Los Angeles Kings: Not Easy For Black Aces To Stay Focused, Ready

May 11, 2012 by 7 Comments

Los Angeles Kings backup goalie Jonathan Bernier sprawls to make
a save during a recent practice session.
(click to view a larger image).
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Every team in the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Playoffs has them, but they are usually unseen, or keep to themselves, staying out of the limelight, patiently waiting for their chance to crack the lineup, often a fleeting opportunity, at best.

These are the Black Aces, the extra skaters and goaltenders who rarely get the chance to play in the post-season, if at all, during a team’s run through the playoffs.

But wait a minute…where on Earth did the term, Black Aces come from, anyway?

As it turns out, the term was derived from the “Dead Man’s Hand” in poker, consisting of a pair of eights, the Ace of Spades, and the Ace of Clubs. Read more of this post

Filed under History, News, NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s Time For LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi To Address His Team’s Futility

February 18, 2012 by 21 Comments

What kind of offensive threat would LA Kings center Anze Kopitar
be if he ever learns to take the puck to the net and
shoot from prime scoring areas?
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — Through 58 games of the 2011-12 season, one thing is now irrefutable.

When it comes to scoring goals, the Los Angeles Kings are an embarrassing lesson in futility.

There are many opinions and theories out there, attempting to explain the Kings’ woeful inability to score goals. Many point fingers at the coaching staff, and the system the Kings play, among other things. But when you talk to people who really know the game, such as National Hockey League scouts, along with former NHL players and coaches who are involved in the game in various capacities, among the most frequent comments you hear are that the Kings often fail to execute their game plan, and that they do not pay attention to detail on breakout plays, allowing gaps between forwards and defensemen to get too wide, preventing them from generating speed through the neutral zone. Read more of this post

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Down On The Farm With The Manchester Monarchs: Zatkoff Having An All-Star Season In Goal, While Jones Takes Small Step Backwards

January 31, 2012 by 3 Comments

Jeff Zatkoff (left) and Martin Jones (right), shown here during the
Los Angeles Kings 2011 Training Camp on September 23, 2011.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES — Although Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is garnering more and more consideration as one of the National Hockey League’s best goaltenders—something that has been virtually unheard of when discussing Kings netminders over their 44-year history—and with Jonathan Bernier possessing the skills, if not the opportunity, to be a starting goalie in the NHL, as the old saying goes, a team can never have enough goaltending.

As such, the Kings have continued to draft and develop young goaltenders, and they have two young netminders having solid years with their primary minor league affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League. Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News, Prospects Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Key To Unlocking The Los Angeles Kings’ Offense Is Getting Pucks, Bodies To The Net

January 12, 2012 by 3 Comments

Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown spoke extensively with the media following practice on
January 11, 2012, at the Toyota Sports Center
in El Segundo, California.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — On January 9, the Los Angeles Kings, owners of the worst offense in the National Hockey League, averaging just 2.09 goals per game, miraculously scored five goals against the Alexander Ovechkin-led Washington Capitals, in a decisive 5-2 victory, shocking a sell-out crowd of 18,118 fans at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

That night, fans were so thoroughly shocked at the Kings’ offensive explosion that throughout the arena, they were pinching each other to make sure they weren’t dreaming. Some made appointments with psychiatrists, fearing that they were suffering from some sort of mental breakdown. Others were fearful that the end of the world was upon us, and began to get their affairs in order.

Seriously speaking, that massive offensive output from the Kings was a rarity this season. After all, they have only scored three goals or more (during regulation play) twelve times in 43 games this season (through games played on January 11). Read more of this post

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Los Angeles Kings Aware Of Task At Hand To Start Second Half Of The Season

January 7, 2012 by Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter (right) talks with
goaltender Jonathan Quick (left) during a recent practice at the
Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — The second half of the 2011-12 National Hockey League season begins this afternoon for the Los Angeles Kings, who are certainly not where they were expected to be in the standings at this point in the season.

Indeed, the Kings are supposed to be contenders for the Pacific Division title, and for the top spot in the Western Conference. But heading into action on January 7, the Kings are seventh in the conference, just one point away from falling out of playoff contention. Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Los Angeles Kings: Despite Poor Effort Against New Jersey, The Sky Is Not Falling

October 26, 2011 by 5 Comments

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — The Los Angeles Kings put in a highly uninspired, sloppy performance (and that is putting it mildly) in an embarrassing 3-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils in front of a disappointed, and, in some cases, a bitter and angry crowd on October 25 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The embarrassing loss generated a perfect storm of sorts for some who claim that the sky is falling, and that head coach Terry Murray demonstrated gross incompetence and should be fired for giving Jonathan Bernier the start in goal, rather than the white hot Jonathan Quick, who was coming off his third straight shutout.

Yes, as unbelievable as it is, you read that right. Some are already calling for Murray’s head, despite the fact that the Kings are off to a solid 5-2-1 start.

Some are also placing the blame for loss to the Devils squarely on the shoulders of Bernier, saying that he played poorly. Read more of this post

Filed under Audio/Video, News, Post-Game Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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