Kings-Caps has Olympic Feel

The buzz is alive for the 2010 Winter Olympics. All the rosters have now been announced and some of the guys that were left off have been popping up in recent Kings games and making their presence known. A few days ago in Calgary it was Dion Phaneuf and Jay Bouwmeester. Today it was Mike Green for the Caps and Ryan Smyth for the Kings.

Green, skipped over by Team Canada in favor of the Kings Drew Doughty, tied the game just a couple minutes into the second period. He also led all players in the game with a whopping 30:33 of total ice time.

Smyth, also left off of Team Canada, scored a goal of his own with time expiring in the first period. Rhyno's powerplay goal finally gave the Kings something to show for their dominating performance in the opening 20 minutes of play - other than leading the shot totals 11-4. Up until that point the Kings just couldn't get anything by Caps netminder Michal Neuvirth, even with two other powerplays earlier in the period.

The sold out crowd had barely returned to their seats for the second when Green tied things up after Parse went off for tripping. Like LA did in the first, Washington dominated the shots in the second - with the numbers 13-3 in the Caps favor - but they only had one goal to show for it.

Then, just a few minutes into the third, Smyth was called for boarding. Washington was hungry for their first lead of the night, but it wasn't to be. Another Olympian came to the rescue for LA. Michal Handzus, who will play for Slovakia, netted a short handed goal for the Kings. The Caps continued to put pressure on throughout the rest of the game, however LA was able to hold on for a 2-1 win...their first day-game victory at home this season.

To show the difference in the make up of the two teams, Alexander Ovechkin led all skaters with seven shots. The Kings didn't have a player with more than three. You may recall back in training camp Coach Murray stressed the Kings need to have a shot mentality this year to be successful. Instead, today it was Jonathan Quick - yep, another Olympian - lifting the team to victory.

Next up - the Sharks on Monday.

One19
www.twitter.com/Mayor119

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
www.twitter.com/Mayor119