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' power play snuffs out Flames
The Kings, battered and bruised from last night's game against the Dallas Stars, endured a three-hour flight to play the Calgary Flames tonight.
The Flames eneter the Kings zone midway through the first, as Daymond Langkow shoots quickly from his backhand. Mathieu Garon, making his second straight start, slid over and make the save. But Alex Tanguay made a beeline for Garon's rebound, and the Flames are up, 1-0.
After playing sloppy in the first period last game, where they gave up three power play goals to the Stars, the Kings look more focused. Even after Sean Avery got whistled for hooking, L.A. killed the penalty effectively.
Kings rookie winger Anze Kopitar finally scored in Staples Center on a power play goal to tie the game at 1-1. Kopitar, who has 10 assists this season at home, hasn't scored a goal since the Kings defeated the Avalanche in Colorado, Nov. 7. He received a nice pass from Dustin Brown and buried it in the back of the net.
The Kings played real strong in the first period, moved the puck, played the body. Other than the Garon rebound, the Kings gave up no odd-numbered attacks. The mistakes that seemed to haunt them the past several games weren't seen in the first period.
But as is the case in games past, the Kings come out and look undisciplined. They give up four penalties throughout the period, but L.A. kills them all off. The Kings are playing much closer to the vest, in a tight-checking game. Dustin Brown has 4 hits in the game.
Lubomir Visnovsky picked up the puck in the high slot, decided he didn't have a shot, so he took it behind the net, and attempted a wraparound. Miikka Kiprusoff gets his stick down, but Alexander Frolov dives to knock it past him to help the Kings take the lead for the first time, 2-1. AFro has 10 goals in his last ten games, and leads the Kings in goals and points.
Early in the third, Dustin Brown draws an interference penalty from Jerome Iginla to put the Kings on the power play. Then Brown draws another one 17 seconds later, sending Rhett Warrener to the box for hooking, to give L.A. a two-man advantage. With 5-on-3, Michael Cammalleri put a rebound top-shelf off Kiprusoff to put the Kings up for good, 3-1. It was Cammy's eighth, and his first since Nov. 11. Kopitar and Blake get the assist. Blake now has two assists.
The Flames pulled their goalie, and the Kings had several shots at the empty net. But the score stands. Garon made 22 saves out of 23 shots.
Third period: Kings 3, Flames 1
