Trick or treat?
We'll see what the Kings bring tonight against Columbus. Game is on. It looks like the fans have pulled a trick by not showing up. This place is empty. I'm disappointed in the lack of costumes in the crowd as well. I do see a Santa Clause with a big Kings crown. Bailey is in the spirit. He's dressed as a pumpkin. I'm going as Kubrick Face. I bow my head a bit but look upward with a crazy expression like the guy in Full Metal Jacket and other Stanley Kubrick movies. OK, I doubt many people get that.
Thornton and Dallman are again scratches.
Lines look like ...
Cammalleri-Kopitar-Brown
Frolov-O'Sullivan-Nagy
Calder-Handzus-Willsie
Ivanans-Armstrong-Zeiler
Blake-Visnovsky
Johnson-Modry
Preissing-Stuart

Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at 

Private Gomer Pyle?? Who doesn't get that?