Quick departure
The Kings will leave for Anaheim after tonight's game. In the past, the Kings have left the morning of games against the Ducks. That's one of the changes Terry Murray has made.
``I'm treating it as the road game that it is. Every other road game we travel, we get into town as quickly as we can and get ready for the game that night. That's the approach I've taken all the time. Even when you're on the East Coast, you have lots of games that you could travel in the morning if you'd like to. This is serious business. We want to get focused and stay focused and get prepared. Get there. Do things we normally do the morning of the game. Have our meetings, get organized and get ready to go.''
When Murray took over the Flyers in 1994, he changed their travel schedule, too.
``I can go back to the days when I took over the Flyers, we used to fly in and travel in the morning just in time for the exhibition games. It wasn't right. That's the way it was, and I changed that. You can travel to New Jersey in 45 minutes and walk off the bus and get ready to play. I didn't like that. I felt we were trying to bring something together, make this a team. It's about bonding, spending time together and developing the attitude that's very important for a hockey club. After those first couple of times, I always felt it was important to get to the stadium of the team you're playing as soon as you can.''
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About the bloggers
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 like the idea. this is common for our local college teams. ucla for example, stays in a hotel in pasadena the friday night before a home game at the rose bowl. this has been the practice for years and years. it heightens the idea that it is important, more business-like, professional. too bad for them, the results on not on the field.
it is always said that players are lazier when at home, because of the domestic side of things. travelling tightens or strengthens the bonds of the players and (hopefully) creates a more cohesive group.
With all the freeway closures due to fires, how will they get to Anaheim?
P.S. I have a feeling tonight will be very empty due to the several fires around southern cal.
Would anyone happen to know of a link for a live feed of the game tonight? Thanks!
It may be a good idea, leaving tonight for Anaheim. With all the fires they may get there by game time tomorrow
I live about 5 minutes from the Honda Center, and I fear that the game just may not happen. The smoke and ash are SO THICK you'd think that it snowed outside. It's miserable.
They'd be better off postponing tomorrow's game to December 30th or January 1st...because I think that's the only soft area in their schedules for a make up game...
i like the current idea the Kings have of winning games.