Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"An unlikely duo helped the Flyers successfully start their grueling five-game road trip last night. Backup goalie Brian Boucher made 37 saves in his second start of the season, and Mika Pyorala scored his first NHL goal as the Flyers rallied past the Los Angeles Kings, 3-2, at the Staples Center. Mike Richards and James van Riemsdyk also scored for the Flyers, who have won seven of their last eight games. Van Riemsdyk, the rookie left winger who has at least a point in 12 of his first 15 games, gathered a rebound of Braydon Coburn's shot that caromed off the backboards and backhanded the puck into the net on the power play, giving the Flyers a 3-1 lead with 18 minutes, 13 seconds left. The ..."

Flyers face friend in L.A.'s Jones

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November 19

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Flyers coach John Stevens says he will always have "a soft spot in my heart" for Randy Jones. Stevens, who coached Jones with the Flyers and with the Phantoms when they won the AHL title, was disappointed when the Los Angeles Kings claimed the 28-year-old defenseman on reentry waivers on Oct. 29. He was claimed because Kings coach Terry Murray also has a soft sport for Jones, having coached him when he was a Flyers assistant. "To have an opportunity to get him back was a no-brainer because I know how he can play," Murray said before the Kings hosted the Flyers last night. "He's an NHL defenseman. I know that." "I was happy it happened and happy to be here," Jones said. Entering last night, ..."

Boucher bounces back for Flyers in win over Kings

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November 19

Philadelphia Daily News

"The cliché says it's not how you start, but how you finish. That's a good thing for Brian Boucher. Boucher, making just his second start of the season and his first since Oct. 25, had a rough first period but rallied to make 37 saves and lead the Flyers to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings last night in the first game of a five-game road trip. Jarret Stoll's weak wrister from the boards on Boucher's short side found its way through his five-hole to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead with 5 minutes remaining in the first period. "I don't know what the heck happened," Boucher said. "I've had a couple weird ones this year. But I was determined that wasn't going to be a big factor in the rest ..."

Jones back in NHL, feeling like a King

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November 19

Philadelphia Daily News

"For Randy Jones, it might seem like light years, but just 3 weeks ago he was buried in Glens Falls, N.Y., playing in the American Hockey League. Now, after being claimed on re-entry waivers by the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 29, Jones is 3,000 miles away and has found a home on sunny Manhattan Beach in Southern California. More importantly, he is back in the NHL. Both on the ice and away from the rink, it is a big change of scenery. A serviceable defenseman, Jones was snapped up quickly by Kings coach Terry Murray - who was his defensive coach in Philadelphia under John Stevens. The Flyers and Kings are splitting his $2.75 million cap hit this season. "It was really a no-brainer on my part ..."

Kings show what they are missing in 3-2 loss to Philadelphia

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November 19

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"Anyone who has followed the Kings for more than a few seasons is conditioned to wait for the next shoe -- or skate -- toduring even the most prosperous of times. No matter how many good things happen, an injury or slump always seems to come along to delay their progress and dash fans' hopes yet again. There has been more prosperity this season than most in recent memory, but it's worth wondering how long that will last now that left wing Ryan Smyth is projected to be out of the lineup for as long as a month after suffering an upper-body injury Monday. The Kings' first full game without Smyth, the fearless, experienced forward who did so much to galvanize linemate Anze Kopitar this season, ..."

Kings' Smyth could miss a month

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November 19

NHL.com

"Ryan Smyth, a major contributor to the Los Angeles Kings' surprising success in the first six weeks of this season, is expected to be out of action for approximately one month. Smyth, who left after the second period of Monday's game at Florida, visited a team doctor Wednesday morning. Coach Terry Murray and general manager Dean Lombardi would not disclose the nature of Smyth's "upper-body injury.""

Kings' Smyth, Scuderi to miss Wednesday's game

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November 18

NHL.com

"The Kings returned home from their five-game road trip as a bit of a battered bunch. Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi both will miss Wednesday night's home game against Philadelphia, and it seems as though Smyth might be out significantly longer. Smyth suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury sometime during the second period Tuesday night against Florida and did not play in the third period."

Kings, still in the spotlight, will see if they can take the heat

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November 17

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"Even in this wired world, news about the Kings seems to travel slowly. Writers and broadcasters in the eastern U.S. and Canada are taking note of the Kings' good start, apparently getting the news via Pony Express. The revelation that center Anze Kopitar is a skillful player just hit Canada, where he was the subject of a story last week in the nationally circulated Globe and Mail. With attention come scrutiny and the next test in Kopitar's evolution. "You don't want the spotlight to be a heat lamp, but it does get a little warm sometimes and he's got to be prepared for that," Coach Terry Murray said. "I think that's really good stuff. He's going to mature really quickly with it." Murray's ..."

For Lightning, a hard loss

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November 15

St. Petersburg Times

"Though the Lightning and Kings met Saturday for the only time this season, with the gritty, chippy way they played, you would have thought they were division rivals. But for Tampa Bay, the biggest blow of the hard-hitting - and heartbreaking - 2-1 shootout loss was delivered with two minutes left in overtime, when a potential winning goal by Andrej Meszaros was disallowed due to goalie interference. Given new life, the Kings handed the Lightning its fifth shootout loss in six tries, as center Anze Kopitar was the only one of six shooters to score. To the Lightning, the loss likely felt like a punch in the gut. "A terrible call," goalie Antero Niittymaki said of the overtime ruling. "We won ..."

Thrashers score knockout over Kings

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November 14

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The Thrashers proved two things Friday night. They can score and they can fight. The Thrashers scored four times - on four straight shots -- in a span of 5:04 of the second period en route to a 7-0 victory over Los Angeles at Philips Arena. A mere 42 seconds after the fourth goal a fight erupted that saw all 10 skaters - in five pairings - squaring off. The two biggest battles were won by Thrashers. Chris Thorburn landed several big blows on Raitis Ivanans, and Jim Slater pummeled Brad Richardson. Ilya Kovalchuk, Max Afinogenov and Evander Kane all scored twice for the Thrashers (9-6-1, 19 points), who won for the third straight time. It was also their second straight home win after losing ..."

Blackhawks notes

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November 10

Chicago Sun-Times

"The health report on second-line center Dave Bolland isn't encouraging. ''He hasn't made any progress,'' coach Joel Quenneville reported Monday after the morning skate. Bolland missed his third game and has been off the ice for four consecutive days with back problems. He's still listed as day-to-day, but Quenneville said Bolland is on ''a slower program — just more rest right now.'' With Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager back in the lineup, Jordan Hendry was no longer needed as a fill-in winger on the fourth line. Normally a defenseman, Hendry was the Hawks' lone healthy scratch. He had played in the previous seven games. The crowd of 20,293 extended the Hawks' string of sellouts at the United ..."

A triumphant return

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November 10

Chicago Sun-Times

"Apparently all it took to get the Blackhawks' power play working was the return of Jonathan Toews. The team captain returned from a six-game layoff to recover from a concussion and was on the ice for two third-period goals with the man advantage. Toews scored the second of the two, and they led to a solid 4-1 victory Monday over the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center. Until the third-period explosion, the Hawks had converted on three of their previous 33 power plays, a streak stretching back to the Oct. 15. It was 1-1 when Troy Brouwer scored on the first power play 93 seconds into the third period. Toews' goal followed at 5:04, thanks to a good bounce off the boards. ''I was coming ..."

Blackhawks beat Kings 4-1

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November 10

Chicago Tribune

"First the Blackhawks welcomed Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager back to the lineup, and then they welcomed their power play back from whatever abyss it had sunk into. Sparked by the return of their captain, who missed nearly three weeks with a concussion, the Hawks played a solid game in all aspects as they defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Monday night at the United Center. The Hawks got two goals with a man advantage, including one by Toews, in the third period to break open a close game and improve their record to 9-5-2 in front of a crowd of 20,293. Troy Brouwer had a goal and two assists, and John Madden and Andrew Ebbett also scored. Goaltender Cristobal Huet made 17 saves to record ..."

Luc Robitaille gets Hall of Fame ring; will he get a chance to see Wayne Gretzky tonight?

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November 10

Los Angeles Times

"On the morning of his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame and after getting the ring that's awarded to each honored member, Luc Robitaille was again reminded of the obstacles he had surmounted to become the all-time leading scorer among NHL left wings. A Canadian reporter who had written about him years ago recalled hearing of scouting reports that seriously doubted whether Robitaille would succeed in the NHL despite his high-scoring exploits with the Hull Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. "Apparently there was someone that wrote that on the report. 'This kid will never make it because he's slower than a Zamboni," Robitaille said, laughing. Ah, but where is that ..."

Hockey Hall of Fame gets a Lucky strike

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November 10

L.A. Daily News

columnist Ramona Shelburne

"The statue in front of Staples Center rightly is of Wayne Gretzky. But that special spot in every Kings' fans heart? That could only belong to Luc Robitaille. The left winger who couldn't skate, wasn't fast and always seemed to play second fiddle to a brighter star, officially became a Hall of Famer on Monday to complete one of the more improbable success stories the National Hockey League has ever witnessed. Which is just the start of the explanation why Robitaille always seemed to have a different and deeper connection with the fans here than any other player. If it was Rogie Vachon, Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor who helped Los Angeles notice the Kings, and Wayne Gretzky who helped the ..."

Luck has little to do with Luc Robitaille's success

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November 9

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"Luc Robitaille was never the fastest skater or most purely gifted player on the ice at any level he played. For a while, he wasn't even the most prolific scorer. "It's funny he got 600 and some-odd goals in the NHL. It surprises me because he used to be a passer," said his father, Claude. "I would say, 'You could score once in a while.' He'd say, 'Yeah, but it was the better play. We have more chance of winning. The other guy is a better scorer than I am.' " Somewhere along the way he learned how to score like few before or since. Robitaille, whose 668 goals and 1,394 points are NHL records for left wings, today will take his rightful place in the Hockey Hall of Fame with fellow inductees ..."

Kings penalty-killing unit finds success

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November 7

Los Angeles Times

"After the Kings began the season with a four-for-11 effort in penalty kills in their first three games, defenseman Sean O'Donnell thought the team's unit was, as he put it, "behind the 8-ball." The picture looks much different now. "We were in decent position, but we just weren't mentally there," O'Donnell said after practice Friday in El Segundo. "We were in the right position, but our stick wasn't on the ice, or our stick was here instead of being here. Just little tweaks, and I think we've done a good job with attention to detail." The Kings enter Saturday's game at Staples Center against the Nashville Predators (6-7-1) with an 88.8% clip in penalty kills (24 of 27) in their last eight ..."

Ducks are struggling to find their rhythm

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November 7

Los Angeles Times

"Optimism -- of the cautious variety -- could be heard in the Ducks' dressing room after practice at Anaheim Ice on Friday, the day after a 4-0 shutout of Nashville. "We're still not a winning team," said winger Bobby Ryan, who has four goals in the last five games. "That pressure is not going away until we right the ship." Teemu Selanne, the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer whose eight goals rank second on the team to Corey Perry's 10, said the Ducks' 2-1-1 record in the last four games is a start after falling into last place in the Pacific Division. "This game is all about confidence," Selanne said. "We've gotten confidence the last four games. We played pretty good. We all know we can ..."

Kings win battle of the best

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November 6

Los Angeles Times

"As much as Kings Coach Terry Murray had insisted his team's game against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday would not measure anything, it could become a pivotal moment in a season that is crystallizing into something very, very interesting. The Cup isn't won in November, but the Kings' performance in rallying for four goals in the third period of a stunning 5-2 victory at Staples Center indicated they are not intimidated by anyone, even a team that knows what it takes to be the last team standing in June. "They're the defending Stanley Cup champions, they were 7-0 on the road," Dustin Brown said. "But I think it's more about what we did than anything they ..."

Penguins royally flushed by Kings in third period

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November 6

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Their expectations are so high that a loss like this one will really stick. That is the reality of life for the Penguins, who were stunned by a four-goal flurry from the Los Angeles Kings in just over 11 third-period minutes Thursday night, leading to a 5-2 defeat at Staples Center. "We are pretty bothered," Penguins winger Craig Adams said of his club's first road loss in eight games and their only failure to protect a third-period lead in nine contests. "This team wants to win every night, expects to win every night." Goals by Kings centers Anze Kopitar, Jarret Stoll and Michal Handzus were scored in a span of roughly six minutes, and winger Dustin Brown finished the frenzy late. ..."

Penguins fall in Los Angeles

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November 6

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"This was such foreign territory that it stung just that much more. The Penguins had not given up more than four goals in a game before last night. Then they lost, 5-2, to the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. The Penguins had not lost through their first seven road games. Then they fell to 7-1 away from Mellon Arena, missing a chance to set a club record for consecutive wins away from home. They had not lost in regulation in 20 games under coach Dan Bylsma when they led after two periods. Then they squandered a 2-1 lead and watched the Kings score four times in the third period, including the second goal of the game by NHL leading scorer Anze Kopitar."

Rob Scuderi, Kings have royal opportunity against Penguins

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November 5

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Rob Scuderi knows what his upstart Los Angeles Kings can gain tonight against the Penguins at Staples Center. "Every team in the NHL is trying to be the Penguins; ultimately, you look at them and see what you can become," the Kings' defenseman said Wednesday of a showdown between his club - third in the Western Conference (9-4-2, 20 points) - and the Penguins, who are 7-0-0 on the road and own the NHL's best overall mark (12-3-0, 24 points). "I'm looking forward to seeing how we respond." So are many hockey observers that have compared these Kings to the 2006-07 Penguins that went from talked-about youngsters to playoff-bound Cup contenders. Scuderi, nicknamed "The Piece" by Penguins ..."

Defenseman Drewiske rates very highly

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November 4

Los Angeles Times

"For someone who views plus/minus ratings with what he says "a grain of salt," Kings defenseman Davis Drewiske maintains he also doesn't think much of his own mark. He held a team-leading plus-10 rating that also tied for third in the NHL with Washington's Alex Ovechkin, Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Colorado's Ryan O'Reilly through Monday's games. Yet, Drewiske says the rating is "more of an indication our team is playing well." The Kings and Drewiske agreed last month to a three-year contract extension worth $600,000 annually, and Kings Coach Terry Murray says the defenseman has "got a nice upside to his game." Murray also likes Drewiske's size (he's listed at 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds), ..."

Coyotes let win slip away vs. Kings

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November 3

Arizona Republic

"A game that a home team should win: leading by two goals with time running out in the second period. It all boiled down to poor execution for the Coyotes on Monday night. They had their 10th win of the season in sight but were not able to maintain momentum in the final period and dropped a 5-3 decision to the Los Angeles Kings in front of 5,855 at Jobing.com Arena. "Tonight, we just weren't very good," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "Right from theof the puck it was disappointing." The Coyotes (9-5) had a three-game winning streak snapped and lost for only the third time in the past 10 games. The Kings, another NHL surprise this season, improved to 9-4-2. Overcoming a ragged first ..."

Kings rally to beat Coyotes, 5-3

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November 3

Los Angeles Times

"Drew Doughty scored the go-ahead goal with 4:51 remaining and the Kings rallied to beat the Phoenix Coyotes, 5-3, on Monday night. Ryan Smyth scored twice, Anze Kopitar had a goal and two assists, and Justin Williams also scored for the Kings, who won for the first time in five games this season when down after two periods. The Kings ended a two-game losing streak. Shane Doan, Martin Hanzal and Scott Upshall scored for the Coyotes, who saw their three-game winning streak ended. Upshall had given Phoenix a 3-1 at 14:44 of the second period, taking a backhand pass from Robert Lang and sliding the puck between Jonathan Quick's pads. But then the Kings stormed back for their first win in three ..."

Safety first nets Canucks 2-1 shootout win over Kings

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October 30

Vancouver Province

"Monty Python made dismemberment fun with the Black Knight character who guards a tiny bridge for unknown reasons. As his limbs are hacked off one by one, he claims invincibility. It's absurd. So too now is the Canucks' injury situation. It is as ridiculous as the Holy Grail, but without any of the fun. Alex Bolduc became the tenth Canuck this season — remember, it's just four weeks old — to be felled by injury. He left the ice in Thursday's second period with his arm lifelessly dangling. When it was over, his arm was in a sling. You can probably count him out for Friday night. The injury bug is so bad it's making H1N1 look good. Even the injury replacements are getting hurt. Of course, the ..."

Canucks winger Michael Grabner catches up with an old foe, Anze Kopitar

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October 30

Vancouver Sun

"Thursday night's game was only his eighth in the NHL, but in one respect it felt just like old times for Vancouver Canuck winger Michael Grabner. There he was, out on the ice again with Anze Kopitar. Grabner and Kopitar grew up less than an hour from one another. Grabner hails from Villach, Austria, while Kopitar was raised in Jesinice, Slovenia. Their respective minor-hockey teams played one another several times each season. "I played against him my whole life growing up," Grabner said before the Canucks met the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center. "We started playing each other when we were seven or eight and that continued until when we were 14 and he went to play in Sweden." They ..."

Canucks beat Kings 2-1 in a shootout

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October 30

Vancouver Sun

"he Vancouver Canucks warned it might not be pretty and it wasn't. But in the end, it was a win and that's all that really mattered. Artistic merit be damned. The Canucks got Life Without Luongo off to a positive start Thursday night with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings before an announced crowd of 16,838 at the Staples Center. Ryan Kesler and Mikael Samuelsson scored on Kings' goalie Jonathan Quick in the shootout. Jack Johnson was the only King to beat Vancouver goalie Andrew Raycroft, who was making his first start of the season. Samuelsson beat Quick with a deke to his backhand for the shootout winner. He also scored Vancouver's only goal of the game. Raycroft was ..."

Kings struggle in shootout for second night, lose, 2-1, to Vancouver

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October 30

Los Angeles Times

"Holding a good opponent to one goal but losing a shootout became repetitive for the Kings, who came out on the short end of a 2-1 loss after the NHL's entertaining but absurd tiebreaking procedure for the second straight night. Mikael Samuelsson, who scored Vancouver's only goal in the first 65 minutes, beat Jonathan Quick on a backhander in the third round of the skills contest to give the Canucks the victory Thursday at Staples Center. It came 24 hours after the Kings fell to the Sharks in the tiebreaker at San Jose. "I hate the shootout," Kings Coach Terry Murray said, a mantra he repeated several times. "It's a useless part of the game. . . . Boy, do I hate it." It's good for the ..."

Flyers lose defenseman Jones to Kings

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October 30

Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Flyers tried to push defenseman Randy Jones through reentry waivers, but one of his former coaches wouldn't let it happen. Jones, 28, was claimed yesterday by the Los Angeles Kings, whose head coach, Terry Murray, was a Flyers assistant in charge of the defense when Jones was part of the team. The Kings and Flyers will share Jones' $2.75 million cap hit - $1.375 million apiece. Jones spent parts of five seasons with the Flyers and is in the final year of a two-year, $5.5 million deal. "He certainly would have helped us," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "That's the risk you take, and what are you going to do?" Holmgren said the Flyers had talked to a few other teams to get a ..."

Kings pick up defenseman Randy Jones off waivers

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October 30

Philadelphia Daily News

"WE KNOW THE Flyers are willing to roll the dice.You simply need to glance at the Flyers' net and see Ray Emery to know that. They are never hesitant to spend the money necessary - and bump against the upper limit of the NHL's rigid salary cap - to try to win their first Stanley Cup since 1975.That much is a positive.But the Flyers rolled their first "7" of the season yesterday when they lost defenseman Randy Jones to the Los Angeles Kings on re-entry waivers. It was a significant hit to their chip stack.They now have to eat half of Jones' $2.75 million cap hit, splitting the cost with LA."I knew that teams would have an interest in Randy," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "We ..."

Clowe lifts Sharks in shootout

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October 29

San Jose Mercury News

"Ryane Clowe is still looking for his first goal of the season, but that didn't stop Sharks coach Todd McLellan from sending him out in the sixth round of a shootout Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Kings. In that high-pressure situation, Clowe delivered, lifting a backhand shot past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. And when Evgeni Nabokov stopped Los Angeles center Jarret Stoll at the other end of the ice, the Sharks skated off with a 2-1 victory that put them in a tie with the Kings at the top of the Pacific Division. McLellan said the coaching staff had been trying a lot of different ways to get Clowe into the scoring column — and using him in the shootout was another. "We've tried ..."

Kings and Kopitar hit on winning combination

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October 29

Los Angeles Times

"It's too early in the season to dream too big and these are the Kings, after all, masters of selling hope, if nothing else. But it's impossible not to be impressed that they are leading the Pacific Division and that center Anze Kopitar is leading the NHL in scoring, and neither of those feats would be possible without the other. Kopitar, in his fourth season and still awaiting his first playoff experience, has 10 goals and 21 points in 12 games. Drawn away from the fringes and into the action by linemate Ryan Smyth, who has made a living creating and potting rebounds in the trenches around the net, Kopitar has produced grand results. The 22-year-old Slovenian has been held scoreless only ..."

Kings and Kopitar hit on winning combination

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October 28

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"It's too early in the season to dream too big and these are the Kings, after all, masters of selling hope, if nothing else. But it's impossible not to be impressed that they are leading the Pacific Division and that center Anze Kopitar is leading the NHL in scoring, and neither of those feats would be possible without the other. Kopitar, in his fourth season and still awaiting his first playoff experience, has 10 goals and 21 points in 12 games. Drawn away from the fringes and into the action by linemate Ryan Smyth, who has made a living creating and potting rebounds in the trenches around the net, Kopitar has produced grand results. The 22-year-old Slovenian has been held scoreless only ..."

Rob Scuderi fined for low hit on Columbus winger

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October 27

Los Angeles Times

"Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi was fined an undisclosed amount by the NHL on Monday for his low hit on Columbus' Jason Chimera on Sunday at Staples Center. Scuderi wasn't suspended for the hit, which occurred during the first period and wasn't penalized by the on-ice officials. The NHL reviews debatable plays and can impose a fine or suspension. Scuderi crouched before hitting Chimera at or below the right knee as Chimera skated up the right side, sending the Blue Jackets' winger tumbling head over heels. Chimera hit his head on the ice and reopened a cut above his right eye, but returned to the game. Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice president of hockey operations and chief ..."

Kings win fourth in a row

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October 26

Los Angeles Times

"Relying on their offense and special teams, the Kings rolled to their fourth victory in a row, beating Columbus, 6-2, for their best start since the 2005-06 season. The Kings' offense was led by Anze Kopitar and Alexander Frolov, who had two goals each and are part of a unit that leads the league in goals scored (43) through 12 games. The Kings' special teams were two for four on power plays and three for four on penalty kills. Kings Coach Terry Murray said the special-teams unit is "getting better." "That helps you get where you want to go as far as a structure and a system," Murray said. "Moving your feet and getting things going in the other zone, we're starting to figure that part ..."

Contracts for goalie Jonathan Quick, defenseman Davis Drewiske

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October 24

Los Angeles Times

"The morning after he allowed the Dallas Stars to score three third-period goals on seven shots, Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick on Friday acknowledged, "I wasn't happy with my performance at all." The Kings' 5-4 overtime victory Thursday night helped ease the pain, though. Getting a three-year contract extension worth $1.8 million a season, which was announced Friday, probably helped too. "I don't want to look down on it too much because we were able to get the two points," he said at the team's practice facility in El Segundo. Kings Coach Terry Murray unequivocally called Quick "our No. 1 goaltender" and said there would be no splitting time with backup Erik Ersberg in the team's games ..."

Dallas Stars' latest thrill ride ends in 5-4 OT loss

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October 23

Dallas Morning News

"The Dallas Stars have moved on from the roller coaster and seem to be trying out new amusement park rides every night. It was like they jumped from the Tilt-a-Whirl to the Salt-and-Pepper Shaker on Thursday, falling behind 4-1, mounting a three-goal comeback in the third period and eventually walking out of Staples Center with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings. It was a game rife with mistakes and spectacular plays, and it leaves Dallas at 4-2-4, good for 12 points after 10 games. They are third in the Pacific Division, behind Phoenix's 12 points in eight games and the Kings' 12 points (and six wins) in 10 games. But, just as important, it leaves the Stars with quite a bit of ..."

Handzus wins it for Kings in OT

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October 23

Los Angeles Times

"It shouldn't have been this difficult. But these are the Kings, after all, and no gain comes easily to them. Michal Handzus' shot from just above the left circle 55 seconds into overtime gave the Kings a 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday, allowing them to save face after losing a three-goal lead in the third period. It also allowed them to more enthusiastically enjoy Anze Kopitar's first career hat trick, which he had completed in the second period. Yet, they couldn't forgive themselves for a rally by a Dallas team that was playing its second game in two nights. "Games like that can't happen for this team," Dustin Brown said. "That's why we went through all those learning ..."

Kings face former coach Crawford tonight

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October 22

L.A. Daily News

"Marc Crawford was asked Wednesday about Jamie Benn, the latest 20-year-old wunderkind to come into his stable, and the compliments began to flow until they bordered on gushing. You can bet Benn reminded the Dallas Stars' new head coach, at least in some way, of someone he recently saw in a Kings uniform. From 2006-08, Crawford coached a Kings team whose best players were younger than 25. He was fired after compiling a 59-84-21 record, missing the playoffs both seasons and missing out on some of the best years of Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Patrick O'Sullivan, Mike Cammalleri, Jack Johnson and Jonathan Quick's careers. But if the experience left a bad taste in Crawford's ..."

Frolov is back in the Kings' lineup

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October 22

Los Angeles Times

"After taking the surprising step Monday of scratching a healthy Alexander Frolov from the Kings' game at Dallas, Kings Coach Terry Murray said he left "an opening in the door" for Frolov to return. "And that was whenever you're ready to come back, knock on my door come in and sit down and look me in the eye and talk to me and tell me you're ready to get going and play the game that I know you're capable of bringing," Murray said, "and that's what happened here this morning." Murray reinstated Frolov for Thursday night's game against Dallas at Staples Center but in a new spot. Frolov, who has only one goal after scoring a team-high 32 last season, will flank Michal Handzus and Dustin Brown. ..."

Kings end three-game losing streak by beating Stars, 4-1

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October 20

Los Angeles Times

"Ryan Smyth had a power-play goal and two assists, Justin Williams added a goal and an assist, and the road-weary Kings ended a losing streak at three games with a 4-1 victory against the Dallas Stars on Monday night. Anze Kopitar and Wayne Simmonds scored, and Jonathan Quick made 29 saves as the Kings wrapped up a season-long, six-game trip. Kings Coach Terry Murray gave his team the day off Sunday to rest about a dozen players recovering from cases of flu picked up during the nine-day trip that included stops along the East Coast and through the Midwest. The Kings (5-4-0) scored three straight goals in the second period while outshooting the Stars, 18 to four."

Murray sends message to young Kings by sitting star winger Frolov

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October 20

Los Angeles Times

"It wasn't one terrible pass in a loss at Columbus that led Kings Coach Terry Murray to scratch a healthy Alexander Frolov from the lineup Monday at Dallas. It was the conviction a message had to be sent that the Kings, still learning how to win and accelerate an eternal rebuilding process, cannot accept less than a total commitment from every player in every game. That was paramount, no matter that they had a three-game losing streak and Frolov had led the team in goal scoring three times. And it's a conviction shared by General Manager Dean Lombardi. "It's not a player making a physical mistake. It borders on not caring and that's not tolerable," Lombardi said by phone Monday. "And what ..."

Los Angeles Kings dominate second period in 4-1 win over Dallas Stars

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October 20

Dallas Morning News

"If the Stars learned anything Monday, it's that the trek through the Pacific Division isn't going to be easy. Starting a run of three games against divisional foes, Dallas had a horrendous second period and lost a 4-1 game to the Los Angeles Kings at American Airlines Center. "This is a league where all 30 teams are going to be tough, where you can beat the best team and get beat by any other team on any given night, and we have to realize that," said center Mike Ribeiro. "We had a great start, and we were good at the end, but you can't just go to sleep for 10 or 15 minutes like we did. You can't do that and expect to win." The Stars were playing without four injured players - Brad ..."

Jackets extend their hottest start

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October 18

Columbus Dispatch

"Playing with two of their top four defensemen out of the lineup and their top two lines sporadically effective might require the Blue Jackets to win ugly for the next little while. But, really, in the midst of the best start in franchise history, who cares about style points? Rick Nash's short-handed goal early in the third period was a glimpse of skill and finish last night, and it propelled the Blue Jackets to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings before 15,251 in Nationwide Arena. Jason Chimera, Raffi Torres and Jake Voracek (empty-netter) also scored for the Blue Jackets, and goaltender Steve Mason had 27 saves. "It's extremely huge the way these guys are stepping up right now," Mason ..."

Jackets-Kings preview

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October 17

Columbus Dispatch

"The series The Blue Jackets are 16-14-1-1 against the Kings, including 10-5-0-1 in Nationwide Arena. This is the first of four meetings this season. The setup Without defensemen Mike Commodore (groin) and Jan Hejda (sprained knee), the Blue Jackets face a stern test against the energetic Kings forwards. The Blue Jackets are 5-1-1 at home against the Kings dating to the 2005-06 season. This is the fifth stop on a six-game trip for the Kings. Since opening with wins over the Blues and Islanders, they've lost to the Rangers and Red Wings."

Red Wings 5, Kings 2: Nicklas Lidstrom notches his 1,000th point

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October 16

Detroit News

"It took about half a period, but Detroit finally shook off whatever cobwebs lingered from their horrendous night in Buffalo on Tuesday and, behind a milestone night for captain Nick Lidstrom and a lot of help from goalie Chris Osgood, beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 on Thursday. The Wings got goals from Jonathan Ericsson, Tomas Holmstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Kirk Maltby and an empty-net goal by Brian Rafalski. And with two assists on the night, Lidstrom became the eighth defenseman in NHL history to amass 1,000 points. He was given a long standing ovation and a video tribute during a television timeout. The Wings are 21-2 against the Kings dating to 2002, 11-1 at Joe Louis Arena. Besides ..."

Wings' Pavel Datsyuk won't play vs. Kings

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October 15

Detroit News

"Pavel Datsyuk (upper-body injury) will not play against Los Angeles on Thursday night, and the Red Wings are listing him as day-to-day. He did not take part in the morning skate, nor was he available for comment. Without Datsyuk, coach Mike Babcock has had to redraw the lines, again. Here's how they will go Thursday: Dan Cleary-Henrik Zetterberg-Todd Bertuzzi Ville Leino-Valtteri Filppula-Jason Williams Kirk Maltby-Kris Draper-Tomas Holmstrom Darren Helm-Justin Abdelkader-Patrick Eaves "What happens when you are short-staffed is that everybody has to grind it out and you find a way to win," Babcock said, adding that his top guns have to start firing, namely Zetterberg. Zetterberg has yet ..."

Vinny Prospal's two goals lift the New York Rangers over the Los Angeles Kings, 4-2

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October 15

New York Daily News

"You won't find any argument from the Rangers that they were outworked and on their heels Wednesday night, easily the second-best team on the ice. But you also won't find any Rangers apologizing for taking the two points. The Rangers won again, this time with a recipe they may call upon again this season when their game isn't quite there: throw a couple world-class players in the mix and watch the dough rise. They leaned on Henrik Lundqvist more than they had all season, and their franchise goaltender made 34 saves while Marian Gaborik capped a dynamic night with a goal that would warm any sniper's heart, snapping one in 4:22 into the third period to send the Blueshirts on their way to ..."

Kings News