Matt Murray has been a Kings fan since the late '80s, when Wayne Gretzky grabbed headlines by defecting to the West Coast. Since then, he has been a card-carrying bandwagon member as the club soared in popularity with their sole Stanley Cup appearance to their position near the bottom of the Pacific. But things are looking brighter, as he is anxious to witness the rise of the new Kings.
Ducks outlast Kings in shootout
The Kings are coming back from going 2-1-2 on their road trip, earning points in four out of five games. The Ducks have been in a bit of a tailspin as of late. But in this game, in this rivalry, that all goes out the window. Every game this season has been decided by one goal, with the Kings going 1-3 against the Quacks. Add to that the fact that the Kings are winless in five games on Staples Center ice. Another interesting note: Teemu Selanne, the second-leading goal-scorer in the NHL has 299 goals with Anaheim. He is one goal back of franchise leader Paul Kariya. Mathieu Garon is in goal tonight, playing in his second game since coming off the IR. His last game was a well-played one against Washington, when he took them to overtime, earning the Kings a valuable point.
The Ducks come out firing in the first period, both with the puck and with the fists. The Kings are unable to clear the puck in the first minute and a half, as Anaheim keeps peppering Garon with shots. A hard on-ice check by Jason Ward on Todd Marchant is followed by Marchant nailing Raitis Ivanans into the boards for the period's first penalty. The Kings' power play is tied for 17th in the league, but they have picked things up in the last five games, scoring more than 20 percent with a man advantage. Brown, Cammalleri and Frolov are all tied with nine power play goals. But Anaheim is ranked fifth in the league in penalty killing. And they show why, when they deftly kill off Marchant's boarding penalty by shutting out the Kings with no shots on goal.
As I was watching, I couldn't help but think something was off, and then I realized it. The Kings were wearing their white jerseys at Staples.
Then things start to get chippy. After each whistle, players started taking liberties with the other team. For example, the play is whistled dead in the Kings zone, and Selanne eases up and is trying to skate past Tom Kostopolous by the boards, and Ivanans playfully slaps Selanne on the back of the head. As playful as a 6-foot-3, 265 pound winger can be. Selanne starts barking to the ref. On the next play, Aaron Miller takes exception with a hard push by Samuel Pahlsson, and we're off to the races. Several fights break out at the same time, and all the refs can do is take each one on. When it's all said and done, six penalties are handed out, including two ten minute penalties to Miller and Pahlsson. It isn't until a third player, Ivanans gets a ten minute penalty for misconduct, before both clubs settle down.
With less than two minutes left in the period, Teemu Selanne gets whistled for hooking Frolov. He skates over to the box, then decides he wants to get some extra rest so he tries to skate off the ice and into the locker room. But head coach Randy Carlyle yells at him to get back in the box. Selanne grudgingly skates back over to the box. The Kings have already had three power plays, each of them come up short. Anze Kopitar skates in with speed, then holds up and drops it to the point man, Brent Sopel. Brent Sopel shoots the puck from the point, as Frolov redirects it with his stick over Giguere's shoulder to lift the Kings, 1-0.
The period ends as the Kings outshoot the Ducks, 14-8. Both teams have an astounding 58 combined penalty minutes, but it's the Kings who have an early advantage.
First period: Kings 1, Ducks 0
The Ducks come back in the second with a quick powe rplay goal of their own. Selanne tips in a rebound off of Garon to tie the game. Dustin Penner and Chris Pronger get the assists. Selanne now has 19 power play goals on the year to lead the NHL.
Visnovsky and Cammalleri both have nice scoring chances, but Giguere is there to shut them down. Dustin Penner practically seperates Mike Weaver's head from his shoulder with his stick, but the refs didn't see or call anything. Adding insult to injury, Weaver gets called for delay of game, when he tries to clear the puck, but it goes over the glass. As much as I like all the new rules which has opened up the game, the delay of game penalty is one change I can do without.
Mathieu Garon has been soild in goal in this game. Case in point, toward the end of the period, Teemu sends out Andy McDonald on a breakaway. Garon comes out of the net, as McDonald attempts to deke around Garon. But Garon stonewalls him as play continues.
The Kings still lead the Ducks in shots over the game, but the penalty parade has calmed down. As is the case going into the third period lately, the Kings are either tied or within one goal, playing solid defense.
Second period: Kings 1, Ducks 1
Andy McDonald breaks up the tie when he skates in from center ice. He takes a shot from behind Garon, and picks up his own rebound. He then skates and attempts a wraparound from the other side, but Garon slides over and stops him. But the puck goes to Chris Kunitz, who knocks in the puck after whcking at it three time while falling down to lift the Ducks, 2-1. Selanne gets the assist along with McDonald. Teemu now has 20 multi-point games this season.
We have a Rob Zombie sighting on PRIME Sports. The ever-present rock star was sitting with his lovely wife, Shari Moon-Zombie.
The Kings come back to tie up the game when Anze Kopitar ties it up. The line of Kopitar, Frolov and Cammallari is out there when the Kings capitalize on a rare Duck turnover. Lubomir Visnovsky holds the puck in and skates forward, faking a shot to send Ryan Getzlaf to his belly to attempt to block the shot. Lubo skates around and passes it through traffic, past Frolov and Cammy over to a wide-open Kopitar on the wing, as he one-times it past Giguere for the score.
Kopitar get an ill-timed penalty with time running out when Travis Moen trips up on his skates behind Garon to put the Ducks on the power play going into overtime. Ten seconds left in the period, Blake hammers Selanne in front of the net, and immediately Selanne pops up and starts complaining. Clear as day on TV, Blake turns and tells him to "shut up," as he and Teemu start to jaw a while as the teams set up to face off for the last shot of the game. The Kings are limited to three shots in the third, but make the most of their opportunities.
Third period: Kings 2, Ducks 2
The Kings are able to kill off Anze's penalty with solid goaltending by Garon, and good heads-up play by Blake by clearing the puck as the penalty expires.
The Kings pretty great prssure on Giguere, firing shot after shot on the Duck goalie. But he keeps stopping them cold. Every time Anze touches the puck, the crowd rises to their feet and start cheering loudly. The fans are cheering other plays and saves, but it gets kicked up a notch with Kopitar. The secret of Kopitar is no more. He is now the star of this franchise.
And we go to a shootout!
Overtime: Kings 2, Ducks 2
Anze Kopitar shoots wide.
Ryan Getzlaf shoots wide.
Michael Cammalleri attempts a backhand and gets it by Giguere for a goal.
Teemu Selanne wrists a shot past Garon for a goal.
Tom Kostopoulos's wrister is saved by Giguere. Huh? TK before Frolov?
Andy McDonald follows up with his own wrist shot, which is stopped by Garon.
Giguere robs Dustin Brown of a wristshot. Where's Frolov?
Chris Kunitz tries his hand at a backhand, but doesn't fool Garon.
Finally, Alexander Frolov skates out and takes his turn. The result: a Giguere save.
Corey Perry finally scores to lift the Ducks over the Kings.
Final: Ducks 3, Kings 2
