March 13 morning skate quotes: Brown, Lewis, Muzzin

The Los Angeles Kings have been in a position before where their backs have been up against the wall. It might not quite be to the extent as this current season, where they’re three points out of the second Wild Card position with 15 games to play – on the day they played their 68th game in 2011-12, they were one point out of playoff position – but there is at least some semblance of precedence, whether in March, 2012 or when facing elimination over seven games in the spring of 2014, that this team has found success under Darryl Sutter in the most trying of times. Is there some sort of comfort being in these situations?

“I don’t know if there’s a comfort level,” Trevor Lewis said. “I mean, we wouldn’t like to be in this spot, but I think, yeah, with the leadership group that’s been here and done it before, we know we can do it. This is the thing and we’ve just got to take it one game at a time and starting with tonight, obviously these guys are ahead of us, so it’s a huge game for us.

Dustin Brown, on the Kings playing important games against the Blues and the resulting rivalry:
Playing a team you’re trying to catch is always fun. I guess, kind of since the league changed the playoffs it kind of changes the dynamic a little bit. It’s more about division than conference now. I mean, we’re in a fight right now with them, though, the way it works out so it should be a good game.

Trevor Lewis, on the Kings playing important games against the Blues over the years:
Yeah we’ve had many battles with these guys over the past few years here so we know how important it is tonight and we’ve just got to come out ready to go right away.

Lewis, on the Kings winning 20 of the last 28, including playoffs, against the Blues:
I think usually against these guys it’s always a physical test. They like to bang and I think when we come out and we bang back and show or initiate a little bit, we usually play well.

Lewis, on whether the team’s focus is just on catching the Blues:
I mean, yeah, I think we just take it one game at a time and we go from there. We’ve got to obviously rack up as many wins as we can here so starting tonight we’ve got to come ready to go and ready right off the bat.

Jake Muzzin, on whether this is “the fun part of the year”:
I mean obviously the intensity of the games is a lot higher. The meaning of the games are a lot higher and that makes each play that more important so it’s a fun time and like I said before, we’re looking to win every one of these games.

Muzzin, on Ben Bishop:
He’s been great. You know, he’s vocal, he’s great on the ice, he talks, he plays the puck well. He’s got experience in Tampa and knows how to win so he’s been awesome in this room.

Muzzin, on whether bringing Bishop in alongside Quick is a confidence boost:
Yeah, yeah. Every night you know your goalie is going to give you an opportunity to win and we’ve just got to look out for the rest.

Muzzin, on Iginla’s two-goal game against the Predators:
Yeah it was great. You know, we could use some goals and Iggy came in the other night and had two for us and won us the game in overtime so it was great for him to get two and win us the game. So it was nice.

Muzzin, on Kempe’s first NHL goal:
It’s great. Anytime you see a guy get his first NHL goal you’re happy for him and to do it in that fashion, a special moment for him and hopefully he’s got a few more left in him down the road here.