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).

Word Association with Theo Fleury

When you think Flames vs. Kings it's hard not to conjure up an image of Theo Fleury.

He brought more passion to a single game of hockey than some players bring in an entire season. Over multiple teams in a career that lasted more than 1,000 games in the NHL, he epitomized the line 'You hate him, unless he's on your team - then you love him.'

There's no denying his success on the ice. He finished his career with 455 goals, hoisted the Stanley Cup and won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada.

Just hours before the Kings play another critical game in Calgary tonight, I had the honor of speaking with Theo about a variety of topics, including several of his projects away from the game of hockey.

Of course, we often found our way back to the NHL though.

Regarding some of those legendary contests back in the late '80s, early '90s, Theo was quick to point out "I loved playing at the Great Western Forum, especially after they acquired Gretzky. The atmosphere was always electric, even though many people there didn't like me."

Flipping the tables a bit, I asked which NHL players he likes in today's game. Fresh off the NHL All-Star Draft last weekend, what would Team Theo look like?

"Marc-Andre Fleury, my brother from another mother, would be in goal. Shea Weber and Duncan Keith on defense. Up front, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, paired with Jarome Iginla."

Still loyal to the Flames after all these years.

Although it provided a perfect transition for us to talk about the persistent rumors that Iginla might be traded soon. It's a business - something Fleury knows having been traded himself (he says he never wanted to leave Calgary, but there were money issues) - so, while he knows it's a possibility, he just doesn't envision a scenario where Iginla gets moved. Even more so, he's insistent that Iginla deserves to retire someday having spent his entire career with the Flames.

Finally, we played word association...

Lanny McDonald - class
Gary Bettman -interesting
Tomas Sandstrom - hard to play against
Luc Robitlaille - great hands
Kelly Buchberger - little talent, hell of a career
Sandy McCarthy - best friend
Sean Avery - different
Eric Lindros - strong
Mark Messier - leadership
Ryan Smyth - pain in the ass

I hope to have Theo back on for an extended conversation before the Flames come to Los Angeles next month.

Until then, check out his book Playing With Fire. He lays it all out there and takes readers inside the mind one of the most intriguing players to ever grace a sheet of ice.

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



RELATED ARTICLES:

Interview with Kerry Fraser - tells a very raw and emotional story about Fleury as a NY Ranger

LA Kings Players on Calgary Captain Jarome Iginla

Revisiting a Rivalry - Kings vs. Flames

Interview with Kelly Buchberger

Interview with Shea Weber

Kopitar vs. Ovechkin at Super Skills Event

In a few short hours the second wave of this year's NHL All Star Weekend will get underway with the popular Super Skills Competition.

Team captains Nicklas Lidstrom and Eric Staal met with Brendan Shanahan, NHL Vice President of Hockey and Business Development, earlier this morning to determine which of their players would participate in each event.

Last night, the Kings' Anze Kopitar was selected by Lidstrom in the 15th round (30th overall) of the All Star Fantasy Draft. He now knows which events his team captain has assigned him to...

First, he'll be part of a three-man unit (also comprised of Florida's Evgeny Dadonov and Vancouver's Henrik Sedin) taking part in the Breakaway Challenge.

Fans at home will be allowed to vote on the winner of this event - something that will certainly be needed for Kopitar's group, as they're taking on Alexander Ovechkin (the two-time defending champion of this event), Corey Perry and PK Suban.

NHL All Star Game Mock Draft with Matt Greene

Kings defenseman was Matt Greene was the 44th overall pick back at the 2002 NHL Draft. So, he knows all about waiting around to be selected.

Right now, he's probably half way to Pioneertown (story here). However, before he left we did a mock draft for this weekend's NHL All Star Game.

Like the mock drafted posted earlier today with Drew Doughty, we only took one goalie, two defensemen and three forwards from the pool of available players (excluding Anze Kopitar, due to them being teammates).

Perhaps displaying a bit of the brain power he put to use at the University of North Dakota, Greene carefully thought about each selection and provided commentary along the way.

When selecting his first forward he said "I'll take Stamkos. He scores a lot."

Then, he started talking strategy, after noting that he already has a center he added "I'll go with Giroux at wing."

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