Forget Quick... It's the return of Bernier vs Ersberg!

You read that right.

It's just not for a spot on the Kings. Instead, they'll square off at the IIHF World Championships in Slovakia.

With Canada looking to lock down the top spot in their pool on Monday, coach Ken Hitchcock has announced he'll start Jonathan Bernier in goal for their final game of the qualification round.

Bernier picked up a 3-2 win yesterday vs. Norway, stopping 25 of 27 shots. It was his first game played in the tournament.

At the other end of the ice for his second game will be Erik Ersberg of Team Sweden. The former Kings goalie was in net when the Swedes lost their opening game of the tournament to Norway, 5-4 (via a shootout).

Sweden hasn't lost a game since and Ersberg hasn't seen any game action since. However, having already won their pool play, he's being given another shot before the quarterfinals start mid-week.

In other news...

* Slovenia lost in the relegation round to Belarus by a final score of 7-1. They've now been dropped out of the main pool for 2012. Just like Kings fans wonder how the team would have done vs. San Jose had Anze Kopitar been in the line-up, hockey fans in his home country now wonder the same thing about the national team. (read more about Gasper Kopitar's dreams for Slovenia here)

* Even though the U.S. had Sunday off, they still qualified for the quarterfinals due to Switzerland's loss to Sweden. Team USA plays their final 'qualification round' game tomorrow vs. the Swiss - that game airs live on VERSUS at 7am PST. Jack Johnson continues to lead the team in ice time in most games...and is an even-player through five games (he was minus-21 for the Kings this season). He also leads the team with 18 shots on goal..

* Alexander Ovechkin made it to Europe in time for the game, but Russia lost to the Czech Republic 3-2 on Sunday. Jaromir Jagr had the second goal of the game for his country. Ovi was held pointless.

* Michal Handzus and Team Slovakia haven't played well at all. Let's just leave it at that. They'll play Denmark Monday.  It will likely be the final game of Pavol Demitra's international career.

Quarterfinal match-ups will be announced tomorrow night and played Wednesday/Thursday. Regardless of the outcome of Monday's games, seven of the eight slots have already been secured by Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Sweden and the USA. Norway is the most likely eighth team. However, Switzerland has a slim chance at it.

[Monday morning update: Norway beat France earlier today to secure the 8th seed.  Switzerland will not advance to the quarterfinals, regardless of the outcome vs. Team USA.]



The Mayor
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Ron Hextall interviewed on NHL Live

The guys at NHL Live had Kings Assistant GM Ron Hextall on earlier this morning for a quick interview.  Among the highlights - they talked playoffs, the draft and if the Kings are looking to trade a goalie.  Here's a recap...

As somebody who has ties to Philly were the Stanley Cup Finals tough on you?  I was pulling for them.  Moving to LA, away from the Flyers, was the hardest decision of my life.  To take the next step in my career I knew I needed to leave though.  I've gone through some things here that I hadn't gone through there - like rebuilding the infrastructure here.  So, it's been a good experience.

Making the playoffs for the first time in many years, what do you think the organization got out of it?  The players realized the emotion and intensity that goes along with it.  You have to play well every night.  You need depth on your team.  It's hard to plug guys in when you have injuries.

The draft is next week in LA, are you a "best available player" guy or are you trying to fill a need?  We're "best available" this year.  If you're drafting real high in the first, you can think differently.  However, it's so hard to project three or four years from now what our needs will be.

This is now a different situation in LA than it's been the last few years.  Is it a different approach becuase of where the team is at in their development?  The focus has changed.  A few years ago we were looking for draft picks, now we're looking for live bodies.  The main focus is on improving the team for next year.

Going into this offseason, what does the team need? 

Kings-Flames : By the Numbers

Hockey is such a simple game - offense, defense and goaltending.

Offensively the Kings need some help. One goal isn't going to get it done most nights...and it didn't this night either. The Kings lost to the Flames for the second time this month by a score of 2-1.

Defensively there were four guys in this game that were the talk of Alberta all day. Many Flames fans were in an uproar over Drew Doughty making the Canadian Olympic team, while Flames d-men Dion Phaneuf, Jay Bouwmeester and Robyn Regehr did not.

In the net...well, both goalies played excellent. However, the rules state only one can get the victory.

Breaking everything else down by the numbers here's what you get:

ONE - the number of goals scored by the Kings for the second straight game against the Flames

TWO - the number of goals Calgary scored against LA for the second straight game

THREE - the number of powerplays the Kings couldn't convert on in this game

FOUR - the number of guys Ivanans hit in one scrum before being ejected...seriously, four guys - Moss, Johnson, Bouwmeester and Jokinen...it looked like he was fighting off an attack in a video game

FIVE - the number of consecutive losses the Kings will try to avoid when they play in Minnesota on New Year's Eve

SIX - the number of goals Scott Parse now has, after scoring just 15 seconds into the second period

SEVEN - the number of wins Calgary has against LA in their last eight meetings

EIGHT - the number on the back of the only defenseman in this game to make Team Canada's Olympic roster - that's right Phaneuf, his name is DOUGHTY

NINE - the number of consecutive losses at the Saddledome for the Kings

TEN - the number of points the Kings have in their last 10 games, making it their worst stretch of the year

and for good measure...

31 - the number on the back of Erik Ersberg, the guy who stood on his head in goal for the Kings tonight...rock solid performance

37 - the number of games gone by since Craig Conroy last scored for the Flames...seriously, no goals since April 11th...thanks

59 - the number of penalty minutes in the first period. The FIRST period!

This was a very physical game. The Flames took runs at Kopitar and Brown all night long.

LA was tough as well, handing out receipts left and right.

Obviously though, the Kings still haven't figured out how to win in Calgary. Let's hope that's not a problem come playoff time. Or, let's hope they can start winning some games soon so there are even playoff games to worry about.

Mama said there'd be days like this.

One19
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Oh, Canada...times two

Earlier today, with the entire nation of Canada hanging on his every word, GM Steve Yzerman announced Team Canada's 2010 Olympic Roster. In a somewhat surprising move, LA Kings defenseman Drew Doughty made the final cut.

And in the irony of the day department - Doughty and the Kings are in Calgary to take on the Flames tonight, a team that features the two biggest names snubbed by Team Canada - Dion Phaneuf and Jay Bouwmeester. The same J-Bow that was the most sought after guy in hockey a mere six months ago.

It's quite an accomplishment for Doughty. This is a kid that just turned 20 years old a few weeks ago. And as repetitive as it sounds at this point, it's so true...he plays well beyond his years. Absolutely amazing on the ice.

While it will probably be several more years until we know for sure, for now Dean Lombardi continues to look like a genius for taking Doughty over Zach Bogosian at the 2008 NHL Draft.

Team Canada coach Mike Babcock (once a Duck, always a Duck) said that Doughty was selected for the 2010 team over other higher profile players because he's a "difference maker." Agree.

As for the Kings, well...somebody needs to be a difference maker tonight if they plan on winning in Calgary. It was December '05 when the Kings last won at the Saddledome; when guys like Cammalleri, Demitra and Roenick were wearing the purple and black crown.

In the second odd move of the day, Erik Ersberg will get the start in goal for LA. Sure, the Kings will playing tomorrow night in Minnesota too. However, with the team coming off a long break fatigue shouldn't be an issue for Quick right now. Plus, you usually put your best goalie in there against the better of the two teams in this situation.

However, given the Kings current 1-4 slump, perhaps Coach Murray wanted to shake things up a little. Or, perhaps he wanted to give Quick a chance at the rematch tomorrow night in Minnesota (if so, why?).

Either way, goaltending probably won't be the reason the Kings win or lose tonight (I said probably!). For LA to come out on top they're going to need to get some pucks past Flames goalie Mikra Kipprusoff. They've faced him three times this year already, scoring 2 goals in two and only one in the other game.

Paging Kopitar and Frolov. Please pick up the white courtesy phones.

This is the final meeting of the regular season between the two teams...and the final meeting of this pre-playoff three game series they've been playing in the month of December. Both of the previous games this month have been 2-1 contests, with the home team coming out on top in each.

Wrap it all up and there's a lot riding on tonight's game.

Doughty is out to silence any critics upset about him being selected over Phaneuf and Boumeester.

Meanwhile, the Kings are out to stop their current three game losing streak...looking to tie up the season series with Calgary at 2 each...hoping to win in Calgary for the first time in over four years...and NEEDING two points - desperately.

One 19
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