Restoring 45's Cool Factor

Number 45 was supposed to have significant meaning to the Kings this year.

Only seven players in the 40-plus year history of the franchise have worn that number on their jersey. Of that group, just one had any sort of prominence - center Sandy Moger in 1997-98. And 'prominence' is definitely too strong of a word.

Jonathan Bernier was to change all of that this season.

He was to have a coming out party between the pipes like nobody in this town has ever seen. The only question some people seemed to have was how long would it be before he took over the starting goaltending job from the other Jonathan, Quick.

Well, plans change.

Coach Terry Murray has taken an eraser to his "penciled in" goaltending schedule and looks to be going with the vintage "Play Quick A Lot" approach from a season ago. So far, it's working.

Yet, while Bernier sits idle, the Kings toasted a new '45' last night. They killed off their 45th straight power play at home before giving up a late third period score to the Flames.

No problem, the streak stops at 45 and the number's good name has been restored.

There's still time for Bernier. Until then though, 45 can be associated with an awesome ride by the penalty kill.

Besides, how fitting was it that the streak was broken by a former King, Olli Jokinen. Like Bernier, when drafted he was thought to be the future of the franchise. Instead, he was traded for Ziggy Palffy after a little more than one season with the team.

Perhaps equally as fitting was having the game winning goal come from Anze Kopitar - the guy who's ended up becoming that franchise center that Jokinen was never given the chance to be in LA.

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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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POLL: Doughty's Partner In Crime?

No doubt, Drew Doughty is still working to regain the form that had him as a Norris Trophy finalist last season. With concussion related problems about a month behind him now, he's seen his ice time progressively increased over the last five games. However, he hasn't had a point in eight straight - the longest drought since the middle of his rookie season.

Due mainly to injuries within the d-core, he's had a few different partners this season. Currently, he's paired with Rob Scuderi - a defensive-defenseman. However, after the Olympic break last season, Doughty had some success playing with another offense-minded blueliner, Jack Johnson.

Coach Terry Murray says he's sticking with Scuderi as Doughty's partner for Thursday's game vs. Calgary. Of course, this could all change once Willie Mitchell is ready to go in a few games.

Yet, for now, which partner do you think gives the Kings the best chance to win on any given night? Is it Scuderi? Johnson? Or how about Matt Greene? Maybe Alec Martinez?



Poll closes Thursday at noon.

The Mayor
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LINKS TO RELATED ARTICLES:

10 Tidbits On...  Drew Doughty  *  Willie Mitchell  *  Alec Martinez

Drewiske makes a bet with Scuderi and Harrold

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2011 WJC Update - More Kings Added

Four Kings' prospects - representing three different countries - could be part of the upcoming World Junior Championship (WJC), including a pair of first round picks.

Team Canada's summer evaluation camp was filled with more Kings' prospects than any other NHL team. However, for various reasons, only two of those five have a shot at the final roster - Brayden Schenn and Linden Vey.

While Schenn's spot is all but guaranteed, Vey will be competing with 23 other forwards when Canada opens their selection camp this Sunday. From the 40 total players invited, only 22 will be taken to the WJC.

Russia will once again feature Maxim Kitsyn - the leading scorer at the recent Super Series (a tournament pitting top Canadian junior players vs. a Russian all-star team). Kitsyn began a pre-tourney camp with Russia today and they'll depart for North America in about 10 days.  Last winter wasn't the best of times for Russia when it came to international play.  They didn't medal at the WJC (a first in six years) and were embarrassed at the Olympics in Vancouver.  So, they'll be a hungry team and will have their hands full right from the beginning - their first opponent in pool play is Canada.  Kitsyn vs. Schenn!

Team USA announced their preliminary roster today and to nobody's surprise, this year's first round pick by the Kings, Derek Forbort, was included on the list. He's a product of the U.S. National Development program and has participated in international play for them before, including winning a gold medal at the Under-18 Championships.

Painting by Numbers with Ryan Smyth

Over his four-plus-year reign as Kings General Manager there can be little arguing Dean Lombardi's incredible success at the NHL Draft table. However, the possible knocks on his rebuilding project in L.A. have been with free agent signings and trades for veteran players.

Some fans would have preferred a quick fix solution to the team he inherited in the spring of 2006 and have spent several summers hoping he would land a big name free agent forward. In 2007 many were hoping for Scott Gomez. They ended up with names like Kyle Calder and Ladislav Nagy instead. The following summer Marian Hossa signed with the Red Wings, not the Kings.

So, it was somewhat understandable when a portion of fans were underwhelmed when Lombardi's big move in July 2009 was acquiring Ryan Smyth.

Besides the track record mentioned above, Smyth was 33 years old and had a history of injuries. Some even wondered if he was on the down side of his career. After all, he had a lot of miles on him (over 900 games) and too many injuries to count from years of getting beat up around the net.

However, by now it's well documented, this turned out to be one of Lombardi's best non-draft moves. Smyth was essentially reborn in Los Angeles - starting last season as part of the hottest trio in the NHL, along side Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Just as important as his play on the ice though, he proved invaluable in the maturation and development of the Kings young core. Players like Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty and Wayne Simmonds have all noted how Smyth helped them individually and the team as a whole.

It's probably more than just a coincidence that the Kings made the playoffs for the first time in eight years after adding Smyth to their stable.

The Complete Story on Brayden Schenn

Everybody has that friend or family member who just always seems to find drama. No matter what they do, every time they seem to turn the corner, there's another perplexing situation sitting there waiting for them.

Brayden Schenn may be that guy for the LA Kings.

Simply take a stroll through his 18-month relationship with the Kings to get a taste of what I'm talking about.

The Draft... It probably all started right from the official beginning at the 2009 NHL Draft. Toronto GM Brian Burke was openly lobbying all teams to make a deal with him. The Leafs already had Luke Schenn and were desperate to add his little brother too. Instead, Kings GM Dean Lombardi took Brayden with the fifth overall pick and a picture (now somewhat infamous) of an extremely irritated Burke instantly started circulating online.

The Game... Within a few weeks most had forgotten all about Schenn, he was still years away. The organization and their fans became focused on acquiring the players necessary to return to the playoffs. However, to the surprise of nearly everybody, the Kings thrust his name back into the current consciousness just 26 games into the following season when they signed him to a one-day contract. He went from playing for Team Canada in the Super Series (a top junior hockey tournament) to suiting up for LA against the Vancouver Canucks. For one day. In, out and gone back to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The Knee... Over the past summer, some were saying he had a strong chance to make the Kings this year (a notion I disagreed with many times here on MayorsManor, as there just wasn't room for another center without a trade). Then, on the eve of Rookie Camp opening word got out that he had sustained a knee injury while training in Canada. Speculation starting running rampant that he could be out for several months. Nobody could get a straight answer on the severity of things, even after he was brought to LA for an MRI. However, once main camp opened, there he was, part of Group B and everything was fine.

Forbort def. Gravel via Round Two Knockout

For all the talk surrounding the importance of drafting junior hockey players, outside of Drew Doughty, every other defenseman currently on the Kings roster is a former college hockey player - Jack Johnson (Michigan), Peter Harrold and Rob Scuderi (Boston College), Davis Drewiske (Wisconsin), Willie Mitchell (Clarkson Univeristy), Alec Martinez (Miami-Ohio) and Matt Greene (North Dakota).

And don't think for a minute those guys forget their college pride once they make the NHL. A few weeks ago Drewiske shared this story with me when talking about last year's BC vs. Wisconsin NCAA Championship Final, "I had a little bet with Scuderi and Harrold on the Championship game. I said if UW won, they each had to spend a day wearing my letter jacket from Wisconsin - which is just hideous, an ugly thing. If BC won, they had their senior sweaters, you know maroon and gold. Obviously, BC won the Championship game 5-0. So, I had to spend a day - I think we were in Vancouver - with the BC colors on, which didn't feel right at all."

XI Makes XXV Memorable

Anze Kopitar continues to get it done for the Kings.

In their 25th game of the year, he had the winning goal with less than a minute to go in overtime.

Quickly, here are the other eleven things of note from LA's big win over Detroit...

* Quick, which player has the most goals among the Kings defenseman? Here's a hint, it's not Doughty or Johnson. It's...Alec Martinez! Over the weekend we've had a few articles on some Kings prospects playing college hockey this season and the former Miami RedHawk now has two goals in his five games played.

* Justin Williams said he thought his early second period goal got the team going. I would say, well sorta. Former Kings coach Andy Murray used to talk about the importance of the next shift following a goal. Sure, Williams' goal was a big one. However, giving the lead right back to the Wings, less than a minute later, was fairly deflating.

...And Now You're Caught Up

For the loyal hockey fans who work hard all week and don't have time to follow the key stories, here are the ten things you need to know before the game tonight...

* Yesterday was Ozzy Osborne's 62nd birthday. Tonight, the other Ozzy - Chris Osgood, will start in goal for the Detroit Red Wings. He has a career record of 19-10-4 vs. the Kings, including 7-3-0 at Staples Center. Jonathan Quick will be in net for LA.

* Quick ran away with the October Player of the Month poll, capturing 51% of the votes.  Who won the November poll this week?  Results available here.

* Is AEG thinking of selling the Kings?  That's what money gurus Forbes say in this article. (h/t to Royal Half)

* The Montreal Canadiens are having their game-used equipment sale today. If you're still looking for a smelly Mike Cammalleri jersey, you better hurry.

* While Cammy continues to thrive since leaving Los Angeles, the same can't be said for one Mr. Alexander Frolov. This week he played just eight minutes for the Rangers on Thursday and was limited to only two shifts in the third period of Monday's game. Forget the goals, he hasn't had a single point in seven straight games. Ouch!

Forbort vs Gravel - Round One Results

While it isn't uncommon for two Kings prospects to play each other in junior hockey, it doesn't happen nearly as often at the NCAA level.

Yet, with the Kings loading up on former college hockey players right now, especially on defense - Matt Greene, Rob Scuderi, Jack Johnson, Peter Harrold, Davis Drewiske, etc. - it could become a little more frequent.

Last night was one such occasion, as two potential future additions to the Kings' blue line faced off against each other for the first time. Derek Forbort (first round pick 2010) and the North Dakota Fighting Sioux were hosting the St. Cloud State Huskies and Kevin Gravel (fifth round 2010).

UND entered the weekend ranked #7 in the nation, while SCSU has remained unranked this year.

Prior to the game, Gravel told me "I think this weekend is going to be a good weekend for us. We've been inconsistent at times this season and there's no better team to turn the season around than against North Dakota. We'll be ready to go tonight."