The preseason non-rivalry between the Kings and Ducks at Honda Center, across the street from the postseason Angels-Red Sox rivalry at Angel Stadium, is getting about as hot as the cup of coffee I poured a half-hour ago in the press box. That is to say, I could use another cup.
Chris Kunitz had the equalizer on a Ducks power play at 13:40, getting a textbook 5-on-4 goal when Kent Huskins fed Brendan Morrison behind the net, and Morrison fed Kunitz streaking through traffic in front of Erik Ersberg. A good sign for the Ducks: it took Morrison all of 33 minutes, 40 seconds to get on the stat sheet with his new teammates.
However, I give the highlight of the period to Kent Huskins. With 4:13 to play, he got lazy in his own zone and watched Kyle Calder pick him clean at the blue line. That set up a 2-on-1 breakaway with Boyle that could easily have produced the Kings’ third goal. Instead, Huskins sprinted back into position, then dove head-first (in the preseason, mind you) then extended his stick out to break up Boyle’s pass back to Calder. Goal averted. Huskins continues to impress.
