All Hail The Kings and Their Men

The Kings continued their recent hot play with another victory today in Washington.

It was a solid game all around, especially defensively and in goal. However, the surge in offense (four goals) was a welcome change for a team who just couldn't find the back of the net in their last game.

After the jump are video highlights, but first some notes:

* Anze Kopitar scored his first goal in 11 games and only his second in 21. He was playing with new linemates, flanked by Michal Handzus on the left and Wayne Simmonds on the right. Having Simmonds by his side wasn't entirely new, they've spent time together over the last few seasons - most notably last year when Justin Williams went down with an injury. Together the line produced two goals and six points vs. the Capitals.

* Jonathan Bernier continued his strong play in net. With the one allowed today, he's now given up just five goals in his last four starts.  Expect him to start again against vs. Columbus on Wednesday.

Johnson and Westgarth on the Capitals and 24/7

Earlier this morning we heard from Kings captain Dustin Brown about the excitement of playing Eastern Conference teams.

Kevin Westgarth and Jack Johnson continue those thoughts below and talk about the recent 24/7 series on HBO...

[note: Jack Johnson comments after the jump]

MM: Did you watch any of the HBO series on the Capitals-Penguins?

KW: I thought that was great. I think hockey players come off as a bit of potty mouths, but definitely some down to earth, tough kind of guys. I thought it was cool. They (Washington) are another team that's finding their groove again. Obviously, at that time (of the taping) they we struggling pretty good. They've come through it, as I believe we have - touch wood (he knocked on his stall). I think the game will be another great test. They're an incredibly dynamic team. They can do nothing for 45, 55 minutes and all the sudden they're all over you for the rest and sniping goals. It's always a danger and it's always something to look out for.

Dustin Brown Ready For Something New

Damn it's early for a Saturday.  But, there's hockey to be played - so let's do this.

While normally the Kings don't see the Eastern Conference teams too often, seven-year pro Dustin Brown has actually played the Washington Capitals every year he's been in the league except one (2007-08).

Of those six games, four have been in Los Angeles. So, today will be a rare chance to get an up close look at Alex Ovechkin on his home ice.

And it was two season ago that Brown scored his only goal against the Capitals, the game-winner in a 5-2 win for LA (video of the goal here). The game was far closer than the score indicates though, as the Kings scored two empty net goals in the final minute of play.

When the teams rematched in LA again last season the contest was just as close, with the Kings pulling out a 2-1 victory.

Jonathan Bernier will get the start this morning in Washington and Jonathan Quick will try to garner some revenge in Philadelphia tomorrow.

As for Brown, what does he think about today?

"As a player, it's fun playing the Eastern Conference. You just don't know the players as well. We play Anaheim, San Jose, Dallas and Phoenix - and we know them so well. They're huge games (too), but you kinda get a different type of an excitement when you're playing the Eastern Conference teams."

More from Jack Johnson and a few others coming up before the puck drops this morning.

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RELATED ARTICLES:

Clearing the Crease with Jonathan Bernier

Brown and Johnson on Playing Pittsburgh

Coach Terry Murray Likes What He Sees

While Matt Greene was off at Pioneertown a few weeks ago and Jack Johnson was back home sleeping in his own bed, coach Terry Murray was busy scheming for ways to improve the Kings offense.

Specifically, he wanted to use the All Star break to try and find some more speed through the middle. At the time, that didn't mean moving Andrei Loktionov back to center (more in a moment though).

Did he accomplish his goal, does he like what he saw in the games prior to last night in Pittsburgh?

TM: I thought we had pretty good transitions in the first three games we played (after the break). The first game we went middle-away and the last two we kept the center in the middle, with the weak side low and away. That's a little better look for us. It offers the defenseman a couple more passing opportunities. When you go with the middle-away it seems like that longer pass is a more difficult play to make sometimes. So, with the change, you get the puck in the hands of your center iceman, your best puck handlers in most cases, and they're coming up now with low speed and you generate it through the middle of the ice with the weak side. You can have more of a possession look in those situations. I thought that's the way it ended up. There were some attacks and some good plays to the net that came off those counters. We're going to stay with that look (on) this road trip.

MM: So, you went into the break looking for speed - was there anything you uncovered unexpectedly though?

Kings vs Ducks, Of a Different Sort

For SoCal hockey fans few things are better than a Kings-Ducks game. Both franchises - and their loyal followers - know bragging rights are on the line when they meet on the ice.

This weekend features a three-game series between the Kings and Ducks...well, sort of...

These games will be played between their ECHL affiliates, the Ontario Reign and Elmira Jackals.

(Extra bonus points to you by the way if you even know were Elmira is.)

In fact, this is the first ever meeting between the two ECHL teams. For the past few seasons the Bakersfield Condors were the Ducks ECHL affiliate. However, this summer they aligned themselves with the Florida based Jackals.

Tomorrow night's contest is a very special one, as the Reign will honor the Kings by wearing purple and gold jerseys and giving away Luc Robitaille bobbleheads to the first 3,000 fans. Lucky Luc will be on hand as well to drop the first puck.

MayorsManor Podcast featuring Tony Granato

When evaluating a trade in sports years down the line if you'd still make the same trade again, that usually tells you which team won the exchange.

In the case of the Kings sending Bernie Nicholls to the New York Rangers for Tomas Sandstrom and Tony Granato, of course they'd do that deal again.

The offensive duo helped propel the Kings to new heights in the early '90s, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993.

These days Granato is an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the podcast below we cover a wide range of topics...

On coaching, Granato talks about what it takes to be successful in the current NHL, what he learned from Barry Melrose and if he was ready to be a head coach when the Colorado Avalanche hired him.

Regarding his days on the ice, he talks about playing in New York with Marcel Dionne, being traded to LA and the Kings 1993 playoff run - including the Marty McSorley stick incident.

Other topics explored feature travel challenges in the Eastern vs. Western Conference, Staples Center vs. the Forum and choosing his jersey number.

As if all that isn't enough, Granato also weighs in on the 'Should Rob Blake's number be retired in LA?' debate.

Take a listen...



note: All MayorsManor podcasts are now available via a free download on itunes.

Additionally, there were two supplementary articles published this week with Granato. First, he talks about this year's Kings team and GM Dean Lombardi from his days in San Jose (linked here). Second, we play word association using many of his former teammates, a MayorsManor favorite (linked here).

The Mayor
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Other PODCASTS available:

Audio interview with Ian Laperriere

Audio interview with Kerry Fraser

Kings at Pens By the Numbers, plus Video Highlights

Although Kings coach Terry Murray declined to share his point goal for the road trip prior to the team leaving for Pittsburgh, I'll stand by my previous mark of 15 points in the 10 games played before they return to Staples Center on February 24.

They picked up a point tonight, losing to the Penguins with less than 20-seconds remaining in overtime. Put simply, they left an extra point on the ice.

So, they're off to Washington with six points in the books after four games.

Here's a breakdown of the game's other key numbers, followed by some video highlights...

0 goals from Anze Kopitar now in the last 10 games

1 goal could have been scored by Alexei Ponikarovsky, if only he got the puck up

2 shots by the Kings in the entire second period

3 more penalty kills by Pittsburgh, the league's best PK unit

5 penalty minutes each for Wayne Simmonds and Kevin Westgarth

7 straight games with points for the Kings (5-0-2)

9 points needed in the remaining six road games to reach the 15 point goal

Word Association with Tony Granato

Former Kings forward Tony Granato, now an assistant coach in Pittsburgh, joined us earlier this week in anticipation of tonight's game versus the Penguins.

In the first part of the interview we discussed his impression of Kings GM Dean Lombardi when he was being recruited by the San Jose Sharks in the summer of 1996. He also offered some thoughts on this year's Kings team.

Below, we take on some more names from his past in one of the most popular segments here on MayorsManor - word association.

Here were his answers, plus a few bonus questions...

Ponikarovsky Wants To Win 'Em All

While tonight's return to Pittsburgh may be bittersweet for Rob Scuderi, it probably won't be anything close to similar for teammate Alexei Ponikarovsky. After spending seven-plus seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he was acquired by the Penguins in a deadline deal last March.

It was a move that didn't pay off for either the team or player, as he scored just two goals in his 16 regular season games there and added a single goal in 11 more playoff games - numbers that probably cost him dearly on the free agent market last summer.

Still, he tried to downplay the situation before the Kings headed out east...

MM: For you personally, is there special meaning in the Pittsburgh game or are you perhaps looking forward to a different game on the trip?

AP:  Nah, I wouldn't say so. I played in Pittsburgh for a couple of months last year at the end of the season. It would be nice to beat them for sure, especially in their own building - the new one. Other than that, it's the same as other road trips.

MM:  Dustin Brown alluded to some guys possibly taking the Penguins too lightly with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin being out of the line-up. Is that a concern for you?

Kevin Westgarth Values Life on the Road

Earlier today I posted comments from Jack Johnson and Dustin Brown about trying to pick up two points in Pittsburgh tonight against a Penguins team that will be without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Kevin Westgarth, who will be back in the line-up tonight and probably will see plenty of action over the next few games, had the following comments to add to the topic...

"Clearly they're a great team. Those two guys are special players. But, you look from top to bottom and they still have a great squad, with a majority of the other guys they won the Cup with still being there. So, they're still a great team. Brownie nailed it, you can't let off."

He went on to provide a broader look at the overall importance of the next six games...