A more familiar Wayne Simmonds

Wayne Simmonds didn’t go anywhere, and yet he has returned. Starting Oct. 30, and for the next 15 games, SImmonds had only one point (a goal) and didn’t appear to be anywhere close to the top of his game, or the type of game that he showed in the past two seasons as one of the Kings’ hardest-working, strongest-skating forwards. Things have turned around greatly of late for Simmonds, who has three goals and three assists in his last six games. Part of that coincides with Simmonds’ new-look line. Simmonds and center Michal Handzus have been regular partners for the past couple years, but Kyle Clifford has looked impressive in three games with Simmonds and Handzus. Whatever is happening for Simmonds, it’s working, and coach Terry Murray is grateful.

MURRAY: “His game is tremendous right now. He’s playing with confidence, he’s playing with the right kind of mentality, with a north, hard, gritty, determined attitude. He’s taking pucks to the net. There is, I think, a great chemistry starting to develop with Clifford on the left side and Handzus in the middle. They enjoy playing with each other and they’re having a lot of fun, and I’m real excited to see that Simmer is getting the job done the way he has in the past.”