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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Listen Live - The Mayor on ESPN radio talking LA Kings

Just a quick note, I'll be joining the guys on ESPN radio Ventura today at 4:10pm PST. We'll preview tonight's LA Kings vs Tampa Bay Lightning game, look at the latest info on Simon Gagne's injury, plus talk NHL trade rumors and much more.

Listen live at this link: http://bit.ly/pTBXPg or check the main site at http://www.1450amespn.com/

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Kevin Westgarth on Willie Mitchell's fight

In an interview here on MayorsManor a few weeks ago, Kings' enforcer Kevin Westgarth said he was "itching a bit" to get into his first fight of the year, and added "there's no takers."

Last night versus Tampa Bay might have given him just the opportunity. However, he was about as far from the ice as you can get inside Staples Center - resting in the press box after being given the night off.

We checked in with Westgarth at practice today for some thoughts on what played out between the Kings and Lightning though...

MM:  Seeing how physical the game was last night, how bad were you wishing you were out there?

KW:  Ah, pretty bad! It's definitely one of those games where I feel like I can have a big impact. Obviously, you never know which game it's going to be.  I understand the way things work.  By the same token, I'm up there (in the press box) and I see guys like Doughty and Brownie getting kinda some cheap shots on them and that gets me pretty good.  I definitely want to be the guy out there to make sure it doesn't happen.  Hopefully me sitting on the bench makes sure it doesn't happen.  It's too bad we're not playing them again this year.  But, it always comes back around.

Jack Johnson Enjoys Playing the East

Kings defenseman Jack Johnson seems to agree with most fans, the NHL schedule needs a little more balance.

Hear what he had to say when asked if it he liked having the extra days off this week to prepare for a team like Tampa Bay, an Eastern Conference opponent they don't see very often...


[note: if the audio does not play in your browser, click the twaud.io logo to play in a separate window]

For our game preview with Wayne Simmonds posted earlier today, please click here.

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LA vs TB Game Preview w/ Wayne Simmonds

Through 11 games so far this season Kings forward Wayne Simmonds has six points, identical to where he was last year at the same marker.

Later tonight he'll be facing the Lightning, a team he hasn't seen very often in his career. In the only match-up last season between LA and Tampa Bay he had zero points and 14 penalty minutes, including a 10 minute misconduct.

Here's a few thoughts from Wayne regarding the match-up:

Question: The Kings are off to a great start this season, especially at home. What do you attribute the success too so far?


[note: if the audio does not play in your browser, click the twaud.io logo to play in a separate window]

Question: Although the rest of the lines have been in flux, your line has been pretty much intact. How do you feel things are coming together with Michal Handzus and Alexei Ponikarovsky after 11 games?



Question: Last year's game in Tampa featured some controversy.  They thought they scored in overtime to win, only to have the goal disallowed and then the Kings came back to win in the shootout.  Do you think the Lightning will have that in the back of their mind tonight or is it all in the past when a new season starts?



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10 Tidbits on Scott Parse (updated)

Whenever Kings GM Dean Lombardi is speaking to a group of people, there are usually a few memorable quotes.

HockeyFest in September was no exception. He got the attention of quite a few people by claiming "Scott Parse is near the top three on the team in terms of skill."

When coach Terry Murray later announced that Parse would start the season on the second line along side Jarret Stoll and Justin Williams, people could see what the two were working - even if they didn't necessarily agree.

And now, things are about to kick into high gear here for Parse. After sitting out the first month of the season with an injury, he'll return to the line-up tonight against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning...however, he'll be on the top line with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown.

Looking back to October 24th of last year when Parse made his NHL debut, here are 10 Tidbits on the highly-skilled-still-has-a-lot-to-prove left winger...

Kyle Clifford on the Impending Roster Decision

For Kings GM Dean Lombardi and Coach Terry Murray 'decision day' wasn't Tuesday.

For now, they remain undecided on Propositions 10 and 13.

Something should be announced soon though, as they're going to have to vote one way or the other on Kyle Clifford (Barrie Colts / OHL) and Brayden Schenn (Brandon Wheat Kings / WHL). Neither player can be assigned to the AHL due to their age. So, at this point, it's either back to junior hockey or keep them with the big club.

To date, Clifford has played seven games, one fewer than Schenn. Once they take the ice for a 10th game, the first year of their entry-level contracts will have been used. That's a tough pill to swallow in the salary cap era. Unless a young player can contribute in a big way, most teams would prefer not to use up that first year so early on in a player's career.

While on the surface, yesterday's roster move assigning Andrei Loktionov to Manchester (AHL) may have seemed like good news for the two younger players mentioned above, not so fast. That was just something designed to make room for the returning Scott Parse. Because Loktionov is eligible to go back-and-forth between the NHL and AHL, if Schenn or Clifford are returned to juniors, he could possibly be recalled. Regardless, that's something down the road a bit. First things first.

Let's check in with Clifford and see where his head is at as the impending decision on his future draws nearer...

MM:  We're down to just a couple of games left.  Are you getting nervous about what the decision may be?

Future Fridays - Interview w/ Brock Beukeboom

Call it the Jeff Halpern pick.

Kings GM Dean Lombardi has been known to wheel and deal his draft picks - trading up, trading down and often bundling them with an 'asset' when trading for another team's player.

At the 2009 NHL Draft, Lombardi did a two-for-one deal, sending the Kings fourth and fifth round selections (#107 and #138 overall) to Florida in exchange for the Panthers' third round slot in this year's entry draft.

Then, at the trading deadline in March, Lombardi packaged that pick with Teddy Purcell, sending them both to Tampa Bay for Jeff Halpern - a move Lombardi thought would help the Kings down the stretch and in the playoffs.  After all, Halpern had played in 24 post season games - which was 24 more than Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty had at the time.

This article isn't about the Kings playoff run though.  Instead, we take a look down the other side of the fork in the road created by the Kings-Lightning trade.  

New Lighting GM Steve Yzerman used that third round draft pick to select Brock Beukeboom.

If that name sounds familiar, it should.  Brock's father is Jeff Beukeboom, who was a punishing defenseman for the the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers.  He collected four Stanley Cups before his career ended in 1999.

Like most recent drafts, bloodlines were a common theme at this year's event.  Jarred Tinordi, the son of former NHLer Mark Tinordi, was the Canadiens' first-round pick.  Fellow first rounder Nick Bjugstad is the nephew of former Kings forward Scott Bjugstad.  Charlie Coyle, selected by the San Jose Sharks, is a double-dipper - he's related to Tony Amonte and Bobby Sheehan.

But Brock's current GM, Dave Torrie of the Soo Greyhounds, thinks there is more than just an obvious family connection with his player, saying "Brock Beukeboom is steadily becoming a force in the OHL. He has good offensive tools and also has the ability to throw big open ice hits that can change the tempo of a game."

In the interview below, The Mayor catches up with Brock on a variety of topics - including the draft process, living with the pressure of a famous father and playing for the legendary Soo Greyhounds in the OHL.