Purple Crushed Velvet - LA Kings Blog

Live blog of Kings v. Hawks...on Versus!?

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:53:00 +0000

woah...does Versus realize they're broadcasting a Kings game? I can't even remember the last time Versus showed a Kings game. Hopefully the Kings will have a better outing tonight than what they had on Saturday versus the Predators; Kopitar and Co. have to show the rest of the hockey world what they're missing out on.

Stay tuned shortly for the live blog of the Kings v. Hawks game.

Pre-Game Talk
- I really dislike listening to Joe Beninati. It sounds like he's trying too hard.

awesome pic, courtesy of Bangin Panger

- Oh Chicago, how I wish to never visit that city again.
- Not sure what I think of Blondie...she's ok.

alright boys, let's start this game. 5 bucks on Brown (cleanly) destroying Toews in the first period.

First Period
20:00 - Why is there a bluish hue? I know games always look darker in Chicago, but this is a little much.

18:13 - Neither team has established control; play keeps going back and forth...

17:34 - Chicago had the best chance on a rebound from the outer edge of the circle. But good recovery by Quick to stop the 'Hawks.

17:08 - Nice check by Greene!

16:20 - Nice interception by Brown but Stoll rushed the backhand attempt

15:35 - pretty good cross ice movement by the 'Hawks. Another camera shot of Terry Murray looking like he always does: bored.

14:38 - good stop by Quick (and no rebound!) on a rush by Byfjdoi87lggleen....or whatever his name is.

14:20 - oh Stoll! get it on NET!

13:09 - is it just me or is this game boring? the teams look fairly evenly matched, which means both teams are doing a good job of limiting the opposition to very few chances.

12:30 - Rookie Scott Parse had a decent shot on net. He's definitely been outplaying Teddy Purcell and deserves the spot alongside Stoll and Brown.

11:35 - Fourth line out on the ice....I wonder how the Kings would do with only 3 lines...

10:37 - Kopi had a great takeaway and fed it to Williams who powered it wide...

9:58 - Kane has a very white mouthguard...I'd like to see Brownie rip it out of his mouth.

9:00 - the Handzus-Frolov-Simmonds line had a good shift

8:25 - how the hell does Patrick Sharp have so many points against us??

7:28 - holy shit Quick, could that rebound have been any bigger?? he's lucky the 'Hawks weren't in good position to jump on the puck

6:22 - Shots are even at 9

5:18 - This game reminds me of Saturday's game against Nashville except with a tad bit more energy.

4:24 - the fourth line actually had a short cycle going...

3:48 - Nice defense by Scuderi. He couldn't have played that any better.

2:26 - Parse-Stoll-Brown looking good.....and Brown and Eager both going off for penalties. Brown is usually good at drawing penalties, but this time he got caught diving. Boo!

0:00 - not too much action in this period....Blackhawaks had more chances, but nothing too heart-stopping. I hope this game picks up.

more after the jump....jump!

Second Period
20:00 - Apparently the Blackhawks have scored a ton of second period goals this season. That is not a statistic I enjoy hearing...

18:56 - oh crap, the 'Hawks are on the board. I didn't think Madden had any room left, but somehow he got the puck past Quick despite being at a bad angle. That was not a goal Quick should have allowed.

17:30 - woah, did Greene just make a good defensive play?

16:57 - I'm really sick and tired of hearing about the long change in the second period. Yes, announcers, we know!! You don't have to talk about every single game.

14:19 - I love Simmonds' energy.

13:41 - wow, Purcell, way to go with that great entry and then fanning on your wrist shot.

-Rob Scuderi just gave a thank you message to our armed forces....it's slightly off-putting how little he moves his mouth while talking. It's almost like he's a ventriloquist...but without the puppet.

10:50 - oooooh SNAP! Goal by Kopitar! Great shot from the blueline by The Man, Drew Doughty, and Kopitar was right in front of Huet to jump on the rebound. And this game is tied Bitches!

-I don't understand how the 'Enzyte' commercials are still on the air. Does anyone really believe that this crap works and won't cause your junk to shrivel up or cause you some sort of awful disease? According to Wikipedia:

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has urged the Federal Trade Commission (which has power under federal law to regulate advertising) to disallow further television advertising for Enzyte, because of a lack of proper clinical trials.

Yeah...grossness...and back to the game.

7:09 - Smyth needs to do a better job getting the puck into the 'Hawks end. He can't always skate through 4 players and still end up with control of the puck.

4:34 - oooh, I think Williams got away with holding. Huh, just realized there haven't been many penalties called yet.

4:00 - Jack had a great shot from the point and Handzus got a stick on the rebound but shot it wide.

3:30 - Damn, Stoll had a rocket that went off the crossbar!

2:20 - ahhhh, the close up replay of Stoll's shot was heartbreaking! so close!

0:00 - the last couple minutes of the period were exciting. Smyth chased down the puck to nullify icing and put the puck in the slot, but Kopitar overskated the puck. Then Ebbett had a semi-breakaway on the other end, but lost control of the puck and himself and went crashing into the boards. Back in the 'Hawks end, Simmonds was situated behind the net and fed Handzus out in front, but Huet made a quick stop. Then off the ensuing faceoff, the 'Hawks broke out and Kane split the D causing Scuderi to commit a penalty.

Third Period
20:00 - live blogging during the third will most likely be very sporadic....

18:23 - ok, wow, that was a pretty sweet pass by Sharp...but damn, now the Kings are behind again!

14:56 - ugh...not long after Kopitar was sent to the box, Toews scored a power play goal. There's a reason the Kings are ranked 27th on the penalty kill...slowly moving to 28th.

13:25 - Interference called on Brent Sopel (former King)...time for the Kings to close the gap.

12:42 - son of a --!!! Drew Doughty rang one off the post!

11:23 - that power play seemed to fly by. The Kings couldn't really get anything going on it. Doughty's shot was the best chance the Kings had.

10:40 - killing the penalty gave the 'Hawks an extra surge and the Kings couldn't stop the Hawks from scoring another goal. blerg.

6:29 - where did the Kings go? They have completely disappeared after their pitiful power play attempt. They're lucky it isn't 5-1 or even worse. And now Chicago goes back on the power play to increase their lead. Great. Not exactly the showing I was hoping the Kings would have on a "national" broadcast.

1:38 - this game needs to end. Thank goodness the Kings play Carolina next. But hopefully they don't take the 'Canes lightly.

Kings 1, Preds 3: I'm bad luck

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:49:00 +0000

Today was the third Kings home game I attended this season and the third Kings home loss this season. Is it too much to ask of the Hockey Gods that the Kings win when I go see them play? It's frustrating and it's gotten to the point that my friends are now blaming me for their home losses. I think their goodwill has ended and I won't be seeing anymore free tickets this season. :(

I was really looking forward to today's afternoon game against the Predators, especially since the Kings just came off an awesome 5-2 home win against the Pens on Thursday night. But nooooooo, the Kings couldn't play that well two games in a row. Instead, the Kings were sloppy, off kilter, lackluster, and, quite frankly, unlucky. The teams looked evenly matched, had similar chances, but in the end, the Preds were able to bury more pucks in the net.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NHLI via Getty Images)

Quick, you need to be quicker!

Doughty probably had his second worst game of the season and Kopitar looked off as well. Despite making some good saves throughout the game, Quick looked Slow on the first Preds goal. He also made an ill decision in the third period when he prematurely skated off the ice during a delayed penalty just as the Kings missed a pass at the blueline and the puck went caroming down the rink towards a now empty goal. He tried to skate back in a hurry and then THREW HIS STICK at the puck, which was fruitless since it went wide anyway. I stared in complete disgust thinking, "there goes our man advantage" as Quick was assessed a penalty.

The third Preds goal, which came off a play where Kopitar fell over while skating backwards and ended with an U.G.L.Y. defensive play by Kopi and Quick, was a gut wrencher since the Kings had just got within 1 goal off an awesome slap shot by Stoll that was barely deflected by Brownie. The messy defense on the last Preds goal was just another instance of sloppy play that occurred throughout the game. It was disappointing to see so many offensive passes back to the defensemen slip by them and out of the offensive zone. It was frustrating watching the Kings play without much energy; it's never a good sign when I can count the number of memorable hits on one hand. And it's irritating having to convince my friends, who aren't diehard Kings like myself, that the Kings are actually good this season, despite how boring and awful the game was. I know the Kings are capable of playing great hockey, but games like today worry me that shit's going to hit the fan and the old Kings are going to appear.

But you know what was good about this game? The drinks we had at Trader Vic's before we got to the game. So the next time you're heading to Staples Center for a Kings game, stop by Trader Vic's to fill up on one of their tasty beverages. Don't worry, I won't be at the game, so there's a good possibility that the Kings will win.

Phoenix Again? Blerg.

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:36:00 +0000

You know what's irritating? Watching the Kings play the Coyotes for the third time in just over 4 weeks. The NHL schedule is so wacked out. The Kings and Ducks haven't even faced off yet, and won't till early December, yet the Kings have played Phoenix 3 times and Dallas and San Jose each twice. The season is barely a month old and I'm already sick of other Pacific Division teams. And I don't care how improved and impressive the Coyotes are, I still despise watching them. Thank goodness the New Orleans Saints were on MNF tonight giving me a valid excuse to "watch" the Kings game via the boxscore.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

I'm beginning to like this guy...

sorry about the hateful things I said about you.

It feels good knowing the Kings beat Phoenix, especially since the Yotes always seem to have their number. The win was also sweet since former Kings goaltender, Jason La Barbera, was in net and allowed 4 goals. It doesn't matter how awesome Barbs is off the ice, because once it's game time I never want to see a former Kings player, especially a goaltender, play well against the Kings. Remember when Craig Conroy was traded back to the Calgary Flames a day or two before a Kings/Flames game? He lit up the Kings. I loved Conroy during his short stint with the Kings, but that game was so not cool.

Anyway, my favorite part about live updates on a boxscore is seeing errors in the updates. See below for an example:

The shot was eventually credited to Dustin Brown, but if you don't know who to credit for a shot, hit, penalty, etc. don't post the update till all information is collected. Silly update people.

Glad to see Williams get a goal in his first game back from a hopefully minor injury that won't flare up in the near future. Even though the Kings got points in their past two shootout losses, it's such a relief to see them get 2 points in regulation. 15 games in and the Kings are only 1 point behind San Jose. C'mon Kings, keep up the points streak.

The Backups Get the Cold Shoulder

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:13:00 +0000

Both the BJs and the Kings were playing the second of back-to-back games tonight and both teams elected to play their starting netminders despite both of them playing the previous night. The decisions shine a light on two things: 1. Neither the BJs nor the Kings can be seen as easy opponents and that playing against either team will not result in an automatic 2 points, and 2. Neither Erik Ersberg nor Mathieu Garon have played well enough in previous start(s) to allow the starters a night off.

Of the two starting goaltenders, Steve Mason definitely looked the most suspect after allowing 2 goals on 2 shots 49 seconds apart. Jonathan Quick looked solid at the beginning of the game and kept the Kings up by 2 after stopping Rick Nash on a penalty shot. He looked so calm during the penalty shot and stayed with Nash the entire time, in position to make a blocker save.

There periods of time when Columbus had control of the game, but for the majority of the night the Kings controlled the pace, were disciplined, and overall played very well. At no point were they scrambling to increase their lead, or playing frantically trying to prevent Columbus from tying the game. Whenever Columbus got on the board they continued to play smart and were always able to get one back.

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

woof....that's....gotta hurt

So about that hit..the Kings announcer, Jim Fox, did mention during the first intermission that Scuderi's hit did fall under the "clipping" penalty in the NHL rule book because as is described in the rule book, Scuderi lowered himself in order to hit an opposing player below the knee. Scuderi definitely is not a dirty player; it looked like he timed the hit wrong and lowered himself way too low than would normally be expected for a hip check. It was unfortunate how Chimera fell head over heels and face planted on the ice. However, if the BJs are going to respond to such a hit, they can't have someone jump off the bench. I'm glad with the way the Kings handled themselves in this situation and I'm glad to see that Chimera was ok, especially considering the rash of serious injuries that have occurred in the NHL lately.

The Kings are now on another 4 game winning streak with a couple days off before they face San Jose. Kopitar is on a hot streak, leading the NHL in points, and the rest of the team is finally scoring as well. Can the Kings continue their awesomeness?

Kings v. Coyotes: let's not fail this time

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:09:00 +0000

The Kings have so much trouble playing against the Glendale Phoenix Coyotes. Let's hope tonight's game is a high energy disciplined game. Check my twitter feed for updates on the game. Also, KingsCast, LA Kings Insider, and View from My Seats appear to be tweeting during the game as well.

Then check back after the game for a review of the game.

Kings 1, BJs 4: so disappointing

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:51:00 +0000

What is wrong with the Kings power play? The problem with only using one defenseman on the power play is the risk of the opposition breaking out and being able to completely undress a forward who has to undertake complete defensive responsibilities. Williams got schooled twice in this game, one of which led to Rick Nash's short-handed goal. I don't place blame on Williams because he's a forward and I don't think there's a forward on the Kings roster who could have broken up that play.

(AP Photo)

But using only one defenseman on the power play wasn't the only fault to the Kings' issues while playing with the man advantage since they had much success in the first handful of games this season. Unfortunately the chemistry they had earlier in the season hasn't continued as they've faced teams with solid PK units.

Jonathan Quick looked solid tonight and made some key saves early in the game. He did have one gaffe that almost turned into an easy goal for the Blue Jackets but thankfully he was able to escape an embarrassing situation. Despite being 4-3 so far he's looked pretty good and if he continues to play like he has lately that should instill a lot of confidence in the rest of the team.

But the remaining Kings haven't looked so stellar. After being on a 4 game winning streak they've now dropped 3 consecutive games: passes look sloppy, opportunities are squandered, special teams aren't performing and faceoffs aren't being won. 5-on-5 the Kings are staying competitive, but all-around the Kings need to improve and find the chemistry that previously got them on a winning streak.

To read about the game from the BJ fan perspective check out: Bethany's Hockey Rants, Light the Lamp, Army of the Ohio, Blue Jackets 24/7

2009 Oct 15 - Kings v. Red Wings - Live Blog

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:16:00 +0000

Just got home from work and it's the first intermission. Kings up 1-0. Stay tuned for a live blog of the remaining two periods.

Waiting for the second period to start by educating myself about the magical powers of the wolf shirt.

(source)

Second Period
20:00 awww....there's Brad Stuart!

18:45 - is any team going to take control? uh-oh, Davis Drewiske in the Box.

18:23 - yikes, an f'ing rocket from the blueline by Lidstrom. BTW, how old is that guy??

17:30 - My heart stopped; Bertuzzi hit the post....karmas a bitch isn't it Big Bert?

17:15 - 2-on-1, Doughty all alone

16:42 - Huh, Jason Williams and Justin Williams. That's not confusing at all.

16:26 - crappity crap crap, Wings just tied it. What the...hold on...the Kings get someone kicked out of the faceoff circle and the replacement is Peter HARROLD?! Well, of course he's going to lose the faceoff. Great choice guys.

14:24 - this here some messy hockey, but the Wings have had the better chances and are applying more pressure. I think the only shot on goal the Kings have this period was a shorthanded light backhand shot.

12:19 - Greene and O'Donnell are paired on the ice together.

12:05 - eek, Kopitar got checked at the middle of the ice. Nice extended leg, Cleary. Oooooh, is Terry Murray showing emotion? That might be a first.

11:58 - uhh, wtf. Purcell is sitting in the box right now for too many men on the ice. Let's hope this PK can stonewall the Wings.

11:13 - Just as I was thinking, 'wow, Lidstrom and Rafalski on the blueline', Lidstrom took a slap shot that found its way past Quick. This PK needs to improve Stat!

11:00 - Smyth broke out but couldn't bury it.

9:53 - Wings have outshot the Kings 7-3 in this period.

9:06 - the third line finally gets a cycle going in the Wings zone. Fro passed it to Simmonds who was positioned right in front of Osgood, but he couldn't stuff the puck in the net.

7:50 - backhand by Stoll, but it came from too far out and wasn't strong enough to be too menacing.

7:45 - it seems like the 4th line is getting way too many minutes; are Richardson, Harrold, and Lewis really worth this much ice time?

5:16 - omg, another penalty? and in the offensive zone? Oh F*CK, the ref is Dan Marouelli!! One of the absolute worst refs in NHL history.

Woah, is the Joe Louis Arena really playing 'Single Ladies'?

(source)

3:30 - Bertuzzi just hit the post AGAIN!

3:13 - full strength and it's still 2-1

2:03 - Kings have been blocking a lot of shots, but they haven't been

1:46 - Ahhhhh, another penalty!! It looked like O'D just laid out a hard hit, but somehow it's a penalty. BS. Total BS. Great sales job Holmstrom. Thanks Marouelli.

0:50 - blocked shots, deflections, the puck is flying all over the place!

0:00 - *sigh* the Kings killed the majority of the penalty. Only 16 seconds remain in the penalty and hopefully that'll be the last penalty they take this game. Being shorthanded has killed their chances of establishing momentum and getting their offensive game going. They only had 1 maybe 2 solid scoring chances this period, which is obviously not going to win them any games, especially against Detroit.

woah, I just found out that blogger has an updated editor...this just made my day. ok, back to hockey.

Third Period

19:38 - back at full-strenght. c'mon Kings, let's get another goal and tie this bitch!

19:01 - Hot Damn, Jack fired the puck from inside the blueline and Osgood definitely ducked.

18:33 - Good Job, Brown, way to draw the penalty!! Power Play!!!!!!!!!!

18:06 - another clear by Detroit...get something started Kings.

17:43 - good cycle on the man advantage is foiled by Detroit

17:13 - Purcell shot is deflected and Zetterberg is able to clear the zone.

16:39 - you have to be kidding me!! ARGH! another penalty against the Kings and that was such BS! Stoll's stick was under the Wings' arm because he was holding it!!! I wonder why I've hated Marouelli all these years.

16:36 - fhldajofea;hrfeawhfnvoea;!!!!!! damnit! Wings goal right off the faceoff. OMG, I'm fuming, I can barely even type this.

12:55 - Lidstrom got his 1,000th point...ok that's pretty cool and I think he's awesome. *sigh* I never want him to retire!

11:53 - Doughty got tripped! It's a Kings [insert ad here] Power Play! Detroit fans are booing....seriously asses? You're team is up by 2 goals and that was a clear cut trip, not some BS pseduo penalty.

11:23 - hey, Smyth....stop taking stupid offensive zone penalties!!! did you really have to slash that guy's stick that hard?? It's Marouelli reffing this game, obviously he's going to call anything that is remotely a penalty.

11:03 - hell yes, another Detroit penalty. Good lord, the whistles are getting in the way of the flow of the game.

10:16 - Doughty, Stoll, Kopitar, and Handzus on the 4-on-3....really? That's an odd combination.

8:03 - Woooot!! Shot by O'D that deflected off Lidstrom!! One goal game, let's go boys!

6:50 - Oh, looks like Williams actually got the goal. Good for him.

5:07 - Another Wings goal...that was an ugly series of events by the Kings. How in the world did no King get a stick on it before Maltby was able to fire it from the slot?

4:45 -eek, Kings have an awful record in Detroit in the past 10 games: 1-6-3

3:14 - *tear* another Kings penalty....the sad face has overcome me.

2:13 - Stoll tried to break out and Rafalski "held" him enough to cause Marouelli to call another phantom penalty. Kings power play? I'll take it. But first, some 4-on-4 play where neither team will have completely control the play, which will lead to another failed Kings power play. *sigh* is this game over yet?

1:00 - Quick starts for the bench...

0:05 - Rafalski came out of the box right when Detroit cleared the zone enabling him to have an easy peasy empty net goal.

This game was far from thrilling. A penalty filled game cut into the game's momentum and neither team really had control of the game. Detroit made the most of their power plays and offensive zone faceoffs, which were really the crucial points that secured them the win. The Kings couldn't get anything started on their power plays and, despite being awesome in the faceoff circle last season, did not win important faceoffs tonight, two of which led to goals.

The Kings have a couple days to rest and regroup before they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Hopefully they'll have a better outing and start another winning streak.

Kings World Podcast - Episode 2.1

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Connie and I start our 2nd season of Kings World Podcast with a review of Frozen Fury XII and the first four games of the 2009-2010 season. Even though the Kings start the season with a 3-1-0 record we still aren't completely satisfied with their game. We're worried about the penalty kill and defense and hope the Kings can improve both of those areas of their game. The Kings have 4 games this upcoming week, all on the road, so hopefully we'll be back next week still celebrating a winning record.

You can listen to Episode 2.1 on the audio player on the right, from the Kings World Podcast website, or subscribe to us on iTunes. Please send all feedback and questions to kingsworldpodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

Jack Johnson in NHL2K10 Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:56:00 +0000

I did a double take when I first saw the NHL2K10 commercial.

Yep, that's Jack!

Celebrate Columbus Day by Working

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:25:00 +0000

While the Kings play the NY Islanders on Monday October 12th, 2009 at 11am PST, I'll be at work, doing work stuff, not enjoying my day as I think about how much it sucks to be not watching a Kings game because I'm working on Columbus Day, technically a Federal Holiday.

The NHL shouldn't schedule afternoon games that fall on Federal Holidays that aren't Real Federal Holidays. Columbus Day? Puh-lease.

source*

People will still go to the bank and/or post office not realizing that it's a "holiday". The bus and rail lines will operate on regular schedules. I and all other non-federal employees will have to go to work. This isn't baseball, this isn't Christmas, this isn't even MLK day. An NHL game on Columbus Day should still be played in the evening. Screw you Bettman for making yet another NHL game inaccessible to the masses who enjoy watching a game live.

*P.S. I'm not against Columbus Day, I just think it's funny that people are so against it. I'm all for more holidays, I just wish all Federal Holidays would be mandatory paid holidays for all employers.

Best Damn Hockey Photo

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:28:00 +0000

I was worried Zdeno Chara would be the only hockey representation in the current ESPN magazine. So thank you, ESPN, for featuring other hockey players as well:

Ethan Moreau, Sheldon Souray and Andrew Cogliano

Kings 6, Minny 3: Top Line Gets It Done

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Kings 6, Minny 3

Let's hope the top line continues to produce like they did tonight!

Coyotes Feed On Kings in Home Opener

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:43:00 +0000

Woah, the Kings home opener on Saturday Oct 3rd against the Phoenix Coyotes was one huge disappointment. Kings fans were anxiously waiting for this night because the Coyotes seemed like such easy prey to start off the '09-'10 season with a much wanted win.

Everything before the national anthem set up what was thought to be a great game. LA Live was abuzz with a they're-so-awesome-'cause-it's-so-ridiculous rock cover band and drink and food specials at the numerous restaurants. The Husband and I were tempted to eat at the ESPN Zone but we decided to feast on comfort food at Lawry's because of the smaller crowd and I took advantage of the $3 beer special for fans in a Kings jersey.

LA Live...not too shabby

The server in the Premier section was incredibly attentive, which made ordering through him worth every penny of the half-off retail price I paid for my ticket through StubHub. The pre-game jumbotron celebration of great moments in Kings history set up the moment for the start of the season, the 10th one at Staples Center. But all the momentum kinda came to a screeching halt when national anthem singer Lisa Loeb sang "God Bless America"...woah...what?? Lisa Loeb chose to sing "God Bless America? I know singers have a choice as to which song to sing and I know "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a difficult vocal number with myriad opportunities for failure, but "The Star-Spangled Banner" gives the arena an energy and rush that "God Bless America" does not deliver. Lisa Loeb was fine, nothing extraordinary, nothing horrible, but she did Staples Center, the Kings, and Kings fans no favor by passing over "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the home opener. Of course she is not to blame for the Kings' pitiful outing, but she was the start of many failures over the course of the evening.

The Kings turned over the puck way too many times during the game. Phoenix had a lot of odd-man rushes and easy break outs. The defensemen were much more active on offense than in the past, but it hurt the team when the Kings turned over the puck and there was only one defenseman left to fend off the opposition. Drew Doughty was surprisingly shaky in the game; he was called for two penalties and had several turnovers that left him out of position and scrambling to recover.

Jonathan Quick had two key saves in the game, but other than that looked average. However, it's difficult to gauge his performance given how poorly the Kings played in front of him.

The one highlight of the game was the Kings power play. The Kings scored all three of their goals on the power play and had what seemed like well over half of their scoring chances come while on the man advantage.

It was frustrating to see the Kings try to close the gap on the scoreboard only to have Phoenix immediately regain their multi-goal lead. Watching the Kings lose so decisively sort of felt like the off-season never happened. But I have to believe that the Kings are better than last year. This year the Kings don't have the dead weight of Kyle Calder, Denis Gauthier, and (it pains me to write it) Derek Armstrong. The Kings have 3 very strong lines, and a 4th line that could be beneficial with a promising Trevor Lewis at center. The Kings need to be disciplined and smart, knowing when to take chances and when to stay home and play with more intensity and be more physical. This Kings team is better than what they showed last night and will do better in the future. It's just one game, 81 more to go.

How Long Will it Take for the Sharks to Implode?

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:20:00 +0000

My hermano passed on a FB status from one of his friends:

Sharks look like they spent the entire summer celebrating the Presidents' trophy. One thing is sure: the Sharks are more likely to have a disappointing season than the Kings

sigh Twitter sigh

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 03:07:00 +0000

I always thought I could stay away from Twitter but Connie from A Queen Among Kings finally convinced me that I just had to sign up. You can follow me at Marie_Stiles. I added a Twitter widget to the right sidebar but I think it looks obnoxious so I may remove it.

During Kings games that I watch at home I'll post (tweet?) updates. Otherwise, during non-game days I'll be tweeting (twittering?) random, probably mundane updates. Enjoy!

Limited Time Deal on 200 Level Tickets to Select Kings Games

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:54:00 +0000

I recently subscribed to Groupon email alerts and today's discount is for a wonky fitness center. But the sidebar had a notification for a discount on Kings games: $31 tickets in the 200 level section behind the glass to 3 select Kings games:

Oct 8th v. Minnesota Wild
Oct 25th v. Columbus Blue Jackets
Nov 7th v. Nashville Predators

Click here for the deal.

Frozen Fury XII Recap

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:09:00 +0000

Another Frozen Fury has come and gone and thankfully we only have to wait mere days before the 2009-2010 season opens at home against the Phoenix Coyotes. Unlike last year's Frozen Fury, this year I made it to Vegas Friday afternoon and was able to venture over to the MGM Grand where the Kings held their charity poker tournament.

I was a cheapo this year and opted to stay at an unexciting hotel/(barely existant) casino located just off the strip about 1 mile north of MGM Grand. Since I didn't want to risk getting mugged for the second time in 3 months as we walked 2 blocks through East Rape-town from the hotel to the strip, I left my purse in my hotel room, which meant I didn't bring my camera to the poker tournament. I definitely regret not bringing my camera because some of the players were very accessible as they roamed the perimeter of the tables, patiently stopping and taking pictures with all the female fans who were seconds away from screaming with excitement. Naturally the player who could barely walk two steps before getting stopped was the beloved Frolov (sans wedding ring....what!? put that shit back on!) As I was blindly walking around the tables I almost ran right into a very well-dressed Jack Johnson who looked exceptionally dapper in a charcoal striped suit with a dark plum dress shirt. Jack was definitely looking good.

Connie of A Queen Among Kings managed to snag photos with several players including, Kyle Quincey (who was working it with a questionably tight Hugo Boss shirt that allowed his guns to take center stage), Ryan Smyth (who had a very tough time figuring out how to smile), Rob Scuderi (who looked like his wife dressed him...not that there's anything wrong that), Anze Kopitar, and Alexander Frolov. (Not so) surprisingly, Matt Greene did not make Connie's cut.

As for the actual hockey game there appeared to be fewer people in attendance compared to last year, but the atmoshere was still exceptional. I was particularly excited because it had been way too long since I was at a Kings game. I was pleased to see all the top guys in the lineup with a couple youngsters thrown in there. I was surprised to see possible rookie Alec Martinez teamed up with Drew Doughty, but was disappointed that Thomas Hickey was left off the roster (and sent down to Manchester on Monday).

Quick Attack!

Kevin Westgarth wasted no time in getting the fans out of their seats as he dropped his gloves not even two minutes into the game. The fighters looked even but in pure Westgarth fashion, he clapped as he skated off the ice....love it...but still not sure he should upseat Ivanans nor do I think we need two enforcers in the lineup for every game. Thankfully, the Kings brass agree as Westgarth was assigned to Manchester on Monday. While Westgarth may be a bruiser all the way, you gotta give the Best Fighter Award to Wayne Simmonds, who not only tore up Hendricks, but also ended the game with a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. Last year Oscar Moller and Wayne Simmonds were the players who just eeked out a roster spot. Moller was sent down to Manchester earlier in the month, but Simmonds is holding strong and looked like he improved his game over the off-season.

Even though the Kings controlled most of the first period they looked rusty and weren't able to get any great scoring chances. Colorado actually got on the scoreboard first despite not showing much spark for the other 19:57 of the period. Frolov evened the score, deflecting a rocket from Jack Johnson.

Both teams picked it up in the next two periods and the Kings finally started looking better. Ryan Smyth showed some grit, but I was expecting him to crash the net more. The Kings still rolled with 4 forwards on the power play, alternating Stoll and Williams at the point; the power play was average, which won't cut it in the regular season, so hopefully the guys find their PP rhythm. Teddy Purcell didn't play as well as I thought he would, especially since you have to think he's fighting for a roster spot. He had some bad passes and wasn't contributing much on offense.

I was most impressed with the Kings defense, probably because Denis Gauthier wasn't in the lineup. The only time I noticed Rob Scuderi was during his first shift; analysts have mentioned that if you don't notice Scuderi, then he's doing his job. Drew Doughty was Drew Doughty as he continued to show a lot of poise and smarts and even contributed on offense with a goal. Jack Johnson was also a monster on defense. He looked physically ready and played one of his better games in a Kings uniform. The only defenseman I was not impressed with was Matt Greene. He was a liability in the game as he made some very noticeable mistakes and took bad penalties. He's not Denis Gauthier bad, but sometimes I wonder why he wears the 'A' and received a contract extension last year.

Matt Greene was in the yellow ball

I'm cautiously optimistic about this season, despite my prediction on Puck Daddy that I expect some level of failure from my Kings; I'm a pessimist, I can't help it. Even though the Kings played alright and they got the win, you can never judge an upcoming season by the results of preseason games. It's too easy to say the defense is significantly better or that Quick looked solid enough to lead the Kings into the post-season. Preseason games are so deceiving because of the mixture of players on both teams. But overall I liked what I saw this weekend and Frozen Fury got me even more pumped up for the Kings 2009-2010 season that starts this Saturday in LA. Go Kings!

Frozen Fury XII - Kopitar's GWG

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:46:00 +0000

When the ref signaled for a penalty shot I made sure my camera was on video mode. I handed the camera to the Husband who had a better view and we were able to get a decent shot of Kopitar's Game Winning Goal of Frozen Fury XII:

Wayne Simmonds Made Someone's Head Bleed

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:25:00 +0000

The full Frozen Fury XII recap will come tomorrow. Until then, here are some pictures of the aftermath of the Simmonds v. Hendricks fight from Frozen Fury.

Looks like someone took some fighting lessons during the offseason. It's good to see Simmonds hold his own this year.

One Week Till Frozen Fury

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:14:00 +0000

(source)

which means, only 2 more weeks till the season starts!!!

I still need to get tickets to the home opener....

A 12-Year Deal Sounds Awful

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:33:00 +0000

I think the title of this post says it all. I don't care how good Luongo is right now, I definitely wouldn't want him on my team in 12 years.

(source)

Ummm...wtf...so much could be said...

fighting off urge to make dirty jokes....argh!

I realize all of these long term contracts are really just ways to circumvent the whole salary cap issue while still holding onto your prized possession, but they're ridiculous and I wouldn't want my GM to make these kind of gambles. I think that any contract over 2 years should be converted to dog years. According to the online conversion calculator:

It is a common belief that 1 human year is equal to 7 dog years. That is not very accurate, since dogs reach adulthood within the first couple of years. The formula is: 10.5 dog years per human year for the first 2 years, then 4 dog years per human year for each year after.

So let's say that Luongo, currently 30 years old, has already reached adulthood and that from this point forward every year in his contract equals 4 dog years. I think that's fair. After 12 years of his contract, he would technically be 42 in human years, but in hockey years, which is more like dog years, he would actually be 78!!! WTF?! This scientific conversion proves that this contract really is ridiculous.

Kings World Podcast - Episode 34

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:43:00 +0000

And we're back!

Connie and I recorded our 34th episode of Kings World Podcast. We discuss the various events that have occurred since the end of the '08-'09 season:draft, free-agent signings, trades, and quick season preview. And instead of talking about the Kane incident, Connie thought it would be much more interesting for me to recount my exciting Chicago story.

You can tell that we're trying to get excited for the upcoming season but there are just too many non-hockey days between now and October 3rd, the night of the Kings home opener. You can listen to the podcast from the right sidebar, at our website Kings World Podcast, and/or subscribe through iTunes. We'll be back in a couple weeks...or a month with another episode. Until then send us any comments or questions to kingsworldpodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

New Blog Layout

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:42:00 +0000

I noticed that my blog layout wasn't appearing as I wanted it when viewed on a widescreen monitor. I decided to use a new 3-column layout, which is hopefully easier on the eyes. Let me know what you think! And email me or leave a comment if you want me to include a link to your hockey related blog or website.

Thanks for reading!

LA Kings Hockey Fest

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:00 +0000

I have absolutely zero interest in going to Hockey Fest.

Does this make me a bad Kings fan? I think the main deterrent is the $60 price tag for a three-day pass. I'm all about figuring about the cost-benefit of things and I just don't see a whole lotta benefit for the $60, especially since I don't see any info about free parking.

Is anyone going who is willing to share the reasons for attending?

Frozen Fury XII - Kings v. Colorado - Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (k.m.stiles) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Too much time between now and September 26, 2009

Road Trip to Vegas

Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, and/or Poker?

Best Pre-Season Game

The Only Pre-Season Game Worth Attending

I am so anxious for Frozen Fury XII

Purple Crushed Velvet - LA Kings Blog

Live blog of Kings v. Hawks...on Versus!?

Kings 1, Preds 3: I'm bad luck

Phoenix Again? Blerg.

The Backups Get the Cold Shoulder

Kings v. Coyotes: let's not fail this time

Kings 1, BJs 4: so disappointing

2009 Oct 15 - Kings v. Red Wings - Live Blog

Kings World Podcast - Episode 2.1

Jack Johnson in NHL2K10 Commercial

Celebrate Columbus Day by Working

Best Damn Hockey Photo

Kings 6, Minny 3: Top Line Gets It Done

Coyotes Feed On Kings in Home Opener

How Long Will it Take for the Sharks to Implode?

*sigh* Twitter *sigh*

Limited Time Deal on 200 Level Tickets to Select Kings Games

Frozen Fury XII Recap

Frozen Fury XII - Kopitar's GWG

Wayne Simmonds Made Someone's Head Bleed

One Week Till Frozen Fury

A 12-Year Deal Sounds Awful

Kings World Podcast - Episode 34

New Blog Layout

LA Kings Hockey Fest

Frozen Fury XII - Kings v. Colorado - Vegas

sigh Twitter sigh