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

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

Los Angeles Kings Can’t Afford To Keep Giving Points Away

Los Angeles Kings Forward Trevor Lewis earned some solid praise from head coach Darryl Sutter after practice on January 20, 2012, at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — 48 games into the 2011-12 National Hockey League season, the Los Angeles Kings have a 23-15-10 record, good for 56 points. That puts them in second place in the Pacific Division, one point behind the San Jose Sharks (through games played on January 20), and in seventh place in the Western Conference, four points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, their next opponent (Saturday, January 21, 7:30 PM PST, Staples Center).

San Jose is third in the conference, and the Chicago Blackhawks, with 64 points, leads the West. As such, the Kings remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, and could still come out on top of the Pacific Division, even though the Sharks have four games in hand. Read more of this post

New On KingsCast: Episode 140 – Jonathan Quick For Vezina

In Episode 140 – Jonathan Quick, Keith Korneluk and Chris Kaliszewski take a look back at recent Los Angeles Kings games against Dallas, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, they look at the play of goaltender Jonathan Quick, they bid a fond farewell to veteran right wing Ethan Moreau, and more. Read more of this post

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

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

KingsCast Starts 2012 Off With A Bang

KingsCast is starting off 2012 with a bang, with two new episodes featuring Dancing In The Reign blogger Alex Kinkopf’s analysis of the Kings, joining hosts Keith Korneluk and Chris Kaliszewski.

In Episode 138 – Drew Doughty for Norris, the three look at trade speculation surrounding Kings defenseman Jack Johnson, they push goaltender Jonathan Quick as the team’s most valuable player in the first half of the season, and more. Read more of this post

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

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

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