Aaaaah, new year's in Detroit. What else is there to do up in Michigan on the last day of 2006? With a high of roughly 42 degrees, why not go to Joe Louis and see the Red Wings light up the Kings in a blaze of glory? Sound too pessimistic? Let's just say the odds are stacked high against the boys from the Left Coast.

First, consider Detroit has an impressive record playing on New Year's Eve. They have won five in a row and eight in eleven years. The Kings, coming off a loss off of Calgary, has had plenty of problems halfway through the season: they are currently 29th in the league in goals against, and their penalty killing is also ranked 29th.

One player to watch is Robert Lang. Lang, who started his career with L.A. Lang has averaged more than a point a game against the Kings, 17 points in 16 games. The Wings also has the league's number one goals against average, thanks to the Dominator, Dominic Hasek. The Kings have had a revolving door in goal, thanks to the substandard play of their goalies. Not that all the blame rests solely on the netminders. The Kings have had plenty of defensive lapses, which lead to goals. The one bright spot for the team has to be their power play, where they are currently in the top 10. But with shoddy goaltending and defensive goofs, that plus quickly gets erased.

The first goal goes to Detroit, when some nifty one-touch passing mixes up the Kings. Pavel Datsyuk brings the puck in the Kings' zone, and passes over to Henrik Zetterburg, who immediately sends the puck over to Tomas Holstrom. All the Kings could do was watch as the Wings swooped in and score.

Through the first six minutes, the Kings are playing like TV announcer Bob Miller sounds, very weak, with only one shot. Miller has got a cold for tonight's game, but like a true warrior, he shows up and calls the game. If only Crawford could bottle that up and dispense it to his club.

The Kings get a power play late in the period, but to no avail. In their last meeting, L.A. went 0-for-8 with the man advantage. Detroit is middle of the pack on the penalty kill, but they are treating this PK like a normal shift, bringing up two skaters on the forecheck.

The period ends and L.A. gets outshot, 15-7. Detroit spent much of the time in control, while the Kings seemed rudderless.

First period: Red Wings 1, Kings 0

The Wings' Brett Lebda knocks the puck over the glass early in the second, getting a delay of game penalty. The Kings respond with a goal from winger Alexander Frolov. Frolov has been on a tear the past week, who has scored 8 points in the past three games. Brent Sopel shoots the puck wide, and the puck careens around to Sean Avery, who passes it up to Oleg Tverdosky. Oleg shoots it on goal, and Derek Armstrong is able to put his stick on the puck to redirect it slightly. Haske is unable to control the rebound, which goes to Frolov. Frolov backhands it, and goes tops helf over Hasek's shoulder for his 20th goal of the season. The goal is reviewed, but stands, and the game is tied.

But then the Kings give up two goals in under two minutes, which is the most frustrating thing about the Kings this season. Valtteri Filppula has a rebound from his shot go in off his skate as he slid toward the net. Pavel Datsyuk gets his second point of the game when he wrists a shot past Garon.

The Kings bring it within one, when Frolov scores once again. Frolov passes over to Cammalari, who bobbles it over to Armstrong. Cammy heads toward the goal, as Armstrong passes it to Frolov. Alexander one-times it in the top of the slot, through traffic and over Hasek's shoulder for his second goal of the game.

But the Wings get one right back, when Kris Draper scores to give Detroit a two-goal cushion. The Kings shoot more this period, but the experience and skill of the Red Wings has kept them at bay all game. At times, it looks as if they are just toying with L.A., setting up as many different players with scoring chances. Ten different Red Wings have points through two periods.

Second period: Red Wings 4, Kings 2

The third period is painful. For the second time in the game, the Red Wings score two goals within two minutes of one another, to add to their lead, 6-2. Garon's day comes to a close, as Barry Brust comes in relief. But Brust only has to face four more shots, as Detroit hold the Kings at bay the rest of the period.

The Kings head toward the second half of the season ranked at 28th in the league, firmly entrenched in the cellar of the Pacific. Things look grim the rest of the season. But there are some bright spots to look forward to. One has to be Luc Robitaille's number being retired later this month. Also, the Kings may be looking to unload some talent, allowing for some of the promising players down in the minors, like O'Sullivan, Pusharev and Tukonen, to come up for some "seasoning".

Until then, we as Kings fans must wait and whimper.

Thrid period: Red Wings 6, Kings 2