STAT CHECK: Vancouver at LA (PennerMania II)

Remember those old friends from yesteryear who, truth be told, you really don't care to ever see again?

Well, the Vancouver Canucks just might fall into that category for the Los Angeles Kings. Yet, the NHL schedule makers say they must play this afternoon at 1pm PST.

So, with that it mind, here are some key stats you need to know heading into the action at Staples Center...

* First things first, Dustin Penner - right? He's played 29 career games vs the Canucks (tied with Minnesota as his most frequent opponent). In those games he's posted 11 points(5g, 6a) and was a minus-2.

* His most productive day of the week is Monday, with a scoring percentage of .43 (16 goals in 37 games). He's played the most games on a Saturday - which happens to be his second most productive day also, with a .38 scoring percentage (26 goals in 69 games).

* Over the course of his career he's been highly effective in day games, with 13 goals in 27 afternoon games (scoring ratio of .48).

STAT CHECK: LA Kings at Columbus Blue Jackets

The Kings are back in action later tonight and looking to pick up at least a point for their 10th straight game, having gone 7-0-2 recently.

They'll be taking on a Columbus team that is just a few points behind them in the Western Conference standings and a group on their own hot streak lately, posting a 8-3-2 mark in the their previous 13 games.

Here are ten things you need to know before the puck drops in a few hours...

* Columbus is 14-13-1 at home this season, Los Angeles 14-13-2 on the road. Both teams have won four of their last five games and seven of their last 10 overall. They also have 15 wins each when outshooting opponents.

* Oh so close - the Kings have scored 70% of their goals on the infamous five-on-five (105 out of 150 total goals), while the Blue Jackets have scored 69% in the same situation (102 out of 148)

* Columbus has played LA twice this season, both games at Staples Center. It took five or more goals to determine the winner each time. The Blue Jackets won the first contest 5-3. The Kings won the rematch 6-4.

* In those two games, Drew Doughty leads all players with five points (five assists). Three players have scored two goals for LA (Justin Williams, Jarret Stoll and Ryan Smyth). Rick Nash has been the top point producer on the Blue Jackets with four goals.

* Nash has 26 goals on the season. That's seven straight years with 25 or more goals. Can you name the only other current NHL player to also achieve that mark? Answer at the end of this article.

STAT CHECK: LA Kings at Edmonton Oilers

Game two of the Los Angeles Kings' road trip continues tonight in Edmonton.

Here are some key stats to know before the puck drops at 6:30 pm PST...

* Overall, the Kings are 6-0-4 in the last 10 games vs. the Oilers, including two wins this season. In their last 10 visits to Edmonton they're 6-4-0 - yet, they've four straight, dating back to Nov. 26, 2008.

* Breaking down goals by period, the Kings are an even scoring team - with 46 in the first, 46 in the second and 45 in the third. The problem this season has been the second period, where they've given up 53 goals (compared to 36 in the first and 34 in the first).

* The Oilers get stronger as the game goes on, having scored 31 goals in the first, 40 in the second and 48 in the third.

STAT CHECK: Boston Bruins at LA Kings

Here are your five fun facts on tonight's match up between the visiting Boston Bruins and host Los Angeles Kings...

* Even with two long losing spans this season, the Kings are only six points off their point total from last season through 48 games. SIX. Last year they had 57 points, compared to 51 this season.

* The Kings have won 15 games at home, the Bruins 15 games on the road. Although it's rare for NHL teams to be better on the road, Boston is finding a way to do it - having gone 12-9-3 at TD Garden and 15-5-4 away.

* Both teams are undefeated in regulation when leading after two periods (LA 14-0-0, BOS 19-0-1). If the game is tied after two periods, LA has a slight edge (8-7-0 vs 3-5-2). The Kings are also better in OT (5-1 vs. 2-7) and the shootout (4-0 vs. 1-5). However, in the most important stat, total points, Boston leads 61 to 51. Interestingly, on January 1st the two teams were tied with 45 points. The 10 point difference is all from the last few weeks.

* The Kings have won four straight over the Bruins, going back to March 19, 2009. All four games have been tied after three periods. And amazingly, the last three have been decided via shootout.



The Mayor
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STAT CHECK - LA vs CALGARY

Besides the two points, losing to Calgary in the second game of the year meant little in the big picture. It was a throw away game, coming on the second night of a back to back weekend series. More importantly, it came after an emotionally charged opening night in Vancouver just 24 hours prior.

This Kings team isn't filled with Gretzky, Robitaille and Blake. They don't hate the Flames, circa 1990. After making the playoffs last season for the first time in eight years - and the first time ever for most of the team - losing to the Canucks is what hurt. Thus, that's the game that's going to get them up this season.

So, that was the excuse last time.

How about the other games over the last few years, where the Kings have dropped 14 of 17 to the Flames?

Other stats to consider...

* Jarome Iginla - for all the talk a few weeks ago that he was about to be traded, perhaps even to the Kings, he's still with the Flames. In 20 career games at Staples Center he has 23 points (13g, 10a).

* Olli Jokinen - he's one of those players that "newer" Kings fans probably don't have a connection to. For those unfamiliar, think Brayden Schenn 10+ years ago. At the 1997 NHL Draft the Kings selected him third overall, behind only Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. He was supposed to be a a big time center with tons of promise. Instead of being the guy in LA for the next decade, he was traded for Ziggy Palffy a few months before the Kings moved downtown. In 10 career games at Staples Center he has seven points (4g, 3a).

* Alex Tanguay - he's a big fan of MayorsManor. Enough said.

* For all the talk about the weird schedule this year, how about last year - where the Kings played the Flames three times over a 10 game stretch in December? Was that really necessary? LA went 1-2 with their only win coming at Staples Center on December 7 by a 2-1 final. That was the Kings’ first victory over Calgary since February 2008.

* Their overall power play percentages are nearly dead-even, 14.6% for LA and 14.9% for Calgary. However, LA's penalty kill is much better, 86.6% compared to 83.3, including a perfect 43-for-43 at home.

* Justin Williams has arguably been the Kings' best player this season. How has he fared against the Flames?  In 11 career games he has just one goal...and one assist to keep that goal from getting too lonely in the stats column.

*  How about Dustin Brown?  Well, #23 has played 23 career games vs. the Flames and produced just nine points (3g, 6a).  Only one of his three goals has come at Staples Center.  However, he did have the lone goal against them earlier this year in Calgary.  So, that's somewhat encouraging.

* Ryan Smyth has 20 goals in 71 games vs. the Flames.  Yet, most of those came when he was an Oiler.  Not to mention, 12 of the 20 have come at the Saddledome.

* Kopitar, you say?  Anze has found success against the Flames, with 14 points (7g, 7a) in 17 career games.

Regardless of the stats listed above, this game will more than likely come down to goaltending.  Jonathan Quick and Miikka Kiprusoff are two of the best in the Western Conference.  History suggests it will be tough to get the puck by either of them.



The Mayor
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RELATED ARTICLES:

Remembering a Rivalry - Kings vs. Flames (w/ video of one of the best Kings goals ever scored)

Painting By Numbers With Ryan Smyth - his thoughts on key milestone games

The Complete Story on Brayden Schenn

Kings-Flames - A Playoff Preview? - published December 2009

Kings-Flames - By The Numbers - published December 2009

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