PRIMER: LA Kings at Nashville Predators

Los Angeles has won all three games on the current road trip and is trying to close things out with another two points in Nashville - to mark their first four-game road sweep in franchise history.

Here are seven points to get you primed for the Kings at Predators game coming up in just over an hour...

* Jonathan Bernier will be in goal. Four of his career 20 games started against Western Conference opponents have been against Nashville. In those games he's 3-1-0 with a 1.75 goals against average.

* The suddenly hot Anze Kopitar (7 goals and 15 points in his last 10 games) will be looking to set a new Kings record for consecutive games played. Assuming he's in the line-up, it will be his 325th straight game, passing Marcel Dionne's 324-game mark set from January 1978 through January 1982. If he plans on aiming for the NHL record, he has a ways to go. That's held by Doug Jarvis at 964 consecutive games played.

* Dustin Penner is riding a modest five-game point (2 goals and 3 assists). In 18 career games vs. Nashville he has 10 points (4 goals and 6 assists).

...And Now You're Caught Up - Feb 21, 2011

Now that you're done celebrating Hockey Day in America - which turned into three days this year - it's time to catch up on things you may have missed.

To help you out, below are ten stories you need to know coming out of the weekend...

* Andrei Loktionov was sent back to Manchester. It's a numbers game. With Marco Sturm set to return the Kings needed a roster spot. They can't send Davis Drewiske or Peter Harrold down without first going through waivers. Chances are they wouldn't make it. Both are serviceable sixth defenseman in the NHL and have minimal salaries. At the very least, it wasn't a chance worth taking. Odds are Loktionov will be back in LA before the season is out.

* Still not sure why people were so in awe of Carey Price's mask during the Heritage Classic. The concept has been used by several goalies in the past, including Jonathan Quick's tribute to Rogie Vachon this year. However, my favorite may have been Hannu Toivanen of the St. Louis Blues / Boston Bruins going with the Denis Lemieux (from Slap Shot) look.

* As noted in the Kings Prospect Report earlier this week, Brayden Schenn and Linden Vey (the WHL's leading scorer) were set to meet up yesterday. Vey's Medicine Hat Tigers downed the Saskatoon Blades 5-2. Yet, neither Kings draft pick factored much in the outcome. Both players were limited to just one assist each.

Game Preview w/ 'Kings Killer' Steve Sullivan

In 37 career games versus the Los Angeles Kings, Nashville's Steve Sullivan has 10 goals, 23 assists (33 points) and is a plus-nine. When playing at Staples Center, he has eight goals and five assists (13 points) in 15 games.

On the short list of guys known for being 'Kings Killers' - a group including Shane Doan of Phoenix and Mike Ribeiro of Dallas - Sullivan has to be near to the top.

In his inaugural stop into MayorsManor we talk about that and he gives a few keys to night's match-up...

MM: Is there anything that motivates you a little more when playing the Kings for some reason?

SS: No, I don't think so. I had no idea (of his numbers against the Kings).  Those are unexplainable stats.  I don't know why I have such good numbers against LA.  Maybe I just love California (he laughs).

Kings Game Preview w/ Nashville Captain Shea Weber

Here in Los Angeles, Kings fans know all about the awesome Can-Am duo of Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson. Yet, over in Nashville, they have their own dynamic pair of young blueliners in Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.

Back in the February the four were part of one of the best hockey games you'll ever see, when Canada took on the U.S. in the gold-medal game at the Vancouver Olympics. Doughty and Weber helped lead Canada to a win that day over Johnson, Suter and the Americans.

As for the Kings-Predators game today, unfortunately Suter is out hurt. However, we had a chance to catch up with Weber, Nashville's captain, for a few thoughts prior to tonight's game at Staples Center...

MM: We're only a month into the season and the two teams haven't met yet.  What do you know about the Kings so far this year?

Kings lose some tread in Nashville

It was just one of those games.

Since 1996 the Predators building has been called the Nashville Arena, the Gaylord Entertainment Center, the Sommet Center - then for a few weeks it went back to the Nashville Arena...and was recently changed to the Bridgestone Arena. Unfortunately for the Kings, the same ol' Predators play there...the same Predators they had lost five straight games to coming into Thursday night.

The streak continues...and now stands at 0-5-1 vs. Nashville. They'll get another crack at them on Sunday, March 14th...a rare noon start for the Kings on Anze Kopitar bobblehead day.

Things looked good early when Frolov scored in the opening minute of the game, after a face off win by Jarret Stoll. Ryan Smyth picked up his 700th NHL point with an assist on the play. That may have been the highpoint of the night for Los Angeles.

The game did include the debut of two new members of the Kings, Jeff Halpern and Freddy Modin (both were acquired at the trade deadline on Wednesday). Neither factored in the outcome, each playing about 10 minutes.

A fluke goal put Nashville on the board and then late in the second the Kings season long nemesis reared its ugly head again - an EPG. With just seconds remaining until the end of the period Jason Arnott found the back of the net to end things at 2-1 Preds after forty minutes. The goal also continued Arnott's recent hot streak, he had the Preds game winning goal on Tuesday night and started Thursday's game with eight points in his last nine games.

Jordan Tootoo came out half possessed in the third - even willing to fight Matt Greene. The box score said he had seven minutes of ice time in the game, yet it sure seemed like he was always on the ice or in the penalty box for the final twenty minutes. And although the Kings picked up another goal when Drew Doughty scored early in the third, the Preds added two more, including an empty net goal in the final minute.

It was just one of those games. All of the hype coming in surrounded the four Olympic medal winning defenseman that would be featured in the game. Each team had an American and Canadian Olympian on the team, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber for Nashville...and of course, Doughty and Jack Johnson for the Kings. By the end of the game, none of that mattered. In fact, the Olympics seemed much further away at the end of the game than they did three hours earlier.

Reality is upon us. The regular season is ending soon and each night will be a battle for points...much like it has been all year long.

The Kings get a rare visit from the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday (note the 7pm start time) and then will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

Coach Murray will round 'em up and get 'em refocused for the Habs. For sure.

As an added bonus, the Kings will wear their third jerseys when they return home Saturday night. A little Black Magic certainly can't hurt.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119