tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1783430533181584722012-01-29T20:56:59.748-08:00MayorsManor - LA Kings blog providing hockey news, views and interviews from The Mayor. Your source for inside information and opinions, covering the prospects to the pros.The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.comBlogger13751100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-58294181226125123162012-01-29T10:07:00.000-08:002012-01-29T10:09:17.326-08:00

We probably should have known it was bound to happen, as Kings goaltending prospect JF Berube used to have UFC champion Georges St-Pierre prominently featured on one of his masks. And while it wasn't an MMA fight, it did look like a preview for tonight's WWE Royal Rumble, when a fantastic brawl broke out during last night's Bakersfield Condors and Ontario Reign game. The video below is about as

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-10661910713683031962012-01-29T09:50:00.000-08:002012-01-29T20:56:59.765-08:00

Earlier today we posted the results of the NHL 12 simulations using the All Star teams selected by Dustin Penner and Jack Johnson. If you missed it, Team Johnson defeated Team Mayor 8-5. In the other contest, the Pennermaniacs went down in overtime, 5-4. Now, we have the results of the third and final game using the rosters put together from the mock draft with LA Kings tough guy Kevin Westgarth

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-19632187457482869352012-01-29T08:49:00.000-08:002012-01-29T20:56:30.145-08:00

In an article the other day, where we did mock All-Star Game drafts with several of the Kings, Dustin Penner wanted to know if the teams selected were going to be loaded into NHL12 to see who would win. Although that wasn't part of the plan, a longtime MayorsManor reader emailed to let us know he in fact did it. So, the results are available - with scoring summaries, goalie stats, video

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-62907646413510641582012-01-28T22:06:00.000-08:002012-01-28T22:23:33.197-08:00

Jonathan Quick is the Kings' lone representative at this weekend's NHL All-Star Game - and the team's first goalie to receive such an honor in thirty years. As part of tonight's Skills Competition, Quick first participated in the 'fastest skater' challenge, opposing Jimmy Howard from the Detroit Red Wings. Take a look... Here are some other video highlights from throughout the evening: - What

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-29153947807983472302012-01-27T18:50:00.000-08:002012-01-27T18:51:32.200-08:00

Was it really this bad when the All-Star Game was held in Los Angeles back in 2002? Is it because the event was held in 'hockey crazed' Canada? Or has the whole thing just turned into a nutty media thing, ala the Super Bowl? Watch as Kings goalie Jonathan Quick attempts to answer some - interesting? - questions... Thanks to Kings Vision for supplying the video content. The Mayor

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-54951858490012747792012-01-27T12:35:00.000-08:002012-01-27T18:58:19.944-08:00

After watching the video below you'll understand why it doesn't need much of an introduction. Just sit back and enjoy as Drew Doughty, Matt Greene, Anze Kopitar and Mike Richards try to move from athletes to big-time celebrities. You should be warned though - when it's over, you'll surely be humming 'wristshot, slapshot, backhand, goal' for the rest of the day. The Fame Makers with the Los

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-24223235948097587482012-01-27T06:25:00.000-08:002012-01-27T11:22:13.269-08:00

Kevin Gravel (photo: B Hemmelgarn) When you're taken in the fifth round of the NHL Draft, not many hockey fans know you're name. Even the most diehard puckheads have only a cursory knowledge of guys selected outside of the first - maybe second - round. For every Brayden Schenn, there's at least a dozen more like Jeff Shevalier, Peter Hogan and Greg Hogeboom. Yet, players like Jamie Benn, Rob

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-91839732819223031162012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:002012-01-27T00:12:08.857-08:00

Below is a short video with goalie Jonathan Quick after being selected with the third pick by Team Alfredsson at the NHL All-Star Game Fantasy Draft. After watching him answer some questions from the media, be sure to click the link under the player to see a special message he taped just for LA Kings fans. Brief message from Quick after day one of his NHL All Star experience - play here. The

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-23441609110976428742012-01-26T07:54:00.000-08:002012-01-26T11:25:05.640-08:00

If you've been following along here on MayorsManor this week, you've read the mini-mock drafts by Daniel Alfredsson, Jack Johnson, Dustin Penner and Kevin Westgarth. Now it's your turn. If you were one of the captains at this year's NHL All Star Game, who would you take with your first selection at tonight's All Star Fantasy Draft? We'll assume in an offensive oriented game like the one to be

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-9750835678308322132012-01-26T06:42:00.000-08:002012-01-26T11:19:36.285-08:00

Later tonight, Daniel Alfredsson and Zdeno Chara will draft their All-Star teams from a group of 38 NHL players, live on TV. After watching the inaugural event last season, it definitely put a unique twist on things. No other sport does such a thing. And for a change, that's a good thing for the NHL. By now, you've probably already read the mock draft we did with Alfredsson earlier this week.

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-78687581550446820862012-01-25T22:38:00.000-08:002012-01-26T01:42:08.221-08:00

Last season, the Kings had only four days off for the NHL All-Star Game. While they may not have been much time, several players took the opportunity to get out of LA. For example, Kyle Clifford flew back to Toronto to see some family. Taking a shorter trip was Matt Greene, who went out to Pioneertown. So, with Jonathan Quick away for this weekend's festivities in Ottawa, what are some of his

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-60871918081235046602012-01-24T16:16:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:37:57.822-08:00

Sometimes you get lucky. Back in November 2010, sitting in the locker room in El Segundo, after some otherwise meaningless weekday practice, Kevin Westgarth and I were chatting about his rookie season in the NHL. Down the aisle about five stalls away was the only other player there at the time - Kyle Clifford. During one of Westgarth's many stories, the usually quiet Clifford piped up and

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-66123100494502053232012-01-24T08:40:00.000-08:002012-01-24T09:45:03.024-08:00

Below are full comments from coach Darryl Sutter's post game press conference following the Kings 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. See if you can pull out a few of his popular three-word Sutterisms... On the balanced effort from the team - "We got lots from... probably half of our shots came from our defense. The power play scored a big goal in the second, and a penalty-shot goal." On the

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-19726582912124587222012-01-24T08:03:00.000-08:002012-01-24T08:09:08.686-08:00

Although the Senators arrived in LA coming off a loss to the Ducks on Saturday, they hadn't dropped back to back games in regulation since early November. On the flip side though, they had only beaten the Kings once in LA and that was more than a decade ago. Oh, and you want another stat? LA is one of only two NHL cities where their leading point producer, Jason Spezza, had never potted a goal (

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-72294878057598209572012-01-23T23:39:00.000-08:002012-01-24T07:41:37.277-08:00

Led by Kyle Clifford's first Gordie Howe hat trick, the Kings downed the Senators 4-1 tonight and improved their record to 11-1-1 vs. Ottawa. The video below includes some great saves by Jonathan Quick, Trevor Lewis taking a penalty shot - plus goals by Willie Mitchell, Clifford and Jack Johnson. If you'd like to watch Clifford's first period fight with Zenon Konopeka, click here. Daniel

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-23395715467637317502012-01-23T15:13:00.000-08:002012-01-23T15:16:34.410-08:00

In the last meeting between the Kings and Senators (on November 22, 2010), Anze Kopitar opened the scoring 10 minutes into the first period. LA eventually lost that game 3-2. It stands as Kopitar's only goal vs Ottawa in four career games. How have some of his teammates fared? Dustin Brown - no goals in six games Justin Williams - five goals in 27 games Dustin Penner - three goals in six games

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-36384508188386607162012-01-23T07:11:00.000-08:002012-01-23T08:07:36.029-08:00

Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson has played 1,100 game in a Senators uniform. Just 18 of those match-ups have been against the LA Kings. So, saying it's a team he doesn't know very well is an understatement. Still, it didn't take him but more than a few seconds when I asked if he had any memories from those games. "We had one game in Ottawa. I think we ended up losing, but we were up by four or

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-33056953263085316992012-01-23T06:37:00.000-08:002012-01-23T11:59:46.098-08:00

When the Kings last met up with the Ottawa Senators, then-rookie Kevin Westgarth had what Jim Fox described as, 'his first true heavyweight scrap.' On the other end of that dance was veteran Chris Neil, who was celebrating his 600th National Hockey League game that night. Later this evening, Neil will meet the Kings again - this time, fresh off of playing in his 700th NHL game over the weekend.

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-35856754270785508082012-01-22T10:55:00.000-08:002012-01-23T01:29:28.675-08:00

Colorado's Giguere and Mueller In two previous games vs. the Kings this season, the Avalanche were out shot by a wide margin, yet still came away with victories each time. Last night, Colorado out shot LA 31-26 and 16 of the Avs' 18 skaters registered at least one shot. They also won the game 3-1, with the final contest of the four-game season series set for February 22 in Denver. After the

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-83734955904865086362012-01-22T09:24:00.000-08:002012-01-23T01:26:30.799-08:00

The Kings had a chance to move into first place in the Pacific Division with a win last night. However, it wasn't meant to be. In front of the 24th straight home sellout, LA lost nearly every statistical category - including hits, shots, faceoffs and goals. After the 3-1 Colorado win, here's what they were saying back in the Kings locker room... Captain Dustin Brown: On the overall game - "It’

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-15982692804498943452012-01-21T23:46:00.000-08:002012-01-23T01:07:54.636-08:00

Earlier tonight, the Kings lost to the Avalanche for the third time this season. Colorado had goals from Cody McLeod, Peter Mueller and Gabriel Landeskog. Contrary to Jack Johnson's pre-game prediction, it was Anze Kopitar who scored first for the Kings (and it was also the only time they were able to sneak one past JS Giguere). Jonathan Quick entered the season 7-0-1 vs the Avs in his career,

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-9314990847203316282012-01-21T16:34:00.000-08:002012-01-21T16:36:11.692-08:00

Earlier today we posted comments from coach Darryl Sutter, who pointed out the Kings have out shot the Avs by a wide margin this season, but have lost both games. Tonight marks game three of the four-game season series. In sharp contrast to Brad Richardson - who seems to love playing against his former team - Jack Johnson has only recorded points in one home game vs Colorado in his career (two

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-2518153633791208992012-01-21T07:22:00.000-08:002012-01-21T07:22:00.075-08:00

As the Kings and Avalanche enter tonight, both teams have played 48 games. The somewhat surprising statistic is that Colorado has actually won more of them, 25 to LA's 23. Most people were expecting the Kings to contend for the Pacific Division crown this year, while Avs coach Joe Sacco was rumored to be on the hot seat just last month. Both teams are taking an average of 31 shots per game. Yet,

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-56541571468233920512012-01-21T06:32:00.000-08:002012-01-21T06:32:00.212-08:00

Trevor Lewis (photo: D. Sheehan) Trevor Lewis has played in all 15 games since coach Darryl Sutter took over on December 22 against the Ducks. That's a bit of contrast from the 15 games prior, where then-coach Terry Murray only put him in the line-up for six and scratched him for the other nine games. The former first round draft pick has been playing primarily with Brad Richardson and Andrei

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-74067867957119081282012-01-21T06:01:00.000-08:002012-01-21T06:01:00.082-08:00

Dustin Penner and pancakegate is turning into one of the longest running story lines of the season. Of course, everybody knows about the open letter he wrote here on MayorsManor (if you don't, where have you been?). And as the Kings made their way through Western Canada on their most recent road trip, it was a hot topic among fans, the media...and even among the home teams. While he says he

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-3272880951211882852012-01-20T17:26:00.000-08:002012-01-20T18:10:00.463-08:00

Bernier at practice (photo: David Sheehan) Goalie Jonathan Bernier has started just eight of the Kings' 48 games last year. However, it's not his 3-4-1 record that is holding him back from getting more playing time - it's starter Jonathan Quick, who is posting such incredible numbers that he's starting to generate discussions about being a possible Vezina Trophy candidate. So, what does all

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-40694397320480498712012-01-19T16:32:00.000-08:002012-01-19T16:33:19.974-08:00

A few pregame notes on tonight's Kings-Flames match-up at The Stapler... - LA has beaten Calgary three straight games at home, all by the final score of 2-1. - Curtis Glencross, the Flames leading goal scorer (with 18) was sent back to Calgary after suffering a lower body injury in San Jose on Tuesday. - The Flames are expected to have four former Kings in the line-up tonight (and it could

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-56586863998168104892012-01-19T13:07:00.000-08:002012-01-19T13:09:06.971-08:00

Nick Deslauriers (photo: Scott Slingsby) About 400 miles down the Atlantic coast, gym-tan-laundry is all the rage. Yet, for Kings prospect Nick Deslauriers, it's more about training, eating and shopping when he's not at the rink. Earlier this week, we spoke by phone and talked about his adjustment to the AHL, as well as his first professional goal - scored last Sunday in front of the hometown

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-56034462669396100252012-01-17T10:36:00.000-08:002012-01-19T13:05:37.120-08:00

Several teams around the NHL have gone through painful rebuilds over the last decade, with a few already cashing in and finding success. Pittsburgh is typically the franchise most point to for how to 'get it right.' More recently, the Blackhawks have been receiving praise, having won the Stanley Cup in 2010. Entering the season, many considered the Los Angeles Kings to be on the threshold of

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-30684793813554727032012-01-16T12:15:00.000-08:002012-01-16T12:19:37.909-08:00

Pennermania continues... Fresh off his recent run of all things pancakes - including his open letter to the fans and media - Dustin Penner is back in a fantastic video put together by the guys at Kings Vision. He interviews his LA Kings teammates on a variety of topics, with references to Tebowing, goaltending, signing autographs, hair loss, cologne and much more. Linked below are several

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-87446362507675210982012-01-15T21:23:00.000-08:002012-01-15T21:25:20.683-08:00

Here's some video from inside the Kings locker room after their 2-1 overtime loss to the Oilers in Edmonton tonight. As you'll see, a shirtless Drew Doughty called the team 'brutal' for the first two periods, Rob Scuderi said there was a 'lack of preparation' to start the game (a common theme the last few games) and Darryl Sutter even chimed in with a few thoughts as well. Take a look... Last

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-16464830604653225992012-01-15T11:13:00.000-08:002012-01-15T11:14:29.176-08:00

The last few days have been a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly for the LA Kings. After a disappointing loss to the Stars on Thursday - a game the Kings were leading with less than six minutes to go in regulation - they bounced back with a big win in Calgary last night. The 'Dome hasn't been good to them in recent years, with only one win there in 11 prior games. Just before leaving for

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-90377464607713756422012-01-15T10:09:00.000-08:002012-01-15T10:11:58.206-08:00

As mentioned the other day, the open letter Dustin Penner provided here on MayorsManor has been getting major press across North America. Dustin Brown and Mike Richards both tweeted about it. Plus, the story has already been featured on sites like the Edmonton Journal, the Calgary Herald, Puck Daddy's Yahoo Sports blog, Canada's National Post newspaper, NESN (Boston area sports network), the

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-32130736742783343852012-01-14T22:30:00.000-08:002012-01-15T21:35:32.867-08:00

LA Kings coach Darryl Sutter puts together some great press conferences. Tonight was no different. After the Kings picked up just their second win in Calgary in 12 tries, he addressed the media and dropped in some new Sutterisms - like, 'It's a struggle' (when talking about the Kings playing with a lead), 'Hot at home' (when describing the Flames recent play) and the crown jewel was 'Park and

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-67330506247979711672012-01-14T18:31:00.000-08:002012-01-15T21:37:01.733-08:00

After the LA Kings had their traditional game day skate in Calgary today, several players - including Jack Johnson and Colin Fraser - spoke with the local media and answered questions about coach Darryl Sutter. VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP (plus notes on Mike Cammalleri and some Sutterisms) To watch what the Flames players had to say about Mike Cammalleri returning to the team, click here.  They also

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-36531000908619637522012-01-14T13:13:00.000-08:002012-01-14T13:16:08.515-08:00

Defenseman Alec Martinez (photo by: Dinur) Second year defenseman Alec Martinez is not expected to be in the line-up tonight when the Kings take on the Flames in Calgary. In fact, after coach Darryl Sutter took over, Martinez sat out the next six games in favor of Slava Voynov. Once the Russian rookie was injured, #27 was given a chance to play. In the next four game, Martinez posted zero

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-69629682897737788172012-01-13T12:45:00.000-08:002012-01-14T02:32:00.961-08:00

LA Kings forward Mike Richards wasn't the only one with a lot to say prior to the Kings leaving for Calgary today. Coach Darryl Sutter shared thoughts on Anze Kopitar's health, the instigator rule, his return to Calgary, the Kings schedule and much more. For you soundbite readers, here's a taste of the three-word Sutterisms - 'going to live' (status of Kopitar), 'moved past it' (his return to

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-14084964137862179072012-01-13T12:25:00.000-08:002012-01-14T02:20:16.655-08:00

After the game last night, Kings forward Mike Richards wasn't happy with the instigator penalty he was assigned in his fight with Stars' captain Brenden Morrow. Prior to the Kings boarding a plane for Calgary, he had a chance to speak about the entire incident at the Kings training facility in El Segundo... On the overall situation - "I think the most frustrating thing is if the NHL is trying

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-53716415260169791532012-01-13T09:03:00.000-08:002012-01-13T09:06:54.067-08:00

Another Kings-Stars game and they needed more than 60 minutes to decide things. Big surprise. Among the things these two teams have become known for over the last few years would be close games, usually decided by just one goal, and wild comebacks by either side. Last night featured both. The Stars went up 2-0 before the Kings began chipping away at things - even doing the unthinkable,

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-7576530488242684362012-01-13T00:09:00.000-08:002012-01-15T21:37:49.190-08:00

At the 12:12 mark of the third period - with the LA Kings leading by a goal - Stars' captain Brenden Morrow put a hit on Anze Kopitar as he was trying to come from behind the net and possibly wrap around the goaltender. Kopitar did not return to the game, due to something coach Darryl Sutter described as 'a bloody nose' during his post game presser. Mike Richards went after Morrow and ended up

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-61540126282590942762012-01-12T23:25:00.000-08:002012-01-14T02:25:16.578-08:00

The LA Kings spotted the Dallas Stars a two goal lead in the first period, trailed 3-2 after forty minutes, then managed to lose a 4-3 lead with less than six minutes in regulation. In the end, it was home ice loss via a shootout. After the game, here's what a few of the players had to say... Captain Dustin Brown on the overall game - "We didn’t get off to a good start. Came back, found a way

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-34110655091466556112012-01-12T15:09:00.000-08:002012-01-14T02:26:17.221-08:00

Last night Dustin Penner offered an 'open letter' on MayorsManor to explain his side of what went down with his recent back injury and the surrounding media attention related to his eating of some 'delicious pancakes.' That story has gone somewhat viral since, with references and links on the Edmonton Journal, Puck Daddy's Yahoo Sports blog, Canada's National Post  newspaper, Spector's Hockey,

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-24843024014745444602012-01-12T14:03:00.000-08:002012-01-14T02:21:57.990-08:00

As mentioned last hour, Kings GM Dean Lombardi was a guest earlier today on Mark Spector's radio show up in Edmonton. We've already posted his apology to the Oilers over how he reacted to the fallout of the Ryan Smyth trade last summer. Now, here's what he had to say about coach Darryl Sutter and the recent transformation that has seen the team go 6-1-3... On why the coaching change has worked

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-4760183399367776672012-01-12T13:27:00.000-08:002012-01-12T22:20:36.081-08:00

Did you think we had heard the last of Mulletgate? If so, you were wrong. With the Kings scheduled to travel to Edmonton this weekend - for the first time this season - GM Dean Lombardi was a guest today on Mark Spector's radio show (Team 1260, Edmonton). As usual, Lombardi had plenty to say. For example, here were his comments when asked if he and Oilers' GM Steve Tambellini had mended fences.

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-55678902398525714982012-01-12T09:08:00.000-08:002012-01-12T09:12:46.790-08:00

In early December, the NHL announced that next season would bring a radical realignment to the conference format and post-season schedule. The league was to split into four conference, no divisions, and the first two rounds of the playoffs were to be contested within the conference. This would be similar to how the playoffs worked in the 'Gretzy Era' - when the Kings would often meet up with

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-85390743137341046962012-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:002012-01-19T15:03:32.565-08:00

As most of you know, Kings' left wing Dustin Penner has been a frequent guest on MayorsManor since arriving in Los Angeles last February. He's often brought a great sense of humor and insight to this site when talking about hockey and life in general. A lot has gone down though since he was a last minute scratch against the Columbus Blue Jackets this past Saturday. The following 'open letter'

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-61778652673065162602012-01-11T08:19:00.000-08:002012-01-11T08:24:19.820-08:00

Below is a short video that covers a lot of ground, as Kings goalie Jonathan Quick talks about three of his masks - the traditional black and silver one he wears most games, the 'Rogie Vachon' model worn with the purple and yellow vintage jerseys and the Team USA mask he took to the Olympics in 2010. Check it out... For more articles on Kings goaltenders and their masks, click here to read an

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-48996223720949092992012-01-10T09:29:00.000-08:002012-01-10T09:29:50.433-08:00

We have one final pair of tickets to giveaway for tonight's Meet the Players Party. If you'd like to snap a pic or get an autograph from - or even just say hi to - your favorite LA Kings player, you'll want these tickets. Entering is easy. In honor of Jack Johnson striking a Tebow pose as part of his post-goal celebration last night, we want to see you 'doing the Tebow' in your Kings jersey.

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-70996563477202000912012-01-10T08:38:00.000-08:002012-01-10T08:48:03.500-08:00

Only a few players in the NHL are as synonymous with their teams as Alex Ovechkin is with the Washington Capitals. It's nearly impossible to think of one without the other. He's played the LA Kings just seven times in his career though, winning the first two meetings and now having dropped five straight - after last night's lopsided 5-2 loss. When the dust settled, here's what they were saying

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-87489035925636219282012-01-09T23:19:00.000-08:002012-01-10T00:39:34.471-08:00

Goal celebrations may be on the decline in the NFL, yet the LA Kings sure seem to be getting into the act. Fresh on the heels of Drew Doughty and Jarret Stoll doing the 'love tap' celebration a few weeks ago in Chicago, defenseman Jack Johnson posed for a quick 'Tebow' after he found the back of the net tonight vs. Washington... After the game, Johnson explained it this way - "Have some fun

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-85618116836953194412012-01-09T17:33:00.000-08:002012-01-09T17:34:22.651-08:00

The Capitals will be without forward Nicklas Backstom and defenseman Mike Green tonight, as they flew back to D.C. earlier today with nagging injuries.  Kings forward Mike Richards certainly won't be crying over their absence. He's played against both guys enough in his career to know the damage they can inflict on their opponents. In fact, Richards has played more games against the Capitals

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-38707043229424503332012-01-09T17:02:00.000-08:002012-01-09T17:03:40.567-08:00

Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (photo: M. Zampelli) With the Capitals in town for a game against the Kings tonight, it's one of those rare opportunities to see Alex Ovechkin on the West Coast. Although he's played over 500 games in the NHL, only six of them have come against the Kings - split evenly, with three on the road and three at home. He has six points in those six games (two goals and four

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-21006099457356300262012-01-09T14:30:00.000-08:002012-01-09T14:31:38.023-08:00

As noted several times here on MayorsManor over the last few seasons, there has been a slow migration around the NHL away from relying so heavily on Canadian junior prospects. Conversely, we've seen a substantial increase in American-born players being taken in the first and second rounds of the NHL Draft. The Kings are right near the top when it comes to U.S. players currently on the team and/

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-29867806674479345942012-01-08T18:24:00.000-08:002012-01-08T18:26:49.075-08:00

It took Wayne Gretzky a full year of playing in LA before he was invited to host NBC's Saturday Night Live.  Darryl Sutter hasn't even been the coach of the Kings for three weeks, yet one of his recent press conferences made its way into a skit last night... Even so, Sutter's best presser to date has to be this one. The Mayor www.twitter.com/MayorNHL www.facebook.com/MayorsManor 

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-88802698898605091502012-01-07T21:31:00.000-08:002012-01-07T21:32:13.619-08:00

Coach Darryl Sutter suffered his first regulation loss since stepping behind the Kings' bench a few weeks ago, with a record of 5-1-3 after today's 1-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sadly, his post-game presser was not filled with as many of his three-word answers as we've come to expect - little things of beauty, which are quickly becoming popular around these parts. The best one today

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-91094523041590070892012-01-07T18:11:00.000-08:002012-01-07T21:09:30.636-08:00

There's a reason why the expression 'scoreboard' is often used among sports fans wanting to talk smack - because it never lies and usually trumps all other arguments, at least when speaking about a specific game. The Kings should be able to score at least one goal when they spend 13:36 on the power play in a game against the NHL's 29th ranked penalty kill. They didn't today and the lost to

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-82023188955373696132012-01-07T17:22:00.000-08:002012-01-07T20:41:11.188-08:00

For the first time in the Darryl Sutter era, the Kings lost a game in regulation on Saturday. It probably wasn't that surprising, for the last few seasons the Kings have rarely shown up for afternoon games. For the third game in a row LA failed to score more than one goal - and, in fact, didn't have any goals. It was the second time they've been shut out in their last five games and fifth time

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-84750555958302260562012-01-07T11:25:00.000-08:002012-01-07T11:25:30.487-08:00

Are you as good as Dustin Brown? Prior to Thursday's game against the Coyotes he came on MayorsManor and predicted Drew Doughty would score the first goal for the Kings. Not only did #8 find the back of the net, it stood as the game winner. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Doughty and Jarret Stoll doing another one of their 'love tap' goal celebrations though. Today, we'll be running

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-24138694252997418402012-01-06T13:09:00.000-08:002012-01-06T18:35:31.228-08:00

Drew Doughty scored his third goal of the season - and the only goal of the game. Enjoy... The Mayor www.twitter.com/MayorNHL www.facebook.com/MayorsManor 

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-44556661822585507702012-01-06T12:12:00.000-08:002012-01-06T18:33:20.276-08:00

For the third time this season, the Kings defeated the Coyotes last night. LA defenseman Jack Johnson described it as a 'boring 0-0 game' - but Drew Doughty managed to sneak one past Mike Smith in overtime, pushing the season series to 3-1 in favor of the Kings. Afterwards, Coyotes coach Dave Tippett and captain Shane Doan weren't too happy about the way things went down... Tippett on the

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-5939408127623911512012-01-05T23:00:00.000-08:002012-01-05T23:08:08.929-08:00

With tonight's 1-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes, goalie Jonathan Quick has run his record to 6-0-2 in his last eight games - with a 1.20 goals-against average and .956 save percentage. After the game, he shared this... On his shutout - "That’s great in all. We got two points tonight, it’s huge and that is what we are really looking at. It doesn’t matter how we do it, as long as we are getting

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-73387767704037123942012-01-05T22:51:00.000-08:002012-01-08T21:46:17.062-08:00

After a little initial confusion, less than a minute into overtime, Drew Doughty's goal stood and the Kings beat the Phoenix Coyotes by the final score of 1-0. Here's what he had to say back in the locker room... On the game-winning goal - "It was huge. Obviously, I haven’t been scoring a lot this year and I finally contributed on the score sheet with a goal for the team and most importantly

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-16004778976576177692012-01-05T16:45:00.000-08:002012-01-05T16:45:00.180-08:00

For the past few seasons we've hosted a 'First Goal Game' contest on twitter and facebook for LA Kings home and road games. Each night, one random winner is selected from all correct entries and a prize is awarded - things like t-shirts, game tickets, etc. At practice yesterday we asked a few of the Kings players who they would pick in the first goal contest. The question was simple enough - 

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-83295058781398215832012-01-05T16:25:00.000-08:002012-01-05T16:31:11.488-08:00

It's only been a few weeks since the Kings coaching change, but some of Darryl Sutter's answers have been real gems. They're often short and seem to write their own headlines. For example, I recently asked Sutter if he had any comment about the hoopla surrounding rookie Andrei Loktionov playing at center or wing earlier this seasons. And what pearls of wisdom did the coach lay on me?  'I don't

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-82396780141458483902012-01-05T15:13:00.000-08:002012-01-05T15:14:34.867-08:00

Just when you think you know the answer to the Kings goaltending depth, leave it to Jeff Zatkoff to change the question. Originally selected by the team in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft, it was starting to seem like he was slipping a bit in the organization's overall rankings. Obviously, Jonathan's Quick and Bernier have solidified their place with the big club. However, even last year

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-793995908945288672012-01-05T07:44:00.000-08:002012-01-05T07:56:56.500-08:00

Since Darryl Sutter took over the coaching reigns of the Kings, they've scored three or more goals in two of the seven games. That's an improvement from where they had been, having only done it twice in the fifteen games prior.  However, they've also had three games with one goal or fewer. Yet, somehow, they're 4-0-3. Yes, they're still struggling to score goals. But, with an undefeated

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-57662624832641107832012-01-05T07:07:00.000-08:002012-01-05T07:56:12.987-08:00

Three games into the Kings' six-game season series with the Coyotes it's been exactly what you'd expect from two division rivals - tight, close battles. They split a pair of games in October, with the Kings shutting out the Coyotes 2-0 in the first contest and losing 3-2 in a shootout a little over a week later. Both those games were in Phoenix. Then, the day after Christmas, Staples Center

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-79219981318040455992012-01-04T21:28:00.000-08:002012-01-05T02:16:24.595-08:00

Late in the game Monday night vs. Colorado, with LA on a power play, Dustin Brown was hit in the head with a puck right in front of the net. It was a play that may have gone largely unnoticed, except for when the Kings captain went to skate after the puck in the corner, he fell down and seemed out of it as he skated to the bench moments later. Coach Darryl Sutter gave one of his (gaining in

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-10197045161742263862012-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:002012-01-04T22:14:12.436-08:00

As reported earlier today, Bernie Nicholls was an on-ice guest at Kings practice this morning. He knows new coach Darryl Sutter well, having played for him with two different organizations - then, sticking around to 'help out' with the Sharks after he retired. We already took a look at what Nicholls had to say about his former coach. Now, we turn to some comments from Sutter and Kings center

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-65250758291687180982012-01-04T12:38:00.000-08:002012-01-04T21:05:55.300-08:00

There was a surprise guest at LA Kings practice today. When all was said and done, the full picture surrounding Bernie Nicholls' appearance was still a bit cloudy. However, in his own words, it was 22-below back in Ontario yesterday, so he couldn't get here fast enough. When asked how long he'll be here, he offered a simple, "I have no idea." For just about every other question - including his

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-28181588179858211852012-01-03T12:32:00.000-08:002012-01-03T22:44:29.453-08:00

Jeff Zatkoff has reemerged as the top goalie in Manchester. For those unfamiliar with the goaltending situation with the Kings top farm team, the Manchester Monarchs (AHL), here's a quick, watered down version... Jonathan Bernier was the starting goalie there two years ago. Zatkoff was his understudy and was expected to be the number one guy last season. Things started out that way.  Yet, 

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-10756553589192063332012-01-02T23:31:00.000-08:002012-01-02T23:33:02.349-08:00

The Colorado Avalanche trailed the LA Kings in shots 12-5 after the first period. The game was scoreless.  LA was up 1-0 after 40 minutes and led in shots 21-12. Then, with less than six minutes remaining in the game, Ryan O'Reilly scored to tie it. Nothing happened in overtime. And the Avs' Milan Hejduk - a Kings killer his whole career - scored the only goal in the shootout. After Colorado's

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-73607098810338409682012-01-02T23:12:00.000-08:002012-01-02T23:49:58.763-08:00

LA Kings center Jarret Stoll couldn't deliver one of his patented shootout goals and the Kings fell to the Colorado Avalanche 2-1. For the night, Stoll had two shots on goal, four hits and one blocked shot in 18:12 of total ice time. After the game he shared the following comments... On when he was clipped in the face with a high stick late in overtime - "It's just one of those plays. We have

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-274414833883211662012-01-02T07:33:00.000-08:002012-01-02T07:33:01.679-08:00

Last December, Dustin Brown was voted the Kings' Player of the Month - topping Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Quick in the voting.  This time around, two of those three will almost surly be the two vote-getters and Brown may even repeat as winner. We shall see. Overall, the team went 7-6-2, which isn't that dissimilar to their 6-5-2 record in November.  However, it was really the tale of two halves,

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-70234349551423553952012-01-01T18:27:00.000-08:002012-01-01T18:30:26.862-08:00

Yes, it's January 1st, which means it's time for a New Year's article. Only this time, instead of hearing about what somebody hopes to accomplish or change in the coming year, we have one of the Kings' players sharing some resolutions for his teammates. Kevin Westgarth started the tradition on MayorsManor last year and it seemed like a good idea to give it another whirl. So, here are some New

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-53614912218845517312011-12-31T23:47:00.000-08:002012-01-02T03:18:37.206-08:00

New Years Eve had not been kind to the Los Angeles Kings, who had an all-time record of 5-8-3 on the usually festive night. Curiously, they had only hosted one of those games. Back in 1991 - at their former home, the Forum in Inglewood - the Kings led 3-0 entering the third period and then watched their opponent score five unanswered goals on goalie Daniel Berthiaume. Who did they play that

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-15762423261640689222011-12-31T23:32:00.000-08:002012-01-02T03:17:56.080-08:00

It may have taken 20 years, but the Kings have finally exercised the demons of their only other home game played on New Year's Eve. On that fateful night back at the Forum in 1991, then-goalie Daniel Berthiaume gave up five unanswered goals to the Vancouver Canucks in the third period - resulting in a 5-3 loss. This time around, the Kings flipped the script. They gave up the first goal of the

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-50926789344536777932011-12-31T15:31:00.000-08:002011-12-31T15:32:14.539-08:00

Vancouver come to town tonight with a 15-3-1 record in their last 19 games. LA's home team has gone 3-0-2 in the Sutter Era and is looking to continue their climb back up the Western Conference standings. The Canucks are a team that have given the Kings fits at times recently, including bouncing them from the playoffs two years ago. In their only other meeting this season, the Canucks beat the

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-33229870623406945792011-12-31T15:12:00.000-08:002011-12-31T15:12:59.734-08:00

Center Jarret Stoll has been matched with just about every forward on the roster so far this season, except Anze Kopitar. He's seen duty at center, wing, on the second and third lines, and everywhere in between. Lately though, he's had consistent linemates in Dustin Penner and Justin Williams. Here's what he had to say about things when asked about the line coach Darryl Sutter has kept

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-30181494053489594892011-12-31T08:08:00.000-08:002011-12-31T11:24:43.093-08:00

In the period leading up to Darryl Sutter being hired as the new Kings coach many were talking about his aggressive, heavy handed approach.  Yet, GM Dean Lombardi tried telling anybody who would listen at the team's press conference last week, 'He's not a raving lunatic.' In fact, to date, we haven't seen much of the yelling and screaming that was so frequently advertised ahead of time. One

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-44650232959448389932011-12-31T07:22:00.000-08:002012-01-01T10:42:22.490-08:00

Much of the Kings roster came into the season with defined roles, both on defense and offense. Two players still searching to find their niche are forwards Trevor Lewis and Andrei Loktionov. Lewis has benched for a large portion of coach Terry Murray's final month with the Kings and in 28 games played this year he's posted zero goals and one assist. Primarily used as a defensive forward last

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-32854591294830940172011-12-30T18:57:00.000-08:002011-12-31T03:51:49.679-08:00

At Darryl Sutter's initial press conference with the LA media most of the statements were pretty standard fare. It was about what you'd expect for a new coach being brought in to take over a struggling team. The obvious highlight was Sutter ending his speaking portion at the podium by flashing double peace signs (pictured here). And there was one other little tidbit that caught the attention

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-2497424330888550222011-12-30T16:11:00.000-08:002011-12-30T16:12:48.557-08:00

If you were watching closely during Wednesday's game in Chicago, Drew Doughty was very excited when Jarret Stoll scored to put the Kings up 2-0 early in the third period. For those who missed the celebration, here's a short clip, followed by some reaction from both when asked about it after practice today. Stoll - "I haven't seen the video yet, to be honest with you. Obviously, I didn't even

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-34212241320945895312011-12-30T07:12:00.000-08:002011-12-30T10:40:57.086-08:00

LA Kings - Jack Johnson (photo by Dimur) The Kings lost 1-0 to the Jets in overtime last night, on a goal by Evander Kane. Earlier in the game, Winnipeg's young forward had tried starting a fight with LA defenseman Jack Johnson after taking umbrage with a hit put on teammate Blake Wheeler. Not much happened though and both guys ended up in the penalty box, with Kane getting an extra two

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-42490166086564036882011-12-30T06:45:00.000-08:002011-12-30T10:42:35.174-08:00

Kings at Jets (photo courtesy of LA Kings) In their first trip back to the 'Peg in 15 years, the Kings topped the Jets 31-27 in shots on goal. However, the home team had the edge in hits (28-26), blocked shots (24-12) and the all important scoreboard. It may have taken overtime to do it, but they finally downed the Kings 1-0 on a goal by Evander Kane. After all the high-fives on the ice,

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-43951936685992958512011-12-29T14:42:00.000-08:002011-12-29T21:10:17.675-08:00

For several years in the mid 90's it seemed like the Kings were on a 'Closing Down the Arena' tour, as they made their final visits to old Chicago Stadium, Boston Garden, Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, the Capital Centre just outside Washington DC and several others. However, it was their second-to-last skate around the ice at Winnipeg Arena in February 1996 that ended up meaning much more than

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-3210773651277070822011-12-28T11:16:00.000-08:002011-12-28T11:17:57.618-08:00

The 2012 World Junior Championship is underway in Alberta, Canada. The top tournament for under-20 year old hockey players kicked off Monday with wins by Team USA and Canada. Today, both teams are back in action again - with the U.S. facing Finland and Canada squaring off with the Czech Republic. Of note, the US/Finland game will feature three LA Kings prospects. In the red, white and blue

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-40312895287262437632011-12-27T12:51:00.000-08:002011-12-28T10:50:07.442-08:00

Before all the Loktionov lovers lose their mind, relax. If you've heard any of my recent radio/podcast interviews, the kid has talent. He's still young, he'll be fine. The Kings thought the cake might be done, they pulled it out of the oven, had a bite and it's not fully cooked yet. Put it back in the oven for a little longer (in Manchester) and everything will be just fine. At the end of

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The Phoenix Coyotes brought a collection of former Kings with them to Staples Center last night - including coach Dave Tippett, goalie Jason LaBarbera and forward Patrick O'Sullivan. However, LA outshot them 35-29, out-hit them 28-25, won more faceoffs, killed every Coyotes penalty, chased LaBarbera early in the third period and won the game 4-3. Afterwards, coach Tippett had this to say about

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We already posted postgame comments from LA coach Darryl Sutter and defenseman Rob Scuderi following the Kings 4-3 win over the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. Now, we turn to team captain Dustin Brown, who recorded his fifth game-winning goal of the season in tonight's victory. He now has five points in the last six games (four goals, one assist). Also, his four shots on goal, four hits and plus-

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Here are the first batch of quotes from coach Darryl Sutter's postgame presser, following the Kings 4-3 win over the Coyotes... On the overall game - "It’s nice to see a ‘W’ up there…I want to over-emphasize the importance of producing more offense to win hockey games…We had a good first period. We’ve been trying to talk about that, good first periods. Then I think they [Phoenix] made the push

The Mayorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095008883318427017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-178343053318158472.post-21718945950193437212011-12-26T09:55:00.000-08:002011-12-26T09:56:22.351-08:00

The World Junior Championship kicks off today in Alberta, Canada. For those unfamiliar, it's the top tournament on the planet featuring under-20 year old hockey players. Last year, Russia came back from a several goal deficit in the third period to top Canada for the gold medal. And Team USA defeated Sweden 4-2 for the bronze medal. While many of the Kings current roster has participated in

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Another game, another night with minimal offense. The Kings and Sharks skated to a 1-1 tie through the first 60 minutes of action last night in San Jose. Neither side scored in overtime, however the Sharks won via the shootout after four Kings players couldn't find a way to put one past Antti Niemi. The Kings are 1-0-1 in the Darryl Sutter era. Yesterday afternoon, Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob

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The first half of Wednesday's press conference to announce Darryl Sutter as the new Kings' coach was largely uneventful. Just your normal, run-of-the-mill presser. Most people in the room were waiting to talk to GM Dean Lombardi once things were over - as he's always good for a good quote or a hundred. Then, Sutter decided to steal the show with what may be the off-ice moment of the year. He

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Dustin Brown's last two games have perhaps been his best back-to-back performances this season. He played over 22 minutes in tonight's game, second only to Anze Kopitar among the forwards, and - like on Monday vs. Toronto - he scored a goal in regulation and added one in the shootout as well. He now has four points in the last four games (three goals, one assist) and his six hits led the team

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Although it's tough to call a game in December a big win, tonight was about as big of a win as the Kings have had all season. They wanted to start off the Darryl Sutter era with a win and they did just that, downing the Ducks 3-2 in a shootout. Anaheim hasn't won on the road since October and after the game, both coach Bruce Boudreau and captain Ryan Getzlaf seemed to be looking for moral

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Tonight marks game one of the Sutter-era with the LA Kings. Following the team's traditional morning skate at their practice facility in El Segundo, the newly appointed coach shared some thoughts. Here are 10 tidbits from his morning debriefing... - "I think we're ready to go. If you look at our season to date, we've struggled at home, right? So, we need to get out of the gate and get all of

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In perhaps the best news of the day for the LA Kings, Mike Richards has been officially activated from IR and is set to play in tonight's game vs. the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings top goal scorer through the first two months of the season, Richards has missed the last eight games due to concussion like symptoms suffered in a game against Florida on December 1st. His return will be more than

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Dustin Brown (photo by M. Zampelli) There's still plenty more content to come from yesterday's chat with Kings GM Dean Lombardi (and that will be posted either later this afternoon or tomorrow on MayorsManor). However, let's briefly turn our attention to what some of the players are thinking right now. First up, team captain Dustin Brown. When asked what one word could be used to best

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The Dean Lombardi show continues. Already posted are quotes about Steve Yzerman nearly being traded by the Red Wings, Bobby Valentine coaching the Red Sox and the Kings needing an identity - and yes, those three things are related to his hiring of Darryl Sutter as coach of the Kings. If you're late to the party, all of today's Deano Moments were courtesy of a 30-minute scrum with the boss

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