Williams realizing what he can get away with on the ice

Justin Williams (photo: D. Sheehan) 

Leave it to the the Blues to slow down the surging Justin Williams. He entered last night with points in nine straight games (four goals, seven assists). However, he has struggled against St. Louis throughout his career - finding the back of the net just once in 17 career games.

And like clock work, they shut him down again. Perhaps he'll find some solace though in the fact that Jaroslav Halak didn't let any of the other Kings score on him either.

Regardless, something seems to have changed in Williams' approach of late. For example, he led the team in assists (seven), points (10), power play goals (three) and shots (39) in the month of January. So, what's been going on?

"I've enjoyed the way Darryl (Sutter) has approached me, he's given me a lot of confidence," said Williams. "We've had a real good open dialogue. I've been able to consistently have a good effort day in and day out. I think as you get through the season, you get a little bit more in shape, you get a little bit more comfortable and you start to realize what you can get away with out there and what you can't. I think hard work, and mainly effort, is the thing that's driving me right now."

He also went on to share a little more insight into the dialogue taking place with coach Sutter...

"He's just instilling confidence in me. There are going to be mistakes. There's going to be times where pucks are turned over and he lets you hear it. But, he also lets you hear the good stuff too."

Tonight the Kings will try to get back on the winning track in Carolina, a city where Williams played for four-plus seasons before being traded to LA a few years ago. In 13 career games vs. the Hurricanes, he has seven points (three goals and four assists). He'll certainly be looking to add to those totals this evening.

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Dustin Brown on playing the Blues, plus tonight's tix contest

Beginning tonight in St. Louis, the Kings will play 14 of their next 18 games on the road. And the first one out of the chute won't be easy for LA, as the Blues have only lost three games on home ice this season. However, one of those came to the Kings in a 3-2 contest back in November.

Prior to heading out of town, here's what Dustin Brown had to say about the team's annual Grammy trip...

"The one game that stands out is that very first one. St. Louis has probably been one of the hottest teams since their coaching change. So, I think going in there, on the road, with the way they're playing, it's going to be a big test for us."

Here's a look at how several of the Kings have performed against the Blues in the past...

Anze Kopitar - 9 goals in 22 games

Brown - 13 goals in 27 games

Justin Williams - one goal in 17 games

Dustin Penner - eight goals in 20 games
Mike Richards - two goals in six games

Jarret Stoll - six goals in 27 games

Drew Doughty -  one goal in 13 games

Jack Johnson - no goals in 15 games

If you'd like to participate in the the MayorsManor First Goal Contest tonight, we'll be giving away a free pair of tickets to the next home game (2/16 vs. the Phoenix Coyotes). It's easy to play, simply leave a comment below with the LA player you think will score first vs. the Blues...or reply to the facebook / twitter updates that will be posted around 5:00pm. All correct answers will be pooled together and one random winner will be awarded the tickets. Good luck!

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VIDEO: Roenick breaks down Doughty's hit on Oshie

Earlier today, the National Hockey League let it be known that Kings defenseman Drew Doughty will not be suspended for his hit on the Blues' TJ Oshie in the final seconds of last night's game.

As a first time offender, the $2,500 fine levied against him was pretty much as expected.

In the clip below, Jeremy Roenick and Pierre McGuire show they play and then discuss why it was such a dangerous hit.

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

To see more video of the incident, here's the VERSUS feed in full (link).

For more from Roenick, here's his MayorsManor interview last season, where we preview the Kings-Coyotes game and here is his preview of Canada-USA at the World Junior Championship.

Yesterday, Doughty talked about not being sure what's wrong with him this season in an article posted here.

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Westgarth goes from 'stewing in his juices' into the line-up

Westgarth remains positive (photo: M. Zampelli)

By all accounts, Kevin Westgarth had a great summer. He married his longtime girlfriend and signed a two-year contract extension with the Kings.

Things haven't been so good since though.

Coming off a season where he played 56 games, roughly two-thirds of the regular season games, he's only seen action in six of the team's first 20 games.

"It's frustrating," said Westgarth, when asked about his role basically being cut in half so far. "It just gives me opportunity to work hard and just try to improve in practice and just be ready to roll when I get the call and to take advantage of opportunities that are given."

The time is now, as coach Terry Murray will insert him into the line-up as the fourth line right wing tonight in St. Louis. He's faced the Blues four times previously and has been credited with a total of eight hits in those games, second only to his stats against the Dallas Stars.

Westgarth has only one scrap in those four games, it came last March vs. the much smaller Cam Janssen - who had previously come on MayorsManor and talked about using videos on HockeyFights.com to scout Westgarth and Kyle Clifford. It didn't help much that night and Janssen has since moved on to New Jersey.

Last week, Westgarth would have normally been an automatic start in the Kings back-to-back games with the Anaheim Ducks - however, they're resident tough guy, George Parros, is out of the line-up recovering from eye surgery.

Still, Westgarth says he didn't like being on the sidelines for those games.

Coach Murray and Voynov compare notes on his first NHL game

Unexpectedly, Slava Voynov received more attention than all but a few players during the Los Angeles Kings training camp this year.

With Drew Doughty unsigned, the Russian-born defenseman played in every possible exhibition game and was the last player cut before opening night.

He was off to a solid start in Manchester (AHL), picking up a couple of points in the first few games and was a plus-5. Then, Doughty was hurt early in the game with the Flyers and Voynov was on his way to back to LA.

After practice today, he shared the following comments (note: he speaks with a heavy accent and a small part of his responses are paraphrased)...

Earlier in the week, coach Terry Murray gave the impression they tried to be as positive as possible when notifying Voynov he would be going back to the AHL to start the season, but added 'We told him he was on the threshold of making the NHL.'

Voynov shed a little more light on that conversation today - "They said I played well and had improved. Coach Murray told me to give my best every year and he said don't stop, keep working."

On the thoughts going through his head during the plane ride back to LA this weekend, Voynov said - "I was so excited. I had been waiting for this moment for three years."

On any advice the coaches game him prior to last night's game - "Nothing. We just spoke about things a little bit right now during practice and he told me to correct a couple of (things), like d-zone play with the pucks. But nothing before."

Murray's reasoning for not talking too much to Voynov beforehand was simple.

Kings shutout the Blues 5-0, video and quick notes

The Kings defeated the Blues last night 5-0, paced by strong goaltending from Jonathan Quick (27 saves, earning his 15th career shutout and 99th NHL win) and two goals from Simon Gagne.

- Three Stars of the Game: Gagne, Quick and Jarret Stoll

- Math with Jack: defenseman Jack Johnson was plus-3 for the night, which is now also where his season rating sites after five games.

- Stoll (aka 'the visor' - as explained here) had a goal, an assist, two shots on goal and was plus-2 for the night. After the game, he had this to say - "I’m just trying to play good on both sides of the puck, be good in my zone if we have to play down there, play hard and play physical. On the other side of the puck, if I get a chance to put one in the net, just bear down and put one in. I (was) lucky enough tonight, Brownie [Dustin Brown] made a good pass once I was coming off the bench, and he can make those plays, so it was a great play by him and just a great team effort overall."

- Willie Mitchell led the Kings with 23:40 of ice time. Jack Johnson was second at 21:48. Interestingly, Stoll led all Kings forwards in ice time (19:29), a stat usually reserved for Anze Kopitar.

- Kopitar (4g, 5a) and Justin Williams (2g,5a) have picked up at least a point in each of the five games played by the Kings so far this season.

- Faceoff numbers are improving, with LA winning 54% of the total draws (31-of-57). Kopitar was tops here, winning 65% (11-of-17).

- LA was 1-for-4 on the power play and killed off all four chances St. Louis had with the man advantage.

– NHL Debut: Slava Voynov played 19:48 and earned a plus-2 rating

- Practice starts today at noon in El Segundo. Immediately following, we'll have live notes and quotes - follow along on the twitter/facebook links listed below. In the meantime, enjoy the video highlights from last night's game (after the jump)...

Blues at LA Kings - what to watch for II with Johnson, Greene

Earlier today we heard from Jarret Stoll, Anze Kopitar and coach Terry Murray - who offered their thoughts on the keys to tonight's LA Kings vs St, Louis Blues match-up.

While Stoll spoke of needing to play 'pissed off' about the fact the Blues defeated the Kings in all four games last season, Murray and Kopitar seemed to be more focused on having the team worry about their own game plan, and less on the one of their opponents.

Yet, it was Jonathan Quick who brought up something that you don't hear goalies talking about too often - the physicalness of the opposing team.

As a follow-up, here are some thoughts from four of the Kings more physical players in a special second edition of 'what to watch for'...

Matt Greene - "We just need to get ready to work. They've changed a lot of things. But, what St. Louis always has is a real hard working team. They've always had that and they bring a lot of energy to the game. So, I think it's going to be a tough game to play, like it always is - a gritty game. We need to meet their intensity and be ready for a tight, tight close game."

Blues at LA Kings - a 'pissed off' Stoll on what to watch for

If you needed an exhibit to submit in court demonstrating the Kings' struggles on offense last year, the four-game series vs. the Blues would more than suffice.

In their last three match-ups, LA managed a combined total of two goals. And over the four-game season series they were outscored 15-6, losing all four games.

Jonathan Quick, who played every game against the Blues last season, will get the start again tonight. On the other side of the ice, St. Louis comes in with a revamped roster, that now includes veteran forwards Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner.

So, what are the keys to tonight's game? Here's what Quick, Jarret Stoll, Anze Kopitar and coach Terry Murray had to say following practice...

Quick - "They were a playoff (caliber) team last year, I felt. They had a few injuries that hurt them though and they weren't able to get past them. We know that Based on what they had last year they were a great team and then they've added a couple pieces. They're a very, very physical team and we have to be prepared on the physical side of it. If we can't out battle them, it will make for a tough game."

Kopitar - "First of all, we just have to worry about ourselves and how we're going to play. We should make them adjust to us, instead of us adjusting to them - especially at home, where you want to get off to a hot start. We just have to play the game hard and play it with a lot of discipline."

Is Kansas City more of a hockey town than Los Angeles?

On the surface, you might not think of Kansas City as a hockey town. Instead, your sports mind probably first takes you to baseball's Royals or football's Chiefs.

But, eight miles down the road from the home stadiums of those two teams, a pair of NHL hockey clubs will square off in a sold out arena - setting a pre-season attendance record for games held in non-NHL cities.

Get out your time machine though, because today's New Jersey Devils were once the Colorado Rockies and before that, they began as the Kansas City Scouts.

The city was awarded an NHL franchise in 1972. Two years later they began play in Kemper Arena, along with the Kings. No, not the LA Kings, but the NBA's Kansas City Kings - who had been the Cincinnati Royals for decades prior, but changed their name to the Kings, so not to be confused with the local baseball team.

Speaking of the LA Kings, remember those two dismal stretches last season when the team was struggling to win games? That pales in comparison to what the Scouts went through in their second season.  First, they went winless in 16 games coming out of the Christmas break. They finally won a game, then began another downward spiral - finding a way to go twenty-seven games without a win down the stretch and finished 1-35-8 in their final forty games.

They didn't make the playoffs that year. Just sayin'.

The Scouts weren't the area's first hockey team though.

Kansas City's pro hockey history began in 1928, with the Pla-Mors of the American Hockey Association.

Update on Kyle Clifford and Last Night's Fights

Brad Richardson will be in the line-up tomorrow night, playing left wing.

That's per coach Terry Murray after practice today.

You can extrapolate from that the fact that rookie Kyle Clifford will get the night off. Murray also talked about Clifford a little when talking about Kevin Westgarth's fight last night vs. the Blues.

MM: Earlier in the season you talked about Westgarth needing to pick the right spots when engaging in a fight. Last night, early on in the game, was that the right time?

TM:  "I thought it was great. I really do. I think that was absolutely what the team needed. We didn't respond the right way, it's what we needed though going in. Coming off a road trip like that you need a player to really take on some of that responsibility to fire your team up and say 'Hey, we're here to play. We're here to compete,' and he did the right thing. So did Clifford. He responds the right way to get us going. These are rookie players. Westgarth is a young guy, but a rookie. And Cliffy's 19 years old (MM: actually 20) and he recognized the need for something, again, to spark a fire here. He tried to do the right thing."

Regarding Clifford not coming back into the game, he went on to say...

Coach Murray: 'I screwed up' Preparing for St. Louis

OK, so fan-gate is behind us now.

Los Angeles Kings coach Terry Murray re-addressed his comments on the booing last night here.

Let's move on...

They say if you don't learn from your mistakes (and/or history), you're bound to repeat things in the future.

As such, after practice today Murray provided some thoughts on the Blues going 4-0 against the Kings this season and specifically the loss last night...

Murray - "They play a hard game. They play gritty and we're not matching the intensity. That's probably the bottom line. The other part of it too, in that game last night, is when you come back after four games and the way we dug in with the physical effort and the emotional effort that we had to put into it (the road trip), there's really not a lot left to draw on when you only have one day off. I think I screwed up. I think we should have practiced (note: Wednesday's scheduled practice was cancelled by Murray late Tuesday night). I think I should have brought the team to the rink for a 30-minute skill session only. Just to keep your mind in it, keep your body going, flush the legs out. I have to take a lot of responsibility for that. I think with a young hockey club, especially, it's very easy to take that sigh of relief again coming off the road and say 'Now it's going to be a little bit easier,' when it only gets harder."

Still more to come later.



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Blues' Janssen Still Studying Clifford and Westgarth?

Had it not been for several injuries, "I believe the St. Louis Blues could have challenged the Detroit Red Wings for the division title this season." Blues radio play-by-play guy, Chris Kerber, on NHL radio yesterday afternoon.

That's one man's opinion.

However, at this point, the St. Louis Blues don't have much to play for - except pride.

They last made the playoffs under former Kings coach Andy Murray two seasons ago. He was then let go a few months into the following season when it was thought the team was underachieving. Ninth place was where they finished then and they currently sit in 13th place.

So, in many respects they may be further away from postseason play than they were two years ago.  Add to that the fact that some of their best players were traded away over the last month and now their most veteran presence is Andy MacDonald - yes, the former Duck.

Even so, the Kings can't take this game lightly - especially considering the Blues have won all three games between the two teams this season.

POLL: Quick or Bernier?

The plane ride to Dallas is going to be a little less stressful after the Kings picked up a win last night vs. the visiting Edmonton Oilers.

Now comes the tough part though. Who starts in goal for the next two games? The Kings are scheduled for back-to-back games on Monday-Tuesday, so more than likely each goalie will get one start. Before answering the question, consider the following:

* Earlier in the season coach Terry Murray said his preference was to play Quick vs. the division opponents. He's deviated from that twice. In mid-November Jonathan Bernier lost in San Jose and then beat the Ducks in LA the day after Christmas.

* Jonathan Quick has struggled against St. Louis this year - giving up eight goals in two games and finishing with save percentages of .833 and .857.

* Quick has had four straight games with save percentages under .900. However, in two games this season vs. Dallas he's given up three goals total and won both games.

* Bernier has started on the road seven times this year.  His only victory was a 6-1 win at Nashville on December 18.  He did look good last night though, holding the Oilers to two just goals.

* Bernier has faced Dallas only one time prior.  Last March he beat the Stars 2-1 in a shootout - in Dallas.

Should Murray stick with the likely plan and play Quick vs. Dallas and Bernier vs. St. Louis?  Or should he stick with the winning line-up from Saturday and keep Bernier in net vs. the Stars?  What would you do?

[UPDATE: Poll closed early.  After practice today Murray announced Bernier will start tomorrow night in Dallas. He wants to stick with the hot hand...even though the majority of voters below feel differently.]

To see the results

Kings Ruin Dodgers Perfect Record

Seven was unlucky in several ways last night.

It was game seven of the Kings' season long eight-game homestand - the part of the schedule that was supposed to see them climb the ranks of the Western Conference.

It was also the seventh time the Kings and Dodgers had joined forces on the marketing front. For 'Dodger Pride Night' at Staples Center they had manager Don Mattingly on hand for the first puck drop, former player Billy Ashley (who wore number, you guessed it - seven!) available for autographs and even produced a special Dodger themed hockey puck.

Past joint efforts had produced a perfect 6-0 record for the home team.

Not anymore.

Similar to last month's visit to St. Louis, the Blues looked ripe for the picking. They had lost five in a row and were still missing several key players with injuries. On the other side, the Kings were desperate for a win, after losing six of their last seven (there it is again!), and coach Terry Murray had put last year's most successful line back together - Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

As they say, the games aren't played on paper.

The Kings were caught standing around several times on the ice and St. Louis looked like the team that wanted the victory more. They got it too, downing the Kings 3-1 in perhaps the most embarrassing home loss of the season.

Along with the defeat and further slide down the standings, the Kings-Dodgers perfect relationship is no more.

Here's a look back at their previous efforts...

*  On January 24, 2008 Tommy Lasorda drops the first puck and the Kings beat the Ducks 3-1.

LA vs St. Louis Blues - Pregame Quotes and Notes

To say the Kings season has been filled with peaks and valleys would be an understatement. Long winning streaks have been filled by horrible periods of loss after loss.

Coach Terry Murray, the players and fans don't seem to know which team will show up on a nightly basis.

One such example came in mid-December during a five game road trip. Although bookended by 5-0 shutouts to Detroit and Colorado, it was a game in between that perhaps received the most attention. When the Kings arrived in St. Louis they hadn't lost in regulation for five straight, Jonathan Quick was playing as well as he had all year and they were about to face a Blues team that was decimated with injuries.

LA lost 6-4.  Is there anything they can take from that game in preparation for the rematch tonight or do they start with a clean slate?

Jack Johnson - "We definitely scored plenty of goals. We scored enough goals to win that game. That was a rough game for both teams really, they just happened to score more goals than we did. I think (the rematch) will be a lot different. Both teams were pretty bad, in terms of giving up some great scoring opportunities. One of the things we can take out of it was our power play was great in that game. So, we should have some confidence going into it."