LA Kings’ Dustin Penner: The Irony Of It All

May 27, 2012 by Leave a comment

Los Angeles Kings left wing Dustin Penner’s resurgence
during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, capped by the
overtime game-winning goal in the Western Conference
Finals, is not only a major shock, but ironic as well.
(click to view a larger image).
Photo: David Sheehan/FrozenRoyalty.net

EL SEGUNDO, CA — No one is going to easily forget that Los Angeles Kings left wing Dustin Penner was invisible for much of the 2011-12 regular season, scoring a measly seven goals with ten assists for 17 points in 65 games.

Penner’s time with the Kings started off poorly, as he was a non-factor from the moment he joined the team after a trade deadline deal on February 28, 2011.

A veteran forward with size and skill, Penner was expected to give the Kings’ struggling offense a boost, but he scored just two goals and tallied only four assists last year, after joining the Kings, and he chipped in with a goal and an assist in the playoffs against the San Jose Sharks.

Those are some rather lousy numbers in 19 regular season games with the Kings, to say the least, especially for a player who ended up scoring 23 goals and contributing 18 assists for 39 points in 81 regular season games last season (with the Edmonton Oilers and the Kings). Read more of this post

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Credit Goes To Dean Lombardi, Darryl Sutter For Los Angeles Kings Coming From Behind To Make Playoffs

April 7, 2012 by 1 Comment

Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter (right)
talks things over with center Jarret Stoll
during a recent practice.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — As the National Hockey League enters its final day of the 2011-12 regular season, the playoff teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences have been determined. But even on the last day, there is still something to play for in both conferences, as the winners of the Southeast and Pacific Divisions have yet to be decided, as of this writing.

The Washington Capitals, currently second in the Southeast, and eighth in the Eastern Conference, could win their division, and could switch places in the conference standings with the current division leader, the Florida Panthers.

In the West, the Phoenix Coyotes moved into the top spot in the Pacific Division after blowing out the St. Louis Blues on April 6, 4-1, in St. Louis.

The Los Angeles Kings could still wrest the Pacific Division crown from the Coyotes, but the scenarios are a bit complicated… Read more of this post

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Speed, Consistency and Trust Comes From LA Kings’ Balance Throughout Lineup

March 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

Newly-acquired forward Jeff Carter’s presence has
had a positive, cascading effect throughout the
Los Angeles Kings’ lineup.
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — For a rather fleeting couple of days, the Los Angeles Kings got to enjoy the view from above, looking down from first place in the Pacific Division, and third place in the Western Conference, at several teams below them in the standings, all vying for the handful of playoff spots still up for grabs.

But after a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins on March 24 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Kings’ six-game winning streak came to a grinding halt. Even worse, they fell from third in the West all the way down to eighth.

For the Kings, the good news is that they are just one point behind both the Dallas Stars and the Phoenix Coyotes for the division lead. But the bad news is that they are tied in points with ninth-place San Jose, and tenth place Colorado. Read more of this post

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Los Angeles Kings’ Anze Kopitar: Just Another Streak, Or…?

March 22, 2012 by 5 Comments

Is LA Kings center Anze Kopitar on another hot streak, or is it more than that?
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — After handing the struggling San Jose Sharks a 5-2 drubbing at Staples Center in Los Angeles on March 20, the Los Angeles Kings moved back into the playoff picture, landing in the eighth spot in the Western Conference, at least for a short while.

Indeed, while the Sharks have faltered of late, the Kings have surged, earning a rather spectacular 9-3-0 record since February 25.

The primary reason? The addition of scoring forward Jeff Carter has not only added some desperately needed scoring to their lineup, but it has also brought balance to the forward lines, in terms of scoring, speed, and physical play, that the Kings have not been able to achieve in recent memory. Read more of this post

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

January 20, 2012 by 4 Comments

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

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LA Kings GM Dean Lombardi Lays Responsibility For Terry Murray’s Dismissal On Players’ Shoulders

December 13, 2011 by 2 Comments

As expected, the Los Angeles Kings have fired head coach Terry Murray (left), shown here with head athletic trainer Chris Kingsley (right).
Photo: David Sheehan

LOS ANGELES — With his team failing to live up to lofty, but well-deserved expectations, Los Angeles Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi made the move that has been all but expected since late Sunday night.

On Monday, he fired head coach Terry Murray, and named assistant coach John Stevens as interim head coach.

Murray, 61, earned a 139-106-30 regular season record with the Kings after joining the team in 2008-09. He ranks third in franchise history in wins, fourth in games coached, and first in winning percentage (.560). He also reached the 100-win mark faster than any head coach in team history, and his 2009-10 and 2010-11 teams tied the franchise record for most wins in a season (46). Read more of this post

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