Ducks at Kings Freeway Faceoff - pregame primer

Tonight will be game number 103 between the Kings and Ducks.

Last year, Anaheim took the season series four games to two.

Through 17 games played by each team, the scales are titled towards the Kings - they have more wins (8 to 6), points (19 to 15), have scored more goals per game (2.41 to a league low 2.00), given up fewer goals per game (2.24 to 2.82), have a better power play (20.3% conversion to 13.6) and have won a greater percentage of faceoffs (51.9% to 46.6%).

What does all of that mean? Not much. The Ducks come in having won the last three games played between the two clubs, including the last two in Los Angeles.

Don't expect a heavyweight fight tonight either. George Parros is out recovering from eye surgery. Kevin Westgarth will be a healthy scratch.  (If you want to read a great story about Parros and a Chewbacca suit when he was a Kings prospect playing in Manchester, click here.)

Over the summer, Mike Richards was on MayorsManor talking about his relationship with Corey Perry (here) - which followed up Bobby Ryan talking about his friendship with several Kings players (here) the previous off season.

Still, don't expect a love fest out on the ice. The tension has been growing between these two teams over the last few years.

Mike Richards on Corey Perry and not doing stupid things

Corey Perry and Mike Richards

Now, that may not be the best title for an article, but it will all make sense in just a few minutes...

Back in December, readers of MayorsManor voted Anaheim's Corey Perry as their least favorite NHL player, among guys still in the league.

Perry certainly didn't do anything to quell those feelings a few months later when the Kings and Ducks met up for the 100th time in their collective history. Tied 1-1 after three periods on Staples Center ice, Perry scored the game-winner in overtime.

On June 22nd Perry was named the league MVP at the annual NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

The very next day, Kings GM Dean Lombardi pulled off a huge trade, bringing center Mike Richards to LA.

It didn't take fans and media long to connect the dots on Richards and Perry. The two had several battles during their junior hockey days in the OHL, Richards in Kitchener and Perry in London.

Is there still a little bad blood left over?  Probably not.

100 Games Later, Little Has Changed for Kings-Ducks

Game one of the Kings-Ducks rivalry was a one goal game back in December 1993, a night that began with the two teams tied in the standings.

Fast forward more than 15 years and game #100 ended 2-1 (in overtime) and the clubs were separated by just three points in the standings.

They're also now tied in the season series 2-2, with the winner to be determined over the final weekend of the season when they meet in a home-and-home series.

Here are a few post-game notes, followed by the video highlights...

* Who else, but Corey Perry, scored the game winning goal. The man voted by fans as their Least Favorite Player in the NHL gave yet another reason to dislike him.

Dustin Penner Looking to Bring the Penner Cup to LA

Tonight will be another first for Dustin Penner, as he suits up for the Kings against their cross-town rival - and his former club - the Anaheim Ducks.

Players always have a special bond to their first team. It's usually the team that drafted them or where they scored their first goal. And if they happen to have won a Stanley Cup there, as Penner did in 2007, the attachment is even stronger.

However, unless you're Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic, at some point reality sets in - hockey is a business and that guy is traded or leaves town a different way. When it happens, it's jarring. A new city, new teammates, a new routine and so on.

Then, if it happens again (and it usually does), the transition is often much easier on all involved. Guys have a thicker skin at that point.

So, tonight's game vs. the Ducks won't stir up all the same feelings for Penner as it did when he first played the Ducks in 2007 as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. Still though, it means just a little more than most regular season games.

MM: How different will this be for you, the 'first time' against Anaheim as a member of the Kings?

DP: I think it's a lot different. I remember what a big rivalry it was when I was with the Ducks several years ago. It should be interesting, especially with the position of the teams and how the season has been going for both clubs. It's been a hard fought series too and it always has been. Both teams are in a playoff position now and looking to increase their lead.

MM: They've had some turnover there, like every team in the league. You still have some friends there though, right?

Kings - Ducks: Made to Order

Call it a check mark game.

* When their just completed 10-game road stretch began it looked like the Kings would need about 15 points to legitimately climb back into the Western Conference playoff race. With a 3-2 win in Anaheim last night they hit the mark square on, 15 points. check

* Teams expect big performances from their best players at this time of the year. The game was tied 2-2 after two periods on goals by Ryan Smyth and Anze Kopitar for the Kings, Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry for the Ducks. Superstars rising to the occasion. check

* A few days ago, defenseman Willie Mitchell spoke at length about his disappointment with the team's lack of focus vs. the Islanders. His final comment was "It will be up to our leaders and our coaching staff especially to make sure the group is ready" for the game vs. Anaheim. And who stepped forward with the game winning goal? Willie Mitchell. Leader. check

Now, the Kings will play 14 of their remaining 22 games at home.  Yet, as Mitchell would probably warn, that won't make things any easier.

They'll play Minnesota tonight, with both teams tied at 70 points.

Then, ten of the games left will also be played against Pacific Division opponents.

So, the Kings control their own destiny. It's up to them.

[video highlights after the jump]

...And Now You're Caught Up (2/14/2011)

Love is in the air today.

For those who are equally as passionate about freshly cut ice, hits in the corner, going five hole, penalty shots and hip checks - here are the ten stories to help catch you up on what's been going on in the world of hockey.

This week's notes include items on the Kings-Ducks rivalry, interesting things in Pittsburgh, future Kings, former Kings, roster changes and much more. Take a look...

* The Kings suffered a disappointing overtime loss in Pittsburgh last Thursday night. However, the feel good moment of the game may have come when the Penguins welcomed back defenseman Rob Scuderi with a tribute video. It was nice to see them honor a member of their recent Stanley Cup team, even though he was now playing for the opposition. If you missed it, you can watch it here.

* Staying in Pittsburgh for a moment, check out the picture of this giant, over-sized goalie mask the Penguins have put on display in their new building.  Love it!

* So much has been written about prospect Brayden Schenn this year some tend to forget about the defensive depth the Kings are stockpiling as well.  Sure, most people know about former first round draft pick Thomas Hickey, Russian Viatcheslav Voynov and free agent pick up Jake Muzzin (all playing in Manchester).  Yet, what about young Nic Deslauriers in the QMJHL - he's been impressive at several Kings camps and he's working his way up the rankings over at HockeysFuture.com too.  Their latest article has him listed as the third best blue liner in the Q.

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.

POLL: Least Favorite (active) NHL Player?

With news coming down that Chris Pronger will be out 4-6 weeks (meaning he won't face the Kings at Staples Center on 12/30), there's been an increased amount of anti-Pronger comments today on social media sites - namely facebook and twitter.

As the Kings are off today and it's a relatively slow news period, let's explore the Pronger issue. Is he the most hated man in the NHL?

The league has always had it's villains - Craig Muni, Rob Blake, Theo Fleury, Patrick Roy and Doug Gilmour are just a few of the guys Kings' fans have loved to hate over the past few decades.

But, what about now?  There are a host of players that could have been added to the poll below - all for their own individual and varying reasons. However, these are probably the top vote getters playing at the moment.

So, who is your least favorite player in the NHL right now - for whatever reason, who is he?

[UPDATE: Final poll results available after the jump. Who won - Pronger, Perry, Avery?]

2010 Season Preview w/ ESPN's John Buccigross

All week long we'll be talking with people around the world of hockey to get their take on the upcoming NHL season. Prior to posting my predictions later this week, we'll check in with experts from places like Hockey Night in Canada and USA Today.

Kicking things off though - making his second trip into MayorsManor - is ESPN hockey guru John Buccigross.

Last summer, Buccigross endeared himself to Kings fans while hosting the inaugural HockeyFest at LA Live, when he proclaimed the team would be returning to the playoffs. Then, he backed off those statements just a few weeks later in his ESPN article. So, of course, he was a natural to bring in last fall. Kings fans wanted answers on his about face. To his credit, he owned it, admitting he wasn't sold on their goaltending.

Of course, the Kings did make the playoffs. In the article below we'll see what he thinks about that, as well as look at some of the burning issues around the Pacific Division.

MM: After flip-flopping your opinion on the Kings and then seeing them in the playoffs, what do you think was the big difference for them and why did they end up having such a good regular season?