Freeway Series: Kings captain Dustin Brown doesn’t want to talk about inconsistency

The Kings have lost two in a row after a 4-2 defeat Friday to the rival Ducks at the Honda Center. They had won eight in a row after losing 10 of 12 during a dismal stretch that threat their playoff chances. Consistency, or lack thereof, is a legitimate question for the 2014-15, particularly after a game like Friday’s. Kings captain Dustin Brown didn’t want to touch the topic, however.

“We win eight in a row and then we lose two and you guys think it’s consistency,” Brown said tersely to reporters after the Kings squandered a two-goal lead in the third period, giving up four goals to the Ducks in the final 20 minutes. “I don’t know why you said consistency because nobody was questioning that two games ago.”

 

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Freeway Series: Defenseman Andrej Sekera makes his L.A. Kings debut

Andrej Sekera, the newest member of the Kings’ defense corps, made his debut Friday against the Ducks at the Honda Center. It was all but lost in the Kings’ 4-2 defeat to the Ducks, but Sekera was scoreless in 21 minutes, 32 seconds. He did not record a shot on goal and was on the ice for Ryan Kesler’s goal for the Ducks. He also was on the ice for a second-period shift that lasted an astounding 3:41 as the Ducks pressured the Kings and kept them hemmed in their own zone.

Sekera played alongside Robyn Regehr, reuniting with his frequent defense partner when both were with the Buffalo Sabres. The Kings acquired Sekera on Wednesday from the Carolina Hurricanes, giving up a conditional draft pick and a prospect in order to gain speed, skill and depth on defense with Alec Martinez sidelined by a concussion and Slava Voynov suspended indefinitely by the NHL because of a domestic violence incident in his Redondo Beach home Oct. 20.

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Freeway Series: L.A. Kings re-assign defenseman Derek Forbort to Manchester

The Kings assigned defenseman Derek Forbort to their American Hockey League team in Manchester, N.H., on Friday. Forbort did not play in a game for the Kings, but was used in case of emergency, what with Alec Martinez sidelined indefinitely by a concussion and Slava Voynov suspended indefinitely by the NHL because of a domestic violence charge.

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Freeway Series: L.A. Kings coach Darryl Sutter’s quote of the night

Actually, he said it a couple of different times to a couple of different questions after the Kings’ 4-2 loss to the Ducks on Friday at the Honda Center, but this was his response to the difference in the contest: “I think their forecheck overwhelmed us the whole night and it just caught up with us.”

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Justin Williams says one referee’s quick whistle didn’t decide L.A. Kings loss to Senators

Justin Williams wasn’t convinced a quick whistle that wiped out his potential second-period goal was what cost the Kings in a 1-0 loss Thursday to the Ottawa Senators. It might have made things different, but it wasn’t what turned the game in the Senators’ favor and, ultimately, ended the Kings’ eight-game winning streak.

“It could have (changed the complexion of the game),” Williams said. “But you don’t win or lose the game on one call. You win it with the body of work in the game. It wasn’t good enough. We let them hang around. You only get one pass at them.”

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L.A. Kings coach Darryl Sutter’s quotes of the night

Darryl Sutter. (Photo/Dustin Snipes in Los Angeles Magazine)

Darryl Sutter. (Photo/Dustin Snipes in Los Angeles Magazine)

Here’s some of what Kings coach Darryl Sutter had to say about a 1-0 loss Thursday to the Ottawa Senators that ended their eight-game winning streak:

“Nah, I thought our defense was really slow moving pucks in the first period and in the second we passed the puck to them. It probably should have been 2-1 for them after the second and then in the third we just couldn’t get the goal.”

Sutter than interrupted a reporter’s question to say, “Jeff Carer’s line was really good, but I think that after that it was pretty much zero.”

Asked if the Kings were looking ahead to Friday’s game against the Ducks, Sutter said, “No. I would be concerned that some of our older players didn’t play very well tonight and won’t tomorrow.”

Won’t play tomorrow?

“Older players didn’t play very well tonight and won’t tomorrow night, that would be my concern,” Sutter said. “Why would they be looking ahead to tomorrow night? You get two points for every game.”

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Andrej Sekera, the newest member of the L.A. Kings, meets the media

Andrej Sekera, the newest King.

Andrej Sekera, the newest King.

Andrej Sekera met with reporters during the Kings’ game Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. He wasn’t in the lineup, but said he would play in Friday’s contest against the Ducks. Here’s some of what he said about his trade Wednesday from the Carolina Hurricanes.

Question: Where were you when you heard the news?

Sekera: “I had the day off, so I was sitting on my couch watching TV and I got a phone call that I was traded. I’m happy going to a great organization, a club that has had a lot of success the last couple of years. I’ll just try to blend in and play hard and help this team try to win as many games as possible.”

Q: How did you deal with trade rumors and are you relieved the deal is done?

Sekera: “You hear it and you pay attention to it a little bit. You never know where you’re going to end up, so you take care of the business on the ice and whatever happens will happen. That’s part of this business. You get traded and it’s time to move on. Wherever they got the best offer, that’s where they were going to ship me, so I’m happy I’m here right now.”

Q: What have you heard about your role?

Sekera: “I haven’t talked to the coaching staff. I just met them. … It’s a high-end club. Losing is not an option. It’s an honor, and it’s going to be a challenge.”

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L.A. Kings acquire defenseman Andrej Sekera from Carolina Hurricanes

The Kings on Wednesday afternoon acquired the puck-moving, offensive-minded defenseman they’ve lacked since Slava Voynov was suspended indefinitely by the NHL over a domestic violence charge involving his wife in October.

They gave up a prospect and a draft pick in order to get Andrej Sekera from the Carolina Hurricanes, another bold move by Kings general manager Dean Lombardi in a week that’s already seen two players signing long-term contract extensions.

Sekera had 19 points, including 17 assists, in 57 games for the Hurricanes this season. He has 155 points in 470 career games in the NHL, playing the most recent 131 contests with the Hurricanes. He also played with the Buffalo Sabres during a nine-year career.

To get Sekera, a 28-year-old Slovak, the Kings sent prospect Roland McKeown and a conditional draft pick to Carolina. McKeown, 19, was the Kings’ second-round pick (50th overall) in the 2014 draft. The pick was acquired in the deal that sent Linden Vey to Vancouver.

Tuesday, Lombardi signed physical forward Kyle Clifford to a five-season contract extension worth an average of $1.6 million. Monday, Lombardi signed another hard-nosed forward, Jordan Nolan, to a three-season extension worth an average of $950,000.

Lombardi was scheduled to speak with reporters later this afternoon.

 

 

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