alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />The Kings have made it through three days of practice, and three remain. Tomorrow, there isn’t an on-ice practice, but the team will workout in El Segundo before branching out for the rink tour. After that, it’s practice Sunday and Monday before Tuesday’s game at Dallas.
The practices have been increasingly intense, with two sessions yesterday and today, and some scrimmaging today. Each practice has ended with a vigorous skate, and even Jamie Storr is participating! Here’s what Murray said about the first three days of practice…
MURRAY: “We’re seeing better focus, concentration, passing, receiving… Everything is moving along in the right direction. The tempo of the practice and the drills is good, and then you finish it off with a good hard skate. Guys are starting to get their legs underneath them again.”
Murray also talked about the need to start strong after the Olympic break. This week of practice has been compared to a mini-training camp, and that might be good news for the Kings, considering that they started this season — after the real training camp — with four wins in their first five games. It won’t be easy now, especially given that the Kings play four of their first six post-break games on the road, but a similar run of success would go a long way toward securing a playoff spot. Here’s what Murray said about trying to duplicate the first few games of the season…
MURRAY: “That’s exactly the attitude that we need to bring back in our first game. The start of the year was good for us. I think we earned the right to win those games. We played extremely well because we were ready to go physically and mentally, and that definitely is where we need to be. This month of March is so critical, that you’ve got to be able to execute your game at the `A’ level right from the very beginning.”
Great attitude! Now with the Kings’ players out in the Olympics I think they will be Stanley Cup hungry because of their success out there, and that is for all 5 players!
Geez, this team just keeps getting to look better and better. With JJ playing like he is in the Olympics, he is gonna be a bonafide stud for us coming back. And DD, what can you say but he’s living up to the pub.
With a strong start after the Olympics, this team may do a lot of surprising, as more and more media is recognizing what’s going on here on the left coast.
As for DL, damn dude, you are also a stud. Haven’t had the opportunity to be this excited about Kings hockey this late in a season in like forever! Thank you!
GO KINGS GO!!!
A little Manchester love right now…
Monarchs are the game of the night on AHL Hockey/NHL Home Ice/SiriusXM Channel 204!
score/Bernier in goal:
lowell devils 0-0 MANCHESTER MONARCHS/1st period, 13:50
shots are 2-2
Yes, Mikus is playing…
I’m excited for the Gold medal game and for the NHL season to resume!
The fact that the Olympians are playing games while other NHLers are resting is getting a little blown out of proportion. Yes, Brown, Zeus, et. al, are playing intense games that take physical toll, but these guys are pros, and in top shape. It is not as if they are playing NHL road games complete with travel and back to back scenarios on a regular basis (Zeus did played in one back to back though). In most cases they are playing fewer minutes than they would if they were with their NHL teams, and don’t face any travel concerns while at the games. It think that we’ll see the Olympians playing a much sharper game compared to their non-Olympic teammates when they come back on Tuesday. The boost in confidence for the USA and Slovakia players should be enormous as well, as no one truly expected either, much less both, team to be in the Semis, and in the USA’s case, gold medal game.
Monarchs/ second best PK in the AHL…
Announcers are from the Monarchs.
Monarchs dominating play right now, shots 10-4…
still 0-0
score/Bernier in goal:
lowell devils 0-0 MANCHESTER MONARCHS/1st intermission
shots are 12-6
They are going to give away a bobblefist, of Kevin Westgarth…
Mikus is dominant, through first period.
Ah…Kings news…brings a tear to my eye.
score/Bernier in goal:
lowell devils 1-0 MANCHESTER MONARCHS/second period
High shot/announcers say Bernier should want it back
@ 2:35, second period, first Monarchs PP…
Annoucers:
Parse’s game has slumped/not making sound decisions, not the same jump…
Can’t wait to get the season going again. I would love to check out one of these intense practices. I bet it’s a lot of focus and fun at the same time with these guys. Go Kings! Go U.S.A!!!
PP, no goal…
Go to the bank, big rally while I was gone…
2-1 Monarchs, goals from Voynov and Zeiler, both from the left wing corner…
Kudos for Ken Cail’s radio play-by-play:
Great voice, keeps you in the game!
shots have been doubled, 30-15 Monarchs…
score/Bernier in goal:
lowell devils 1-2 MANCHESTER MONARCHS/2nd intermission
Manchester goals: Parse and Zeiler/correction
shots are 31-15, Monarchs
Some news of concern:
Bill Ranford, Kings goalie coach interviewed during the second intermission, said that Jonathon Quick tweaked his back during Team USA workouts, and has been needing the rest, physical and mental…
Hope it’s resolved.
Third Period,
Bernier left his net, got burned…
Lowell 2-2 MANCHESTER, early third period
Then, suddenly, next shot beats Bernier, right wing wrist shot beats Bernier glove-side high, consecutive shot goals…
Lowell 3-2 MANCHESTER, early third period, @ 1:36/
Ken Cali says Bernier should’ve stopped all three goals…
Manchester outplaying Lowell, but trailing.
Right now, Lowell carrying the play, Bernier a bit shaky…
Still Lowell 3-2 MANCHESTER/3rd period, @14:30
Manchester buzzing, but still 2-3…
Under 3:00 to go.
Manchester timeout, @ 1:42
Shots 42-25, Manchester
Bernier off, @ 0:51
neutral zone faceoff/ Bernier back on
lowell devils 3-2 MANCHESTER MONARCHS/FINAL
Shots: 42-25 Manchester
2-6 on the year against Lowell
Lowell moves to four points behind the Monarchs in 3rd
Greetings from insanely snowy Manchester. I guess I will be the proud owner of the Westgarth Bobblefist tomorrow… provided I can get out of the hotel and down to the game (grin.) Tonight’s game was very disappointing. Elkins was out with a very sore face, and replaced by Gabe (Minus Seventeen) Gauthier (GMSG?) and Piskula replaced Doug Nolan. Lowell had slaughtered the Monarchs 5-0 in Lowell last week. Save for about 40 seconds, when Parse and Zeiler scored, the team, despite the number of shots, was just not in synch, and McKenna was Johnny-On-The-Spot when needed. Bernier, who was REALLY good on Wednesday was REALLY not tonight. All three goals were stoppable. Will I see Zatkoff tomorrow? The locals say 50/50 chance…
Good fans, good friends, minor league hockey… a great mini-vacation in a very snowy New England town :-)
@Marc Nathan, great stuff, thanks for the update. Is Johnny Z scoring from the 4th line?
Rich,
What time is the practice Sunday? Are they working around the game?
@mrbrett7,
Can we arrange for the Insider Suite night photo to get e-mailed to me? Are you going to any upcoming games? I am going to March 14 and 18, April 1 and 10. Are you going to any of those games?
Marc Nathan: Love the “GMSG”. Living in the San Fernando Valley, I am really jealous of the snowy New England town.
Anyone (including players and coaches of all teams) that has even a passing interest in hockey will likely be watching the gold medal game. This game will have far far more viewers than even a Standly Cup 7th game.
@Seattle757, So true! I think this is gonna give our Kings a HUGH boost to “get after it” hard come march!
@jet, Honestly, the lines were rolled pretty evenly, and based on the level of talent, they all felt a bit like fourth lines (and oh, how many years I felt that way sitting in Staples Center…)
Hating to burst people’s bubbles, but Juraj Mikus makes Vladimir Dravecky look like Dustin Brown. LOL.
@Marc Nathan, How DARE you! Sacrelidge! Have you no shame? WET BLANKET!