NHRA funny car driver Jeff Arend talks Kings vs Leafs

It doesn't matter what the field is, be it acting, music, racing or you name it - if you bring up hockey and there's a Canadian present, they're usually quick to jump into the conversation.

Over the last few months, a few of the stars of NHRA Drag Racing have stopped by MayorsManor to talk hockey and racing. Today, we'll share some highlights from a conversation with funny car pilot Jeff Arend.

"Of course, I'm a hockey fan," he proclaimed. "I grew up in Toronto! The winters are a lot longer there than they are in California. So, that's what we did all the time, play hockey and go and watch hockey."

It's been quite the journey for a guy who first got involved in racing at the age of 17, while still north of the border. Fifteen years ago he became the first Canadian driver to eclipse the 300-mph barrier. And the following year he began working at the prestigious 'Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School' - a place many NHRA racers have used to launch their careers.

"I'm still a bit of a die-hard Leafs fan. But, now that I've relocated out here, I like to watch the Kings," said the San Dimas, CA resident.

Like those Kings are experiencing this year, he knows all about the ups and down that play out over a full season - as well as the struggles to stay alive in the standings.

Kings at Maple Leafs - notes on Melrose, Mitchell, mistakes

Tonight will be the end of an era on at least two fronts.

First, interim coach John Stevens will be coaching his last game for the Kings - as Darryl Sutter is expected to be officially announced as the team's new bench boss tomorrow and resume game duties Thursday vs the Ducks.

Second, beginning next season, gone will be the days of the Kings and Maple Leafs only playing on rare occasion - as the NHL will feature a new balanced schedule, where each team will play a home and road game against the other 29 clubs.

For now though, Kings v Leafs is still something special. Not only is Toronto the undeniable hockey capital, but these two teams put on one of the greatest seven-game series in playoff history back in 1993. More on that in a minute though. First up, some notes on tonight...

- Slava Voynov and Alec Martinez will sit out, while Willie Mitchell is expected to return to the line-up. Yesterday, he proclaimed there were no further setbacks in his recovery from a sore groin and he's looking to be on the Kings blueline come game time.

- The same can't be said for Mike Richards. Although he's been traveling with the team since Friday, he's still not ready for contact. A better status of his situation should come later this week when the team is back in LA and he has a chance to see the doctor again.

- Don't look now, but Dustin Penner quietly had his first multi-point game of the season on Saturday. Of course, it went largely unnoticed due to the team losing 8-2. However, it's yet another positive sign of his recent play.

- "Flat-out mistakes that cost us goals," that's what Rob Scuderi had to say about the debacle in Detroit over the weekend.

- Look for Drew Doughty to have his best game of the season tonight. He'll be playing in front of friends and family and the young defenseman tends to raise his level of play in 'big games.' For him personally, this is a big one.

Now, here's a look back at a pivotal point in time for each franchise...

Invitee Interview - David Friedmann talks Kings Dev Camp

Friedmann, Team Canada

Of the 35 kids participating in the Kings annual Development Camp, only one player - David Friedmann - still calls the OJHL home. It's a junior-A hockey league, one step below the more well known major-junior leagues, like the OHL and WHL.

Back in the day, reigning NHL Rookie of the Year, Jeff Skinner, wore an OJHL sweater - long before anybody knew him as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.

And another Kings camper, Andy Andreoff - fresh off of being drafted in the third round two weeks ago, also spent some time in the league a few years ago. He played for the Pickering Panthers, his hometown team, before moving on to the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.

Soon, Friedmann will be taking his skills elsewhere too, as he'll eventually head off to Robert Morris University.

However that's another year away.  This season he'll be back in familiar territory. He was traded this past season from his long-time team, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, to the stronger Georgetown Raiders.  Yet, it was a short term deal that called for him to return to the Canadiens once the season ended.

Before that part of his life resumes, he'll be taking part in the Kings Development Camp. In the interview below he talks about how that all came together for him, which player he's already met, playing oversees, Sidney Crosby and much more...

MM: Let's talk stats. Your numbers saw a huge spike up at the start of this season - going from four goals in 47 games two seasons ago to 16 goals in 33 games before the trade. What changed for you?

Ranking the Ponda and Other NHL Buildings

Occasionally when you come across something of interest you file it away in the back of your brain for later.

While preparing for the trip down to Anaheim tonight my thoughts were drawn back to a recent article from Rich Hammond of LAKingsInsider.com , where he ranked his favorite NHL cities.

Having been to 27 different NHL markets, including two that no longer exist, I started to line them up in my head to see how my list compared with his.

Before we begin, there are five buildings I haven't seen the Kings play in yet - Florida, Montreal, Nashville, Ottawa and St. Louis.

However, I have seen NHL games in over 35 arenas.

Wait a minute, you say...how can that be when it's a 30 team league?

Well, in addition to the current buildings housing the 30 teams, I can check off places like Winnipeg Arena, Hartford Civic Center, Met Center (Minnesota), Old Chicago Stadium, Boston Garden, Maple Leaf Gardens, Capital Centre (old Caps building), America West Arena (original home for Phoenix Coyotes), Arco Arena (LA/EDM when the NHL used to play two regular season games at neutral sites), San Diego Sports Arena, MGM Grand Garden Arena (exhibition games) and of course, the Fabulous Forum.

With five cities to go, here's how I arranged things, largely based on four criteria (in no particular order) - vibe of the city, local food, passion/knowledge of the local fan base and the music scene (because you have to do something besides see hockey while you're there)...

POLL: Best Gretzky Game with LA Kings

The name Wayne Gretzky means many things to many people.

For most, it simply means hockey.

He retired on April 18, 1999 with 61 NHL records. Since then, only one - most career assists in the All-Star Game - has been broken.

The move that brought him to Los Angeles will probably forever be the biggest trade in sports history. Gretzky played 539 regular season and another 60 playoff games for the Los Angeles Kings. Of course, there were many memorable moments.

In honor of Wayne's 50th birthday today we have a quick poll question - Which of his nearly 600 Kings games was most memorable?

The leading candidates...

October 6, 1988 vs. Detroit - in his first game as a King, Gretzky scores a goal on his first shot

October 15, 1989 - in a game that only Hollywood script writers could come up with, Gretzky returns to Edmonton and scores his 1,851st point in the final minute of the game, setting the all-time NHL record for most points (video)

Game Six 1993 Campbell Conference Finals - prior to the game columnist Bob McKenzie noted that Gretzky was playing like he had a piano on his back throughout the series with Toronto. The Great One then went out and proved you don't call out a legend like that, scoring the game winner in overtime for the Kings. He also high sticked Doug Gilmour a few minutes earlier in a play that Leaf fans will forever claim should have been a penalty (full story here).

Game Seven 1993 Campbell Conference Finals - one of the greatest games in one of the greatest playoff series in NHL history. Gretzky scores a hat-trick, with the third goal coming on a play where he circled behind the net and backhanded it off the skate of Leafs defenseman Dave Ellet. Kings win the game and go on to play for the Stanley Cup (video highlights here).

December 28, 1993 vs. Vancouver Canucks - Gretzky bats a goal out of mid air, like a baseball player (video)

March 23, 1994 vs Vancouver Canucks - Gretzky scores goal 802, passing his childhood hero, Gordie Howe, for the most goals ever scored (tribute video shown at Forum)

February 26, 1996 vs. Winnipeg Jets - his final game as a King came at the end of a road trip through Canada. When the team landed back home at LAX, a press conference was called and the announcement was made, #99 had been traded to the St. Louis Blues.




Poll closes tomorrow at 11:30am PST.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor

Kings vs Maple Leafs - When Mullets Were Cool

Tonight the Toronto Maple Leafs make a rare appearance in Los Angeles.

The Leafs enter the game with 36 points (13th in the Eastern Conference). Saturday night the Kings won for the first time in six games and now have 47 points (8th in the Western Conference).

However, when these two teams meet it will forever stir memories of an NHL playoff series from nearly 20 years ago.

Here's a look back at perhaps the high point in franchise history...

1993 seems like so long ago - the NHL played an 84 game regular season schedule, the Ducks were still a movie not a hockey team, Eric Lindros and Teemu Selanne were promising rookies, wearing a helmet was optional for players, Ron Hextall was wearing a Quebec Nordiques jersey (seriously!), Gary Bettman was just named the NHL's first Commissioner, Bruce McNall still owned the Kings and yes, mullets were cool.

Five years prior the Kings had made 'the trade' with Edmonton to bring Wayne Gretzky to LA, turning Hollywood to Hockeywood. The Kings had their best year ever in 1990-91, posting 102 points and winning the Smythe Division. After losing to Edmonton that postseason and the year after, coach Tom Webster was fired.

TRIVIA: Toronto Maple Leafs at LA Kings Preview

One of the many things separating hockey from the other major sports is that it actually has a capital. Basketball doesn't have one, nor does baseball - even though Yankee fans would tell you differently.

And regardless of the Maple Leafs' record at any given time, few in the world of hockey would disagree - except maybe those in Montreal - that the pulse of the sport can be found in Toronto.

The NHL has offices there, it's home to the Hockey Hall of Fame and even Wayne Gretzky's restaurant is in downtown Toronto.

Back in 1993 the Leafs were still in what's now the Western Conference (then the Campbell Conference), along with the Kings.

After beating Calgary and Vancouver in the first two rounds of the playoffs, LA advanced to the Conference Championship for the first (and so far, only) time in team history.

The seven game series that ensued between the Maple Leafs and Kings was as good as any ever played in the NHL.

To set the mood for tonight's LA-Toronto match-up let's do a little trivia contest from that classic series back in '93...

The Complete Story on Brayden Schenn

Everybody has that friend or family member who just always seems to find drama. No matter what they do, every time they seem to turn the corner, there's another perplexing situation sitting there waiting for them.

Brayden Schenn may be that guy for the LA Kings.

Simply take a stroll through his 18-month relationship with the Kings to get a taste of what I'm talking about.

The Draft... It probably all started right from the official beginning at the 2009 NHL Draft. Toronto GM Brian Burke was openly lobbying all teams to make a deal with him. The Leafs already had Luke Schenn and were desperate to add his little brother too. Instead, Kings GM Dean Lombardi took Brayden with the fifth overall pick and a picture (now somewhat infamous) of an extremely irritated Burke instantly started circulating online.

The Game... Within a few weeks most had forgotten all about Schenn, he was still years away. The organization and their fans became focused on acquiring the players necessary to return to the playoffs. However, to the surprise of nearly everybody, the Kings thrust his name back into the current consciousness just 26 games into the following season when they signed him to a one-day contract. He went from playing for Team Canada in the Super Series (a top junior hockey tournament) to suiting up for LA against the Vancouver Canucks. For one day. In, out and gone back to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The Knee... Over the past summer, some were saying he had a strong chance to make the Kings this year (a notion I disagreed with many times here on MayorsManor, as there just wasn't room for another center without a trade). Then, on the eve of Rookie Camp opening word got out that he had sustained a knee injury while training in Canada. Speculation starting running rampant that he could be out for several months. Nobody could get a straight answer on the severity of things, even after he was brought to LA for an MRI. However, once main camp opened, there he was, part of Group B and everything was fine.

Reliving '93 - When Mullets Were Cool

1993 seems like so long ago - the NHL played an 84 game regular season schedule, the Ducks were still a movie not a hockey team, Eric Lindros and Teemu Selanne were promising rookies, wearing a helmet was optional for players, Ron Hextall was wearing a Quebec Nordiques jersey (seriously!), Gary Bettman was just named the NHL's first Commissioner, Bruce McNall still owned the Kings and yes, mullets were cool.

Five years prior the Kings had made 'the trade' with Edmonton to bring Gretzky to LA, turning Hollywood to Hockeywood. The Kings had their best year ever in 1990-91, posting 102 points and winning the Smythe Division. After losing to Edmonton that postseason and the year after, coach Tom Webster was fired.

Then, prior to the 1992-93 season the Kings hired Barry Melrose, a Tony Robbins following - mullet wearing coach who had never been behind the bench for an NHL game. His star player, #99, missed the first 36 games of the season with a back injury. Luc Robitaille captained the team while he was out, in route to the best season of his career with 63 goals and 125 points. The team finished in 3rd place with a record of 39-35-10, just 11th best in the 24 team league.

Fan favorite and starting goaltender, Kelly Hrudey, had gone through a horrible slump earlier in the year and still wasn't right as the playoffs began. Down 2-1 in the series, Melrose replaced him with Robb Stauber. Hrudey says "Robb played in game four and we won 2-1 to even the series. Barry stuck with him in games five and six...He won the series."

Melrose kept Stauber between the pipes to open the second round against Vancouver. After the Kings lost the first game Hrudey recalls "Immediately following the game Barry called me into his office and told me I was going to start game two." The Kings went on to win the series 4-2, setting the stage for what came next...

THE SERIES

The Campbell Conference Finals in 1993 would determine who would play the Montreal Canadians for the Stanley Cup. Hockey know-it-alls would tell you the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to send Melrose, Gretzky and the rest of the LA Kings packing.

Even though the Leafs had gone 2-1-1 against the Kings during the regular season, team leader Doug Gilmour didn't take the Kings lightly, saying "We don't want to get into a scoring match up with the Kings. We want to play them strong defensively and go from there." Rookie goalie Felix Potvin agreed, adding "It's going to be a tough series...they've got a wide-open offense...and we're going to try to have to shut them out. We don't want to get into a shootout with the Kings."

There were also plenty of odd associations on both sides as well. Leafs winger Mike Krushelnyski had played two seasons for the Kings before being traded to Toronto a few years earlier. Glenn Anderson of the Leafs had played with Gretzky and Kurri back in Edmonton and felt the Kings were "very determined not only to get by this series against us but to win the Stanley Cup."

Toronto's captain, Wendel Clark, just so happened to be the first cousin of Melrose. Clark, who played a key role in most of the games, has since said "That series was probably the most excitement I saw around here," referring to Maple Leaf Gardens.

Melrose didn't let family ties stand in the way of what he says "was one of the best series the NHL has had in the last 30 years," adding "both buildings were electric, and both cities were unbelievable."

Game 1 - while the Maple Leafs defeated the Kings 4-1 to take the early series lead, the real story of the game centered on a hit LA defenseman Marty McSorley put on Gilmour. Clark took exception to the hit and went after McSorley, in what became a series long theme (click here for video of the whole incident). The hit also enraged Burns, who tried going after Melrose on the bench, convinced he ordered the hit on Gilmour.

McSorley's bruised face was on the cover of the Toronto sports page with a quote from Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher "All I'm saying is (McSorley) may try (going after Gilmour), but it won't happen again".

The coaches were beginning their own war too. Burns began to take aim at Melrose through the media - feeling the Kings coach didn't respect him or his team. After Melrose made a comment about the Leafs being good at protecting a lead because they have "10 guys 30 years old. They plug up the middle pretty well." Burns retorted with "We had 99 points this year, his team had 88. I guess our 30-year-olds did a pretty good job clogging up the middle. We beat Detroit and St. Louis, and I firmly believe we'll beat the Los Angeles Kings, too." The war of words later escalated to Melrose commenting on Burns' weight - even telling him to have another donut - while Burns would call him Billy Ray Cyrus.

Looking back now Melrose says "Pat and I are both competitive guys. We're both outgoing guys," Melrose said. "We both talk a lot, and when you get both of those things combined...a lot of stuff is going to happen."

Game 2 - the Kings tie the series with a 3-2 win in Toronto

Game 3 - with the series now in LA for games three and four, the Kings win 4-2, taking the series lead

Game 4 - the Leafs tie the series with a 4-2 victory at the Forum

Game 5 - in the first of back to back overtime games, the Leafs win 3-2 when Anderson whacks a puck out of the air with 40 seconds left in the extra period...the Leafs now lead the series 3-2 and the series heads back to LA.

Game 6 - prior to the game Toronto columnist Bob McKenzie noted that Gretzky was playing like he had a piano on his back throughout the series..the Great One then went out and proved you don't call out a legend like that...

Urban myth has it that Wayne addressed the team before the game and asked them to give it their all to tie the series and send things back to Toronto, where he promised he would take care of things in game seven.

It almost never came to be. The Kings dominated the first two periods and were up 4-1 early in the third. However, Clark scored three goals for the Leafs to even the game 4-4 and send things to overtime. Early in the fourth period Gretzky high-sticked Gilmour for what Leaf fans will forever claim should have been a penalty. Referee Kerry Fraser disagreed and play continued.

From behind the net Robitaille set up Gretzky to win the game. Kings 5, Leafs 4. Board the plane. We're going back to Toronto for game seven and a possible trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Game 7 - in what will forever be known as 'the series' among Kings fans and players, this is 'the game'

Gretzky opened the scoring on a shorthanded give-and-go with McSorley to provide the Kings an early 1-0 lead. He then set up Tomas Sandstrom for a goal to put the Kings up 2-0 at the end of the first period.

Toronto tied things up early in the second on goals from Clark and then Anderson. Melrose called a time out to settle things down. At the half way point of the second period Gretzky was alone in the slot and put a slap shot past Potvin to give the Kings the lead again at 3-2. Like the intermission before, the Kings were leading at the break.

Clark scored his second goal of the game just minutes into the third period to tie things up once again. Both teams rushed up and down the ice repeatedly for over 10 minutes, neither scoring. With just under four minutes remaining in the third, Kings forward Mike Donnelly scored on a rebound of a shot originally taken by Alex Zhitnik - giving the Kings a precious one goal lead.

Just seconds later Gretzky ended up with the puck, circled behind the net and backhanded it off the skate of Leafs defenseman Dave Ellet. It went by Potvin and the Kings now had a two goal lead on #99s hat trick.

The next few minutes probably seemed like an eternity to Kings fans everywhere. Then, with about a minute to go, Ellet got a small sense of redemption, scoring to pull the the Leafs close, now trailing by just a goal.

Tick, tock...pass, shot, save...rinse, repeat...ten seconds left...three seconds left...game over. Kings win the game 5-4 and the series 4 games to 3.

Gretzky has been quoted as saying that his performance in game 7 was the best NHL game of his career. For Kings fans it will certainly was.

With a roster full of guys like Corey Millen, Gary Shuchuk and Pat Conacher the Kings beat an original six team in the playoffs for the first time since entering the league in 1967. Oh yeah, they also had guys named Granato, Carson and Blake.

In two of the iconic moments in franchise history, Gretzky skated over to the bench after the game to give Melrose a huge hug (pictured at right)...later in the locker room, Luc Robitaille kissed Dave Taylor as they celebrated around the Campbell Conference trophy (picture above).

It truly was probably the greatest seven game series ever played and the mere mention of Kings-Maple Leafs will always bring back memories of that epic playoff battle.

Ah, 1993...when mullets were cool and the Kings owned LA.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/MayorNHL
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note: Numerous highlights of the series are available on YouTube including this one: click here. What's your favorite moment from the seven games with Toronto? Post a comment below and share it with other readers.

Interview w/ ESPN's John Buccigross

Hockey seemed to finally arrive on the national scene in the late 90s when ESPN launched their nightly 30 minute show NHL2Night. Hosting the show was a self proclaimed music nut, John Buccigross, whose love for the sport spilled out through the screen. He wasn't just reading lines off the teleprompter, this guy had the fever that so many of us share. Fast forward a decade or so and he's been caught in the cross hairs of Kings fans recently. First retracting his prediction of the Kings making the playoffs this year and later proclaiming to the world that Frolov had indeed been traded. What's going on?

MayorsManor had a chance to catch up with Buccigross and get some answers...and some other hockey insight...

Let's get right to it - earlier this summer while hosting the Kings HockeyFest in downtown, you said this was the year the Kings would return to the playoffs. Then, more recently, in your ESPN.com article Breaking Down the Western Conference you said "after studying things a little more, I have them outside the top eight." Why the change of heart?

I simply think there are 8 teams who are better and question they will prevent enough goals to be a playoff team. Unless they make a big trade, I don't think they are quite ready yet.

Kings fans are obviously excited about the young players on the team, guys like Anze Kopitar. There is also a feeling of an east coast bias in the media when guys like Drew Doughty hardly get noticed for Calder consideration. In your opinion, who is the most underrated player in the league today?

Niklas Kronwall of the Red Wings is real good. A #1 defenceman on most teams. He's physical and good on the power play.

Although you grew up playing basketball, golf and baseball in high school, you've obviously been following hockey for a long time. What is the greatest game you've ever seen?
Ray Bourque's Game 7 Stanley Cup clincher was a memorable one.

NOTE: Funny Bourque follow-up story, in a 2006 column Buccigross said he "once played golf with Ray Bourque and tried to intentionally three putt from 30 feet so I could say I shot a 77 playing golf with Ray Bourque. Instead, the slippery downhill putt went in and I shot a 75 not playing golf with Brett Lindros."

Over the last decade of so many of the older, traditional buildings have given way to new arenas. Of the 30 buildings currently hosting NHL games, do you have a favorite place to watch hockey?

Well...it would be hard to pick just one. Columbus, Minnesota and Toronto are the best I've been to.

During the lockout year a few rule changes were put in place to improve the game. As a fan, if you could change one rule in hockey, what would it be?

I'd implement a ten minute 4 on 4 overtime.

Interesting. I'm not sure if making the games longer is something the league would go for, yet I'm all for more puck! How about the jerseys. One of the few areas where hockey gets credit over the other big sports is on the fashion front. There are certainly some great jerseys in the league, but a few of them are embarrassing. If you could change one team's jersey, which team would you target?

Columbus' is terrible. A simple "C" would be cool at home. Maybe a diagonal Columbus on the roadies.

Probably not the team I would have gone after. However, given that you went to college in Ohio, I can see you working it. Let's move on. How about some word association? We haven't done that yet on MayorsManor. You want to give it a go?

Sure

OK, how about the teams in the Western Conference:

Anaheim Ducks - Ryan Getzlaf's hands
Calgary Flames - Jay Bouwmeester's feet
Chicago Blackhawks - Patrick Kane's feet and hands
Colorado Avalanche - Matt Duchene is for real, yo
Columbus Blue Jackets - Playoffs?!?!?! You bet.
Dallas Stars - In transition
Detroit Red Wings - Their Central Division streak ends
Edmonton Oilers - Fast but still disjointed
Los Angeles Kings - Coming together. Should be in the hunt.
Minnesota Wild - New look Wild now are a little run and gun.
Nashville Predators - Barry Trotz might coach this team for 50 years.
Phoenix Coyotes - Boring, defensive
San Jose Sharks - Heatley will score 60
St Louis Blues - Very high expectations. Simmer.
Vancouver Canucks - They will be fine.

Still working the Columbus angle, huh? No, seriously - thanks for stopping by John. We appreciate your time.

In the future we'll try and get into some of his musical favorites, like R.E.M. and Run DMC. Once upon a time, in a different interview, he said "Music has always been a big part of my life, maybe even bigger than sports, because music has never let me down."

Although they've done it plenty of times in the last 20 years, Kings fans are counting on the team to not let them down this year. LA needs to make the playoffs and remind Buccigross you should always go with your first instincts.

Its like that...and thats the way it is.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor


RELATED ARTICLES

High / Low with John Buccigross of ESPN - get his takes on the opening of the 2009-10 season

Interview with Kelly Hrudey - former Kings goalie, now a commentator on TSN

Interview with Luc Robitaille - sit down with #20 a few days before his Hall of Fame induction

Interview with Mike Modano - arguably the greatest American born hockey player of all-time

Interview with Bob Miller - legendary voice of the Kings talks favorite players, games, moments, etc.

.


photo courtesy of ESPN.com

HIGH / LOW with ESPN's John Buccigross

If you were following hockey when the Y2K craze was in full stride, you probably spent a fair amount of time watching the NHL2Night on ESPN. The 30 minute show gave hockey fanatics their nightly fix of scores, highlights and analysis. Guiding the puck fest was John Buccigross, an ESPN anchor and now author. He's hard to forget - with his music references and pure love for the sport. In between duties for ESPN we caught up with John to get his take on the first week of the NHL season.

With one week in the books, what would say have been the HIGHs so far?

1. Calgary Flames - I picked them to finish first and they look good so far. They seem to have a little magic to them.

2. Sidney Crosby - He's now a good faceoff man. That's the sign of a winner. Keep improving.

3. Alex Ovechkin - 70 goals? Another MVP? Probably.

And on the flip side, the LOWs of the young season?

1. Boston Bruins - Trade Phil Kessel and the offense is severely hurt. They should get better.

2. The Referees - A lot of ticky tack calls.

3. Toronto - All bark, no bite so far.

Later this afternoon we'll post a more in depth interview with John. Fear not, we'll be looking for answers on why he reversed course and now says the Kings will not make the playoffs. Enquiring minds want to know. And the Mayor needs answers!

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor

RELATED ARTICLES

Interview with John Buccigross of ESPN

Interview with Kelly Hrudey - former Kings goalie, now a commentator on TSN

Interview with Luc Robitaille - sit down with #20 a few days before his Hall of Fame induction

Interview with Mike Modano - arguably the greatest American born hockey player of all-time

Interview with Bob Miller - legendary voice of the Kings talks favorite players, games, moments, etc.

.

TRIVIA ANSWERS - Toronto Maple Leafs vs LA Kings 1993

* * * WARNING * * *

The article below contains the ANSWERS to the Toronto vs LA 1993 Trivia Questions.

If you haven't taken the quiz yet, click here to play now .

* * * * * *

NOTE:  To keep things simple, each question should be scored as either 'correct' or 'incorrect'.  Single points only, resulting in a final score of 0-10.  No half points or partial credit. 

Question 1 - Who were the staring goaltenders for both teams?

Answer - Kelly Hrudey (Kings) and Felix Potvin (Leafs)

Question 2 - Who were the head coaches for both teams?

Answer - Barry Melrose (Kings) and Pat Burns (Leafs)

Question 3 - The Kings coach had a relative on the Leafs. Who was he?

Answer - Wendel Clark was the first cousin of Melrose.

Question 4 - In game one there was a famous incident that happened, where a Kings player did something of significance to one of the Leafs. What was it and who were the two players involved?

Marty McSorley put a hit on Doug Gilmour that the Leafs weren't too happy about.

Question 5 - The Leafs won game one by a score of 4-1. Who won game two?

Answer - Kings defeated the Leafs 3-2 in Toronto

Question 6 - Game five went to overtime. Who scored the winning goal and for which team?

Answer - Glenn Anderson (Leafs)

Question 7 - Prior to game six a noted Canadian journalist called out Wayne Gretzky. What was the gist of his now infamous quote?

Answer - Bob McKenzie said that Gretzky was playing like he had a piano on his back.

Question 8 - There was a controversial call in game six involving Gretzky. Who was the referee and what happened?

Answer - Leafs fan will forever claim that Gretzky high-sticked Gilmour, on a call that referee Kerry Fraser missed

Question 9 - Gretzky had a hat trick in game seven, plus added an assist for good measure. After scoring LA's first goal, which Kings player did he set up for the second goal of the game?

Answer - Tomas Sandstrom

Question 10 - When celebrating the game seven (and series) victory in the locker room after the game, Luc Robitaille was shown kissing another member of the Kings organization. Who was it?

Answer - Dave Taylor

* * * * * * * * * * * *

SCORING KEY:

Use the chart below to match the number of correct answers you received with your prize or penalty:

Less than four correct = You deserve to fight Wayne Simmonds
Four correct = If Gretzky passed you the puck, you'd probably whiff
Five correct = You're going to be a healthy scratch next game
Six correct = You're starting on the third line next game
Seven correct = McSorley would be proud of you
Eight correct = You remember more than Barry Melrose
Nine correct = You'll be getting extra power play time next game
Ten correct = Where's your Kings tattoo? You're a super fan!

Be sure to check out this recap of the series, including quotes from several players - Reliving '93 - When Mullets Were Cool.  It was one of our most popular articles last season.

The Mayor
www.twitter.com/Mayor119
www.facebook.com/MayorsManor


RELATED ARTICLES:

Dustin Brown Channels Gretzky in 5-3 Win Over Toronto

20 Questions with #20 - Interview with Luc Robitaille

Interview with Rob Blake

Interview with Kelly Hrudey

Interview with Gary Shuchuk