Game story, Kings vs. Ducks
I'll try to do some notes and quotes later, but for now I'll just cut and paste the game story that I just filed...
By Rich Hammond
Staff Writer
ANAHEIM -- The 80s hair-band song blared through the closed door of the Kings' dressing room Wednesday night.
Don't stop believin'? Well, sure, why not?
The Kings still face fairly long odds in their quest to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but Wednesday's 4-3 victory over the Ducks at Honda Center gave them a huge boost, in the standings and in confidence.
Twice in the previous four days, the Kings battled hard in the third period, only to lose in a shootout and earn only one point, rather than the two for a victory. With a perfect opportunity to wilt late in Wednesday's game, they didn't.
Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar scored third-period power-play goals to put the Kings up 4-2 with 4:37 left, and then the Kings faced a knee-knocking moment after the Ducks' Chris Kunitz scored with 3:40 remaining.
Facing a desperate, veteran Ducks team, one just two years removed from a Stanley Cup championship, the Kings held on, thanks in large part to 23-year-old rookie goaltender Jonathan Quick, who finished with 28 saves.
``Obviously getting those two points was huge at this time of the year,'' Brown said. ``It's definitely a boost in morale. Having to battle back in those (last two) games and come up just short, it kind of took the wind out of our sails, but we were able to finish up strong here tonight, and it was a big win for this team.''
Jarret Stoll scored the Kings' first goal and had two assists, and Matt Greene had two assists. Ryan Getzlaf had a goal and two assists for the Ducks, whose playoff chances in the wild Western Conference took a hit with the loss.
As of this morning, the Ducks are ninth, one point out of eighth, and the Kings are 11th, three points out of the playoffs, but the Ducks have played three more games than the Kings, and more than most everyone in the West.
So arguably, the Kings have a better shot at the playoffs, and wouldn't that be a stunner?
Of course, a lot can happen over the final two months of the season in the wild, wild Western Conference, where only nine points separate fifth-place Columbus from 15th- (and last-)place St. Louis.
The Kings' path to the playoffs seems simple enough: never come back to Staples Center.
The Kings have won five consecutive games on the road but are 1-4-2 in their last seven at home.
``The team has been playing great on the road,'' Quick said. ``We've been playing good at home, too, but we just ran into a couple hot goalies there who stole a couple games, but we're battling here.''
The good news for the Kings -- in a warped sort of way -- is that they play six of their next seven games on the road, starting tonight at San Jose. After that, what? Wear road jerseys at home? Import a few thousand visiting fans?
``Hey, whatever it takes,'' Brown said with a laugh.
Actually, putting Quick in goal would seem to be a good start. Just two days earlier, Quick had been pulled in the first period, after the Atlanta Thrashers scored three goals to take a 3-0 lead (they would win 7-6 in a shootout).
The benching, though, was clearly a reflection on the team's overall dreadful play, not Quick's, and Quick came back with another solid effort. He also helped the Kings in an unexpected way.
With the Kings on the power play in the third period, nursing a 3-2 lead, Quick went to play the puck behind the net and was hit by an elbow from Ducks defenseman Scott Niedermayer. Quick appeared to jab at Niedermayer but avoided a penalty. Niedermayer got charging and roughing penalties and Kopitar scored on the ensuing 5-on-3.
``Quick played extremely well. He made some very big stops in a lot of different situations,'' Kings coach Terry Murray said. ``The goaltender has to be good any time you come in and play against a team like this.''
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About the bloggers
J.P. Hoornstra writes about NHL and IHL hockey for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. He welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
E-mail J.P. at jp.hoornstra@inlandnewspapers.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.
Vincent Bonsignore is a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. E-mail Vinny at vincent.bonsignore
@dailynews.com.
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I love how Getzlaf took his time getting off the ice, like he couldn't believe it. Eat it, Ducks.
Great write up Rich! Thanks!
Was a great game to be at...... We had alot of fans there.... Go KINGS!! felt good to be a kings fan there
I took the bullet for you guys.
Those quack fans rushed me out of the pond.
I took a Duck caller with me and every time the Kings scored, I did a Quack Quack song with it.
I almost started picking up my teeth.
This win was epic.
We're for real and I'm proud to be a kings fan.
Playoffs, here we come.
I almost had a tear in my eye.
I'm a proud kings fan and I'm a proud to be amongst you all.
You guys are the best.
And next year, I'll take a bullet again. Gladly
Journey was not a HAIR BAND
Add me to the group of guys at this game. The atmosphere was amazing, and it seemed like a playoff environment.
The Kings had their moments... not good ones, where it seemed like the Ducks got into the offensive zone was too easily, and the Kings weren't putting much pressure on the puck. But the important thing is the two points for us, and the zero points for them.
Awesome stuff, Anthony. I wish I'd been there...
Great win, GO KINGS. no analysis tonight, i'll just enjoy this one for a while.
Onion rings for everyone! Party like it's 1993!
anthony, i don't always agree with you, but you just earned respect for that.
I'll do my best to get rushed out of the tank tomorrow ;)
Anonymous said:
Journey was not a HAIR BAND
are you sure?
http://bloggingiscreepy.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/journey.jpg
If he wants one someone give Anthony a bullet.Great win.Still the same culprits with the dumb penalties and giveaways through lack of foot speed and not having inside positioning.Boys all you got to do is stay inside your check and lift their sticks.The sooner the defense and 1st forward back identify their checks and pick up their man AND STAY WITH HIM,the sooner this team makes the playoffs.Rich please mention it to someone on the inside.This team can make the playoffs this season.
anthony...
you were once lost and now your found...
nice job representing at the honda or is it the will someone please by a car center.
on tv the crowd and ducks players looked stunned. i am giddy. don't really care what happens in sj thur night. this was the game the kings needed to win --- and they did! for god sake they did.
anthony, if you have a po box, maybe we can send you $$ so you can go on all of the kings remaining road games? you can hang with your boy tm and talk shop with calder. how does that sound?
in all seriousness, what a great f'ing win tonight. even the late, soft goal did not phase them. they just kept battling. that's the sign of a champion.
playoffs? 3 points out and games in hand on a couple of teams ahead of us. its gonna be close. if we play like this the last 26 games we are in. period.
go kings!
Ha Ha way to go Anthony....I do my part in Dallas. But I did get into a fight the first game and the second game here was just a lot of people telling me go back to LA you F*G. Makes me laugh, but I get to go again March 26th by then I hope we are well ahead of the Stars and it will be really fun! GO KINGS
I'll be there to root on my Kings tomorrow at the Tank! Go Kings!
Only got to see highlites on NHL ON THE FLY, but what great goals we scored. Especially O'Sullivan's goal. Those are the kind I want to see. Getting inside position and putting home a rebound while getting leaned on. I hope they send Purcell tape of that goal.
I am on SUCH a high right now...it's like rediscovering an old friend.
Even Jim Mora is shocked..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdUr5hF0yGc
Sorry, but it had to be done...
I can't believe I'm stoked about playing 18 of our remaining games on the road! Hell, I'm so jazzed, I'm about to see if we can get a fund going to hire Journey to tour with the Kings and camp out in their locker rooms for the rest of the season and play 'Don't Stop Believin'' LIVE. I can just see that skinny little philippino kid belting this out in Brownie's ear night after night....brings a tear just to picture it. Gotta find my lighter...
As long as they don't play 'Separate Ways' to anyone at the trade deadline except Preissing or Gauthier, I'll be alright...
NICE FRIGGIN WIN!!!! On to the tank to (insert metaphor here) The Sharks!!!!
That was a big win for this team. They started out scrambly but then the Ducks couldn't do anything without a power play...and the Kings obliged.
I didn't see Ivanans out there after his penalty. It looked like Fro was double shifting. I wonder if TM got the message finally. And when there was a fight...who was it? Wayne Simmonds. All the guys were cheering him when he left the penalty box. It looks like there's a good sense of comradery on the team now. Anyone want Avery back? that was a joke.
Quick made some unbelievable saves, but he let in one bad and one questionable goal...that's the scary part.
My seats weren't the best last night but I have to say that the last two minutes were the best final two minutes I've seen out of a Kings team in years. Usually the other team is buzzing and you're fearing heart attack. Last night the Kings controlled almost the whole end of the game. That helped my beating heart.
And where did Anthony find Ducks fans that you'd actually fear? I sat in the middle of a ton of them and it was all fat ladies and kids.
I do have to say the girl they have doing the trivia questions and holding the mic is SMOKING HOT...damn.
Patrick "Hands" O'Sullivan. Amazing what happens when you go to the net kid. His goal was a thing of beauty!
Welcome aboard Anthony. I'm not ready to say the Kings will make the playoffs, just yet (although...it's starting to look like they just may have a real crack at this thing).
But man, this game showed how good this team could possibly be. It wasn't their best game overall, and yet, they found a way to pull it off.
My only complaint, I wanted Quick to kick the crap out of that old man.
Does anyone else hate the Ducks announcers?
I can not stand them.
They are so horrible. They have the worst commentary.
HAHAHAHHAHAHH
DUCKS SUCK!!!
Andrew>>>>
List of 80s Hair Bands
If you’re looking for a list of 80s hair bands, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a list of the 80s hair bands that rocked the decade like no one else could. Grab your black concert t-shirt, your too-tight jeans (also black), throw in a bandana for good measure and get ready to rock.
Bon Jovi
Cinderella
Motley Crue
Def Leppard
Poison
Guns n’ Roses
Skid Row
Great White
KISS
Whitesnake
Quiet Riot
Telsa
Van Halen
Iron Maiden
Dokken
Scorpions
Ratt
Ozzy Osbourne
Warrant
W.A.S.P.
Journey is nothing like a hair band. Having hair does not a hairband make
I would have called Journey an "Arena Rock" band
You guys are too funny.
I love Anthony getting some love from his usual haters. Awesome!
You all HAVE to know he loves our team and our boys (well, most of them...)
I guess if Journey worked for the White Sox it can work for us, but I think the Kings are more of a "on the road, again" team...
They are absolutely amazing away from home...what gives?
I haven't gotten to see the last 2 games, but it's almost as fun to live the game through your comments.
Cynic and Dan H really had me laughing with some of their comments. Great stuff.
Anthony - If the reception from the Ducks fans was anything like you usually get here, I fear for you...but anytime you want some support just let me know where to pick up my ticket! haha.
Cheers all. And thanks for the smile you put on my face. I need it...