...And Now You're Caught Up

For all the Kings fans that had a busy weekend shopping for gifts, going to holiday parties, watching football, etc. - don't worry. We've got you covered.

You should already know the score from last night's game. So, in no particular order, here are the ten other things you need to know heading into the work week ahead...

* Kyle Clifford continues to impress and now the sponsors are taking notice. This week the rookie signed an agreement with Bauer to wear their equipment from head to toe. He was already using their skates and sticks - I guess you can now add gloves, helmet, etc.

* More on The Colonel - If you missed UFC's pay-per-view card from Montreal by going to the Kings game instead Saturday night, you still got to see a great fight. Here's video of Clifford destroying Brad Staubitz.

* Last night was defenseman Rob Scuderi's 400th NHL game. It was also his 100th game with the Kings. When Willie Mitchell returns to the line-up this week it will be his 600th NHL game. We'll have more from Mitchell in an interview on Monday where he talks about reaching the milestone plus what he's learned about the team while being on the sidelines the last few weeks.

Kings-Wild Preview with Jose Theodore

French Canadian goaltender. Debuted in the NHL as a teenager. Spent most of the next few seasons in the AHL. Finally arrived in the big show...with huge expectations. Perhaps even impossible to live up to.

Jonathan Bernier?

No, Jose Theodore.

Drafted by Montreal 44th overall at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, expectations were huge right from the start. Come on, he was expected to one day replace Patrick Roy in net.

Eventually he left the Canadiens, making stops in Colorado and Washington before landing in Minnesota just before the start of this season. His primary job these days is backing up Niklas Backstrom. However, as I reported on twitter yesterday, he'll get the start tonight vs. the Kings.

Here are some thoughts from him regarding the match-up...

MM: Having played most of your career in the East, the Kings are a team you've only played 12 times during 11-plus years in the league. Any thoughts about facing them?

JT: Well, they're a good team. Look at the standings, they're right there. It's really tight. So, it's going to be a fun game to play and it should be a really fast game.

MM: The Kings will start Jonathan Quick. Would it be any more interesting if they went with Jonathan Bernier instead?

Kings-Wild Preview with Andrew Brunette

Forward Andrew Brunette has 30 points (8g, 22a) in 41 career games vs. the Los Angeles Kings. He also has 18 points in 18 games at Staples Center.

After a three year run with the Colorado Avalanche (2005-08), he's now in the third year of his second tour of duty for the Minnesota Wild. A few weeks from now he'll be playing in his 1,000 NHL game. In the interview below he helps us preview tonight's Kings-Wild game...

MM: You guys are having an up and down season. Yet, you had a big win the other night in Phoenix. What type of momentum does that give you coming into the game against the Kings?

AB: We've had a hard time grabbing a hold of momentum and carrying it through. So, we'll find out. Hopefully, we can continue doing what we've been doing the last three or four games and get a big win.

MM: In Colorado a game vs. LA probably meant more than it does to the Wild, from a rivalry perspective. Having been part of those games, does this match-up mean anything to you personally?