Williams talks Malkin fight, tonight’s game in Detroit

Things Justin Williams fights with: Justin Braun. Patrick Sharp. Deciding which of his three championship rings to wear.

In the third period of Thursday’s game, he added Evgeni Malkin to the list.

“Just frustrated guys,” Williams said Friday. The two had been jawing back and forth during the game.

Do we sense some Conn Smythe animosity?

“I don’t know. He was frustrated with something. I was frustrated with something,” Williams said. “I didn’t like some of the things he was doing. He asked me to go and I said ‘sure.’ I need to learn how to stand up first. That’s actually the most embarrassing when you drop your gloves and get only get two minutes for it. That’s the embarrassing part.”

Malkin and Williams with a prestigious fight, like a Ferrari crashing into a Lamborghini.

— Lauren Belfoy (@Lauren_Belfoy) October 31, 2014

The fight ended quickly, with Malkin falling on top of the Kings’ winger.

As both were assessed roughing minors, there’s debate whether it actually qualifies as a fight. Though his 2013 playoff bout with Sharp isn’t listed, five NHL fights are included on Williams’ HockeyFights.com page, so it’s not as if this is a once-in-a-career occurrence.

If there’s any frustration over the 3-0 loss, the Kings will vie to take it out on the Detroit Red Wings tonight at Joe Louis Arena, where they’re 0-4-1 in their last five visits and haven’t won since March 9, 2011. With an 0-1-2 road record this season, Los Angeles will be playing for its first win away from Staples Center this season.

“You could probably spin it two ways,” Williams said. “If we won last night we’re unbeaten in regulation on the road, right? You can spin it either way, but we haven’t been great on the road. That probably comes with not getting the lead against teams that are usually tough in their home buildings. [We face] another team that’s usually tough in their home building tonight.”

Justin Williams, on whether anyone is thinking about last year’s controversial loss in Detroit:
No, because it didn’t really impact us whatsoever. But it kind of sparked a rule change a little bit. We’re always altering, but it’s something we’re certainly not thinking about. It wasn’t their fault.

Williams, on whether he has ever seen a player have a penalty rescinded:
That was weird. I’ve actually never seen that. Usually it’s ‘that’s a bad call, oh well, go to the box anyway.’ But no, I’ve never seen that.

Williams, on the team’s reaction to Jarret Stoll’s penalty being rescinded:
Well you kind of have two emotions. You’re upset they called it and then you’re upset because we had a three-on-two after and they called a penalty. But at the same time, happy that they called it back. I think they were the same way ‘Ooh, we got away with one.’ But they called a penalty, it should be a penalty. I’ve never seen that before. I didn’t know it was possible.