Coverage of National Hockey League's (NHL) Los Angeles Kings (LA Kings) & American Hockey League's (AHL) Ontario Reign by credentialed journalist Gann Matsuda
April 5, 2009 2 Comments
LOS ANGELES — To say that 2008-09 has been an up-and-down season for Los Angeles Kings center Brian Boyle would certainly be an understatement. Read more of this post
February 7, 2009 Leave a comment
ANALYSIS: Things appear to be coming together for the Los Angeles Kings, who are on a 5-1-1 hot streak. But can they keep it going?
LOS ANGELES — Last season, the Los Angeles Kings stumbled and bumbled their way out of the gate and found themselves way, way out of playoff contention before mid-December. But this season, about a week into February, the Kings are still in the hunt. Read more of this post
February 1, 2009 Leave a comment
LOS ANGELES — A little over two weeks ago, the Los Angeles Kings were circling the drain as they often do around this time of year, spiraling quickly out of playoff contention.
After their last game at Staples Center before leaving the friendly confines for a three-game road trip, the Kings knew they were about to embark on do-or-die mission to Dallas, Minnesota and Colorado.
“We need to win these next three games, that’s the bottom line,” said left wing Patrick O’Sullivan. “Otherwise, it starts to slip further and further away and it gets to the point where it’s impossible to recover. It’s really important to win these three games and come back with some momentum after the All-Star break.”
“We’ve got to find a way to win,” center Anze Kopitar stressed. “This is a time when teams show what they’re made of. This is going to be the ultimate test for us and we’ve got to respond. This road trip is huge for us. We’ve got to find a way to win.”
Although they lost the first game at Dallas, they earned a point in the standings in the 3-2 shootout loss. And with wins at Minnesota and Colorado, the Kings returned to Los Angeles picking up five out of a possible six points in the standings.
In short, they were still alive. Read more of this post
January 22, 2009 13 Comments
LOS ANGELES — Just one week ago, the Los Angeles Kings were in free fall, having lost three straight games and eight of their previous twelve, plummeting out of the playoff picture.
Indeed, the Kings found themselves seven points out of eighth place in the Western Conference and that light at the end of the tunnel marked “playoffs” was growing dimmer with each passing day.
From the players and coaches to the assistant equipment managers, the Kings all knew that they had to turn things around. There was not a moment to lose and with a three-game road trip against teams ahead of them in the standings next on their schedule, they had a huge challenge in front of them. Read more of this post
January 17, 2009 Leave a comment
LOS ANGELES — Now 43 games into the 2008-09 season, the Los Angeles Kings are at an all-too-familiar crossroads, one they seem to reach every season.
After a stretch in which they lost four out of their last five games with the final three all losses in which they put in what were easily their worst performances and their poorest efforts of the season, the Kings are on the edge of the very same cliff they seem to find themselves at year after year—right on the brink of dropping out of playoff contention with little to no hope of fighting their way back up the Western Conference standings.
Indeed, unless the Kings can quickly fight their way out of their current slump, their only consolation will be that they at least made it to mid-January before their playoff hopes were dashed once again, unlike last season when they were way, way out of playoff contention before mid-December. Read more of this post
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