Johnson and Sutter talk LA power play and goaltending

LA Kings - Jack Johnson (photo by Dimur)

The Kings lost 1-0 to the Jets in overtime last night, on a goal by Evander Kane. Earlier in the game, Winnipeg's young forward had tried starting a fight with LA defenseman Jack Johnson after taking umbrage with a hit put on teammate Blake Wheeler. Not much happened though and both guys ended up in the penalty box, with Kane getting an extra two minutes.

In 23:34 of total ice time - second only to Drew Doughty among all players in the game - Johnson finished the night with one shot on goal, two hits and two blocked shots.

After things were over, he shared these thoughts...

On the overall game - "Our goalie played a phenomenal game. But, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how well he plays - if we can't score a goal, we're in trouble. I thought it was a pretty hard fought game. When teams play the way they do today, it's a bounce here or there that can win or lose you a hockey game."

On both teams killing off a 5-on-3 power play - "It cost us the game, you can say that. We had plenty of chances throughout the game to score. But, that was huge for both teams. They had one fairly late in the game, which could have won it for them. There were plenty of chances for both teams though."

On any regrets from the loss - "We regret not scoring. We don't hang our heads though, it was a hard fought game. Looking back, we took three out of four points on the road. So, it was pretty good. If we can take three out of four on the road every time, that's a pretty good season."

Quotes from Winnipeg locker room after def LA 1-0 in OT

Kings at Jets (photo courtesy of LA Kings)

In their first trip back to the 'Peg in 15 years, the Kings topped the Jets 31-27 in shots on goal. However, the home team had the edge in hits (28-26), blocked shots (24-12) and the all important scoreboard. It may have taken overtime to do it, but they finally downed the Kings 1-0 on a goal by Evander Kane.

After all the high-fives on the ice, here's what the Jets were saying back in the dressing room...

Kane on his scrap with Jack Johnson - "Guys are going to stick up for each other and I'm no different...I know (Blake Wheeler) was trying to hit him in front. He was kind of coming this way and I thought the contact was made before the puck even got to him. I didn't like the hit. Obviously, it was a big hit. So, I wanted to get in there and stand up for him."

Goalie Chris Mason on the overall game - "It definitely felt like one goal would be the difference tonight, with the way we were playing and the way they played as well. We kind of figured it would be a low scoring game. With them coming in (having played last night), they didn't play as tired as I thought they would."

Mason on the Kings' toughness - "I thought we did well. We know their game is puck possession. They get the puck down low and protect it. Their big guys have skill too. So, we knew it would be similar to the big line against Anaheim. They're tough to defend. But, I thought for the most part, we did a great job."

Remembering Winnipeg and Wayne Gretzky's last game with the LA Kings

For several years in the mid 90's it seemed like the Kings were on a 'Closing Down the Arena' tour, as they made their final visits to old Chicago Stadium, Boston Garden, Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Capital Centre just outside Washington DC and several others.

However, it was their second-to-last skate around the ice at Winnipeg Arena in February 1996 that ended up meaning much more than what was originally intended. Coming at the end of a four game jaunt that went from Edmonton to Colorado then St. Louis, the Kings finally arrived in Manitoba on February 25th - having gone 0-2-1 on the trip. To say it was the worst of times wouldn't be much of a stretch, as the Kings had only won one game in 12 tries during the month of February.

Before we get to the events that unfolded in the next 48 hours though, let's take a quick look back at the beginning of the trip. I was on hand for the games in Canada and attended the Kings practices as well.

While the score in Edmonton was 7-2, these weren't the Oilers of old. Ryan Smyth was in his rookie season and goalie Bill Ranford had just been traded to the Boston Bruins the month prior.

The Oilers' seven goals that night came from seven different players - Zdeno Ciger, Mariusz Czerkawski, Greg de Vries, Donald Dufresne, Ralph Intranuovo, Todd Marchant and some guy named Doug Weight (one of the best American born players of his generation). On the receiving end of every one was Kings goalie Kelly Hrudey.

Down at the other end, Oilers netminder Curtis Joseph gave up goals to Vitali Yachmenev and, of course, Wayne Gretzky.

Interview with pro wrestling legend Nick Bockwinkel

Marty O'Neill with Nick Bockwinkel
(photo: WrestlingClassics.com)

A sold out throng of fans packed Staples Center last night for the WWE's annual SummerSlam event. It was a glitzy affair, attended by many athletes and celebrities - including NHL defenseman Sheldon Souray sitting in the front row.

It wasn't that surprising really, as there's always been a loose link between hockey and wrestling - after all, they at the very least share the same arenas in most major markets.

One of the building's normal residents, the Los Angeles Kings, have their own ties to the squared circle as well. Ted Irvine, who helped set up the first goal in team history, is the father of former WWE champion Chris Jericho.

However, years before Jack Kent Cooke brought the NHL to Los Angeles - and a lifetime before AEG helped revitalize downtown - one of the hottest tickets in SoCal was for events held just a few blocks from the city's showpiece arena now located on Figueroa Street.

One man who helped make that much smaller venue an icon among sports buildings was Nick Bockwinkel. For those not familiar with the rich history of pro wrestling, he's a mulit-time world champion, Hall of Famer and had many classic matches with the fellow legends, such as Verne Gagne, Dick The Bruiser, Terry Funk, Larry Zbyszko, Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan.

"Before I came back to the Midwest, Los Angeles was where I first started wrestling and that's where my father wrestled for a number of years," said Bockwinkel. "A lot of my early matches were at the old Olympic Auditorium, back in 1955. The dressing room there was like a dungeon."