The Kings’ season resumes tomorrow in Minnesota, but they will be back on the ice today. Because NHL rules don’t allow teams to practice until later, the Kings will fly this morning and then practice in St. Paul. Anze Kopitar will fly in from Raleigh and join the team there. More updates to come…
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Let’s hope that the all star game was the end of kopi’s goal drought.
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lafan13 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 11:26 am
@Bill M.,
well it kinda was the end, because he scored 2 goals…. Too bad those 2 goals dont count…
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Let’s go Kings continue on a great trend. Let’s hope Minnesota plays defense like they did in the All Star Game.
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Finally!
I’ll admit I didn’t watch very much of the All-Star game yesterday, but from the parts I saw, that was worse than awful.
It was slow motion hockey without the slightest hint of defense or the slightest bit of hustle on anyone’s part.
I think the guys deserve the recognition of being all-stars, but why bother playing a game like that?
It’s no better or worse than any other sports All-star game, but to me, if you’re trying to sell the game, that makes it look like hockey is a joke.
I guess since it was sold out, that sort of answers my question…
Congrats to Kopi for being named an all-star, but 9 year olds can score goals in that game.
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dmh0g12 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:22 am
@nykingfan,
But how would you feel if they went all out and some how Kopitar ends up with a career ending injury in a hockey exhibition. All Star games are ment to be fun for the fans(kids) and the players who get to do things they would not do in a game. If you watch the pro bowl last night the center for the Cleveland Browns scored a touchdown on a lateral at the end of a game. It may be the only touchdown he will ever score, did you see how happy he was and his teammates.
Don’t get me wrong it is not the best hockey but it is not suppose to be. It is about growing the game and getting more kids involved. I think the NHL was very successful in doing that.
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KC23 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:30 am
@nykingfan, Yep. Every time a player scored the close up after the goal was a look of appology by the goal scorer as if he had done something selfish and wrong. Pretty much the look of a player who just scored a goal in the pre-game warm ups when his goaley wasn’t looking.
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deadcatbounce Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:33 am
@nykingfan, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The NHL all-star game is a complete waste of time in my opinion. Can’t remember how many years it’s been since someone has actually hit somebody else in one of those.
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pr0cess Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:55 am
@deadcatbounce, That is not what the game is about, its about skilled players showing off that skill.
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jess Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@pr0cess,
Exactly, and my favorite part was watching thomas –who could care less about the laxed attitude of the event and in it to win it –in full gear with helmut going all out (boston management was probably biting their nails) and completely chunder in the corner then recover and win the goaltender sprint
kingme81 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 10:08 am
@nykingfan, I am not a fan of the all star game as well, although i did watch the whole thhing. I enjoy watching the skills competition though. Kinda wish they would televise an all LA Kings skill competition.
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 10:22 am
@kingme81,
I remember back in the day the Kings had a Skills competition. It cost $5.00 to get in. There was only about 1/2 the rink filled. Went all the way down to the glass to watch gretz, Yachmenev, and all the Kings up close and personal. At the end they played a schrimage and during the game a bunch of mighty mights came out in Kings uniforms and took over against the Kings.
Marty McSorely picked one of the kids up and paisted him into the boards and all the little mighty mights ganged up on him and started beating him up. There was like 30 of them. It was a total blast.
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Shakes Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 11:05 am
@Dominick,
I think that’s when the skills competition was truly the fastest skater, shooter, etc, from around the league…as opposed to just the all-stars. I mean to be fair lots of the all-stars are going to be individual category leaders, but i think that old format did a better job of promoting the league
Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Just wanted to add another fond memory from that day. The Kings went on attack lead by the goalie, who skated down the ice and took a shot at the mighty might goalie. Most family fun I ever had at a Kings game. Wish someone would organize something like that anually.
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 11:14 am
@nykingfan, Glad I didn’t waste my time. It’s sitting on the recorder, but I never worked up the interest.
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nykingfan Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 11:20 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Don’t think about it any longer, but don’t erase it. I’d hold onto it in case you’re ever in a situation, like facing prison…this game can be used as an alternative.
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brian spain Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 11:15 am
@nykingfan, If one of the players got hurt it would be awful. Hiller got nailed in the mask then stretched his leg out to the right post and got up like he tweeked his groin. I don’t like the Ducks but it would suck for them to loose Hiller to injury when the players are trying to be careful and not get hurt. Take the game for whats its worth, Its a pick up game. Glad Kopi didn’t tweek a knew or ankle.Nice move in the breakaway skill. They should have each player try onc. The guys get four chances. Thats too many. They don’t have that many different moves.
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nykingfan Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:52 pm
@brian spain,
We can take it for what it is..a pickup game. You’re right!
Is it worth the injury risk to play a pickup game?
My point is why play the game?
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:01 pm
@nykingfan, Your missing the point. It’s a celebration. Kind of like a company picnick. The game isn’t as important a focus, as the league celebrating their talent, and fans paying homage to the stars they love. What would be even more lame is being the only sports league in the world that doesn’t do it. Until someone comes up with a way to honor the players without a game, they’ll continue to do it year after year.
Goring 19 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:48 pm
@nykingfan, nobody wants to get hurt. The game is played for fun and nothing else. It’s basically pond hockey at the adult level.
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nykingfan Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:53 pm
@Goring 19,
I just answered it above..sorry didn’t see your post
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Kings hockey again tomorrow! Thank God! Why does it seem like these extended breaks always come when the team is playing well? Let’s hope they haven’t lost any momentum and continue the winning streak.
Oh, and Kopi, you were great yesterday. Way to represent our team!
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Al leats the NFL Pro-Bowl got a worse review than than the NHL All-Star game. Kopi probably would have had the MVP if he had been selfish and gone for the empty-net hat trick, but he is a very unselfish player and sacrificed so someone else could score. Hopefully that self-sacrifice will come back in a good way (like a big scoring and win streak!).
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Kopi looked good and had a great move in the shootout during the skills portion ofthe Allstar weekend. They had fun playing hockey and this is more for the fans to see players they would maybe not see at all.
Let’s keep the winning streak going tomorrow and make up some ground in the standings.
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We can’t expect the ASG to be played like a true hockey game. Keeping that in mind, I think it was intertaining. There may not have been a whole lot of hustle on the ice, but those goalies sure got a work out! Sort of glad Quick wasn’t there. I was surprised to read how much ice time Kopi got. I must have over looked him lots of times or the camera wasn’t on him enough. Glad he got the two goals and an interview.
Can’t wait for tomorrow’s game! Go Kings Go!
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PoundMac Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Seemed like Kopi took a few long shift compared to his line mates, i am guessing thats where the extra time added up
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@puck73, why>? something happen?
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@puck73,
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Michael_DD8 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 10:24 am
@Michael_DD8,
He comes around when Clifford Scores, or Loktionov gets praise(so he can shoot it down). LOOK FOR HIM THEN!
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puck73 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 10:27 am
@Michael_DD8, Now thats funny.! lol
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@puck73, I’m not.
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@puck73, Agreed. I was thinking the same thing earlier.
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Let’s hope that the all star game was end of the kings goal drought.
pp drought, pk drought, ga drought, plus much more drought.
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Sebastian Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 11:22 am
@keith, CA water drought?
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Jamesonafterawin Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:18 pm
@Sebastian, What CA water drought. When it rains (allot in the last 6 months) I see it going down the drain and out to the ‘ocean’. As I understand it, liquids can be contained in ways that are atainable these days. It’s just not done in California.
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Time to turn this season around!
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:15 pm
@HD King,
I thought we started 3 games ago?
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@puck73, you bashed on him one to many times and has made a deal with Rich to change his poting name.
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puck73 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:58 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, I would really lose a lot of respect for him if that is in fact what happened. Just remember this Broke…A lot of us make opinions on this site all the time and quite often are wrong including yours truly. Like all the times I have said that this team was doomed without Willie Mitchell, well, I had to come in here like a man and take my medicine. I didnt go running to Rich and tell all these mean bloggers to leave me alone. Quite Honestly..until I see @cliffordfan posting on here soon, then I am gonna continue to be concerned about his well being.
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Off topic, but yesterday I was driving back to Mammoth Lakes and we bumped into Michael Handzus at the Shell station/Subway in Pearsonville. I wished him luck on the road trip, he said thank you and we went are seperate ways. Small world isn’t it?
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Crownme87 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:16 pm
@Jack the Lad,
Thanks for sharing! Looks like he was enjoying his free weekend!
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Stuart Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:18 pm
@Jack the Lad, was his hair blowing into the next town? He’s gotta cut that mattress!
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Jack the Lad Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:22 pm
@Stuart, I actually think his hair looks great! But I am partial to long hair.
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Stuart Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:49 pm
@Jack the Lad, lol… I remember his and Jagr’s hair used to bug me to no end!!! His old lady must dig it too. Teach each thair own!
KingTitan Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:52 pm
@Stuart, His long hair is his superpower….without it, he’s just not the same player!!
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here’s my take on tomorrow’s game. Obviously all teams have had a couple of days off with Havlat and Brent Burns participating in the ASG. The home team is gonna have a tougher time playing well tomorrow because of the long break and the road team is gonna come in with business as usual and that’s to get the 2 pts. I think the Kings will rise to the occasion and beat Minn 4-2 tomorrow
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Hopefully Kopitar can play 60 minutes tomorrow night and not get tired once…
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Jack the Lad Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:37 pm
@Kevin from Toronto, I’ll settle for 21:30 of ice time.
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Its awesome that real hockey is back soon. GKG!!
I’m sure all the guys used the break wisely and got in some skating and some relaxation for the final run on in the season. Playoff thinking starts tomorrow guys, lets ramp it up!!
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Sebastian Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:55 pm
@Harty, the all star break is to get away from hockey. most guys go home or take a family vacation, etc. i really doubt any of the players laced on skates, other than Kopi of course.
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I don’t mind the ASG the way it’s played. it’s meant to be fun for the fans to get to see some of the best players in the league enjoying themselves, and to give the players (not just the all stars) a chance to just relax and enjoy the time off; not just physically, but mentally as well. It was great to see Kopi out there with a huge smile on his face all the time. Had he been playing with people other than that useless Kessel and Duchene, he would have racked up a few more points.
If the ASG was made to be more competitive, with something at stake, would people really want to see Kopi out there busting his ass and risking injury? Somehow I doubt it. If they did want to make it that way and have a minimal risk to players, do it once the season is over so any possible injuries that did occur have plenty of time to heal.
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Stuart Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 12:52 pm
@newf, imagind if he played with someone with the same skill-set as Erikson all time… it would be sick!
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I think Kopitar found his Mojo again. Hope he can find the back of the net tomorrow.
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Harry Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:18 pm
@kingme81,
I hope so too. But you have to remember, the players he was playing along side with him, were All Stars. Brownie is getting there…but I personally think he needs a #1 left winger on his side…
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Niko Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:23 pm
@Harry, True, and there was 0 defense to worry about…
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Kopi just needs that big scoring winger to get the job done, com’on is everyone telling all that no is available?? Lets dig someone up……..
Anze Kopitar, Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitialle …follow that up with
Bernie Nichols, Marcel Dionne, Kyle Clifford ….and follow that up with
Dave Taylor, Jarod Stoll, Wayne Simmonds …..and then
Justin Williams, (double shift Gretzky), Dustin Brown
Make sure to throw Jerry Korab on the D for the toughness…
With Rogie as back up to Quicker
(*how’s that lineup fitting right now for the stretch run??)
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:50 pm
@Harty, Kopitar should be moved to wing and Lokti center that line. Has anyone notice that Kopitar goes up the right side of the ice 99.9% of the time?
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:54 pm
@Harty, Brown needs to go to the net more.15-18 foot wrist, slap and snap shots are hard to put in the net from that distance.
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The All Star game is for the fans – the future fans – the kids who play hockey on the ponds in North America and around the world. The leagiue has come a long way to have an ASG in the south. I think it’s great and Kopi did the Kings proud.
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There are four players that I would trade for. They are as follows:
1. Parise
2. Crosby
3. Stamkos
4. Kessel
and yes, I would give up, Kopitar to get one of them. You must trade half of the team to get Crosby.
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 1:52 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S, yes, Parise is my favorite non-Kings player. I would love to see him on this team!
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:06 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S, None of those players are available. Especially Parise who just signed a contract extension. It’s nice to dream, but none of those guys is even a viable option for the Kings.
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 4:16 pm
@Dominick, Parise has not signed an extention. He is going to be a RFA. My source is NHLSCAP.com.
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:46 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S,
You know I was thinking of Semin. Your absolutely right. I still wouldn’t trade him for Kopitar though.
luckyluc13 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:07 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S, Never give up Kopi for ANYBODY
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 4:10 pm
@luckyluc13, I disagree.
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Sebastian Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:10 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S, the Penguins will never trade Crosby and TB will never trade Stamkos, unless it was a “Gretzky to St. Louis” type trade where the player is going into free agency and has pretty much decided not to resign. Devils would be foolish to get rid of Parise as well. file those under dream trades that will never happen.
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 4:10 pm
@Sebastian, if Gretzky was traded, anyone can be traded.
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number 6 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@THEROCKNROLL80S,
Kessel?!!! Why, cause he scores goals? Then he can play on a line with Kopi. Ooops. I forgot, he wouldn’t have a centerman as Kopi would be gone in the trade. Oh well.
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 4:09 pm
@number 6, he would have Lotki passing the puck to him.
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THEROCKNROLL80S Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@number 6, yes, Kessel is a pure goal scorer. Something that this team lacks. Moeller could be, but Dean and Terry have not given him the time to show what he can and cannot do.
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Harty Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 4:45 am
@THEROCKNROLL80S, Kessel is not the guy, he is very inconsistent in TO….
I like Kessler in Vancouver though
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Everyone ready for the stretch run? I hope the Kings are.
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We’re 2-0 since Rich posted the numbers needed to get to 95 (he said we needed to go 21-13 from that point). So far, so good. After tomorrow, I expect to be 3-0!
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 2:22 pm
@Kaiser Soze, The window is 12, or the eqivelent of -24. If we lose 13 and win the rest, it still only gives us 93 points. 95 Doesn’t even gaurentee anything, but I’d guess 95 will be the cut off.
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