The Kings' chief nemesis, the Detroit Red Wings, are in town, and Staples Center is sold out. Not only do the fans come out to see the hated Wings, but it was also KROQ Tailgate, so fans were warmed up. Maybe they all felt they needed some libations to view the game, which, for all intensive purposes, should be a bloodbath. Detroit is coming off a 9-4 shellacking by the San Jose Sharks. The Kings haven't defeated the Red Wings since 2002.

The Red Wings score first, when Kris Draper walks in and has the puck hit him in the skate, then the stick, past Mathieu Garon for Detroit's first tally. The score seemed to really quiet the racous crowd. Maybe because they were all taking shots after that goal to numb the pain.

Surprisingly, the Kings didn't allow a goal within two minutes this time, as they lock down. Both teams have to work for shots, and at the end of the first, L.A. only has seven shots. But the score stands, as we head toward intermission.

First period: Red Wings 1, Kings 0

The start of the second period found the Kings down yet another goal. 14 seconds in, the Kings fail to clear their zone, and Mikael Samuelsson puts one past a stunned Garon to make it 2-0, Red Wings. One good thing about the play was Norstrom laying down, taking away a potential pass, causing Samuelsson to shoot. Unfortunately, the shot went in.

The Wings are peppering Garon with shots, but he keeps putting up solid saves. But the Kings start shooting the puck more as well. Armstrong fed Norstrom with a sweet between-the-legs passm but the Wings collapse down and take the play away.

Lubomir takes the puck in the Kings zone and skates hard into Detroit's end. He powers past Kronwell and looks like he's going to skate behind the goal. Instead, he takes a swipe at the last second, and puts the puck past Osgood for the Kigs first score. Visnovsky has scored five goals in his last five games, and is cementing himself as a lock to make the All-Star team if he continues to play like that.

Less than two minutes later, the Kings strike again. Brian Willsie battles in the corner with a Wing player, and seemingly passes over to Avery. Avery is charging the net, so the puck sort of bounces around. Sensing an opportunity, Blake decides to drive the net. He smacks it with a quick wrister to knot it all up at 2-2. The stars must be aligned for the Kings, because instead of giving up goals in bunches, they are now scoring them in bunches. Willsie gets the assist. The Kings are now energized with every shift. Visnovsky nearly scores again on the next shift, but narrowly misses the goal.

James Caan is at the game tonight, which is worth noting. Caan, of course, starred in the 1975 movie Rollerball. But did you know that Kings announcer Bob Miller made his Hollywood debut in that movie, starring in an uncredited part as, what else, a game announcer.

The Red Wings may be outshooting the Kings, but the momentum has shifted to L.A. Instead of playing discouraged, the Kings have maintained a hard nose approach to the game, playing consistant and putting the puck on the net.

Second period: Kings 2, Red Wings 2

The action is pretty steady throughout the third. The game is heading toward overtime, when the Kings catch a break. The Kings go on the power play for the fifth time in the game, when Mathieu Schneider hooks Anze Kopitar, who was bsuy skating past Detroit player like they were CalTrans cones. The Kings set up, and start passing around the horn, when Cammallari, tired of passing, decides to shoot. Danny Markov gets his stick down to deflect it, but it winds up redirecting the puck past Osgood, to put the Kings up with less than three minutes to go in the game.

The Wings pull Osgood, to try and tie it up, but Sean Avery puts in an empty netter to put the Kings up two goals. A capacity Staples Center really starts to respond, as fans are standing on their feet, counting down the seconds. And as the horn sounds, the fans erupt.

Garon gets the win, his fifth out of six games. He has been brilliant in goal in place of Mike Cloutier. The Kings finally knock off Detroit for the first time in four years. And Staples Center is rocking like it was a playoff game. And since the Kings are way on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in, you have to choose your spots to get excited.

Another Hollywood star sighting: West Coast Choppers owner and L.B. original Jesse James is at the game with his lovely wife, Sandra Bullock. Sitting with them, the only guy who has put Steve Yzerman in a rap song, and uber Detroit fan, Kid Rock. Rock was sporting a black practice Wings jersey. At the end of the game, both James and Bullock were seen giving Rock a hard time about his team losing. Rock just tugs on a sweatshirt before exiting his seat.

Third period: Kings 4, Red Wings 2