The Staples Center crowd went absolutely ballistic when the announced goaltender was Mathieu Garon. I guess L.A. fans aren't stupid, as some would lead you to believe. Garon played admirably last game, when he faced the Stars. The fans have been supportive of Garon this season, moreso than Cloutier.

The relative ease that Kopitar skates on the ice makes all the differeance to his linemates. He had a sick move early in the period, that was similar to his first goal as a King. He wound up assisting on Sopel's goal a few shifts later.

The crowd isn't as New York-centric as I was expecting. But there are plenty of jerseys around Staples Center tonight. This is the first time in three seasons that the Rags have appeared here in L.A. But early in the game, New York is playing like they've never been here.

The line of Kopitar-Cammalari-Brown is full of energy. Anze is something to watch, but is really impressive in person. He skates, unhindered, through the defense.

In the second, the Kings pick it right back up and scroed early. Frolov scored, ending his 5 game scoring drought. He needs to pick it up. Tonight, he has a goal and an assist.

In a halloween-realted note, Kings fan Rob Zombie was spotted in the crowd, along with his lovely wife, Sheri Moon. I actuaqlly have a Rob Zombie sighting of my own, during a Kings-Red Wings playoff game, but I'm not sure it would be appropriate in a family-oriented blog such as this one. I can say that we didn't make eye contact, as we were both staring straight ahead. But I could tell it was him. Who else dresses like a dezinen of the dead?

After peppering Lundqvist with 21 shots in the first, they played possum in the second. New York almost evened the shots. But Sean Avery's goal in the last minute of the second stole the thunder the Rangers built all period.

That Jagr shot to the back of Avery's head was craptastic. Every time the Rangers touched the puck during the penalty, the fans booed lustfully. It was almost as if Blake was back on the Avs. When the Kings killed the penalty, the fans went crazy, and continued through the end of the game. At the end, the SC erupted with... streamers? Seriously, streamers came shooting out like the Kings just clinched the division. This team is so desperate for a winner.

But for the first time since the Coyotes game, the Kings are hitting on all cylinders.