Waking up with the Kings: April 28

Some abbreviated notes from last night’s 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks:

-With a shuffled lineup due to Dustin Brown’s suspension and Keaton Ellerby’s return to the blue line after a four-game absence, the Kings concluded the 2012-13 regular season with a strong attacking performance featuring waves of pressure in a game that certainly served as an encouraging springboard towards postseason hockey. Between the 10-minute mark of the second period and the final media timeout in the second, Los Angeles had engineered one of its most suffocating forechecks of the season – a challenge considering San Jose’s tendency towards being a fast team with strong puck possession characteristics also capable of causing disruptions on the forecheck.

-In Ellerby’s first shift in a week and a half, he quickly found his legs by leveling Joe Thornton along the boards behind the Kings net. He finished with two hits, two blocked shots and a plus-1 rating in 15:14 of ice time.

-It’s not usually a good omen when the fourth line emerges as the team’s best line, but Jordan Nolan, Brad Richardson and Tyler Toffoli were excellent for most of the night, and Los Angeles looked fine. It’s probably safe to assume Clifford will slot back down to this line when Dustin Brown re-enters the lineup. Tyler Toffoli will remain an interesting wild card, though against a “heavy” team like St. Louis with the raised intensity of playoff hockey, it might be best for him to take in a game or two upstairs in the press box before he becomes a viable lineup option.

-Brad Richardson continues to cement his spot in the lineup with some speed, forechecking and hard-nosed, greasy play. Though he claims he’s more comfortable at center, he was mostly effective as a left wing when relied upon in the Stanley Cup run last year and has nine points (5-4=9) in 34 career NHL playoff games. As an unrestricted free agent very possibly nearing the end of his five-year tenure with the Kings, a committed, motivated performance – with perhaps a touch of secondary scoring – is likely to come from the NHL veteran this postseason.

-Jonathan Quick finished the regular season 5-1-1 in his final seven games with a 1.94 GAA and .927 Sv%. His road play improved following signature efforts late in the season in San Jose and Detroit. I remained mostly neutral in the QUICK vs BERNIER: FIGHT conversation, but now, with some semblance of hindsight, don’t you think allowing Quick to work his way back towards the level he is capable of was the right decision? If you disagree, post your reaction in the comments.

-Last night’s game marked the first time the Kings finished a game penalty-free since a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins at The Forum on February 19, 1977. It was the third time in the 3,554 regular season games in team history that the Kings did not take a penalty.