frustration on both of the teams. Then, when their player takes a bit of a run at one of our better players, it pisses everybody off. It was great to come out with the win. We weren't as good as we should be tonight and it's pretty awesome that we came out with the win. It's great to see some of the snarl out of the boys. I think it should be quite a game when we get back over there in Florida."

NOTE: The Kings will play the Panthers in Florida on Thursday, February 9. Also, to see the hit Sean Bergenheim put on Mike Richards, click here.

Westgarth on watching much of the Kings roster get involved in the physical aspect of the game - "I love seeing the boys take care of each other. That's why I'm here. But, that's the whole mentality. If everybody has each other's back, then we can all play that much more confident and that much better. Sometimes I grit my teeth a little too much maybe and just want to do something to deal with it. But, I think the guys did a great job of stepping up, being real physical, and going right back after them. Hockey teams, and especially our team, have memories. We'll keep this one close to our chest."

LA Kings Kevin Westgarth recalls many of his key firsts

Chalk one up for the good guys.

With just over five minutes gone by in the second period of last Wednesday's game vs. Dallas, Kevin Westgarth picked up his first National Hockey League goal. And as the saying goes, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

Sadly, the Kings ended up losing the game - in what Westgarth called 'a pretty unfortunate, crappy ending' - which dampened the evening. Even though that took some of the buzz out of the milestone and his teammates weren't necessarily in the mood to celebrate afterwards, it's a moment that wasn't lost on the big, tough forward.

"That one will be going back home," said Westgarth when asked where the puck is. "I'll probably give it to my parents. They seem to take care of that stuff pretty well. They have a few jerseys and it will be another puck to add to the collection. Each level you move up and you keep that puck. So, it's a nice one."

It took 73 games to get that first one in the NHL.  What about those other firsts though? Westgarth recalled how a few of them went down...

His first ever goal - "I was five years old. It was in the championship game of our house league. It was the only goal I scored all year. So, like Gretzky, I had one goal my first year in hockey. In my mind, it was a swooping down the wing, dipsy-doodle and around two guys. I don't think it was quite that pretty in real life. My parents tell me it wasn't, so that just ruined my dream."

Clifford getting help from Stoll, starting to roll

Kyle Clifford of LA Kings (photo: M. Zampelli)

Hoping his blender worked more like a magic eight-ball, LA Kings coach Terry Murray decided to shake things up at practice today, seeking answers for the team's lack of offense.

With perhaps the most wide-spread line changes he's made over the last few years, Trent Hunter went to the top line, the cord was cut between Dustin Brown and Mike Richards, Jarret Stoll was moved to wing and Andrei Loktionov returned to his natural center position.

Assuming Murray sticks with the changes for tomorrow night's game vs. San Jose, what does all of this mean for Kyle Clifford?  Well, he stayed right where he was, as LA's third line left wing. However, he'll now have Loktionov as his center and Justin Williams on the far side.

It will be interesting to see how Clifford's game responds. While his three points in 23 games doesn't seem to be too far off his pace of 14 points in 76 games a year ago, he hasn't had the same overall impact.

Clifford posted three goals in the final 15 games and added three more goals in six playoff games.

MM: With the many different line combinations and partners for you so far this season, do you feel as comfortable in the line-up as you did last year?

KFC: I think I got off to a slow start. But, I think my game is starting to come around. Playing with Stollie (for the last few weeks), as a veteran guy, he's been taking me under his wing and trying to help me out during the games. I'm comfortable playing with whoever though. From a personal standpoint, yes, it was a slow start to the season and now things are starting to roll again.

MM: What type of advice has Stoll been giving you?

Kings vs Blackhawks pregame primer - a few fun facts

Before we get into the fun of hearing from a trio of Kings defensemen regarding tonight's match-up with the Blackhawks, let's first run through a few quick notes and stats...

- For Simon Gagne and Mike Richards, today's game may be a little more personal than it is for other members of the Kings. It was the Blackhawks who beat their then-team, the Flyers, in overtime for the Stanley Cup back in 2010.

- During the regular season, Richards has only played Chicago five times in his career, posting two points (both goals). He was also clocked a few times during a fight with Troy Brouwer in one of those game back in 2008 (video). However, Brouwer has moved on to Washington this season, so any thought of a rematch will have to wait until the Capitals visit LA in January.

- Also, don't expect Blackhawks' pest Daniel Carcillo and Richards, his old pal from Philly, to have too many beefs on the ice - they're friends off of it. Now, Kyle Clifford on the other hand...

- And speaking of fights, it looks like Kevin Westgarth won't be getting another dance with John Scott tonight. Almost one year ago to the day, these two squared off in a battle at Staples Center that saw Westgarth leave the ice in a bloody mess (video).  Then, they met up again the following month and things only went slightly better (video).  Scott is expected to be a healthy scratch tonight, while Westgarth will be playing in his third straight game.

10 Tidbits on the Kings come from ahead loss in Dallas

It's time to close the book on what was a more than disappointing game for the Kings last night in Dallas.  Leading 2-1 with less than three minutes to go, Ethan Moreau took a slashing penalty. Near the end of his time in the box, Jamie Benn scored to even things up. Then, Steve Ott scored the game winner in overtime.  Here are 10 other tidbits from the contest...

- Mike Richards put the Kings on the board first. He's now scored in five straight, has six goals in the last five games and eight goals in the last eight games.

- From NHL.com: "L.A. made it 2-0 just 36 seconds later when Kevin Westgarth blistered a wrister from 50 feet to the right of Lehtonen for his first goal of the season at 5:29." It was game number 73 for Westgarth in the NHL.

- Just prior to the game-winning goal by Ott, Jack Johnson absolutely leveled Mike Ribeiro at the other end of the ice. Expect a receipt on that one when the Stars visit LA on December 10.

- Both franchises joined the league as part of the Second Six expansion in 1967. The win by the Stars was their 100th regular season victory over the Kings. The only team they have more wins against is the Detroit Red Wings (101).

- The crown jersey (aka the 'alternate' jersey) is now 2-2 on the year. It will see action next on December 8th. However, the two road games this week were the only times it will be worn away from Staples Center this season.

Coach Murray on Kyle Clifford - 'It's just the way it unfolded'

Jarret Stoll and Kyle Clifford had some weird - um, chemistry - last night.

They were both on the ice to start the game and Stoll took an interference penalty 25 seconds in, forcing Clifford to sit and watch while the Kings killed off the Nashville power play.

Coach Terry Murray put the same line out to start the second period and 20 seconds later Stoll was whistled for tripping, again putting Clifford on the bench while the Kings penalty killing unit went to work.

All total, the Kings had five penalties in the first two periods and Clifford was on the ice for three of them. Even being one winger down for most of the game (Scott Parse left injured halfway through the first period), Clifford played less than two and half minutes in the final period.

Was something wrong?

How to fix the Kings - the line combos Murray should use

They call him the juggler.

Kings coach Terry Murray has been known to mix up the line combinations, to the point he recently joked about keeping a line together 'for three or four more games.'

However, one thing that isn't too funny is the Kings lack of scoring this season. Over the summer, they added Mike Richards and Simon Gagne in the hopes of giving more punch to a line-up that ranked 25th in the league last year in goals scored.

After 13 games, they're ranked 28th so far this season, dropping from an average of 2.55 goals per game last year to 2.15 at the moment.

Back in training camp, Dustin Brown said that he and Justin Williams had already talked about the fact that it was only a matter of time until they were flip-flopped as the number one and two right wings.

That time should be now. And, in one man's opinion, this is how Murray should set up the offense...

Line Four - Murray has said that Ethan Moreau is a better left winger, yet he's been playing him on the right side 'because it's the only spot open.' Time to fix that. Moreau should be the fourth line left wing, with Trevor Lewis at center and Kevin Westgarth/Trent Hunter on the right side. Westgarth played great hockey in the playoffs last year and if he can return to that form, he's perfectly capable of being in there most nights. LA is 3-2-1 with him in the line-up this year (just saying). Hunter hasn't shown much, nor would you expect him too coming off major knee surgery. Scott Parse is also an option, but again - he's a natural left wing and you'd be asking him to play the off side. Thus, Westgarth seems like the best option.

Halloween 2011 with the Los Angeles Kings players

Last week, Alec Martinez shared some early Halloween thoughts here on MayorsManor, revealing that teammate Justin Williams made a mean DJ Pauly D at the team's annual costume party. Apparently, Simon Gagne's clown get up was quite popular as well.

Until some of those pictures start to surface, check this video out...

Here's Jonathan Quick, Jarret Stoll, Mike Richards, Matt Greene and Kyle Clifford with their take on the classic Rick James tune Super Freak.

If you were ever thinking of inviting Stoll or Greene to one of your parties - you've now been warned, they steal the show.

On Labor Day weekend, we had Dustin Brown, Dustin Penner, Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson singing the American classic 'Take me out to the ballgame.' If you missed that video, check it out here.

Happy Halloween everybody!

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What I've learned so far... by Alec Martinez - he calls out Trevor Lewis

What I've learned so far... by Dustin Brown - responds to Westgarth's allegations

What I've learned so far... by Matt Greene - sticking up for his teammates, as usual

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What I've learned so far...by LA Kings captain Dustin Brown

Our new 'What I've learned...' series has already brought forth a myriad of mixed information.

Drew Doughty shared who was 'one of the best passers I've seen' (and it wasn't Anze Kopitar), Kevin Westgarth may be man crushing on one of the new Kings forwards, Trent Hunter spoke about being mesmerized by somebody who can do amazing things with the puck, and Ethan Moreau let the world know which one of his teammates has been talking his ear off on the bus.

However, it was a comment by Westgarth - where he called captain Dustin Brown a nerd - that serves as the backdrop for today's article.

First though, here are some things Brown says he's learned over the first month of the season...

About Willie Mitchell - "What have I learned new about Willie Mitchell? Not much. He talks so much it's...(then Kopitar chipped in and reminded him of something) - he knows a lot of people. He has a lot of friends. Every city we go to, he has a friend, apparently."

About Simon Gagne - "I learned that he and Joe Bernier are really good friends."

About Jack Johnson - "I think he got a new car. I don't really know. Some red car I think I've seen him driving around in."