Coach Murray and Voynov compare notes on his first NHL game

Unexpectedly, Slava Voynov received more attention than all but a few players during the Los Angeles Kings training camp this year.

With Drew Doughty unsigned, the Russian-born defenseman played in every possible exhibition game and was the last player cut before opening night.

He was off to a solid start in Manchester (AHL), picking up a couple of points in the first few games and was a plus-5. Then, Doughty was hurt early in the game with the Flyers and Voynov was on his way to back to LA.

After practice today, he shared the following comments (note: he speaks with a heavy accent and a small part of his responses are paraphrased)...

Earlier in the week, coach Terry Murray gave the impression they tried to be as positive as possible when notifying Voynov he would be going back to the AHL to start the season, but added 'We told him he was on the threshold of making the NHL.'

Voynov shed a little more light on that conversation today - "They said I played well and had improved. Coach Murray told me to give my best every year and he said don't stop, keep working."

On the thoughts going through his head during the plane ride back to LA this weekend, Voynov said - "I was so excited. I had been waiting for this moment for three years."

On any advice the coaches game him prior to last night's game - "Nothing. We just spoke about things a little bit right now during practice and he told me to correct a couple of (things), like d-zone play with the pucks. But nothing before."

Murray's reasoning for not talking too much to Voynov beforehand was simple.

Kings shutout the Blues 5-0, video and quick notes

The Kings defeated the Blues last night 5-0, paced by strong goaltending from Jonathan Quick (27 saves, earning his 15th career shutout and 99th NHL win) and two goals from Simon Gagne.

- Three Stars of the Game: Gagne, Quick and Jarret Stoll

- Math with Jack: defenseman Jack Johnson was plus-3 for the night, which is now also where his season rating sites after five games.

- Stoll (aka 'the visor' - as explained here) had a goal, an assist, two shots on goal and was plus-2 for the night. After the game, he had this to say - "I’m just trying to play good on both sides of the puck, be good in my zone if we have to play down there, play hard and play physical. On the other side of the puck, if I get a chance to put one in the net, just bear down and put one in. I (was) lucky enough tonight, Brownie [Dustin Brown] made a good pass once I was coming off the bench, and he can make those plays, so it was a great play by him and just a great team effort overall."

- Willie Mitchell led the Kings with 23:40 of ice time. Jack Johnson was second at 21:48. Interestingly, Stoll led all Kings forwards in ice time (19:29), a stat usually reserved for Anze Kopitar.

- Kopitar (4g, 5a) and Justin Williams (2g,5a) have picked up at least a point in each of the five games played by the Kings so far this season.

- Faceoff numbers are improving, with LA winning 54% of the total draws (31-of-57). Kopitar was tops here, winning 65% (11-of-17).

- LA was 1-for-4 on the power play and killed off all four chances St. Louis had with the man advantage.

– NHL Debut: Slava Voynov played 19:48 and earned a plus-2 rating

- Practice starts today at noon in El Segundo. Immediately following, we'll have live notes and quotes - follow along on the twitter/facebook links listed below. In the meantime, enjoy the video highlights from last night's game (after the jump)...

Blues at LA Kings - what to watch for II with Johnson, Greene

Earlier today we heard from Jarret Stoll, Anze Kopitar and coach Terry Murray - who offered their thoughts on the keys to tonight's LA Kings vs St, Louis Blues match-up.

While Stoll spoke of needing to play 'pissed off' about the fact the Blues defeated the Kings in all four games last season, Murray and Kopitar seemed to be more focused on having the team worry about their own game plan, and less on the one of their opponents.

Yet, it was Jonathan Quick who brought up something that you don't hear goalies talking about too often - the physicalness of the opposing team.

As a follow-up, here are some thoughts from four of the Kings more physical players in a special second edition of 'what to watch for'...

Matt Greene - "We just need to get ready to work. They've changed a lot of things. But, what St. Louis always has is a real hard working team. They've always had that and they bring a lot of energy to the game. So, I think it's going to be a tough game to play, like it always is - a gritty game. We need to meet their intensity and be ready for a tight, tight close game."

Blues at LA Kings - a 'pissed off' Stoll on what to watch for

If you needed an exhibit to submit in court demonstrating the Kings' struggles on offense last year, the four-game series vs. the Blues would more than suffice.

In their last three match-ups, LA managed a combined total of two goals. And over the four-game season series they were outscored 15-6, losing all four games.

Jonathan Quick, who played every game against the Blues last season, will get the start again tonight. On the other side of the ice, St. Louis comes in with a revamped roster, that now includes veteran forwards Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner.

So, what are the keys to tonight's game? Here's what Quick, Jarret Stoll, Anze Kopitar and coach Terry Murray had to say following practice...

Quick - "They were a playoff (caliber) team last year, I felt. They had a few injuries that hurt them though and they weren't able to get past them. We know that Based on what they had last year they were a great team and then they've added a couple pieces. They're a very, very physical team and we have to be prepared on the physical side of it. If we can't out battle them, it will make for a tough game."

Kopitar - "First of all, we just have to worry about ourselves and how we're going to play. We should make them adjust to us, instead of us adjusting to them - especially at home, where you want to get off to a hot start. We just have to play the game hard and play it with a lot of discipline."

LA Kings defenseman Jack Johnson is just trying to get lost

Jack Johnson - LA Kings (photo: M. Zampelli)

Who knew that Mike Richards would become so heavily linked to the Kings defensemen in the early days of his tenure with the Los Angeles Kings.

In the deal that brought him to the Western Conference, Drew Doughty's best friend (Wayne Simmonds) was included in the package traded to the Flyers.

Then, during training camp, Willie Mitchell admitted to forming a bro-mance with the 26-year old center. And more recently, Richards has connected with Jack Johnson on two game-winning goals in overtime.

Any attention thrown Johnson's way for those two goals - including teammate Kevin Westgarth tweeting that he's becoming the new Mr. Overtime - has quickly been turned back the other way.

"Well, they were set up by two plays by a great player," said Johnson after practice on Monday. "I just tried to get lost back there and move around. (On a power play) you out number them.  So, someone is bound to be open.  I just tried to get lost and Mike Richards made two great plays to me."

Johnson was also trying to connecting with Richards on a more personal level while the team was on the road the last few weeks.

Coach Terry Murray pushing and pulling Jack Johnson

It's been said many times that Jack Johnson may have played his best hockey in the NHL during the six game stretch when Drew Doughty was out of the line-up last October.

Statistically, there was a dramatic difference. In those games, he collectively totaled seven assists and was a minus-1. His output in the remaining 76 games of the year was 30 assists. Thus, he was nearly three times his season average during that small stretch.

A few weeks ago in training camp, coach Terry Murray said he wanted to see Johnson have a more consistent 'attitude of going after guys, pinning and sealing, and really being nasty one-on-one' this year.

Saturday night in Philadelphia, it may have all come together for Johnson - culminating in what some are calling his best game ever for the Kings.

Today, Murray spoke about how impressed he was with Johnson's play vs. the Flyers...

"I thought he was a real horse of a man in Philadelphia. He played tremendous. He got stronger and played with more authority on the puck. He really tried to take the game over every time he was on the ice. That was outstanding on his part, from my view of it. I just want to keep building on that and pushing that attitude. It's the way it is. When you lose a player, somebody does need to step up and take more on. And he assumed that responsibility. It was great to see."

Just imagine how deadly the Kings would be if Johnson and Doughty were both playing at an elite level most nights.

Scary.

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Murray calls Voynov 'a man,' plans to play him big minutes

The last time the Kings played at Staples Center was Sunday, September 25th.

Slava Voynov - the only Kings defenseman to play in every possible pre-season game last month - was paired with Willie Mitchell that night. He went on to make the trip with the team to Europe. However, he was eventually was sent to Manchester before the season officially opened vs. the Rangers.

Tomorrow night, when the Kings return to their home arena Voynov will be back with Mitchell - due to an injury Drew Doughty suffered on Saturday in Philadelphia.

Voynov flew to LA yesterday and was on the ice for practice with the team earlier today. Afterwards, coach Terry Murray had the following comments about the young Russian blueliner...

"I really liked what Voynov did in the training camp. I thought all of his games were very impressive to me...he's intelligent, he has an aggressive attitude and he has a very good skill level. He's a second, third option player and he does a nice job on the power play. We're looking at him as a veteran player who's getting an opportunity to play, not a player who's coming up just to fill in for an injured player."

On how he'll be used tomorrow night...

Full comments from LA Kings coach Murray on Dustin Penner

Dustin Penner came into training camp in the best shape he's been in in years - perhaps ever.

That story has been well documented here on MayorsManor.

Over the last few weeks though, things have been a little murky surrounding the big left winger.

He missed the first two games of the season with what the team called an 'upper body' injury, believed to be a sore groin.

Then, he sat on the bench during the third period of Saturday's game in Philadelphia. After defeating the Flyers in overtime, LA coach Terry Murray referred to a 'contusion' he suffered during the game.

Penner was back on the second line with Mike Richards and Dustin Brown when the team began practice today - their first session at TSC in over two weeks. Twenty minutes later, he abruptly went to the locker room.

Following the team's practice, Murray provided a little more clarity on what's going on.

On why Penner left the ice - "There's nothing I can tell you right now. There's no report from our doctor, where he has gone. What I said after the game in Philadelphia, it's a contusion on his knee - when he had the fight, he fell - that's what it is. He went to get it checked out by the doctor to see if there is anything further on that."

Kings affiliate action - notes from Reign opening weekend

In what could be classified as a franchise reboot, the Ontario Reign took to the ice this weekend for a pair of home games to kick off the new season.

Just about everything was new, except the jerseys.

Gone was fiery and temperamental head coach Karl Taylor and in was the seemingly always jolly Jason Christie. Helping him behind the bench was former Kings defenseman and assistant coach Mark Hardy.

On the roster, only a small handful of players remain from last season. It's a completely new look team, that now includes Kings goaltending prospect JF Berube as the number one goalie.

Saturday afternoon the Reign also added Darcy Kuemper to the line-up. The 6-foot-4 goaltender was drafted by Minnesota in the sixth round of the 2009 draft and remains under contract to the Wild. However, due to them not having an ECHL affiliate this year (and a full roster in the AHL), Christie was able to work out a deal for Kuemper to play in Ontario. He comes in after a strong season last year, where he was the top goalie in the WHL.

Friday night's game was a 5-4 loss to the two-time defending champions of the Pacific Division, the Bakersfield Condors. Saturday saw the team rebound and pick up a 3-2 victory - after 11 rounds of a shootout - over their old nemesis, the Stockton Thunder.

Below are some exclusive quotes a few of the notables provided MayorsManor...

Los Angeles Kings Prospect Report - October 17, 2011

This weekend looked to be a rough one for the Manchester Monarchs - the Kings top farm team. Their schedule saw them playing three road games, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Fortunately, they came out of it with a 2-1 record and scored a total of 15 goals. Martin Jones was in net for the two wins, giving up only one goal in each game. He's looked every bit the part of the goalie many have predicted a big season for - now giving up only five goals total in his four starts (1.26 goals-against average with a .956 save percentage). His only blemish on a 3-1 record was a game he lost 1-0 last weekend.

Jeff Zatkoff, who Jones split time with in goal last season, made his first start of the season in yesterday's 5-2 loss. He made 22 of 27 saves. It was his first game action of any kind in quite some time, as he accompanied the Kings to Europe as a three goalie.

Here are some additional early season notes on a few other Kings prospects:

DEFENSEMEN

Jake Muzzin (ranked second among the Kings top ten prospects heading into the season) - this weekend marked his returned to action after suffering a head/neck injury in training camp...he picked up a pair of goals in the three games played...was credited with seven shots on Goal in yesterday's game, doubling is season total to 14