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.
Kings still trailing in the second
The Kings tie the game in the first 13 seconds, when Willsie scores a nice deflection from Blake's shot from the point. I was in the bathroom when I heard the screeching horn, the second time that's happened the past week.
But the Jackets come right back, when Lindstrom pops one over Aubin's shoulder to put Columbus back on top. Fedorov gets the assist. It quickly quiets the half-filled arena, who were just screaming their heads off for Willsie.
The goals are coming once a minute now, as O'Sullivan backhands one toward Norrena, and Brown smacks it under the pads for his 20th goal of the season. O'Sullivan is so fluid, skating out of the corner and throwing it on net. Kopitar gets credit for the second assist.
Willsie gets called for a penalty, and Columbus' 24th-ranked power play unit takes to the ice. The Kings have the third-worst PK unit, so there's something for the Jackets.
Columbus goes back on top, when Peca scores on Columbus fourth shot of the period. Aubin is replaced by LaBarbera, after letting in 3 goals on 15 shots. Apparently Crawford has seen all he needs to see for tonight, as the book closes for Aubin.
Ivanans has a teeth-rattling open ice hit on Chimera that sends ohhs and ahhs throughout the arena. Chimera comes up with his helmet all-cockeyed, and another Jacket comes to his defense. The organ plays music that sounds like the Kings will get a penalty, but it was clean as a whistle. And that whistling is coming from the gaping, bloody hole Ivanans left in Chimera's head.
Kings get a power play when Hejda gets whistled for hooking, but the Jackets manage to get it in the Kings Zone. After trying to cycle it out, Nash comes up and trips LaBarbera in the crease, illiciting some complaints from Kings fans. But play goes on.
Blake and Hainsey exchange diet tips, as Blake tries to smack home a loose puck, and the scuffle stops play and kills the Kings power play. That's the third PP tonight the Kings have missed on. Blake has picked up his game as of late, looking like he's at 100 percent. Which is good, because being paired with Johnson, he's the perfect compliment.
Brown just hammers Hejda with a trademark BrownTown hit. It was so nice, they showed it twice, and it got an equal response the second time.
The Kings kill a late Nagy penalty, and head to the locker room down by one goal. The Kings only muster 6 shots on goal, but showed signs of coming to life after the Ivanans hit. Brown tallied 5 hits in the second,
