Ups and Downs

After their overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and then the birth of Jonathan Quick’s first child, Los Angeles Kings fans began to wonder what was next.

Well Kings fans were in luck as up next were the Dallas Stars. However, a slight fear still remained within the hearts of the Hockeywood faithful.

Enter Jonathan Bernier, who was re-called from the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs.  Terry Murray decided to give him the nod to start against the Stars.

An interesting situation as the Stars, mathematically, are still in the playoff hunt and the Kings would like to position themselves as the number four seed for home ice advantage within the first round.

It was Bernier to the rescue.  He stopped all but one of the thirty shots fired in his direction as well as six shoot out shooters. The only goal to get by him was Brendan Morrow‘s third period goal.

Marty Turco made 27 saves in the loss.

Fredrick Modin had the only goal for the Kings against Dallas and Jarret Stoll had the shoot out winner to give the Kings the extra point in this contest.

Moving along.

Yesterday the Kings played host to the Nashville Predators who had already beat the team once this month; a 4-2 loss for the Kings back on March 4th.

The goal output yesterday was identical to the March 4th game, as was the result of a loss but it only took the Predators three goals to win this time around.

Jonathan Quick was back between the pipes for the Kings making 28 saves on 31 shots.

The Kings and Predators exchanged goals in the first period.  Steve Sullivan gave Nashville a 1-0 lead and Anze Kopitar tied the game at one four minutes and fourteen seconds later.

The second period was more of a sloppy period as neither team were able to hit double digits in shots nor did they score a goal.

In the third, Dustin Brown gave LA the lead at the 5:56 mark but Colin Wilson would tie the game right back up less than a minute later.

At the 16:59 mark of the third Patric Hornqvist, who is having a  break out season, would net his 26th goal of the year and that would be all the Preds needed to seal the victory.

Pekka Rinne made 18 saves on 20 shots for the win.

Two weekend points earned out of four is not a horrible situation. The situation that isn’t pleasant is that in the month of March the Kings have played seven games.  Three wins and four losses in a roller coaster ride to start the month.

One would expect the post-Olympic hangover to have faded by now, but such is not the case.

The bigger picture is the schedule for the rest of the month.  It does not get any easier.

The next game, Thursday night, is a continuation of this home stand.  The Kings host the Blackhawks who, after this weekend, will most likely be out for blood.

After the Hawks game the Kings welcome the Islanders to the Staples Center.  Then it’s a home and home with the Colorado Avalanche.  The second half of the home and home begins a minor road trip which will make a pit-stop in St. Louis.

The Kings then return home, briefly, to take on the Stars (again). The month closes out with a road trip to Minnesota and Nashville (yes, again).

The playoff position and stretch run are riding on the Kings themselves.  Home ice for the first round is something this team needs to work very hard to obtain.  It is not impossible to accomplish.