After a scoreless first period, Patrice Bergeron would be the first to tickle the twine when he took advantage of a Los Angeles turnover (on the power-play) to score his 20th goal of the season at the 5:18 mark of the second frame. It was Brad Marchand who would intercept a Kings’ neutral zone pass and head up-ice to throw the puck towards Jonathan Quick. The rebound would kick right to the stick of Bergeron, who slid the puck into an empty goal.

Only eight minutes later, the Kings would get it back when fourth line pivot Colin Fraser converted on a 3-on-2 rush, immediately after Quick stopped Marchand on a breakaway at the other end of the ice.

Boston would regain the lead early in the third period when a quick transition play from David Krejci and Milan Lucic would result in Lucic’s 24th tally of the season. Just over a minute later, the B’s would add to their lead when a series of beautiful puck-possession passes from the third line would end with Chris Kelly‘s 19th goal of the year.  Scoring three goals against Quick is without doubt a herculean feat, as the United States Olympian has only allowed three or more pucks past him in twenty-one of his sixty-three starts this season.

The Kings turned things around late in the third after being revitalized by a superhuman stop by Quick after Milan Lucic set up David Krejci all alone in front of the L.A. net. Rookie blueliner Slava Voynov potted his seventh of the year at the 14:46 mark when he fired a wrist shot past Tim Thomas after a Justin Williams face-off win in the offensive zone.

However, the Kings’ comeback would be thwarted time and time again by the incredible efforts of Tim Thomas as the Black and Gold would hold on for the victory. In the “something you don’t see every day” category, Brad Marchand would be credited with an empty-net goal as time expired, making the final score 4-2 in favor of Boston.

Ben’s Three Stars:

1) Tim Thomas (40 Saves)

2) Brad Marchand (1 Goal/1 Assist)

3) Jonathan Quick (22 Saves)

What’s Next?

– The Black and Gold will be right back at it on Sunday evening when they take on Corey Perry and the Ducks out in Anaheim. The Kings will be back in action on Monday in Vancouver against Henrik Sedin and the Canucks.

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Records: Boston 42-28-3 (87 Points) , Los Angeles 37-25-12 (86 Points)

Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

Time: 9:00 P.M. (EST)

TV/Radio Info: NESN (Edwards, Brickley, Funayama) – 98.5 The Sports Hub (Goucher, Beers)

Last Game: Bruins 1 , San Jose Sharks 2 ……. St. Louis Blues 0 ,Kings 1 (SO)

Tonight’s Lineup (Subject To Change):

FORWARDS:

Lucic–Krejci–Caron

Marchand–Bergeron–Seguin

Rolston–Kelly–Pouliot

Paille–Campbell–Thornton

DEFENSE:

Chara–Boychuk

Seidenberg–Ference

McQuaid–Zanon

GOALTENDER:

Turco

Thomas

Scratches– …… Mike Mottau, Trent Whitfield, Joe Corvo

Injuries:

Nathan Horton (Concussion) – Boston’s top right winger remains sidelined with a concussion he suffered back on January 21.

Rich Peverley (MCL) – Peverley will sit out another game, but is with the team in California and reports have indicated that he has begun to participate in contact drills during practice.

Tuukka Rask (Groin) — The B’s back-up ‘tender is slated to be out of commission until mid-April with a lower abdomen/groin strain.

Last Time We Met: Kings 0 , Bruins 3

– When these two squads met at TD Garden back in mid-December, just about everything was going wrong for the Kings. They’d just fired head coach Terry Murray and were in the midst of a brutal six-game losing streak. Boston took full advantage of these outlying circumstances, pasting the Kings by a 3-0 score, thanks to a two-goal outing from agitating winger Brad Marchand.

Prediction: Look for veteran back-up Marty Turco to get the nod this evening for his second start in a Bruins’ uniform. If not, he should be in the crease on Sunday evening in Anaheim.  Rarely do I predict such a high scoring affair — especially between two squads struggling for offense–, but in this case, I think this one will be a back-and-forth contest that fans will not want to miss. The Kings are the more desperate team right now, which makes me think they’ll be able to get the extra point tonight on home ice.

Bruins 4 , Kings 5 (OT)

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For the Predators, this meant that they had to bring the intensity and effort from the opening puck drop. You knew that the Kings were going to bringing it tonight. The Predators had to match the desperation of the Kings.

Pekka Rinne started in net for the Predators, while the Kings went with Jonathan Bernier.

Just as sure as the sun comes up in the east, the Kings opened with jump and pressure on the Predators. The Predators, as has been their tendency, took the Kings best early shots and just survived, with Rinne having to make some good early saves.

The Predators finally wilted under the pressure of the Kings, as they won a puck battle on the boards and controlled the puck to Anze Kopitar. Kopitar took one stride off the boards and lasered a shot over the shoulder of Rinne to give the Kings a 1-0 lead at 7;53 of the first period.

The Predators looked listless throughout most of the first period as they lost puck battles and for the most could not get through the neutral zone to establish their offense. The shot totals at the end of the first period reflected that fact as the Kings out shot the Predators 10-5.

If the Predators were going to have an opportunity to get back in this game, they were going to have to play with more jump and intensity. If you can answer the question as to why the Predators cannot seem to realize they have to match the intensity of their opponent, I would love to hear from you.

I would imagine that what Head Coach Barry Trotz said to his charges at the first intermission would cause a sailor to blush, because the Predators came out in the second period like they wanted to play a hockey game. The Predators skated better and won puck battles. They poured shots on Bernier, and in the first 7:30 of the second had out shot the Kings 8-1.

Now they just had to get a puck in the net.

The Predators did just that on their third power play attempt as Marty Erat cranked a shot from 10 feet inside the blue line that went between the legs of Patric Hornqvist who was screening and past Bernier to tie the game at 1 at 13:43.

The second period ended tied at 1 and the Predators out shooting the Kings 9-8 but generating the majority of the quality scoring chances.

So the Kings played the first 20 minutes of the contest and the Predators played the second 20 minutes. The contest would be decided by who wanted it more in the final 20 minutes.

The Predators offense reverted to their first period form as they did not get their first shot on net until the 8 minute mark of the third. On the plus side, the Kings only had 2 shots on net in the same time frame as the game had settled into a defensive struggle with each team looking to capitalize on a mistake made by the other.

That mistake occurred at 8:04 of the third as the Predators could not hold the puck in the zone as the puck got away from Ryan Suter at the blue line and the result was a 2 on 1. Dustin Penner finished the play off a nice pass from Trevor Lewis to give the Kings a 2-1 lead.

A horrific turnover by Jordin Tootoo at the Predators blue line sent Dwight King in on a breakaway and he buried the sot to give the Kings a 3-1 lead at 13:02. On the play, the Predators were also caught in a bad change and were victimized by two egregious errors.

The Predators implosion was complete when Kyle Clifford scored on a break away to make it 4-1 L.A. at 16:19.

Mike Fisher made the score somewhat respectable with a backhand score off a rebound of a Kevin Klein shot at 17:18 of the third to make it 4-2, which was the final score of the game.

For the Predators, there are two glaring problems right now. The first: their secondary scoring has gone ice cold. Throughout much of the season, the Predators have relied on balanced scoring from all lines. Right now, the scoring is coming predominantly from the top line. The remainder of the forwards are being shut down by opposing teams, and it is going to be essential that the Predators get these lines going again.

The second problem is that the Predators seem to have lost their edge, their intensity. This team is successful when they are playing gritty, blue collar hockey, hockey that is balls to the wall. Right now, the Predators are taking 20 minutes to get started, or are taking a period off. This team is not good enough to survive much less win playing that type of hockey. This has to change immediately.

The remainder of the schedule will be against teams that are desperate and will be more than happy to knock off the Predators. Right now, this team is the hunted, and it is important for them to play with the intensity and desperation of those teams that are hunting them.

The opportunity for redemption begins tomorrow night in Anaheim.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Bernier

2. Patric Hornqvist

3. Dustin Penner

Jiri Hudler scored his 21st goal of the season in a Red Wings' 5-2 loss to the L.A. Kings. Photo by Bridget Samuels.

The Detroit Red Wings (44-23-3, 91 points) continue their road struggles with a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday night at the Staples Center. Unlike their third period rally this past Friday at The Joe, the Red Wings were never in it as they trailed from start to finish.

The Red Wings are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and they continue to struggle on the road and are 16-19-1 away from the Joe Louis Arena. They are 0-2-0 on their current four-game road trip.

Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams each registered a goal and an assist for the Kings, and Jonathan Quick stopped 22 of 24 shots to get his first win against the Red Wings this season.

Playing in his first game since March 4, Jimmy Howard was back between the pipes for the Red Wings. He stopped 22 shots, but gave up four goals and took the loss. He is still third in the NHL with 33 wins, but is 1-3-1 in his last six appearances. Howard didn’t get much support against the Kings with the lackluster play in front of him.

The Red Wings got goals from Jiri Hudler (his 21st) and Johan Franzen (his team-leading 26th).

Trailing 1-0, the goal that hurt the Red Wings the most was a short-handed goal by Kopitar, who skated down the right side and beat Howard with a wrist shot to make it 2-0.

It took a while for the Red Wings to get in the game after the Kings dominated most of the first period. Hudler scored early in the middle stanza to make it 2-1, but the Kings regained their two-goal lead when Doughty shot the puck from the top of the slot and it went through traffic and it went off Ian White, beating Howard.

Goals were exchanged in the third period by Slava Voynov and Franzen, but Jeff Carter finalized the scoring to make it 5-2 and that’s how it stood in Los Angeles.

To say that the Red Wings’ special teams struggled was an understatement. They went 0-for-4 on the power play and are now 0-for-24 in their last six games. On their first opportunity with the man-advantage against the Kings, the Red Wings gave up their 10th shorthanded goal this season as Kopitar scored with Dustin Brown in the penalty box.

The Red Wings played without Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Todd Bertuzzi, Jakub Kindl and Jonathan Ericsson. It’s possible that Datsyuk and Lidstrom may play by the end of this road trip

With the loss, the Red Wings now trail the Central Division leading St. Louis Blues by seven points. Not only do they have the Blues to worry about, but they have to watch out for the Nashville Predators, who are two points behind the Red Wings for fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

With first place in the Central Division almost out of reach and the recent surge of the Predators, the Red Wings could end up in fifth place in the Western Conference and that means they won’t have home ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Red Wings hope to get back on track as they face the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night at the Honda Center.

Did they win the trade? What is Dean Lombardi doing? Perhaps more importantly, what strip club is his old pal Mike Richards taking him to first?

TSN’s TradeCentre , who’s coverage is so extensive it will most likely break most Canadian labor laws (do they even have those?), wasted little time in moving past the Carter trade and what may lie ahead for the Kings. The most surprising news nugget? Captain Dustin Brown is in play.

Immediately, the Rangers were rumored to be one of the teams extremely interested in Brown’s services. After all, what do the Blueshirts need more than another blue-collar forward who “goes to the dirty areas to dig out pucks” and outwork the opposition?

By the way, if I hear that phrase about six or seven more times on the MSG pre- and postgame, I might just vomit.

According to TSN‘s Darren Dreger on Twitter, Brown’s price tag reportedly starts at “a quality young defenseman and a secondary scorer.”

Speculation ran wild this morning among the Garden faithful, most of them clamoring to blow off the pricy Rick Nash in favor of Brown. Why not trade Brandon Dubinsky and Tim Erixon? After all, Brown fits so well into the system and he’s locked in to a bargain of a salary cap hit–his $3.5 million is far less than Dubinsky’s $4.675 million– through 2014.

Great idea, right? I bet you thought that up all by yourself. Go ahead, pat yourself on the back. I’ll wait.

Are you done? Good. Now, allow me to explain why you’re out of your mind.

The answer as to why New York should steer clear of Brown lies not in the future, but in the past. You may remember in the summer of 2007, the Rangers signed a certain high-priced free agent with a reputation for being a blue-collar player with a knack for scoring the big goal. Everyone was thrilled with the idea of bringing in a gritty player with a nose for the net. The Rangers were destined for the Stanley Cup, right?

Um, how’d that work out again?

Yes, Dustin Brown is Chris Drury, part two. Right down to the uniform number. Their playing styles eerily similar. Their offensive output, at respective stages in their careers, are also akin to each other, except Brown’s stats are slightly less attractive.

Brown, now in his eighth NHL season, has scored 30 goals just once and isn’t likely to get there this year. Despite being the captain of a vastly underachieving Kings team, don’t you think there’s reason for Dean Lombardi to sell high while he still can?

Drury’s big “intangible” selling point was his ability to produce when his team needed him most, as demonstrated by the above link. Yeah, that sounded great at the time. What’s that old saying about getting fooled twice?

But forget that for a second. What about Brown’s ability to rise to the occasion in the big moment? Oh right, it’s non-existent.

In 12 NHL playoff games, he’s scored just two goals and five assists. In the 2010 Olympics, Brian Burke selected Brown to play for Team USA in the hopes that he would blend well with a number of two-way players, including Drury, and provide some offense. In six games, he failed to record a point.

The Ithaca, New York native would hardly be the answer to the Rangers scoring “woes.” By the way, being 11th in the league in goals per game is really not all that bad.

The Rangers have an embarrassment of riches on defense, which makes a talented prospect like Tim Erixon rather expendable. I get that. But many writers and Rangers fans are greatly underestimating the value of the Swedish blueliner.

Don’t forget, the Rangers have a number of these “gritty, blue-collar players” as it is in Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle, Mike Rupp and Carl Hagelin. Do they really need to trade Dubinsky and Erixon, who could probably fetch a far greater return than just Brown, for the Kings captain?

If it takes you more than 7.7 seconds to realize this would be huge mistake, then there’s a problem.

The Bolts are in fourth place in the Southeast Division and trail the division leading Florida Panthers by eleven points. Tampa Bay is in 12th place in the 15 team Eastern Conference, eight points out of a playoff spot.

After 55 games, forward Steven Stamkos leads the team and the NHL in goals with 37. He leads the Bolts and is second in the NHL in points with 62. Martin St. Louis is tops in assists with 34. Marc-Andre Bergeron leads the team in rating with a +8.

Defenseman Brett Clark is last in rating with a -18. Steve Downie has accumulated 121 penalty minutes. Goalie Mathieu Garon has 17 wins, a 2.85 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.

Defenseman Eric Brewer leads Tampa Bay in ice time, averaging 23:13 per game. Steven Stamkos leads in shots on goal with 194.

The Lightning have scored 153 goals (9th in the NHL) and allowed 182 goals (30th (last) in the 30 team NHL). The Bolts special teams are far from average. The power play success rate is 13.5% (28th in the NHL) and the penalty kill is at 80.6% (25th in the NHL). The league average power play percentage is 17.37% and the average NHL team kills off 82.63% of their penalties successfully.

Tampa Bay is 20th in the league in faceoff percentage, winning just 49.2% of their draws.

Box Scores

Game 52 – Tampa Bay Lightning 1 – Los Angeles Kings 3

Game 53 – Tampa Bay Lightning 3 – New York Rangers 4 OT

Game 54 – Tampa Bay Lightning 2 – Buffalo Sabres 1

Game 55 – Tampa Bay Lightning 2 – Pittsburgh Penguins 4

Three Stars of the Week

Steven Stamkos - Two goals and two assists.

Teddy Purcell – Five assists.

Steve Downie – Three goals.

Transactions

The Lightning recalled and reassigned defenseman Evan Oberg to Norfolk (AHL).

Injuries

Defenseman Mattias Ohlund remains on IR after undergoing surgery on both knees. Ohlund is most likely out for the year.

Forward Dana Tyrell is out for the year after having successful knee surgery.

Defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron is day-to-day with an upper body injury.

Forward Ryan Malone is day-to-day with an upper body injury.

Defenseman Matt Gilroy is day-to-day with an upper body injury.

Bolt Notes

The Bolts have been playing well, losing just two of their last 11 games, but they were thoroughly embarrassed by the Penguins on Sunday. The 7-2-2 run is simply too little – too late for the Lightning. Tampa Bay is eight points out of a playoff spot and eleven points away from a division championship. 54 points are still out there to be won with 27 games left. The Bolts are still closer to the Eastern Conference cellar than they are to a playoff spot. It looks like the Lightning are sellers and not buyers.

The Week Ahead

Tampa Bay hosts Ottawa on Tuesday. San Jose on Thursday and Washington on Saturday.

The Quarterdeck Log – Norfolk Admirals Week In Review

By Ken Peacock

About The Author

A man with an identity crisis. A full time fan of all things hockey and supporter of the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals. A fan of two NHL teams in the same division? Really? Yes, it can be done. It’s tough, but it can be done. I am also a full time husband, IT Professional, and a Norfolk Admirals Hockey Blogger at Vultures Row.

Weekly Log

First up for the Admirals this week was a Friday and Saturday night series against former Admiral Michael Leighton and the Adirondack Phantoms. This was a low scoring affair with only two penalties being called. The Admirals put pressure on the Phantoms all night, but Leighton did not let anything past him. Philip-Michael Devos finally beat Leighton with a nice shot over the glove of Leighton at 3:35 of the second period. This was Devos’ fourth goal since joining the Admirals from the ECHL Florida Everblades. Cory Conacher had the assist.  Both goalies, Dustin Tokarski and Leighton were brick walls the entire game. In the closing minutes the Phantoms pulled Leighton in favor of the extra attacker. Pierre-Cedric Labrie added the insurance with an empty net goal to seal the Admirals 2-0 shutout.

The same two teams went at it on Saturday night, but it wasn’t the same type of game. Pierre-Cedric Labrie started the night with a fight that would set the tone for the rest of the game.  Richard Panik got the scoring rolling with a goal at 2:48 of the first period. Mike Kostka scored on the power play at 5:07 as Mark Barberio picked up his first assist of the night. The Phantoms were called for elbowing Cory Conacher, who immediately made them pay with a goal at 5:07. Barberio got the assist. Three minutes later, Conacher added another goal. He picked up a rebound and buried it past Leighton at 8:20 for his league leading 27^th goal of the season. The Phantoms got on the board at 4:23 of the second period. Mike Angelidis would then pick up his 11^th goal of the season at 3:31 of the third period. The Phantoms answered back 31 seconds later to cut the lead to 5-2. Trevor Smith would score with less than six minutes remaining, but the Phantoms struck once more. The Admirals and Dustin Tokarski shut the Phantoms offense down and Tyler Johnson added one more goal at 17:36 for good measure.Norfolk won 7-3 and swept the 2 game series.

Sunday marked the Admirals third game in as many nights. This time the opponent was the Charlotte Checkers.  Jaroslav Janus would shine in this road tilt. Evan Oberg opened up the scoring in the final minute of the first period. There was a scramble in front of the net, the puck bounced out and Oberg skated in and shot it in the net. Less than two minutes later Cory Conacher made it 2-0 Admirals.Norfolk andCharlotte would remain scoreless for the second and most of the third period.Charlotte ruined Janus’ shutout bid in the final minute.Charlotte pulled their goalie looking for the chance to even things up, but Pierre-Cedric Labrie shot the puck from center ice to the net to seal a 3-1Norfolk win.

Cory Conacher (28G 29A 57Pts +6), Trevor Smith (19G 34A 53Pts +23), and Mark Barberio (6G 35A 41Pts +19) find themselves at op the Admirals scoring list. Conacher now leads the AHL with 28 goals. Dustin Tokarski (21-11-0 2.43GAA) went 2-0 this week. Jaroslav Janus (9-8-2 3.05GAA) went 1-1.

For the Season the Admirals are 30-18-1-2 with 63 points. They are currently 2 points behind the East Division leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.Norfolkis currently on a 3-0-0-0 streak and is 6-4-0-0 in their last ten games.

Three Stars of the Week

Cory Conacher – Three goals and two assists.

Dustin Tokarski – A shutout, two wins and 39 saves on 42 shots.

Pierre-Cedric Labrie – Two goals and an assist.

Transactions

Evan Oberg – Recalled from and returned to the Norfolk Admirals (AHL).

Injuries

Richard Petiot – Undisclosed – Day-to-day

Michel Ouellet – Undisclosed – Day-to-day

An Observation from the Stands

It was a great weekend for the Admirals. They picked up all six points and are closing in on the Penguins for the division lead. Goalie Dustin Tokarski played great in both of his games and his partner Jaroslav Janus did well down inCharlotte. Cory Conacher’s play was the highlight of the weekend. He just does not quit. The Phantoms were going after him physically, but he would not back down. After receiving a nasty elbow, which resulted in the offending Phantom being ejected, he came back and scored two in a row. The past two week we have seen some great performances from the team. If this is what the playoffs are going to look like the April playoffs should be interesting.

The Week Ahead

The Admirals open up the week Wednesday night in W-B/Scranton against the Penguins. They will then return to Scope for two games against the Syracuse Crunch.

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Follow Ken Peacock on Twitter @VBKen.

Despite being mired in the Eastern Conference basement with the league’s worst road record, Kirk Muller’s bunch of hard-working Hurricanes had managed to amass a 3-0-0 record against the Northeast division-leading Boston Bruins thus far this year. “It seems like they bring out the best in us” said Cam Ward of the Black and Gold. Much to the dismay of the 17,565 that packed into TD Garden, that trend did not change on Thursday when the ‘Canes invaded TD Garden for the fourth and final showdown of the season for these two Eastern Conference foes. Backstopped by 47 saves from netminder Cam Ward, Carolina again bested the B’s, this time via a 3-0 shutout.

The ‘Canes would get on the board first as Jiri Tlusty would find a wide open Eric Staal in front after taking down Johnny Boychuk in the corner.  The Carolina Captain made no mistake, blasting it past Boston’s goaltender Tuukka Rask for his 12^th goal of the season. Despite an early Boston surge, including a 22-shot onslaught in the first frame, the ‘Canes stood their ground and entered the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.

 ”As the period went on they got a lot of shots, took a lot of point shots, and Wardo (Cam Ward) was really sharp. And then we adjusted well after the first, tightening up defensively and limiting some of the shots, and then putting pucks in areas where we can get them back and create some offense at the other end. – Eric Staal

“To walk away out of the first period with a 1-0 lead, we felt good about that and improved our play in the second period.” – Cam Ward

In what became an unfortunate theme for Boston, the ‘Canes were able to cash in once again after a defensive zone breakdown by the B’s and extend their lead to 2-0 at the 16:41 mark of the second period. Completing a solid two-point night it was durable pivot Brandon Sutter who would tack on an insurance goal for Carolina when he went upstairs with a wrister on Rask after a beautiful centering feed from Tuomu Ruutu.

The three tallies would be more than enough for Cam Ward who was in top-form all night, denying each and every scoring chance that the Black and Gold could throw his way. The first overall selection in last year’s all-star game fantasy draft, Cam Ward has been absent from the national hockey scene for quite a while now. Often overlooked by many across the league – perhaps due to his playing in a non-traditional hockey market on a struggling team—Ward may be the most underrated goaltender in the league. The 27-year-old Saskatoon native admittedly felt great between the pipes tonight, and it showed in his 47-save shutout performance.

“I felt really comfortable. I felt like I was seeing the puck well and for the most part I was really happy with my rebound control and we had to get off to a good start because we know that they play extremely hard, especially in their building.” – Cam Ward

With the loss the B’s dropped their record to a pedestrian 6-5-1 since their 4-3 loss to Vancouver in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch back on January 7. B’s players have recognized the errors in their play over the past month and are aware of what they must do in order to right the ship. An especially disgruntled Shawn Thornton had this to say during his post-game media scrum:

“Not good enough, – same thing we’ve been talking about for the last however long. Absolutely fell asleep in the second period – not good enough at all. I don’t think we had everyone going again. Seems to be the same old story – we’re not that good that we can come out and go through the motions and expect to be successful. When we were on top of our game, it’s because everyone was working and that’s not happening right now.” – Shawn Thornton

That about sums it up for the way the B’s have been playing lately. It won’t get any easier for the Black and Gold as they prepare for weekend matinees with Malkin’s red-hot Penguins and Alex Ovechkin’s Caps.

KEY STATS

Goals–                CAR (3)   BOS (0)

Shots–                CAR (31)   BOS (47)

Power-Play–    CAR(0-4)   BOS (0-2)

Penalty-Kill–   CAR (2-2)   BOS (4-4)

Ben’s Three Stars….. 3.) Eric Staal …..2.) Brandon Sutter…..1.) Cam Ward

What’s Next?

Boston will finish up their current three-game home-stand on Saturday afternoon when they host the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden before heading to Washington for a Super Bowl Sunday Matinee with the Capitals. The Hurricanes will return home to the RBC Center for a Saturday evening tilt with Anze Kopitar and the Los Angeles Kings.

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Unfortunately for supporters of the Staples Center’s “other tenant” — and despite the trade rumors, no I do not mean the Clippers — , the Kings looked dreadful for most of the evening. A mere twenty-four hours after GM Dean Lombardi announced his decision to fire head coach Terry Murray, the Kings were unable to respond, and dropped their fifth game in a row. Shutout for the 3rd time this season, Los Angeles 29th ranked offense couldn’t get anything past a flawless Tuukka Rask en route to their fifth straight loss. Playing through a transitional period such as this, with high levels of uncertainty surrounding the team, it’s coaches and management obviously an understandably difficult task. However, Kings’ netminder and Milford, CT native Jonathan Quick was not making any excuses for his team on Tuesday night:

“There is a lot of stuff going on, but there is no excuse. You can’t take stuff like that and call it a distraction, use it as a reason not to win the game.” – Jonathan Quick

It was only 6:32 into the game that the B’s would take the lead as Rich Peverley cashed in a beauty of a feed from Zach Hamill for his fifth goal of the season. A relatively uneventful first period would come and go with some back and forth play by both squads, and the score remaining 1-0 Boston. At the 7:43 mark of the second frame, it was Boston’s impressive prowess in the face-off dot that paid huge dividends as Brad Marchand snapped one past Quick after a clean win in the circle by Patrice Bergeron. Often the most underrated aspect of Bergeron’s all-around game is his proficiency in the face-off circle, something Marchand certainly understands the importance of:

“He’s if not the best, one of the top in the league. He’s very consistent every night. He’s very, very strong on the draws and it’s huge for our team. The amount we start with the puck because of how well he is on draws is, it’s a big thing.” – Brad Marchand

Early in the third, some hard work and battling in the corners once again paid off for Boston’s second line, as Bergeron and Marchand connected for the second time of the night. In what some might describe as a “typical Marchand goal”, the 6’1” winger dangled the puck onto his backhand and slipped it passed a downed Jonathan Quick. Boston’s third goal turned out to be more than enough for Rask, who continued to dominate the Los Angeles forwards, shutting the door each and every time the Kings had a chance to get on the board.

After tonight’s shutout and Saturday’s win in relief, Rask has won six of his last eight decisions.

“Well he was good tonight, arguably our best player tonight. He got better as the game went on and I thought he did a good job the other night coming in and kind of settling himself in in the third period and then he just carried that into tonight.” – Claude Julien

On a night when the B’s were without the services of their ever reliable captain Zdeno Chara, the performance of their goaltender was undoubtedly the most crucial factor to victory. Tuukka’s 41-save shutout tonight most definitely goes along way to solidifying no. 40′s spot on this team and perhaps earns the 24-year-old Finn a bit more playing time than usual. Normally goaltenders do not see action in both games of a back-to-back set, but when asked who would be in the Boston net tomorrow evening, Head Coach Claude Julien jokingly replied “That’s none of your business.”

From The Room:

Click here to view the embedded video.

LA Kings’ Jonathan Quick

KEY STATS

Goals–                       LAK (0)                BOS (3)

Shots–                       LAK (41)              BOS (22)

Power-Play–           LAK (0-5)           BOS (0-3)

Penalty-Kill–           LAK (3-3)             BOS (5-5)

• Three Stars– ….. 3.) Rich Peverley ….. 2.) Brad Marchand ….. 1.) Tuukka Rask

What’s Next?

It’ll be another quick turnaround for the Bruins as they will depart the Hub late Tuesday night on a flight to Ottawa. The Black and Gold are slated for a Wednesday evening contest against the Senators at ScotiaBank Place. The Kings will continue their four-game eastern swing as they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday at the Nationwide Arena.

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Tonight’s Line-Up (Subject To Change):

FORWARDS

Marchand–Bergeron–Seguin

Lucic–Krejci–Horton

Pouliot–Kelly–Peverley

Caron–Hamill–Thornton

DEFENSE

Seidenberg–Boychuk

Kampfer–Corvo

Ference–McQuaid

GOALTENDER

Rask

Thomas

Scratches– ….. Chara (Leg–OUT), Paille (Concussion — GTD), Campbell (Lower Body–OUT)

– Tonight’s game can be seen on NESN (Edwards, Brickley) and heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub (Goucher, Beers), the flagship radio station of the Boston Bruins.

NEWS & NOTES

– In net for Boston tonight will be their 24-year-old Finn Tuukka Rask, who steeped in o relieve Tim Thomas who allowed 3 goals in two periods in Columbus on Saturday. B’s head coach Claude Julien noted this morning that Thomas will be in net tomorrow night when the Black and Gold visit the Ottawa Senators at ScotiaBank Place. On the other side of the ice is Kings’ netminder Jonathan Quick. The UMass-Amherst product has been an absolute workhorse for the Crowns this season, starting 23 of his team’s 29 games.

– One day after firing head coach Terry Murray, the Kings will be playing their first game under the direction of interim bench boss John Stevens. Stevens takes the reigns amid rampant speculation that Kings’ GM and Ludlow, MA native Dean Lombardi has eyed former Flames’ coach Darryl Sutter for a possible hiring. Tonight’s game could very well be both the first and the last game for John Stevens as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings.

– Bruins’ agitator and beloved sports figure in the city of Boston Brad Marchand was today fined $2,500 by the NHL’s discipline committee on the heels of his slew footing of Penguins’ defenseman Matt Niskanen last Monday night in Pittsburgh. Coach Claude Julien denounced such actions, stating  “I want him to be a good brat, not a bad brat”.

– Former Philadelphia Flyers’ captain Mike Richards will be making his first appearance in the Hub since being dealt to Los Angeles this past June, in a deal that sent Wayne Simmonds, and top prospect Brayden Schenn back to Broad Street. Skating on the Kings’ second line this season, the 5’11″ native of Kenora, Ontario has posted 11-9-20 splits in 25 games of action.

From The Room:

Click here to view the embedded video.

B’s Captain Chara Speaks For The First Time Since Being Injured

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Goaltender Jimmy Howard has been the best player on the team so far this season and is sporting an 10-5-1 record with a 1.85 goals against average with a .930 save percentage. With the exception of Thursday’s game in San Jose, Howard has kept the Red Wings in every game that he has played in.

Johan Franzen leads the team in points with 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points and is tied with Ian White with a +8 on the team. Valtteri Filppula and Pavel Datsyuk are tied with the team lead in assists with 11 each.

With four goals and five assists to show for his efforts, Henrik Zetterberg is trying to follow Datsyuk’s lead as he tries to shrug off his slow start. Zetterberg could blow up anytime soon. His highlight goal in yesterday’s game in Anaheim could be the beginning.

After finishing the homestand with four straight wins, the Detroit Red Wings looked to keep up the momentum on their four-game road trip beginning with a stop in St.Louis.  They did so without one of their key members of the defense as Ian White didn’t accompany the team due to a broken cheekbone.

Game 16: Detroit Red Wings 1  St. Louis Blues 2

The Red Wings left their “A” game at the Joe Louis Arena  and saw their four-game winning streak end, losing to the Blues 2-1.  The Blues beat the Red Wings at their own game, most notably a 0 for 6 on the power-play. The Blues got 21 saves from Brian Elliott and goals from Matt D’Agostini and Alex Steen.  The Red Wings had a scare when Niklas Kronwall was hit from behind and went head-first into the boards by Chris Stewart, who got a three-game suspension in result.

Game 17: Detroit Red Wings 2  San Jose Sharks 5

The Red Wings started off guns blazing as they fired 17 shots at Sharks’ goalie Antti Niemi in the first period. With 12 seconds left in the first period, the Red Wings gave the Sharks a gift as Joe Pavelski scored a short-handed goal to tie the game at 1-1, and it was all downhill from there.  The Sharks scored three goals in the second period as they took a bite out of the Red Wings 5-2 at the HP Pavilion.  Marc-Edouard Vlasic led the Sharks with a goal and three assists finishing with a +5 while Joe Thornton and Brad Winchester each had a goal and an assist.  The game also marked the debut of Red Wings’ top prospect defenseman Brendan Smith who finished with a -2, but showed plenty of poise and held himself very well.

Game 18: Detroit Red Wings 4  Los Angeles Kings 1

Pavel Datsyuk ended his 12-game scoring slump by scoring twice, while Jimmy Howard stopped 23 shots for his 10th win of the season, including stopping Anze Kopitar on a penalty shot, turning the tide in the Red Wings’ favor.  It was the second straight game that the Red Wings scored two power play goals in consecutive games.  Niklas Kronwall and Justin Abdelkader also scored for the Red Wings, while rookie Brendan Smith got his first NHL point on an assist on the goal by Abdelkader.  The game also marked the return of Todd Bertuzzi who missed the last six games with a sinus infection and swelling in his ear.

Game 19: Detroit Red Wings 4 Anaheim Ducks 2

The Detroit Red Wings got two goals from defenseman Brad Stuart, while Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen scored the other goals as they left SoCal with two wins.  Jimmy Howard, once again, was stellar between the pipes as he made 23 saves for the win.  Most of those save were huge, especially robbing Bobby Ryan late in the first period and Devante Smith-Pelly midway through the second period. Brendan Smith got his second NHL point on an assist to Zetterberg’s goal in the first period.

Red Wings Three Stars Of The Week:

Pavel Datsyuk-two goals, three assists, +3

Niklas Kronwall-two goals, one assist, +2

Johan Franzen-one goal, three assists, +1

Team Transactions:

November 19: F Todd Bertuzzi was activated from injured reserve while D Ian White was placed on  the seven-day injured reserve.

This week’s games:

The Red Wings return home for a rematch with the Calgary Flames at the Joe Louis Arena.  Before the game, Mickey Redmond and Mark Howe will be honored as they were recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.  This Friday afternoon, the Red Wings travel to “Beantown” for their Thanksgiving Showdown with the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden and they finish off the week the next night back at The Joe, hosting the Nashville Predators.

After his two-goal performance against the L.A. Kings, Pavel Datsyuk is all smiles. Photo by Dan 4th.

The gorilla is now off of Pavel Datsyuk’s back as his 12-game scoring drought is over. Datsyuk’s two goals and Jimmy Howard’s 23 saves led the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.

The win also snaps the five-game losing streak on the road for the Red Wings (10-7-1), which was their longest since 1987.

At first, it looked as if the Red Wings’ play would lapse over from Thursday in San Jose as they trailed 1-0 as Mike Richards (not Jerry’s Seinfeld’s pal Kramer) scored a shorthanded goal early in the first period.  Jiri Hudler missed the pass that was won on the face-off by Henrik Zetterberg and Richards beat Hudler for the puck and went in alone to beat Howard with a backhand.

The lead was all of 37 seconds as the Red Wings continued the attack on the power play when Datsyuk scored to end his 12-game scoring drought.  Nicklas Lidstrom ripped a shot from the point that was tipped-in by Tomas Holmstrom as it was stopped by Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick, but Datsyuk put in the rebound to tie the game.

The Red Wings got a 2-1 lead on the power play as Tomas Holmstrom, who was behind the Kings’ cage, found an open Niklas Kronwall, who was in the slot with Kings’ players between him and beat Quick with a tip-in.  Kronwall’s goal was also the eventual game clincher.

The deciding moment of the game came when Anze Kopitar went in on Howard, but Brad Stuart dove to poke the puck away giving the officials’ a (or no) reason to award Kopitar a penalty shot.  Puck met the Glove as Howard stopped Kopitar, keeping the game 2-1.  There was a big “Whew” after the save on Kopitar.

Justin Abdelkader scored the insurance goal for the Red Wings on a wrist shot.  Brendan Smith joined in on a 2-on-1 and tipped the puck over to Abdelkader, beating Quick on a wrist-shot.  Datsyuk scored the final goal with 4:54 left in the game as he put in a snap-shot.

This game was a must-win for the Red Wings, who were in a funk for the past two games.  Howard recovered from Thursday’s game in San Jose as he played great and made some great saves.  The save on Kopitar’s penalty shot also charged up the team who played relentlessly.

A big plus for the Red Wings was that they solved Jonathan Quick, who’s arguably one of the top goalies in the NHL.  Quick owned the Red Wings last season with a 3-1 record with a .932 save percentage, including a 51-save shutout at T”he Joe”.

Congratulations to Brendan Smith as he got his first NHL point on an assist to Justin Abdelkader’s goal in the third period.  Smith played a lot more relaxed and showed why he was the Red Wings’ first round pick in 2007.  Smith has so much upside to his game, he has the potential to be a bigger version of Kronwall.

Pavel Datsyuk has to have a boost of confidence tonight after his two-goal performance.  It’s now Henrik Zetterberg’s turn to find a way to light the lamp as he had found the net once in his last 10 games.

Todd Bertuzzi was off the injured reserve list and inserted into today’s lineup after missing the last six games with sinus infection and swelling on his ear. In his place, defenseman  Ian White was placed on the injured-reserve from the injury to his right cheekbone last Saturday against Dallas.

The Red Wings play their final game of their four-game road trip tomorrow night against a familiar team in the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center.  On November 5th, the Red Wings ended their six-game losing streak against the Ducks with a 5-0 win at the Joe Louis Arena.  The Ducks are on a three-game losing streak and are sitting in last place in the Pacific Division.

The Ducks are led by another ageless European star in Teemu Selanne.  He currently leads the team in scoring with six goals and 12 assists in 18 games.  Even though Selanne’s found the fountain of youth, the team’s other stars are suffering from scoring slumps as Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan have netted a combined 16 goals this season.

It’s a perfect opportunity for the Red Wings to press the foot on the accelerator.

Hello again, and welcome to Part II of my 4-Part NHL season preview.  In part I, I gave you all my Eastern Conference Predictions. In part 2, I will give you my predictions for the Western Conference.  I will approach these predictions a bit differently than I did those for the Eastern Conference. Today, I will give some strengths and weaknesses of each of the 8 playoff teams out west. I will be upfront here in saying that I do not usually follow the Western Conference as much as I do the East, over the course of the season, so many of you may have differing opinions here. Like always, feel free to chime in with your opinions below.

1) Vancouver Canucks

Strengths:

The defending conference champs return in 2011-12 as without a doubt one of the clear-cut contenders for a Stanley Cup. Arguably the deepest team, top to bottom in the entire NHL, the Canucks will once again be lead by former Hart trophy winners Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Ryan Kesler returning to full health will also be a welcome sight for Vancouver’s offense.  Perhaps the biggest strength of the Canucks, will be the retribution factor. The Canucks’ were so close to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, they could taste it. They always say that a team must learn how to lose, before you can learn how to win;  and in 2010-11 , the Vancouver Canucks sure learned how to lose.

Weaknesses:

Truth be told, there isn’t much to put here. The loss of puck-moving defenseman Christian Ehrhoff will undoubtedly play a role in the Canucks’ success in 2011-12. However, a team that employed 9 NHL-quality defensemen in 2010-11, a replacement should not be hard to find. The only real question mark in Vancouver, is the ability of star goaltender Roberto Luongo to bounce back from a rough finish to the post-season of 2011. But even if Roberto is to falter, young Cory Schneider will be ready and willing to carry the load.

2) Los Angeles Kings

Strengths:

The popular favorite in the West, is without a doubt the LA Kings. After losing out on key free agents Ilya Kovalchuk and Brad Richards over the past two summers, GM Dean Lombardi opted to pull the trigger on a trade sending Wayne Simmonds and  uber-prospect Brayden Schenn to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for  former Flyer-captain Mike Richards. Richards should make an immediate impact on the LA roster, and provide perhaps the best 1-2 punch at center, along with all-star pivot Anze Kopitar.

Weaknesses:

While the addition of Mike Richards went a long way to solidifying the Kings 2nd line, the team’s lack of depth after the top 2 lines is perhaps the team’s biggest achilles heel. Beyond Richards, Kopitar, Williams and Stoll, the Kings lack much skill on the offensive end. In order to be successful in 2011-12, the Kings will need improved production from the likes of Kyle Clifford and Brad Richardson.

3) Chicago Blackhawks

Strengths:

The 2010 Stanley Cup Champions are perhaps the deepest team in the entire NHL. Led by stars, the likes of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Pat Kane, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Sharp, the Blackhawks will be back and looking for a return to the Cup Finals. Look for Chicago to once again be near the top in the Western Conference for most of 2011-12.

Weaknesses:

After making some solid depth acquisitions this offseason, the Blackhawks only true weakness entering 2011-12 is the play of young goaltender Corey Crawford. While Crawford did have an excellent rookie season, it is unclear whether or not he can continue his strong play, going forward. The sophmore slump can be a huge issue in hockey, and it will be critical to the Blackhawks success, that Crawford is able to battle through.

4) San Jose Sharks

Strengths:

Scoring. San Jose is one of few teams that can legitimately run 3 very productive offensive units. The addition of Brent Burns will also significantly help out on the back end, and go along way to replacing Rob Blake as an offensive force from the blueline, who retired last summer.

Weaknesses:

The swap of Dany Heatley for Martin Havlat will be sure to pay dividends for San Jose in the post-season , but it is unclear whether or not Havlat can produce at the same rate as Heatley can, during the regular season. However, on a team with Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Patrick  Marleau and Ryan Clowe, I am sure goal scoring should not be an issue.

5) Detroit Red Wings

Strengths:

With Captain Nicklas Lidstrom returning for what looks to be like 1 final year in the league, 2011-12 looks like it’ll be Detroit’s last crack at the Cup for  a few years. Look to the Red Wings to rely on top end talent and a bevy of experience to lift them to the top of the Western Conference.

Weaknesses:

Perhaps the only weakness of the Red Wings, is age, and with age, comes a proneness to injuries. Star pivot Pavel Datsyuk missed most of 2010-11 with a wrist injury, but looks to be 100% entering training camp. However, if the Wings want to succeed in 2011-12, they must get key contributions from younger depth players.

6) Nashville Predators

Strengths:

The biggest strength, of a cash-strapped Nashville squad, is none other than the man standing behind the bench, Barry Trotz. Trotz, arguably the best coach in the game, always finds a way to get his Nashville team to over-achieve and get into the post-season.

Weaknesses:

Uncertainty over the futures of the big 3; Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, and Pekka Rinne, will surely cause a stir in Nashville, as the season draws on. It will be up to those 3 all-stars to put away thoughts of contracts and focus on hockey, if Nahville wants to once again be a playoff team, in 2011-12.

7)  Anaheim Ducks

Strengths:

The RPG line is unquestionably the most dynamic scoring line in hockey, and will once again be relied upon to provide most of the Ducks’ offense. The RPG line is perhaps the only line in hockey that can truly carry a team to the playoffs.

Weaknesses:

The biggest knock on the Ducks, is that they are a very top-heavy squad. Beyond the RPG line, there really aren’t many reliable offensive forwards on the Anaheim roster. Also, beyond Lubomir Visnovsky and budding superstar Cam Fowler, there isn’t a whole lot of depth on the Ducks’ blueline. Also, concerns over the health of goaltender Jonas Hiller will be huge in determining the Ducks’ success in 2011-12.

8) Columbus Blue Jackets

Strengths:

The Blue Jackets have finally found a true #1 center to play along side Rick Nash. It is my belief, that given the chance to play with a legit play-making pivot, Rick Nash can be one of the top-5 players in all of hockey. He is mean, nasty, big, strong, has a fantastic shot, and really knows how to finish. He has now been given that opportunity, thanks to GM Scott Howson’s acquisition of Jeff Carter.

Weaknesses:

The biggest issue for Columbus is their depth, or lack there of. There really aren’t many proven NHL defenders on this roster. The addition of James Wisniewski will do wonders for the Jackets’ Power-Play, however, beyond Wiz, I do not see much strength on that blueline.

9) St Louis Blues

10) Minnesota Wild

11) Calgary Flames

12) Edmonton Oilers

13) Phoenix Coyotes

14) Dallas Stars

15) Colorado Avalanche

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Considering how the last series went against a team from southern California, there should be no lack of flare and maybe this brings the rivalry between the teams to the next level as it did with the Sharks and Ducks two years ago. There’s a rivalry between the teams but it never seemed to hit its stride because both teams have rarely been good at the same time.

There was no “easy” match-ups in the Western Conference and though people will point to the Kings missing leading scorer Anze Kopitar this will be far from a cake-walk for the Sharks. If you look at the way the Kings are built, they may be one of the teams that are well-suited for taking on this kind of disadvantage.

Jonathan Quick has had a terrific season in net and the defense in front of him from top to bottom is one of the best in the entire league. As valuable as Kopitar is to the Kings, would it have the same impact as the Sharks losing someone like Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau for a series? Probably not.

The Kings play lock-down defense so they’re somewhat prepared to compensate for losing a leading scorer and if anything it may make their defense stingier because they know what they do well and they’ll focus on it even more now.

Here’s a look at some interesting things to keep an eye on:

Antti Niemi vs. Jonathan Quick: The goal-tending battles have been cause of the Sharks demise many years running. Many people believe that Evgeni Nabokov got the Sharks as far as they were going to go with him in net because he was consistently outplayed in series by the opponents goaltenders even if the Sharks won the series (eg. Craig Anderson with Colorado last season). Both goalies had awesome regular seasons but Niemi has the long playoff run experience, it will be interesting to see if he has the capability to take this team where he took Chicago last season.

Secondary scoring: The Kings will rely on depth scoring with Kopitar out and Justin Williams getting his first action just off an injury. There’s plenty of guys on the team who can score, its just a matter of who will. The verdict is still out on how whether this group of defensemen is good enough to win a cup. There is depth, Kent Huskins is injured, but the defense still goes a good seven deep with Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray, Jason Demers, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Ian White, Niclas Wallin and Justin Braun although Braun and White have never played in the playoffs.

The more intriguing situation is the Sharks forwards vs. the Kings defense. In the past they have been one-line ponies. Stop one line, stop the Sharks offense. This season the stars are spread out and the Sharks have three lines that can score and over the last month, the Sharks supposed “third line” of Joe Pavelski, Torrey Mitchell and Kyle Wellwood has been its best. But last season the Sharks ran into arguably the best assembled group of defensemen in the playoffs for the Blackhawks. The Kings’ Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Rob Scuderi, Willie Mitchell, Matt Greene and Alec Martinez provide just about everything you’d want from a group of six on the back end.

Adversity theory: The Sharks are perennial playoff contenders and Stanley Cup favorites. They always disappoint after stellar regular seasons. This year didn’t get off to the same start but who’s to say that’s a bad thing. They had to fight in a semi-desperation mode ever since the end of January and maybe that’s a good thing. There’s no lulling into the playoffs this year and no easy tests along the way being in a division that could have had all five teams make the playoffs. Despite finishing second in the conference they still flew somewhat under-the-radar thanks to the dominance of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Sharks once again have the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. It’ll always be about the playoffs for this team regardless of how the regular season goes. To get where they want they have to go through at least one cross-state rival and then we’ll see where that leaves the team. Here’s to a great all-California series!

Extras

Nice to see all three teams from California make the playoffs as well. It’s another step in building up the sport in a state where it still isn’t necessarily recognized as much. Maybe seeing one of these teams succeed helps make hockey an option for kids growing up in the state.

All three teams have great teams and organizations and are set up to be good for the foreseeable future based on the young talent on each team. The Sharks have become models of consistency in the regular season, the Kings are past the up-and-coming label and belong in the playoffs and the Ducks have been to a pair of Stanley Cups – winning one – in the last decade.

Some thoughts from tonight’s game…

I thought the first goal and the third goal for the Kings were soft. Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne opened the five hole and Anze Kopitar took advantage for the Kings first tally on only their second shot of the game. This is a goal that Rinne cannot give up. On the third goal, Rinne left the short side post and Wayne Simmonds took advantage. Both goals were atypical for Rinne and created a hole out of which the Predators could not climb.

The Kings second goal by Alec Martinez was a classic case of a defenseman on a 2 on 1 getting caught in no man’s land. Jonathan Blum did not take the shooter or close off the passing lane. Martinez took a nice pass from Dustin Brown and buried the shot to give the Kings a 2-1 lead. Blum has to commit to stopping that pass, and he was betwixt and between and did not. Rinne had no chance on the shot from Martinez.

Although the Predators outshot the Kings 32-18, many of the shots were from the perimeter and Kings netminder Jonathan Bernier had a lot of clear looks at the puck. Bernier is a good goalie, but the Predators make him look very good.

The Predators puck support in the offensive zone was awful. Most of the night, the puck carrier was outnumbered and had no one supporting. This oftentimes thwarted any offensive effort by the Predators.

The Kings size absolutely ground up the Predators. I spoke with Head Coach Barry Trotz earlier this season, and the smallish size of the Predators forwards was a concerned for him. Tonight, we saw what happens when a team with size and skill takes on the Predators. The Kings controlled the puck for stretches at ta time in the offensive zone and the choked off the Predators in the neutral zone and trying to enter the offensive zone. The Predators did not match up well against the size of the Kings and could not generate any offensive flow throughout the night.

This is the most important week of the Predators season. They MUST get points in their next three contests or they will find themselves in an unenviable position of being too far back to climb back into the playoff race. This means that the young players on the roster are going to have to grow up fast. Unfortunately for the Predators, they have some passengers right now. Colin Wilson, Sergei Kostitsyn, and Mike Fisher are going to have to start producing. Wilson has been invisible, as has Fisher. Kostitsyn has gone cold. These guys are going to have to produce if this team is going to make the playoffs.

Good to see J.P. Dumont back in the lineup and get a goal tonight. The negative aspect is that Joel Ward was scratched after the pre-skate with an undisclosed lower body injury. We will need Wardo back quickly.

The best forwards on the ice were Marty Erat and Patric Hornqvist. Hornqvist brings it every night, and his compete level is tops on the team. We need more players competing like Hornqvist.

This is a big test for the leadership of Shea Weber. A great leader will take the team and light them up and get them motivated to compete. This is especially important for a team that has a roster full of young players. Shea has to embrace his leadership role and bring this team up to another level for them to be successful.

This team has to regroup and get ready to bring it Thursday night against the Bruins. It goes without saying that the points are critical. This team has to play with desperation and intensity on every shift. Fail to do so and you can make a mid-April tee time. This is the time for everyone on the team to lay it all on the line. This is the playoffs for the Predators.

It’s time to find out what you are made of; it’s time to find out how badly you want it.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Bernier

2. Anze Kopitar

3. Jonathan Blum

You can click here: 2011 NHL All-Star rosters to see the players that will participate in this year’s All-Star game in Raleigh, NC.

James had the first pick and promptly chose Team Eric Staal, so I got Team Lidstrom. His alternate captains named by the NHL are Ryan Kesler and Mike Green, while mine are Martin St. Louis and Patrick Kane.

Below you will find our mock draft picks and the projected lines for the game.

Team Staal projected line-up:

Line combos:
Alex Ovechkin-Eric Staal-Rick Nash
Steven Stamkos-Jonathan Toews-Paul Stastny
Matt Duchene-Ryan Kesler-Jeff Skinner
Patrick Elias-Claude Giroux-Phil Kessel

Defensive Pairings
Zdeno Chara-Duncan Keith
Shea Weber-Mike Green
Marc Staal-Dan Boyle

Goalies:
1st Period: Cam Ward
2nd Period: Marc-Andre Fleury
3rd Period: Carey Price

Team Lidstrom project line-up:

Line combos:
Daniel Sedin-Henrik-Sedin-Martin St. Louis
Loui Eriksson-Brad Richards-Patrick Kane
Patrick Sharp-Anze Kopitar-Corey Perry
David Backes-Danny Briere-Martin Havlat

Defensive pairings:
Kris-Letang-Nicklas Lidstrom
Keith Yandle-Dustin Byfuglien
Brent Burns-Erik Karlssson

Goalies:
1st period: Tim Thomas
2nd period: Jonas Hiller
3rd period: Henrik Lundqvist

Forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin, Henrik Zetterberg, Jarome Iginla and Ales Hemsky, as well as defenseman Tobias Enstrom will miss the All-Star week-end due to personal reasons or injury.

The 2011 NHL All-Star draft will be aired on Friday January 28th at 8PM, while the Super Skills will be on Saturday January 28th at 7PM Eastern time. The All-Star game will be played on Sunday January 29th at 4PM Eastern time.

You can also follow me on Twitter for updates on the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL in general.

Who knew there would be such a high demand for NHL castoffs who become KHL castoffs?

First Marek Svatos packed up his game and crossed the Atlantic to play for the St. Louis Blues. He didn’t survive the waiver wire as the Nashville Predators claimed the former 30 goal scorer. With the San Jose Sharks claiming Kyle Wellwood the Blues are now 0-for-2 bringing in support for their injury depleted roster.

While Wellwood is far from the Blues saving grace, the loss still stings.

Over $6 million in payroll is sitting on IR due to concussions instead of on the ice scoring goals. The need is great and all options are worth exploring. Wellwood’s abilities in the circle and potential to bolster a sluggish power play could have been effective gap filling production.

Instead Doug Armstrong is left continuing his season long searching for offensive assistance.

Hopefully the waiver rules get a healthy review and update in the next CBA. The consequences of the current cap system stifling the trade market for “haves” and “have nots” alike appears to be adversely affecting the waiver system.

Welcome Back TJ Oshie

One SMALL bit of good news today was that TJ Oshie has been activated from IR and will play tonight against the LA Kings. Since fracturing his ankle in a scrum against Columbus on November 10th he has missed 31 games.

Virtually the undisputed spark plug of the lineup, Oshie has been sorely missed. His ability to come out of traffic with the puck in tow and make a play is the main catalyst missing from the Blues attack. He may be a bit rusty in his first game back, but his compete level will be contagious.

Look for Oshie to play right wing on a line with Vladimir Sobotka and Patrik Berglund.

Quick Hits vs LA

Blues Lines should will likely look like very similar with a few tweaks.

Alex Steen – David Backes – Matt D’Agostini
Vladimir Sobotka – Patrik Berglund – T.J. Oshie
Brad Winchester – Jay McClement- Ryan Reaves
B.J. Crombeen – Phi McRae – Brad Boyes

Barret Jackman – Roman Polak
Eric Brewer – Erik Johnson
Carlo Colaiacovo – Alex Pietrangelo

Jaroslav Halak will start in net.

- Look for the Jackman – Polak pairing to see a lot of Anze Kopitar. He leads the Kings with 16 goals and 47 points in 43 games.

- One area of game play to keep an eye on, crashing the crease. Can the Blues keep the Kings out and can they get inside on the Kings?

- Jonathan Quick will go for the Kings. He did not have a solid game against the Blues last Thursday in LA. Allowing three goals on 21 shots. Halak bested the US Olympian by stopping 24 of 25 shots.

- Blues beat writer Lou Korac also had some insight in to LA’s lines in his Gameday blog.

Ryan Smyth – Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams
Marco Sturm – Jarret Stoll – Dustin Brown
Kyle Clifford – Brad Richardson – Trevor Lewis
Alexei Ponikarovsky – Michal Handzus – Kevin Westgarth

Rob Scuderi – Drew Doughty
Jack Johnson – Willie Mitchell
Alec Martinez – Matt Greene

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As always, you are invited to follow @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter and on the BlueNoteZone Facebook Fan Page for in game updates and Blues news. Please also check out the St. Louis Blues Blogs Facebook Fan Page for links to Blues blogs all over the Internet.

The 7-4 loss to the Ducks was a perpetuation of the same trends miring the Blues below the waterline. Great stretches of play where little playing was to be found. Far too many passengers on the highway to h-e-double hockey sticks. As in the previous four failures, the difference of one period’s play made the difference.

As stern payback by the (Mighty) Ducks for the walloping they were given back in October. Then the Blues took a page out of Anaheim’s playbook. The game may have been “lost” but they wouldn’t be pushed around. Between the 13:47 and 17:22 mark of the third four fights erupted. Ending up in 62 PIMs in less than 5 minutes time and a 78 total for the game.

Better late than never to receive the message?

The hot tempered actions didn’t boil over to Thursday’s affair in LA. Instead the energy carried over in to controlled emotion and renewed confidence. Aside from the first quarter of the second period, confidence snowballed in to execution. Those in white sweaters looked to be on strings attached to the fingers of Davis Payne. Whatever the course of action taken, it was generally the decision Payne’s system calls for. As it has before, adherence to the code of play defined by the bench boss as “St. Louis Blues hockey”, produced results.

Will this third hard lesson be the one that sinks in? Won’t know till Saturday in San Jose.

Back to Back Quick Hits

- Ty Conklin stopped 17 of 24 shots against Anaheim. The 5th time in 9 starts, 6th time overall, Conks has allowed 4 goals or more in a game this season. Jonas Hiller stopped 30 of 34 Blues shots.

- Jaroslav Halak was rock solid against LA. Facing 25 shots and turning away 24. Kudos to Halak for taking his beatings. The Kings were in his crease several times causing trouble. There was one instance where around 8 or 9 skaters were in the crease and the officals refused to blow the play dead. Protect the goaltender? Jonathan Quick was far from solid. He looked uncomfortable handling the puck all night and allowed 3 goals on 21 shots.

- Once again David Backes was the top performer for the Blues. Netting 2 goals and registering 8 shots in the two tilts. Worth noting that after another slow start he is pacing for a 27 goal campaign and has a legitimate shot at 30 goals and 70 points

- The Peoria Line, comprised of Chris Porter, Phil McRae and Ryan Reaves, formed a respectable trio. Reaves scored once in each game and McRae picked up his first NHL point assisting on Reaves game winning goal in LA.

- The pairings were shuffled against LA, reuniting Barret Jackman and Roman Polak. Those two, as well as Eric Brewer and Erik Johnson, did a good job of matching up against the Anze Kopitar line. Kopitar ended with 5 shots and 10 attempts, but was denied time and space to rev up his engine. Backes’ deserves some credit there as well.

- Totals on the draw: 58 won – 57 lost. Jay McClement was a solid 16 for 28. McRae was 10 for 11.

- Alex Pietrangelo keeps getting better. The rust from his shoulder injury seems to have been brushed off as he posted 2 assists and a Plus-3 for the set. He was Even against the Ducks. Erik Johnson is also improving. Picking up an assist in each game as well and a Plus-3 rating. He was a Plus-2 in the 3 goal differential loss to Anaheim. Against LA one several offensive zone draws Payne put both EJ and Petro on the ice. That combination lead to two goals.

- Brad Winchester continued his solid play. He is one of a few who have grabbed ahold of opportunity recently. As has Matt D’Agostini.

- Brad Boyes and Alex Steen pursued the puck and worked the corner boards very well to set up the third goal Thursday. That type of play hasn’t been seen much since David Perron and TJ Oshie went out. Those two are masters of attacking the puck carrier, working down low to create space to come out and get pucks to the net. Boyes has points in 4 straight with Thursday’s assist on Steen’s goal.

Bluenotes

The Blues AHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen fell to the Oklahoma City Barons 7-2. While it ended their winning streak at five, they have a chance at redemption as the two square off again Friday night. The Rivermen are 25-11-2-1 in 39 games. Leading the AHL’s Western Conference with 53 points. There is a feeling that this club can make a legitimate run at a Calder Cup. Such a playoff run would be a big boost to the relatively inexperience prospects composing much of the roster.

Credit first year coach Jared Bednar with the success. He has really mixed youth with veteran additions like captain Dean Arsene, Nathan Oystrick, Graham Mink and David Spina. Credit also goes to the Blues top goalending prospects, Jake Allen and Ben Bishop, who are backstopping the Rivermen. Allen is 15-4-0-5 with a 2.04 GAA and .937 save percentage. Bishop’s record is 10-9-1-2 with a 2.44 GAA and .917 save percentage.

Reports are true that as many as 16 scouts were at the last Rivermen game. While the rumor mill loves to spin and will surely land on the section marked “trades are coming”, don’t put much in to it. So many were in attendance because it was a Thursday game. The scouts will likely move on to Rockford, Chicago, Milwaukee, “near by” teams, for the weekend. It’s a logistics issue. Don’t get carried away.

Per Andy Strickland, Defenseman Ian Cole has been recalled from Peoria. He will join the team in San Jose and likely play Saturday against the Sharks. Meaning either Tyson Strachan or Eric Brewer is out.

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As always, you are invited to follow @618_STLBlues and @BlueNoteZone on Twitter and on the BlueNoteZone Facebook Fan Page for in game updates and Blues news. Please also check out the St. Louis Blues Blogs Facebook Fan Page for links to Blues blogs all over the Internet.

Past winners since 2000-2001:
2000–01 John Madden New Jersey Devils C
2001–02 Michael Peca New York Islanders C
2002–03 Jere Lehtinen Dallas Stars RW
2003–04 Kris Draper Detroit Red Wings C
2004–05 NHL lockout – No winner
2005–06 Rod Brind’Amour Carolina Hurricanes C
2006–07 Rod Brind’Amour Carolina Hurricanes C
2007–08 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C
2008–09 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C
2009–10 Pavel Datsyuk Detroit Red Wings C

The following criteria were taking into account while compiling the list:
Points
+/- ratio (no players with a minus rating figure on the list)
Giveaways (subtracted)
Takeaways
Short-handed time on ice/game (minimum 1:45 SH TOI/game or three 35-second shifts on the penalty kill)

As a result some players were left out of the list such as Pavel Datsyuk (0:57), Derek Roy (1:27), Jeff Carter (1:00), Loui Eriksson (1:39), Nicklas Backstrom (1:24) and Alexander Semin (1:32) despite strong stats in the other categories. However, they can still make the list below if their short-handed time on ice/game increases until the end of the current campaign.

Player Team Points Plus/Minus Giveaways Takeaways SH TOI/Game Total
1. J. Toews CHI 24 6 12 31 2.25 51.25
2. M. Richards PHI 28 11 14 23 2.38 50.38
3. B. Ryan ANA 23 9 12 21 1.56 42.56
4. T. Plekanec MTL 25 7 9 17 2.43 42.43
5. A. Kopitar LA 24 4 14 23 2.12 39.12
6. A. Ladd ATL 27 1 5 14 1.51 38.51
7. R. Kesler VAN 17 3 7 22 2.24 37.24
8. A. Tanguay CAL 23 3 9 16 1.50 34.50
9. RJ Umberger CBS 19 9 7 11 2.26 34.26
10. C. Giroux PHI 25 4 10 12 2.35 33.35
11. D. Krejci BOS 16 9 2 8 1.56 32.56
12. B. Morrison CAL 16 2 10 21 1.47 30.47
13. M. Koivu MIN 20 3 20 25 1.48 29.48
14. J. Halpern MTL 14 9 3 5 2.36 27.36
15. D. Backes STL 17 5 7 10 1.59 26.59
16. M. Hossa CHI 18 4 17 20 1.54 26.54
17. B. Laich WAS 18 8 12 10 2.27 26.27
18. L. Korpikoski PHX 13 7 5 8 2.53 25.53
19. D. Cleary DET 18 4 7 7 1.58 23.58
20. S. Horcoff EDM 15 4 13 15 2.12 23.12

No surprise to see players like Toews, Richards, Kesler and Hossa among the leaders are they are well-known for their defensive abilities, but players like Jeff Halpern, Lauri Korpikowski and Brendan Morrison are surprisingly good defensively while providing some offensive for their respective teams.

Which player(s) surprise listed above surprise you the most? And why?

You can also follow me on Twitter for more fantasy information!

Difference Makers, Hiding in the Shadows

Here is a quick look at ten players who may wind up making the difference for their respective teams this season.

RW. Nikita Filatov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Jackets hope Filatov can help them crack the playoffs this year

Although his rookie season was eventually marred by a disagreement with then-head coach Ken Hitchcock, ultimately resulting in Filatov returning to Russia in order to get more ice-time, the Blue Jackets 1st round pick(6th overall) from the 2008 Draft is back in Columbus, ready to make an impact. With new coach Scott Howson in place and the franchise welcoming Nikita back with open arms, the 20 year old is already earning top minutes on the team’s 2nd line and top power play unit. Skating alongside fellow Jacket 1st round picks, Jacob Varocuk and Derrick Brassard, Filatov will be counted upon to bolster the offense in order to get Columbus back into the playoff picture. Gifted hands and great vision, he is going to be granted all the time and space he needs to grow his game. If his mature attitude can carry over to the ice, Columbus may not be as tame as many believe them to be.

Nikita Filatov HockeyDB.com

RW. Jiri Hudler, Detroit Red Wings

Hudler's return will only further boost a deep and dangerous Wings lineup

A regular for the Wings from ‘06-07 to ‘08-09, Jiri Hudler was on his way to becoming a fixture on the Red Wings top 6, missing only 7 games during that 3 year span and collecting 51 goals and 124 points. Unfortunately for Jiri and the Red Wings salary cap restrictions compromised the team’s ability to resign the winger in the summer of 2009 and eventually led to Hudler spending a year in Russia, with Detroit’s blessing, of course. Although there were fears his game could regress in the KHL, Hudler racked up 54 points in 54 games for Moscow Dynamo, apparently not missing a beat. A year layer and still on Detroit’s radar, a contract was quietly ironed out and the Wings 58th overall pick from the 2002 Draft was brought back into the fold. Not only is Hudler back with the Wings, but of all the players returning from Europe, he has the best chemistry with his current team-mates and as a member of such a deep team, will have a great shot of having a career year. With Detroit having restocked for another shot at the Cup, Hudler is going to be one of the key difference makers who will benefit from the Wings depth and talent. With the opportunity to skate with a Datsyuk, Filppula or Modano, Mike Babcock appears poised to get the most out of his lineup once again, especially a friendly face like Hudler.

Jiri Hudler HockeyDB.com

D. Ladislav Smid, Edmonton Oilers

Youth movement may serve Smid quite well

Smid is set to enter his 6th season in the NHL and 6th as an Oiler, but this will actually be his first as the team’s lead defenseman. With Sheldon Souray out of the picture and Lubomir Visnovsky no longer bolstering the blue line in Edmonton, it would appear that Smid is set to become the direct recipient of the new-look Oilers offense. Although the Oilers are still a work in progress, the addition of blue chip prospects Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Magnus Parjaavi to their lineup is already having a direct impact on the team. With a renewed ability to score goals and a foundation to build from, all signs are pointing towards the Oilers placing an awful lot of responsibility on Smid’s shoulders. Management believes that Ladislav has a lot more to offer the team and are banking on the 23 year old finding chemistry with the new additions and blossoming into the player that made him the 9th overall selection of the 2004 NHL Draft.

Ladislav Smid HockeyDB.com

LW. Cal Clutterbuck, Minnesota Wild

Clutterbuck can provide Wild with added offensive punch

Primarily known for his rough and tumble style of hockey, a lot of people tend to forget that Clutterbuck’s got a pretty solid offensive upside. With a desperate need for Minnesota to find a way to get goal support this season, it may be the perfect opportunity for Clutterbuck to steal a roster spot. Guillaume Latendresse is a player that may find his spot in jeopardy if Cal can continue to take advantage of his minutes while on the second trio. And it’s looking more and more likely that he is going to see more time along talented winger Martin Havlat as the Wild head coach Todd Richards continues to seek out reliable goal scoring. He was a point a game player who compiled over 300 penalty minutes during his Junior days with the Oshawa Generals so it wouldn’t be a far stretch to see him find some chemistry alongside some of Minnesota’s more talented players. He may boast as much upside as some of the other sleepers on this list, but if there is anyone on the Wild who stands a chance of having a breakout year, Cal Clutterbuck would be the ideal candidate.

Cal Clutterbuck HockeyDB.com

C. Jarret Stoll, LA Kings

LA's counting on big things from Stoll, including a healthy season

Interestingly enough, Stoll has twice been drafted in the second round of the NHL entry draft. First by the Flames in 2000 as the 46th overall pick, then by the Oilers in 2002 as the 36th overall pick. Aside from being twice drafted by a team from Alberta, the Saskatoon native is now a member of the Los Angeles Kings. As the team’s second line center, Stoll is often overlooked due to the fact that he plays with guys like Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth, yet he has still quietly managed an average of 40 points a season over the last 4 years. Although 40 points is not all that impressive, Stoll is a talented, hard-working center who has not had not been able to play a full season thanks to injuries since 2005-06 when he posted a career high 68 points in 82 games with the Oilers. Now, with the Kings expectations on the rise, Stoll will be be a lynch pin in providing the more talented individuals on LA the room they need to be successful. If Jarret can avoid injury and provide the Kings with a full season, he will have an excellent chance to return to his career highs if not surpass them.

Jarret Stoll HockeyDB.com
RW. Radim Vrbata, Phoenix Coyotes

At home in the desert, Coyotes expect big things from Vrbata

A product of the Quebec Major Junior system, Vrbata has tenured with various clubs throughout his professional career. He spent 2 years with the Hershey Bears in the AHL, 2 different seasons in the Czech Elite League, 2 years with the Colorado Avalanche, 3 years with the Hurricanes, 2 years with the Blackhawks and half a season with the Lightning sandwiched between stints with the Coyotes. Now, finally back where he is most comfortable, once again in the desert as a member of the ‘Yotes, Vrbata is ready to build on a solid 82 game campaign that saw him net 24 goals and 43 points. Entering his 4th year in Phoenix, it will be up to guys like Vrbata to help Phoenix return to the playoffs. Although not an elite winger, Radim has shown potential, as he did 4 seasons ago when he netted 27 goals and 56 points during his first tour of duty in Arizona. He will need to prove his value to the team by out-producing some of the younger, up and coming prospects, but that can only serve as motivation for the 29 year old . He’s come close to the 30 goal barrier before so if he can skate another 82 games this season, there’s reason to believe he can‘t come close, especially if the team plays like they did last year.

Radim Vrbata HockeyDB.com

G. Sergei Bobrovsky, Philadelphia Flyers

New blood between the pipes gives Philly renewed hope

A rookie goaltender in Philadelphia? One that may actually stick with the team? Although it may sound farfetched, considering the team plowed through nearly an entire roster of netminders on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, and with Leighton and Boucher still on the roster for this season, there’s reason to believe that “Bob” may be what this franchise has long been waiting for. Not since the days of Ron Hextall have the Flyers been able to say they have a true no.1 goaltender, and although he’s only played 2 games in the NHL, it’s safe to say that management is very high on what the 22 year old Russian goalie can do for Philadelphia. There is still a long way to go before the rookie fully gets his bearings, the North American style is not always the easiest thing for a goaltender to adjust to. But with a power house of a team in front of him, strong leadership and backup support in both Leighton and Boucher, Philly can take their time breaking him in, basically allowing the rookie goaltender every opportunity to seize the Flyers crease. He may not last, but if the team plays their cards right, there is a good chance they will be able to mold him into the starter they have spent years trying to draft of pay for.

Sergei Bobrovsky HockeyDB.com

C. Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks

Thrust into a role on San Jose's top 6, Couture isn't just another weapon in Sharks arsenal

The Sharks may have lost out on the veteran leadership and offense from the blue line that Rob Blake had provided them over the last couple of seasons, but in his wake is the arrival of yet another San Jose sniper. Logan Couture was the 9th overall pick in the 2007 draft and after debuting with the team last season, scoring 9 points in his first 25 career games, he now finds himself as the team’s alternate top center, sharing time with Joe Thornton between Dany Heatley Patrick Marleau, Ryan Clowe and Devon Setoguchi. Including Joe Pavelski and Torrey Mitchell, the San Jose lineup is certainly not lacking from offensive punch, and considering who his linemates will be, Couture may wind up making the biggest impact out of anyone on this list. He is one of the more gifted youngsters to enter the league this year, and although he is not technically a rookie due to the 25 games he played last season, he has been a point a game player all throughout his career. Given that he is set to skate with 3 top ten scorers in Heatley, Marleau and Thornton, there is a good chance that Logan may come close to that kind out of output this year.

Logan Couture HockeyDB.com

D. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Bolts big man will benefit from rejuvenated and offensive oriented coaching system

The former #2 overall pick in the 2009 draft had a relatively mild-mannered first year in the NHL as he posted 20 points in 74 games for the Lightning last season. This year, with a revamped lineup and coaching staff, the hulking defender will be sure to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. He’s no stranger to physical play, as his 79 penalty minutes can attest to, so as the Lightning transition to their new game style under Guy Boucher, there’s going to be a lot more opportunity for Hedman to improve on his rookie totals. With a whole new mentality sweeping through the franchise as Steve Yzerman begins his tenure as Lightning general manager, expect Victor to be front and center as he and former Bolt Pavel Kubina, who returned this summer, will be charged with leading Tampa’s blue line. He’s likely going to get the most ice-time out of any player on this list, so expect him to thrive in a better managed Lightning lineup.

Victor Hedman HockeyDB.com

RW. Eric Fehr, Washington Capitals

Fresh off a contract extension, Fehr is on verge of having his breakout year

Chosen as the Capitals 1st round pick in 2003, Eric Fehr joined Washington as they were on the verge of their youth movement. The timing couldn’t have been better as the right winger ripped his way through the WHL, posting back-to-back 50 goal seasons in his final two years with the Brandon Wheat Kings before earning 53 points in 70 games during his professional debut with the Hershey Bears. Although this will be his 5th season in the NHL, it will actually only be his 3rd true campaign with the Capitals. That said, it goes even further as this will be the first year that Fehr starts the season healthy with the opportunity to show Washington what he’s truly capable of. Hampered by injuries and a very deep roster, the team is very aware of what his potential is, and with Mike Knuble in the final year of his deal, there’s a very strong chance that Eric will wind up as Knuble’s successor and the offensive beneficiary of playing with Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin. He needs to win more puck battles and emphasize the physical aspect of his game, but with a proven track record as an offensive stalwart, this should be the year Fehr breaks out for the Capitals.

Eric Fehr HockeyDB.com

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Dustin Penner, Edmonton Penner finished the season with 32 goals and 31 assists for 63 points in 82 games with a miserable Edmonton team after registering only 37 points in 2008-09. That’s a 26-point jump.

Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kopitar ended the season with 34 goals and 47 assists for 81 points in 82 games with the much improved Kings after notching 66 points in 2008-09. That’s a 15 points increase.

Guillaume Latendresse, Minnesota After being traded by the Montreal Canadiens to the Minnesota Wild, Latendresse scored at a 0.67 PPG pace finishing the season with 427 goals and 40 points in 78 games. His production would have been even better if he had started the season in Minnesota. Latendresse had never cracked the 30-point barrier in his career.

Wojtek Wolski, Phoenix Wolski finished the season with 18 points in 18 games after being acquired from Colorado. In 80 games, he scored 23 goals and 42 assists for 59 points, a 17-point improvement over 2008-09 when he recorded 42 points.

Tomas Fleischmann, Washington Flesichmann ended the season with 23 goals and 28 assists for 51 point in only 69 games. Flash had only recorded 37 points in 73 games the year before, 14-point increase.

Now let’s have a look at some of the fourth players entering the 2010-11 season, who are primed candidates for breakout seasons:

1. Bryan Little, Atlanta After a great sophomore season during with he tallied 31 goals and 51 points in 79 games, Little had a down year for the Thrashers notching only 13 goals and 34 points in the same amount of games. Little is entering his fourth year in the NHL, expect around 25 goals and 55 points for the 22-year old right winger, which would be a nice 20-point increase over last year.

2. David Krejci, Boston Krejci had problems finding his strides last season after his camp was shortened due to hip surgery. He scored 17 goals and 52 points in 79 games last season, with 26 points coming in his last 26 games (season and playoffs). Krejci is entering his fourth year in the NHL and with Marc Savard concussion symptoms, Krejci should easily score about 25 goals and 75 points and fly under the radar of many poolies.

3. Dave Bolland, Chicago Bolland playing only 39 games last season notching a mere 16 points due to various injuries. However, he was very good in the Blackhawks playoffs run. Bolland will benefit from the departures of Versteeg, Byfuglien and Ladd because of salary cap concerns. Bolland is entering his fourth season in the NHL, and if he can avoid the disabled list, look for 25 goals and 55 points in 75 games for the second-line pivot. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are also entering their fourth year, but every poolie knows them.

4. Peter Mueller, Colorado Mueller blossomed with the Avalanche after being acquired from Phoenix last season notching 9 goals and 20 points in only 15 games. Many forget Mueller had a great rookie season, recording 22 goals and 54 points in 81 games. Freshly signed to a two-year extension contract, Mueller will continue to thrive in Colorado in his fourth NHL season. Expect about a 0.80 PPG for him this season, but his concussion woes should limit him to 25 goals and 55 points in 70 games, an 18-point increase compared to last season.

5. Jiri Hudler, Detroit After spending one year in the KHL, Hudler is back in Detroit where he will provide great secondary scoring to an already potent offensive team. In 2008-09, Hudler potted 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points in 82 games before bolting to the KHL. He had 25 points, 42 points, 57 points his first three years in the NHL so at 26 years old and entering his fourth NHL year, Hudler should be a major sleeper. Expect 30 goals and 70 points for the diminutive winger.

6. Sam Gagner, Edmonton Coming off back-to-back 41-point seasons with the Oilers, Gagner is primed for an improved offensive production. With the arrival of Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, and a healthy Ales Hemsky, Gagner will benefit from a much improved offensive core. Gagner, who’s entering his fourth NHL season, will pivot the Oilers’ second-line which will allow him to score 20 goals and 65 points this season.

7. Andrei Kostitsyn, Montreal After a disappointing season where he only netted 15 goals and 33 points in 53 games, the older Kostitsyn is entering his fourth NHL year, which is also a contract year. Slotted to play alongside Plekanec and Cammalleri, the Belarussian is too talented not to rebound in 2010-11. Expect, 25 goals and 55 points in 75 games.

8. David Clarkson, New Jersey Clarkson missed a chunk of last season due to injuries, dressing for only 46 games, notching 11 goals and 24 points. The gritty forward is entering his fourth season and will likely fly under the radar thanks to a very deep offensive group in New Jersey. Clarkson should get PP time on the second unit and be good for 20 goals and 45 points, along with at least 150 penalty minutes which is an added bonus in leagues with PIMs.

9. Brandon Dubinsky, New York Despite missing 13 games, Dubinsky managed to record 20 goals and 44 points in 69 games on a goal-starving team. Entering his fourth NHL campaign, and coupled with Chris Drury finger injury that will sideline him for over a month, Dubinsky should easily improve on last season’s numbers. Expect 25 goals and 60 points in 2010-11.

10. David Perron, St. Louis Last year, Perron recorded 20 goals and 47 points in 82 games on a Blues team that did not meet the expectations and missed the playoffs. This season, with Kariya and Tkachuk’s departures, Perron will get top-6 minutes of a young offensive squad. Perron should easily improve on last season’s numbers and score 25 goals and 60 points for a great magical fourth year.

Please note that the magical fourth year theory doesn’t apply to defensemen as they tend to take more time to mature and reach their prime.

Kovalchuk will easily be to most coveted player for an unrestricted free-agent pool that isn’t quite as deep in quality talent as in recent years. The 27-year-old Russian is a scoring machine just entering his prime. With already 338 goals in 621 career regular-season NHL games, Kovalchuk has now posted 40+ goal seasons for the past six seasons. Kovalchuk is right there with Alexander Ovechkin when it comes to goal-scoring abilities and electrifying plays. Kovalchuk is also a natural leader in the locker room, as he was the Thrashers captain before he got traded.

Ilya Kovalchuk will likely test free agency on July 1st

Other prized free agents such as Patrick Marleau and Tomas Plekanec might also be available on July 1st, but they don’t bring as much razzle-dazzle to the table as Kovalchuk does. And despite the continuous reports coming out Russia surrounding the KHL and potential offers, don’t expect the Russian sniper to move east before next season.

But rumors have Kovalchuk asking for upwards of $10 million per season, especially after he turned down $101 million over 12 years ($8.4 million/season) and $70 million over seven years ($10 million/year) from the Thrashers before the trade deadline. So would Ilya be willing to sign a long term (10 to 12 years) for about $8 million/per season with a team of his choosing?

That possibility can certainly materialize, but few teams have the necessary salary cap space to afford Kovalchuk over the long term. Teams like Columbus, Toronto, Edmonton, Carolina and NYIslanders all have sufficient cap space to sign the former Thrasher, but I highly doubt they interest him. On the contrary, a budding team like the Los Angeles Kings might prove very interesting for a talented player like Kovalchuk. Rising stars such as Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Jack Johnson have improved a lot over the last season, helping the Kings clinch a playoff berth. We could very well see a Marian-Hossa type signing by the Kings who were reportedly in the Kessel sweepstakes, a bidding-war GM Dean Lombardi ended up losing against Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke.

With Justin Williams (3.5) and Michal Handzus (4.0) both slated to depart via UFA in 2011, Lombardi will likely have enough money to re-sign youngsters Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson who are to become RFAs after next season. The Kings have about $47.8 million tied up for next year, and the salary cap next season will very likely be around $58 million, which leaves around $10 million to sign Kovalchuk and a few depth players for the upcoming season. Forwards Fredrik Modin, Alexander Frolov and Jeff Halpern are not expected to be re-signed by Lombardi and will most likely become UFAs on July 1st.

Los Angeles also makes sense as Ilya’s wife, Nicola, who is a professional dancer, would certainly consider LA as a place of choice to pursue her professional career. The Kovalchuks have three children, the youngest was born in New Jersey during the short period Ilya played for the Devils.

The timing is perfect for the kings to bolster their team by signing the best player available on the free agent market to a longer deal and GM Dean Lombardi knows that. The question now is: will he make it happen?

This blog was inspired by Pierre Lebrun, Puck Daddy and Matthew Barry.

However, I feel it is time to take a deeper look at what next season’s Kings roster can potentially look like, some UFA’s that might be targeted, whether it is to solidify the top six or bottom six as pluggers, and the pure needs for this team from my perspective.

Also, we take a look at what some of the core combined with the kids can mean for this club heading into next season.

The Kings had plenty to celebrate this season.

The Los Angeles Kings had quite the exciting season, making the playoffs for the first time in six NHL seasons and seven years overall.

Unfortunately for the Kings, though, it was a short-lived postseason as they ran into one of the top three offenses in the NHL. The Vancouver Canucks eliminated them in six games, but not without the Kings acquiring something they did not have prior: playoff experience.

Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Wayne Simmonds, Scott Parse, Alexander Frolov, Jack Johnson and Jonathan Quick all skated on playoff ice and obtained their NHL ‘playoff badge’. A vital piece to this Kings future, which looks very bright.

With 15 players signed on through next season and only minor raises needed to keep the restricted free agents on board, the over $15 million in cap space the Kings have will play a key role in their off-season.

A look at the roster breakdown for free agents and salaries. Hat tip to Rich Hammond over at LAKingsInsider.com for having this posted on his site.

UNDER CONTRACT
(with next season’s cap hit)
Dustin Brown (through 2013-14) — $3.175 million
Drew Doughty (through 2010-11) — $3.475 million
Davis Drewiske (through 2012-13) — $616,666
Erik Ersberg (through 2010-11) — $750,000
Matt Greene (through 2013-14) — $2.95 million
Michal Handzus (through 2010-11) — $4 million
Peter Harrold (through 2010-11) — $583,333
Jack Johnson (through 1010-11) — $1.425 million
Anze Kopitar (through 2015-16) — $6.8 million
Jonathan Quick (through 2012-13) — $1.8 million
Rob Scuderi (through 2012-13) — $3.4 million
Wayne Simmonds (through 2010-11) — $821,667
Ryan Smyth (through 2011-12) — $6.25 million
Jarret Stoll (through 2011-12) — $3.6 million
Justin Williams (through 2010-11) — $3.5 million

BUYOUT
Alyn McCauley (through 2010-11) — $666,667

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
(with this year’s cap hit)
Rich Clune ($625,000)
Scott Parse ($550,000)
Brad Richardson ($587,500)

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
(with this year’s cap hit)
Alexander Frolov ($2.9 million)
Jeff Halpern ($2 million)
Raitis Ivanans ($600,000)
Randy Jones ($2.75 million)
Fredrik Modin ($3.25 million)
Sean O’Donnell ($1.25 million)

PROSPECTS UNDER CONTRACT
(with next year’s cap hit)
Justin Azevedo ($553,333)
Jonathan Bernier ($843,333)
Andrew Campbell ($580,000)
Kyle Clifford ($900,000)
Thomas Hickey ($1,316,666)
Bud Holloway ($650,000)
Martin Jones ($526,667)
Ray Kaunisto ($900,000)
Dwight King ($591,666)
Brandon Kozun ($575,000)
Andrei Loktionov ($845,833)
Alec Martinez ($875,000)
David Meckler ($561,666)
Juraj Mikus ($562,500)
Oscar Moller ($875,000)
Patrick Mullen ($875,000)
Jake Muzzin ($900,000)
Brayden Schenn ($3.14 million)
Colten Teubert ($945,833)
Viatcheslav Voynov ($845,833)
Kevin Westgarth ($525,000)
Jeff Zatkoff ($850,000)
John Zeiler ($558,333)

That is the entire roster for the Los Angeles Kings for those who were signed, are signed and those who have question marks as to whether or not they will return. As for unsigned and free agent prospects, you can find the list at the end of this writing.

Starting with the blue line.

What can be said about Doughty?! In only his second full season in the league he ended as a Norris finalist, won an Olympic gold medal as an integral figure to his country’s lineup, and earned his role as the team’s number one defenseman and power play quarterback.

Johnson also took strides with his game, bringing his level of play up a notch as well. He tallied career-highs in goals, assists, and points.

With veterans Rob Scuderi and Matt Greene signed on through next season, the blue line has four key contributors already locked in with these two, along with Doughty and Johnson.

Rounding out the defensemen who are locked in for next year, youngsters Davis Drewiske and Alec Martinez along with Peter Harrold could also take that next step to becoming regulars on the Kings blue line.

That leaves the Kings with seven NHL-ready defensemen and question marks to surround the future of Sean O’Donnell, who played a key role in the developments of both Johnson and Doughty.

Other prospects on the rise — Thomas Hickey, Viatcheslav Voynov and Colten Teubert — all will be part of training camp giving their best in order to impress the coaching staff and earn a roster spot of their own.

With the Kings AHL Affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, Martinez earned 30 points with a plus-12 rating and Voynov 29 points and were the top offensive defensemen for the mini-Kings.

The new wave of NHL defensemen all seem to have a very well developed two-way game and we are starting to notice a trend where the “shut down” defenseman is becoming somewhat obsolete.

Look around the NHL and you will notice that even shut down type players such as Marc Staal and Braydon Coburn, to name a few, have an offensive touch to their games even if they are known to play more of a shut down role.

Up front for L.A., the core for these Kings remains in tact and brings a very positive outlook.

Returning are the aforementioned Brown, Kopitar, Simmonds, along with veterans Ryan Smyth, Michal Handzus, and Jarret Stoll. Without panicking, restricted free agents that are likely to be re-signed are Scott Parse, Brad Richardson and Richard Clune.

Andrei Lokitonov and Oscar Moeller, two youngsters who both have limited NHL-time, remain positives to make the club next season.

Moeller appeared in 43 games for the Monarchs this season earning 33 points (15g, 18a). He was a plus-six for the team. An injury limited his time, but currently has appeared in eight Calder Cup playoff games notching six points (2g, 4a). A player the Kings will need to have elevate his game to the NHL standards when looking ahead to the future.

Lokitonov, who also missed a chunk of time due to an injury, has five assists in eight playoff games in the AHL. Only appearing in 29 regular season games for the Monarchs, Lokitonov earned himself 24 points (9g, 15a) and has taken strides since returning from injury.  Another bright spot for the future here in Hockeywood, LA.

Also, it still seems to be a long shot, but Brayden Schenn who was this past seasons first round draft choice for the Kings will be given every opportunity to show what he has learned over the course of a full season in the WHL.

In 59 regular season games and 15 playoff games, Schenn earned 118 points. Something the Kings should take their time with is the development of Schenn and not rush him to Southern California.

Quick and his single-season record-breaking year has provided the Kings with quite the competition heading into training camp next season.

After their six-game elimination at the hands of the Canucks, Terry Murray made a bold statement in naming Quick the number one goaltender for next season. Of course, a bit premature, but his statement could possibly have been made to really challenge the man considered to be the future between the pipes, Jonathan Bernier.

Bernier appeared in three games for the Kings going 3-0 with a 1.30 goals against average and a .957 save percentage. Of his three wins, one came by way of a shutout.

The future looks outstanding for this Kings club. In what many experts feel, as well as myself, they are only one or two pieces away from completing the puzzle and becoming a pure Stanley Cup contender.

Let’s take a break down of the free agents and discuss who we feel should return and who is likely to walk.

UFAs:

Alexander Frolov ($2.9 million)
Jeff Halpern ($2 million)
Raitis Ivanans ($600,000)
Randy Jones ($2.75 million)
Fredrik Modin ($3.25 million)
Sean O’Donnell ($1.25 million)

RFAs:

Rich Clune ($625,000)
Scott Parse ($550,000)
Brad Richardson ($587,500)

Although many might disagree, I personally feel Frolov should be given an offer by GM Dean Lombardi. Of course, nothing near the same $4 million price tag which he earned this season, especially if both parties can find a balanced middle ground. Bringing Frolov back for another two years is something Lombardi should consider.

However, due to the unlikely scenario presented above, Frolov along with Randy Jones and Jeff Halpern are all likely candidates to test the free agent waters and find new homes.

I feel Freddy Modin, who had a strong close out to the year with LA, should be considered to stay with this club.  You can never underestimate the value of a veteran presence on a club filled with youth.  Handzus and Stoll, along with Scuderi can carry the leadership roles however, Modin can contribute just as well both on and off the ice.

Of course, his value from his original price tag has dropped.  If Lombardi is smart, a $2 million per year deal at two years brings stability to this roster when thinking ahead to next year.

Speaking of Dean Lombardi, he is neither disappointed nor frustrated with the season his Kings had.  The steps have been taken, with a few short cuts. He felt he had a competitive club but knew there were still some adjustments needed before they could be considered a true cup contender.

The entire team gained many things, that would likely be too long to list here, by making the post-season. A team many feel is one piece away from being a true threat within the wild, wild Western Conference.

The final piece to the puzzle:

One piece, who could be the absolute missing link, is Ilya Kovalchuk. Uncertain over his future with the New Jersey Devils leaves the Kings with an opportunity to throw close to the max in Kovalchuk’s direction.

If you are questioning why Lombardi did not make an attempt to acquire Kovalchuk at the trade deadline, I will explain it to you.  Why throw away pieces of your future for an uncertainty?  Or better yet, why take away from your foundation for a player that you can obtain without it costing your organization anything significant other than payroll?  Dean Lombardi answered both of those questions in a very simple matter.  You do not.

There was no reason for the Kings to over pay for a player that was not a guarantee to sign an extension with the club he was traded to.  That is proven to us as Kovalchuk has not re-signed with the Devils and with the coaching carousel that the Devils organization goes through, he likely will not return.

If he truly wants to keep to his word about playing on a championship caliber team, as well as earning a long term contract, playing for the Kings would make perfect sense.

They are a young team with plenty of talent and the  focus from the organizations brass remains to build this club from the core out to develop a dominant force out on the left coast.

An opportunity to gel and grow with an organization whose core are all players 25 years of age and younger. Surrounding Kovlachuk with the young talent of this Kings team would be a win/win for both.  Kovalchuk would not be relied upon to be “the man” and would have a solid group of playmakers dishing pucks in his direction.

Less pressure makes for a valiant performance on the ice.  In LA, Kovalchuk will be provided with less pressure and would likely provide the team, from the non-pressure cooker type atmosphere, with a valiant effort.

There is plenty of cap room, and minimal roster space. For the Kings, these are all positives in moving forward from an already stellar season. A few patches into the line up an we could very well have ourselves a force to reckon with.

Yes, Los Angeles, the future is very bright!

Quick hits:

The list of Restricted, Unrestricted and Unsigned prospects.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENT PROSPECTS
Marc-Andre Cliche ($850,000)
Vladimir Dravecky
Corey Elkins ($803,100)
Trevor Lewis ($855,000)
Brady Murray
Daniel Taylor

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT PROSPECTS
Drew Bagnall ($605,000)
Gabe Gauthier ($525,000)
Joe Piskula ($650,000)

UNSIGNED PROSPECTS
Niclas Andersen
Jean-Francois Berube
Constantin Braun
Robert Czarnik
Nicolas Deslauriers
Nic Dowd
Johan Fransson
David Kolomatis
Mikhail Lyubushin
Jan Marek
Igor Melyakov
Jordan Nolan
Martin Nolet
Michael Pelech
Garrett Roe
Andrei Shefer
Joshua Turnbull
Linden Vey
Geordie Wudrick

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Congratulations to the Vancouver Canucks who truly stepped their game up when they realized how for real this Kings team was. The veteran leadership and experience played a huge factor throughout this entire series. The Kings gave a valiant effort from the second the puck dropped in game one to the final buzzer after sixty minutes Sunday night.

A lot can be said for the cardiac boys from Hockeywood, LA.  A lot of positive words pointing to many bright spots in moving forward.

A list of players who earned some valuable experience in moving forward for the Kings are:

Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar, Wayne Simmonds, Scott Parse, and Alexander Frolov.

Next season has some question marks, of course.

GM Dean Lombardi knows his troops will rebound well.  As does head coach Terry Murray.

From Rich Hammond at LAKingsInsider.com here is what Terry Murray had to say post-game:

A quote to note: “So I think the team has taken big strides in the right direction here. Our best players are the young guys, the kids that are 20, 21, 22 years old. That’s a great nucleus to continue to work with. The organization seems to be in pretty good shape, with the depth that it has in the minors and in junior.”

Of all the words that fell from Terry Murray’s lips to Rich Hammonds ears, to me that quote stands out above all. In my opinion, Murray is absolutely correct in saying that his best players are the kids. The nucleus that has been developed in Los Angeles is one that will have the Kings competitive for as long as they can hold onto the stars of the team who are currently 25 years of age and younger.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Kings on a very successful season.  Next year holds great potential.

In my next feature, we will take a look at the roster, the salary cap, those under contract and what (who), in my opinion, is needed for this team to climb even higher next season.

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After Ryan Kesler and Mikael Samuelsson were key players for the Canucks in game one, both players continued to be the story for the Canucks in game two. After a poor performance in game one, Ryan Kesler responded in game two delivering a solid performance with two assists, the first of which was directly responsible for the Canucks first goal; Kesler’s one timer on the Canucks opening power play rang off the post behind Jonathan Quick, laying all alone for Steve Bernier who was in perfect position to hammer home an easy one, his first of the playoffs.

Two minutes later at 9:49 of the first, Mikael Samuelsson continued his strong playoffs with a sneaky low wrist shot that skipped slightly in front of Jonathan Quick, enough to throw off the King’s netminders and give the Canucks a 2-0 lead in the first. The shaky goal for Samuelsson and the Canucks should have been a bit of a back breaker for the Kings who had gone down a game and two goals on the road, however Terry Murray managed to rally the Kings immediately after Samuelsson’s third of the playoffs.

After Shane O’Brien’s roughing penalty put the Canucks a man down at 9:13 of the second, a sloppy penalty kill by the Canucks caused a scramble in front of Luongo allowing Fredrik Modin to jump on the loose puck and fire home his second of the post season. Immediately following the Canucks opening goal, the Canucks responded with an aggressive offensive shift that came within inches of restoring the two goal lead, however after the puck came loose to Anze Kopitar a three on one in the Canucks end gave Wayne Simmonds enough space to allow Kopitar to slide him the puck and put the puck home behind Luongo. Just like that, the Canucks had lost an encouraging two goal lead in just 35 seconds.

After a cagey and nervous third period, the Canucks and Kings were destined to decide the game in overtime; unfortunately for the Canucks the Kings were able to take advantage of the power play once again, a power play that has been the Kings’ key to success so far in the series.

In OT, a brutal Canucks line change ended up leaving seven skaters on the ice at one time, after the puck was thrown into the bench area and struck a Canucks skater referees were forced to make the call and put the Canucks down a man for two minutes or less.

Thanks to Anze Kopitar, it would be less. After working the puck around on the man advantage, Kopitar blasted a shot that was ferociously blocked by Ryan Kesler, unfortunately for the pain stricken Canucks’ penalty killer Kopitar was able to then pick up his own rebound and fire another shot on net that made its way through a maze of bodies into the net. A camera shot of an injured Ryan Kesler skating gingerly to the Canucks bench said it all, the Canucks gave a full effort but came up short paying for their overtime mistake.

Going Back To Cali

As the two teams head south to Los Angeles, both the Canucks and Kings head back to Cali with things to work on in preparation for game three, Vancouver’s game plan is simple, discipline. The Canucks penalty kill has come under fire throughout the series in Vancouver, without Ryan Johnson the previously stingy Canucks’ penalty kill unit has become the Achilles heel of the Canucks allowing 4/5 of the Canucks goals in the series. The Canucks need to focus on team discipline on both sides of the whistle in order to keep out of the penalty box and force the Kings to beat them five on five. With only one goal allowed at even strength, the Canucks are fully capable of taking the Kings head on. The Canucks will have to follow a disciplined game plan and avoid the penalty box in order to really take control of games and finish the Kings when up multiple goals, as I said earlier in the week an inability to burry teams can be deadly in the playoffs.

Andrew Alberts has been the source of a couple bad penalties this series against the Kings, with 23 penalty minutes this series, 13 of which have put the Canucks at a disadvantage Alain Vigneault had no choice but to sit the tough defenseman recently dubbed “A-Minor” in favour of the more steady and recently healthy Aaron Rome.

The Canucks will also be replacing pound for pound fighting champ Rick Rypien with Tanner Glass, who will play in his first ever NHL playoff game. Pavol Demitra will also find himself demoted possibly all the way to the fourth line, although Alain Vigneault wouldn’t confirm what line Demitra would find himself on.

Injuries, News and Notes

• As mentioned above, Aaron Rome has overcome his injuries and should be healthy enough to take the place of Andrew Alberts on the Canucks’ blue line.
• It’s no surprise that there is a lot of trash talking going back and forth in any series featuring Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler, but apparently rookie trash talker Rich Clune crossed the line on Saturday night. Doesn’t he know sloppy seconds jokes are off limits?
• Speaking of Alex Burrows’ trash talk, Drew Doughty seems to be starting to enjoy the frenglish verbal barbs of Burrows and is apparently flattered by the attention all the same.
• The Canucks “Behind the Lens” segment, Day One in Los Angeles.
• The ice conditions in LA for the morning skate “wasn’t good at all” said Ryan Kesler this morning, another unnecessary distraction for both teams to be honest, just win guys.
• With both teams “Going Back To Cali” why not get your gameface on with some West Coast rap. Warning: Not Safe For Work lyrics, listen with caution. Canucks vs. Kings, 7PM from the Staples Center, get your game face on.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Taking the series back to Hockeywood, LA all tied up at one means that the Kings are doing more than many might have expected.

The obstacles that the Kings had in front of them have been avoided. With only two games of playoff experience under their belts, Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Dustin Brown, Jack Johnson, Drew Doughty, Wayne Simmonds and Jonathan Quick have all stepped their game up, especially in game 2 and have knotted this series up at one game a piece with the Vancouver Canucks.

Aside from one shaky goal against, what can be said about Kings netminder Jon Quick. He has been stellar, that is what.

Quick, along with Doughty, has been one of the standout performers for this Kings club.  Something that was truly important when heading into this first round playoff series.

When the doubters all had the Kings down and out, they have, to this point in the series, proven them all wrong.

Even if the Kings do not escape from this first round series, what you have witnessed over the course of the first two games becomes a marker on the map for the Kings.  The experience they are learning this year will carry them even further next year.

In his first two playoff games ever, Jonathan Quick has posted some fantastic numbers.  Those numbers, a 2.21 goals against average along with a save percentage of .929 shows just how important Quick has been to his club all season long.

When you are able to match, or play above the way you played all season long heading into the playoffs, it shows true maturity. And no matter what the outcome is, whether the Kings advance or not, they are gaining experience in a season that many will never get no matter how long a career they have in this league.  This, alone, will help the franchise mature into next season.

Tonight, the Kings will play their first home playoff game in eight years.  The Staples Center is ready to reach capacity in both fan attendance as well as noise levels.

The fire that will spark under the team from the home crowd is something that will give everyone out in Hockeywood, LA the chills.  In what is already an entertaining series, the Kings can take it to the next level tonight.

A win on home ice presents a huge opportunity for the Kings to truly take control of the series now that it has shifted back to Los Angeles.

Game 3 drops the puck at  7:00 p.m. PST, 10:00 p.m. EST.

As always, you can e-mail me at ACHockeyGuys@gmail.com and be sure to follow me on twitter:  @HockeyGuy_AC
Enjoy the game.