To the best of my (often shaky) memory, this is only the second time in the last few years that the Kings held a morning skate at Staples Center. They did so a couple years ago, when they took the annual team photo at the arena, but otherwise it’s been all El Segundo, all the time, before home games. Darryl Sutter has put a huge emphasis, since his arrival, on the Kings being more effective at home. He has talked about it regularly, including his opinion regarding the challenges of playing in a city that is not a traditional hockey environment. So, even though he was light on details, in terms of exactly why he chose to bring the team downtown last night, it seems clear. The Kings have been strong on the road of late, and he’s trying to bring that mentality to Los Angeles. That’s a tough thing to quantify, and to duplicate, but apparently Sutter’s years of experience have him believing this is the correct thing to do. It seemed fine with the players, including Drew Doughty…
DOUGHTY: “I think that’s kind of the thing that Darryl was going for. He had us in the hotel last night, just trying to get that road mentality back in. We had a team meeting at the hotel, and you’re living with your roommate again. So, we’re great on the road, and we don’t really know the reason why we are, but we’re trying to keep it that way.’’
Asked for the reason for the early trip downtown, Sutter quipped, “I haven’t been downtown very much, so I thought I’d ask the guys if they wanted to get down here. They didn’t mind. Nice hotel.’’
The Road Warriors….Starring the LA Kings. Coming to Staples Center tonight!
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:13 pm
@King Alex, Battle LA.
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Kingdom Come Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:18 pm
@King Alex, Does anyone know if NBC Sports Network has a internet live stream of the games? i wouldnt mind paying if i knew were to look. any info is appreciated.
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Diego Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:30 pm
@Kingdom Come,
There’s a live game option on NBCSports, or maybe a feed from TSN?
I think you need to sign up / pay for a Canadian IP to get TSN.
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King Alex Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:35 pm
@Kingdom Come, Check NBC Sports or NHL on the web. I don’t know if they black it out if you are in the greater LA area though. I do not have much experience with this as I watch the road games at my house & I am at all the home playoff games at Staples Center.
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Diego Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:50 pm
@Kingdom Come,
My son in Kansas was able to access CBC w/ below link, cost 10 – 15 bucks for a month of service. Yeah that is the sites name.
http://www.hidemyass.com
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Diego Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:17 pm
@Diego,
RDS is a French telecast.
what, they don’t have 5-stars in Viking? LOL, DS is quite the hoot
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Less than 4 hours now. Every game is more meaningful, more exciting. This is what it’s all about. Let’s enjoy it. GKG!! GKG!!
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ItsAKingThing Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:29 pm
@Pili, Like a fat kid likes cake. I’m savoring every moment of this run.
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Diego Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:56 pm
@ItsAKingThing,
Like Drew Doughty in a donut shop?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:59 pm
@ItsAKingThing, Like a Hitch in a candy store.
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play hard bring the same emotions, play whistle to whistle, No taking time off need a full 60 min~!
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I hate losing, more than I love winning….
D.Sutter….
Win this one for Chris Sutter, Boyz..
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Jeff Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:59 pm
@SLIM,
I’m not paying you for the player you were, I’m playing you for the player you are today.
DL to Penner?
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:19 pm
@Jeff, DL paid early then. DP’s just giving it back too him in one large dose. Interesting that DP’s PDO leads all players in the playoffs who have played more than 4 games with an 1181. Luck is on our side tonight boys.
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Road Mentality? Is that anything like Shot Mentality?
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Anyone seen Slava & Lokti ?
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toemas_sandstrom Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:27 pm
@Duncanz, Saw them at the King Eddy Saloon on 5th and Main last night…
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iansez Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:49 pm
@toemas_sandstrom, were Radulov and Kostitsyn there too?
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:21 pm
@Duncanz, Slava told Lokti “you stay, I’ve got a game tomorrow”.
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3 hrs and 33 minutes man the clock is slow.. This is a game changer tonight If we roll over these guys tonight then finish them off at home, history will be in the making. I know this team as well as my own family(I am not a stalker!)And I know for a fact we can be better than ANY other team in the NHL. When we score tonight I will leave my window open…That way DESERTKING will hear us cheering!!!
DL did a great job to give us the tools for this job. And Penner I always knew he had it in him.
We are here to the end! GKG
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DesertKing Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:02 pm
@palmspringskingsfan,
On my way to Staples right now! We will have to do a game together next season. GKG!!!
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How much does it cost to put the boys up in a hotel – vs – just commuting? Accounts payable/accounts receivable, right???
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pr0cess Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:35 pm
@Like Wall, I don’t know, but how much is a win worth?
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Galen Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:40 pm
@pr0cess, priceless!
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Deke'r Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:45 pm
@pr0cess, ….priceless….
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Deke'r Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:45 pm
@Deke’r, ….oops……should’ve refreshed first….
Matt R Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:48 pm
@pr0cess, Two more wins mean mucho dinero for at least two more home games next round. Plus, closer to the cup!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:17 pm
@Matt R, yeah, a Kings win tonight is pretty much the death knell for the Blues.
Stuart Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:22 pm
@WTF,KH, I said it after game 2, we win game 3 we have a good shot a the sweep!
Stuart Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:22 pm
not just a good shot, obvious, but we WILL sweep!
DesertKing Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:05 pm
@Like Wall,
It wasn’t ike they stayed in a great hotel, they just stayed in a “nice “then hotel.
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DesertKing Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:08 pm
@DesertKing,
Delete “then”. Stupid smart phone.
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out of the office in an hour…Can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait
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Weasel Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:47 pm
@QUICKsilver,
I was think hold out until 4:30 so it’s not so obvious – but that just isn’t going to work out for me — 4:00 and hit the road from Cypress to Staples.
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Matt R Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:49 pm
@QUICKsilver, Taking tomorrow off so I can REALLY enjoy the game tonight!
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do you think the players get the same per diem that they would get on the road? if not, there may be a nhlpa issue to arise out of this.
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King Alex Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:56 pm
@yetiman_oc, I really don’t think it’s a problem as many teams have done this. It’s really nothing new to the league & I don’t think the players had to bust out their credit cards at the front desk of the hotel to get in their rooms.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:19 pm
@yetiman_oc, I don’t think they’re going to sweat that. Being in the second round, they’re working with the house’s money, right? Winning the first two on the road is like getting dealt to aces in blackjack, and Sutter just split ‘em. I swear there’s at least one face card coming.
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In order to complete the “road mentality” mind game Sutter is trying to effect, how’s about we all boo the Kings and pull for the Blues?
We shoulda flown in that yo-yo from STL who sat behind their net and flipped off the Kings every time they scored in his end. That must be one tired finger.
LOL.
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Kings Cruise and Blues Loose…LA crushes the #2 seed in the Western Conference with a game 3 thumping at Staples Center……Just imagining tomorrow’s headlines. You can do this tonight and crush whatever hopes St. Louie has of coming back in this series.GO KINGS GO!!!!!
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On the way to Staples early out from work worth it,
Let’s go King’s Make your fans proud tonight you Want to Win Don’t you?
Thanks
Lets so to Staples Center, too
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Heading out to the Stapler now…
Looking forward to it, but like the Kings, we have to remain focused and know this series is far from over. The Blues will have Petro back in the lineup and they’ll be playing desperate hockey. Also like the Kings, the Blues are very good on the road…
Stay focused, Kings, and let’s friggin’ get that Power Play going! If they can convert on some of those extra-man advantages, it will go a looonnggg way in this series.
Nervous but excited!
GO KINGS GO!!
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Diego Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@mash-ola,
Nervous, like a long tailed cat
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Just play your game kings. 5-2 or 1-0. Doesn’t matter.
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m.r.morris Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@Kings x, 5-2 is better, this series has me borderline heart attack… If the Kings get to the Final i will be in the CCU…
GOD Save the Kings…
GKG
GKG
GKG
GKG
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Can we get any word on the announcers for NBC? Have they made any change has anyone asked for a change to less biased announcers or can this be used as a whip to crack on the Kings that their fans are being miss treated by the east coaster media to get them even more excited to win!!!
GOD Save the Kings….
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
LONG LIVE THE KINGS
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m.r.morris Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:22 pm
@m.r.morris, And its not JUST their FANS, the way NBC is treating us is a SLAP in the Players faces with total contempt.
GOD Save the Kings….
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
LONG LIVE THE KINGS
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Would it help if we boo them? I dunno, just trying to help with the whole road mentality thing.
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m.r.morris Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:31 pm
@Mel Powell, Cheer the Blues and Boo the Kings when they come onto the ICE!!! That’s so BAD…
GOD Save the KINGS…
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
GO KINGS GO
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ILLEGALSTICK33 Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@Mel Powell, Yes that would help. If your going to the game would you please dress up in some really tight green spandex. I think the guys would really benifit from that as well.
Cheers!! GKG!
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Mel Powell Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:51 pm
@ILLEGALSTICK33, Trust me, NO good at all would happen from having me in green spandex. None.
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I often wonder if it affects the players at all that Kings home games are usually infused with a good number of the opposing team’s fans. Obviously that’s not a surprise considering the cultural hub that LA is. Sometimes we do a better job of drowning them out than others, though.
Rich, have any of the players ever mentioned this to you, or have you ever asked about how it colors the game at home, if at all?
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does anyone know the roommate situations?
whose Doughty’s roommate?
and other players roommates?
Jeff Carter and Mike Richards is a given
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Hope this is the right move. I tend to be so superstitious about doing exactly the same thing again whenever we win. Like the team actually knows I’m wearing my lucky shirt and it’s imparting secret powers during the game to guarantee victory lol.
DS is in the best position of anyone to judge this stuff, and so far has made all the right moves. I was wondering, can we just ask the NHL to move all of our home games to the other team’s barn due to scheduling conflicts at Staples???
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