LaBarbera, on defense
Here's what Jason LaBarbera had to say about Terry Murray's training-camp emphasis on defensive improvement...
``It's huge. Obviously last year was tough at times, for everyone. We had breakdowns all over the ice, including myself. The biggest thing is that, as a whole group of guys, we have to be better and be more committed. Right from today, we're already going over that kind of stuff, and that's huge. I think last year, not everybody was on the same page with things and not everybody trusted each other. It got us in a lot of trouble. Right from day one, if we can get on the same page and everybody knows what each other's roles are and understands what we're supposed to do as a unit, we're going to be all right.''
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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 rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
i think the extra time off at the end of the season and the long summer have served him well. he sounds like the man. he's in better shape, lighter - which will help him navigate the crease better. i get the feeling his whole mindset is different. i think he believes this is his team and no one is going to take away his #1 status. i think that's great. if his head is right and his body is right, then we will be in much better shape in the rear then many folks have thought. if the rest of the guys get it and play better team d around him or ersberg or whomever is in goal, this team will surprise many. our problem is not goal scoring. our problem was goaltending and team d. if we can right that ship, we will not be bottom-feeders like last year. improving the pk by 5% and lowering the goals against by .5/game should get us 5-7 extra wins over last year straight up. i think we would all be happy with 85 points this season. not the playoffs, but close, real close.