Puckosphere.com

As has been the case most of the past two to three weeks, the Kings did very little offensively in the first two periods. As has also become the norm lately, the Kings played a much better third period and forced overtime – the fifth consecutive Kings’ game unable to be settled in 60 minutes.
In the final minute of regulation, Dustin Brown and Alexander Frolov had a 2 on 1 and a chance to win it. Brown had Colorado goalie Craig Anderson cheating off the post and elected to to shoot, instead making the anticipated pass to Frolov that was

Read the rest of the article.

Tonight’s blog post is both a statement and a request, because it seems to me like many of us (Kings’ fans) are losing sight of the bigger picture here.
Let me start by saying, I think the Los Angeles Kings have the most loyal and dedicated fanbase in the Southwestern United States by far. We have largely stuck with the team through thick and thin (something that can’t be said for other teams) and this season, we’ve been rewarded with a good team and a playoff berth. The rebuilding process is paying dividends, and we couldn’t be happier about it. This

Read the rest of the article.

A season full of miraculous comebacks and wins; risen from the ashes of bankruptcy, perennial mediocrity and potential relocation. On the surface, the Phoenix Coyotes seem like a nice, heartwarming story. If I was a hockey fan in Arizona I’d be pretty happy with it. For the critical thinking, intelligent hockey fan though, something smells a little fishy. We’re expected to believe that all the sudden a team that finished 13th (technically tied for 14th except for head-to-head) in the West last season are now world beaters with a couple personnel changes and a new coach?
For the record, I’m no

Read the rest of the article.

The Kings have beaten the hated Anaheim Ducks in 4 of 6 games this season, but no win over the Ducks in recent memory is quite as momentous as this one. The Kings at one point trailed this game 3-0 and later 4-1 before roaring back in the third period to tie the game at 4. Dustin Brown, Alexander Frolov, Justin Williams (a highlight reel goal) and Michal Handzus (off a beautiful pass from Williams) had the Kings’ regulation goals.
The overtime period was end to end action, with Erik Ersberg (who relieved Jon Quick after goal #3, in attempt to

Read the rest of the article.

I realize the Kings PR department is beating that phrase into the ground the last month or so, but it’s now official so it’s appropriate: The Los Angeles Kings have clinched a spot in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s a long awaited return for the Kings’ faithful, 8 years to be exact. The last time the Kings tasted postseason, they lost a second consecutive 7 game series to Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche. Felix Potvin was in goal, and the Kings’ top line was that of Jason Allison, Adam Deadmarsh and Zigmund Palffy.
Calgary’s regulation loss to Chicago today,

Read the rest of the article.

Jonathan Bernier stopped all 34 shots he faced for his first career shutout, and Scott Parse and Sean O’Donnell (yes, you read that right) scored third period goals as the Kings beat Nashville for the first time in 8 tries by a score of 2-0. The win reduces the Kings’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth to 6 points in any combination of Kings’ wins and Calgary losses.
Bernier, was outstanding, earning the games first star (an honor he’s gotten in each of his two starts for the Kings this season).
While Terry Murray hasn’t tipped his hand yet, there has

Read the rest of the article.

Two five-on-three power plays: No goals. The penalty kill, which had gone 29 straight chances without allowing a goal, all of the sudden couldn’t stop a junior B power play. This is the least appropriate time of year to have such troubles, and right now, with points at stake in the Western Conference playoff race, it’s flat out costing the Kings games.
Tonight in Minnesota against a Wild team the Kings have flat out owned the past two seasons, special teams were the difference in the game. If the Kings are able to capitalize on just ONE of five power play

Read the rest of the article.

After a promising start to the Kings’ home and home series with Colorado on Monday, the Kings have had difficulty putting together a solid 60 minutes of hockey. Wednesday night the Kings fell behind Colorado 3-1 before roaring back to tie the game and force a shootout. Kings backup goalie Erik Ersberg was perfect in regulation and OT after replacing Jon Quick in the first period (Terry Murray was critical of Quick and I have a hard time understanding why – two of the goals against went off his own defense and the other was a power play one-timer that

Read the rest of the article.

After a couple of dismal performances (there’s other more appropriate but not family friendly ways to say it) against Nashville and Chicago, the Kings managed to get two points the ugly way on Saturday night. In the team’s defense, they were absolutely robbed of at least a point against Nashville last Sunday due to an abysmal call (or non call as it were) that led to the Preds tying goal, but still not a great game and the game against Chicago at home Thursday just flat out stunk.
Saturday night, needing two points to keep place with the rest of the

Read the rest of the article.

To call it a breakout season for Anze Kopitar would be a bit of an understatement. Most of us as Kings’ fans already knew that Kopi was one of the Western Conference – if not the NHL’s elite center-icemen. This season, Kopitar has showed up on the rest of the league’s radar for the first time.
Kopitar, who was easily the best player in the world not at the Vancouver Olympic games, sits with 30 goals and 37 assists with 18 games remaining. I stated both at the beginning of the season and just before the Olympic break that I thought

Read the rest of the article.