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September 7, 2010

Scribe's Report Box Score Game Index December 15, 2001

LA EXTENDS UNBEATEN STREAK TO FOUR KINGS SWAT BLUE JACKETS, 3-2 LOS ANGELES -- Bryan Smolinski scored two goals to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in front of 16,224 fans at Staples Center on Saturday night. Adam Deadmarsh also scored for the Kings, while Ray Whitney and rookie forward Jody Shelley scored for the Blue Jackets. Despite being outworked by Columbus in the first period, the Kings drew first blood on Smolinski's shorthanded marker at 5:53. "If that's our first shorthanded goal, it comes at a great time," Smolinski said. "I was fortunate to get that one and get myself out of a slump a little bit and help the team." But right after Smolinski scored, the Blue Jackets answered, taking advantage of some bad luck, when Smolinski's stick broke on a pass, catching his teammates in a line change and giving the Blue Jackets an outnumbered attack on which Whitney scored at 9:29. "It looked like we had a bad change but what happened was that Smolinski went to shoot the puck and his stick broke," Kings' head coach Andy Murray said. "Otherwise, there's no problem, the puck's in deep [in the Columbus zone]." "They have a pretty good top line, which is playing pretty unbelievable," Kings' winger Craig Johnson said about Whitney, Tyler Wright and Espen Knutsen. "They are guys who work hard and play consistently." But the Kings got a power play goal in the second period from Smolinski at 10:00, and another power play goal at 2:41 of the third period from Deadmarsh for the game-winner. Despite giving up a goal on a deflection at 3:49, the Kings were able to pull out the win, and keep their unbeaten streak alive at four games, in which they are 3-0-1-0. "It was exciting to get two [goals] on the board and to be a part of the outcome," said Smolinski. "We played a solid game. We kept them on the wall and denied them from having good chances." "We're finding ways to win games and that's a change from earlier when no matter how well we played, we found ways to lose," said Kings' center Jason Allison. "We have been playing a lot better defensively," Kings' center Eric Belanger said. "It's something that we have to stick to because you win games by making it tougher [for the opposition] to score goals. By now, we know that if we play good in our zone, we'll be successful." "We always believe that if we outwork the other team, we're going to come up with two points, and that was our motto tonight," said Kings' defenseman Jaroslav Modry. The Kings did not outwork the Blue Jackets from the start of the game, but they managed to do it when it counted, and squeaked out a win. "Columbus is a tough team to play against in the way that they play," Murray explained. "They really try to shut you down with tight checking. I give them a lot of credit, playing last night and coming in here and playing hard tonight." "They really worked hard on their face-off plays at the end of the game to get a couple of chances," Murray added. "It wasn't a light night for us, that's for sure." The big difference was special teams play. The Kings scored twice on five power play chances, while shutting out Columbus on three power plays and scoring a shorthanded goal. "The obvious difference in the game was special teams," Columbus goalie Ron Tugnutt said. "We kept climbing back, but we just couldn't get the equalizer." "They had a good power play and that's one of our problems," Columbus head coach Dave King said. "We had a lot of our power plays back-to-back tonight. Our penalty killers got a little tired, and they scored that one with two seconds left. That's really tough on our team. Other than our PK, I liked our effort tonight." The Blue Jackets had just as many quality scoring chances as the Kings, but could not beat Potvin enough to get the win. "We're doing our job defensively, but putting the puck in the net has been an ongoing problem all year," Tugnutt said. With a 3-0-1-0 record in their last four games, could it be that the Kings are turning things around in a month that has traditionally been disastrous for them? Maybe. "We're getting ourselves back into it," Murray said. "We would like to have a real solid month of December. Last year we had a real good November that helped us, and now we need to have a good December." Other signs of improvement are that Deadmarsh and Smolinski appear to be heating up, especially Smolinski, who was in a long slump before scoring four goals in his last six games. Prior to that, he had been held with just one goal in his last thirteen games. "I had a lot of anxiety going through my head," said Smolinski, who suffered a back strain, and had also lost ten pounds that sapped his strength recently. "I didn't know what was going to happen. I know what I can bring to the table. I know I wasn't a liability out there, but in my head I didn't know exactly what was going on." "In the last few games, I've gotten some confidence back and trying to take my shot and go to the net," he added. With the Kings getting solid goaltending, which is their biggest improvement since the start of the season, the Kings are also getting solid play from two defenseman who many probably never expected much out of--Philippe Boucher and Jaroslav Modry. "What Modry and Boucher have done over the last few years is a great story," Murray said. "Modry couldn't play regularly until last year and Philippe Boucher was in the International Hockey League, and the year before he had been in and out of [former Kings' head coach] Larry Robinson's lineup." "Right now, you would have to probably say they are our two best defensemen," Murray added. Boucher, who scored his first goal of the season against Vancouver on Thursday, has been solid in his own end, and has held his own on the physical side of the game. "Boucher is as good as a defenseman as we have right now," said Murray. Modry has been solid on defense as well, and seems to have found a home on the Kings' power play contributing some big assists. In fact, he is ranked third among defenseman in assists with 19. "He's competing harder," Murray said about Modry. "His ability to play in a tight-checking game had always been somewhat in question, but he's raised that level of intensity." Murray also pointed to his team's balanced scoring as an asset. "We don't have anybody with more than ten goals, but we probably have more guys with six to ten goals than anybody in the league," Murray explained. "We've talked about team scoring and everybody contributing and we've been getting some of that." A closer look at the Kings' record in December shows that they are now 4-2-2-0 for the month, with wins against Nashville, Chicago, Vancouver and now Columbus. Losses came against Calgary and St. Louis, and they tied at St. Louis and at Nashville. In the final analysis, although things are looking good for the Kings so far this month, their wins have come against teams they should beat, and their losses have come against a legitimate Stanley Cup contender (St. Louis) and a team that came out of the gates flying at the beginning of the season (Calgary). The Kings must continue to beat the teams they should beat, but will also need to come up with some wins against better teams if they expect to get back into playoff contention anytime soon. Also, going 4-2-2-0 in a month is nothing to be sneezed at. However, with seven games left in December, including five road games and three against teams who have more talent (Toronto, Ottawa and the New York Rangers), the Kings certainly have a long way to go this month before they can start thinking about whether or not they are "...getting [them]selves back into it," as Murray said. Scratches --------- Los Angeles: Brad Chartrand (abdominal/groin strain), Jere Karalahti (healthy), Adam Mair (healthy) Columbus: Kevin Dineen (groin strain), Robert Kron (knee), Deron Quint (healthy) Goalies ------- Los Angeles: Felix Potvin Columbus: Ron Tugnutt Referees: Tom Kowal, Rob Shick Linesmen: Jean Morin, Troy Sartison First Period ------------ Columbus started the game by outworking the Kings on most shifts, but the Kings struck first... 1. LOS ANGELES. Smolinski 7 (Craig Johnson, Aaron Miller), 5:53 SHORTHANDED With Kings' forward Ian Laperriere in the box on a double-minor for high-sticking at 5:19, Miller got to a loose puck in the right corner, and passed ahead to Smolinski, who was below right point in the Kings' zone. With a Columbus defenseman caught pinching in along the right wing boards, Smolinski and Johnson had a two-on-one break. Smolinski carried the puck down left wing and into the Columbus zone. With the cross-pass taken away by the Blue Jackets' defense, Smolinski fired a wrist shot from just inside the left face-off dot. Tugnutt made the save with his left leg pad, but left the rebound in front. Johnson got there and tipped the puck to Smolinski, who was below the left circle, and he wristed the puck into the open net. Aside from the Columbus defense getting caught up ice, Johnson driving hard to the front of the net made this goal happen. He beat his man to the rebound and got the puck to Smolinski. But the Blue Jackets came right back... 2. COLUMBUS. Whitney 8 (Serge Aubin), 9:29 Smolinski carried the puck out of the Kings' zone. Just outside of left point at the Kings' blue line, he tried to wrist the puck down the ice in what would have resulted in an icing call, but his stick broke in half on the pass. With the Kings already in the middle of a line change, the Blue Jackets had an outnumbered attack. On a three-on-one break, Whitney carried the puck into the right circle, where he raised his stick, winding up for a slap shot. He then changed up, and wristed the puck between Potvin's pads (five-hole) for the goal. The change-up threw off Potvin--a great shot by Whitney. Tough break for the Kings...literally. Smolinski's stick snapped in half, causing the turnover and the outnumbered attack. Second Period ------------- The Kings were a little better in the second period, but not by much. 3. LOS ANGELES. Smolinski 8 (Modry, Jason Allison), 10:00 POWER PLAY After some inept execution on earlier power plays, the Kings got another one after Blue Jackets' defenseman Mattias Timander went off for holding at 9:31. The Kings got this power play set-up, and they moved the puck very well. Eventually, Allison got the puck at the top of the right circle. He faked a pass in front, and then backhanded the puck between the legs of a Columbus defender to Modry at the top of the slot. Modry fired a one-timer that was deflected by the stick blade of Columbus forward Mike Sillinger. Johnson was in front, screening Tugnutt, who did not see the deflection. The puck went right to Smolinski, who was just outside left crease, and he had a wide open net to shoot at. Third Period ------------ The Kings dominated this period early, holding the Blue Jackets to just one shot on goal for much of the period. 4. LOS ANGELES. Deadmarsh 10 (Steve Heinze, Boucher), 2:41 POWER PLAY With Timander back in the box on a double-minor for high-sticking at 18:43 of the second period, Deadmarsh got the puck on right wing, at the red line, and he carried the puck into the Columbus zone with speed. He took the puck behind the net, and into the left corner. He then moved up the left wing boards, and from the left outer hashmark, passed back to Heinze in the left corner. Heinze took the puck towards the net, drawing two Columbus defenders to him. From below the left circle, Heinze backhanded a pass between the legs of Blue Jackets' defenseman Lyle Odelein to Deadmarsh, who was driving to the front of the net from the left side of the slot. From the low slot, Deadmarsh got off a one-time wrist shot, beating Tugnutt through the five-hole. One might think that the Kings had built themselves a secure lead...guess again... 5. COLUMBUS. Shelley 1 (Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre), 3:49 Kings' defenseman Mattias Norstrom got the puck in the right corner, and tried to clear it off the right wing boards. Grand-Pierre knocked down the clearing pass outside the lower left circle, and threw the puck towards the front of the net. The puck was deflected on the way to the front of the net by Norstrom, and then Shelley reached around Boucher and got his stick blade on the pass, deflecting it between Potvin's pads as he slid to his left into position. Boucher had Shelley covered very well, but failed to control his stick, and the deflection fooled Potvin. The goal was Shelley's first NHL goal. The Blue Jackets pulled Tugnutt for the extra attacker at 19:03, but could not score, despite getting some dangerous chances. Shots on Goal ------------- Los Angeles: 6 8 11 -- 25 Columbus: 8 7 5 -- 20 Power Play Conversions ---------------------- Los Angeles: 2/5; Columbus: 0/3 Zone Time --------- Los Angeles: 7:40 8:37 6:54 -- 23:11 Columbus: 7:57 7:38 9:11 -- 24:46 Neutral: 4:23 3:45 3:55 -- 12:03 Three Stars (official) ---------------------- #3 - Potvin; #2 - Johnson; #1 - Smolinski The Kings did not come out hard enough from the opening face-off, getting outworked and outhustled by Columbus, and they were lucky to be facing the Blue Jackets, who are near the bottom of the NHL rankings on offense. Can't argue with the three star selection, although Deadmarsh deserves honorable mention. Next Game: On Sunday, the Kings jump on the bus for a road trip...literally, as they skate against Paul Kariya and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at 5:00 PM PST. Televised in the Los Angeles area on KCAL-TV 9 with Mighty Ducks' broadcasters Chris Madsen and Brian Hayward.

(C) Copyright 2001-02 by Gann Matsuda. All rights reserved. This report may not be duplicated, copied, printed or distributed in any way without permission.

Scribe's Report Box Score Game Index	December 15, 2001

LA EXTENDS UNBEATEN STREAK TO FOUR KINGS SWAT BLUE JACKETS, 3-2 LOS ANGELES -- Bryan Smolinski scored two goals to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in front of 16,224 fans at Staples Center on Saturday night. Adam Deadmarsh also scored for the Kings, while Ray Whitney and rookie forward Jody Shelley scored for the Blue Jackets. Despite being outworked by Columbus in the first period, the Kings drew first blood on Smolinski's shorthanded marker at 5:53. "If that's our first shorthanded goal, it comes at a great time," Smolinski said. "I was fortunate to get that one and get myself out of a slump a little bit and help the team." But right after Smolinski scored, the Blue Jackets answered, taking advantage of some bad luck, when Smolinski's stick broke on a pass, catching his teammates in a line change and giving the Blue Jackets an outnumbered attack on which Whitney scored at 9:29. "It looked like we had a bad change but what happened was that Smolinski went to shoot the puck and his stick broke," Kings' head coach Andy Murray said. "Otherwise, there's no problem, the puck's in deep [in the Columbus zone]." "They have a pretty good top line, which is playing pretty unbelievable," Kings' winger Craig Johnson said about Whitney, Tyler Wright and Espen Knutsen. "They are guys who work hard and play consistently." But the Kings got a power play goal in the second period from Smolinski at 10:00, and another power play goal at 2:41 of the third period from Deadmarsh for the game-winner. Despite giving up a goal on a deflection at 3:49, the Kings were able to pull out the win, and keep their unbeaten streak alive at four games, in which they are 3-0-1-0. "It was exciting to get two [goals] on the board and to be a part of the outcome," said Smolinski. "We played a solid game. We kept them on the wall and denied them from having good chances." "We're finding ways to win games and that's a change from earlier when no matter how well we played, we found ways to lose," said Kings' center Jason Allison. "We have been playing a lot better defensively," Kings' center Eric Belanger said. "It's something that we have to stick to because you win games by making it tougher [for the opposition] to score goals. By now, we know that if we play good in our zone, we'll be successful." "We always believe that if we outwork the other team, we're going to come up with two points, and that was our motto tonight," said Kings' defenseman Jaroslav Modry. The Kings did not outwork the Blue Jackets from the start of the game, but they managed to do it when it counted, and squeaked out a win. "Columbus is a tough team to play against in the way that they play," Murray explained. "They really try to shut you down with tight checking. I give them a lot of credit, playing last night and coming in here and playing hard tonight." "They really worked hard on their face-off plays at the end of the game to get a couple of chances," Murray added. "It wasn't a light night for us, that's for sure." The big difference was special teams play. The Kings scored twice on five power play chances, while shutting out Columbus on three power plays and scoring a shorthanded goal. "The obvious difference in the game was special teams," Columbus goalie Ron Tugnutt said. "We kept climbing back, but we just couldn't get the equalizer." "They had a good power play and that's one of our problems," Columbus head coach Dave King said. "We had a lot of our power plays back-to-back tonight. Our penalty killers got a little tired, and they scored that one with two seconds left. That's really tough on our team. Other than our PK, I liked our effort tonight." The Blue Jackets had just as many quality scoring chances as the Kings, but could not beat Potvin enough to get the win. "We're doing our job defensively, but putting the puck in the net has been an ongoing problem all year," Tugnutt said. With a 3-0-1-0 record in their last four games, could it be that the Kings are turning things around in a month that has traditionally been disastrous for them? Maybe. "We're getting ourselves back into it," Murray said. "We would like to have a real solid month of December. Last year we had a real good November that helped us, and now we need to have a good December." Other signs of improvement are that Deadmarsh and Smolinski appear to be heating up, especially Smolinski, who was in a long slump before scoring four goals in his last six games. Prior to that, he had been held with just one goal in his last thirteen games. "I had a lot of anxiety going through my head," said Smolinski, who suffered a back strain, and had also lost ten pounds that sapped his strength recently. "I didn't know what was going to happen. I know what I can bring to the table. I know I wasn't a liability out there, but in my head I didn't know exactly what was going on." "In the last few games, I've gotten some confidence back and trying to take my shot and go to the net," he added. With the Kings getting solid goaltending, which is their biggest improvement since the start of the season, the Kings are also getting solid play from two defenseman who many probably never expected much out of--Philippe Boucher and Jaroslav Modry. "What Modry and Boucher have done over the last few years is a great story," Murray said. "Modry couldn't play regularly until last year and Philippe Boucher was in the International Hockey League, and the year before he had been in and out of [former Kings' head coach] Larry Robinson's lineup." "Right now, you would have to probably say they are our two best defensemen," Murray added. Boucher, who scored his first goal of the season against Vancouver on Thursday, has been solid in his own end, and has held his own on the physical side of the game. "Boucher is as good as a defenseman as we have right now," said Murray. Modry has been solid on defense as well, and seems to have found a home on the Kings' power play contributing some big assists. In fact, he is ranked third among defenseman in assists with 19. "He's competing harder," Murray said about Modry. "His ability to play in a tight-checking game had always been somewhat in question, but he's raised that level of intensity." Murray also pointed to his team's balanced scoring as an asset. "We don't have anybody with more than ten goals, but we probably have more guys with six to ten goals than anybody in the league," Murray explained. "We've talked about team scoring and everybody contributing and we've been getting some of that." A closer look at the Kings' record in December shows that they are now 4-2-2-0 for the month, with wins against Nashville, Chicago, Vancouver and now Columbus. Losses came against Calgary and St. Louis, and they tied at St. Louis and at Nashville. In the final analysis, although things are looking good for the Kings so far this month, their wins have come against teams they should beat, and their losses have come against a legitimate Stanley Cup contender (St. Louis) and a team that came out of the gates flying at the beginning of the season (Calgary). The Kings must continue to beat the teams they should beat, but will also need to come up with some wins against better teams if they expect to get back into playoff contention anytime soon. Also, going 4-2-2-0 in a month is nothing to be sneezed at. However, with seven games left in December, including five road games and three against teams who have more talent (Toronto, Ottawa and the New York Rangers), the Kings certainly have a long way to go this month before they can start thinking about whether or not they are "...getting [them]selves back into it," as Murray said. Scratches --------- Los Angeles: Brad Chartrand (abdominal/groin strain), Jere Karalahti (healthy), Adam Mair (healthy) Columbus: Kevin Dineen (groin strain), Robert Kron (knee), Deron Quint (healthy) Goalies ------- Los Angeles: Felix Potvin Columbus: Ron Tugnutt Referees: Tom Kowal, Rob Shick Linesmen: Jean Morin, Troy Sartison First Period ------------ Columbus started the game by outworking the Kings on most shifts, but the Kings struck first... 1. LOS ANGELES. Smolinski 7 (Craig Johnson, Aaron Miller), 5:53 SHORTHANDED With Kings' forward Ian Laperriere in the box on a double-minor for high-sticking at 5:19, Miller got to a loose puck in the right corner, and passed ahead to Smolinski, who was below right point in the Kings' zone. With a Columbus defenseman caught pinching in along the right wing boards, Smolinski and Johnson had a two-on-one break. Smolinski carried the puck down left wing and into the Columbus zone. With the cross-pass taken away by the Blue Jackets' defense, Smolinski fired a wrist shot from just inside the left face-off dot. Tugnutt made the save with his left leg pad, but left the rebound in front. Johnson got there and tipped the puck to Smolinski, who was below the left circle, and he wristed the puck into the open net. Aside from the Columbus defense getting caught up ice, Johnson driving hard to the front of the net made this goal happen. He beat his man to the rebound and got the puck to Smolinski. But the Blue Jackets came right back... 2. COLUMBUS. Whitney 8 (Serge Aubin), 9:29 Smolinski carried the puck out of the Kings' zone. Just outside of left point at the Kings' blue line, he tried to wrist the puck down the ice in what would have resulted in an icing call, but his stick broke in half on the pass. With the Kings already in the middle of a line change, the Blue Jackets had an outnumbered attack. On a three-on-one break, Whitney carried the puck into the right circle, where he raised his stick, winding up for a slap shot. He then changed up, and wristed the puck between Potvin's pads (five-hole) for the goal. The change-up threw off Potvin--a great shot by Whitney. Tough break for the Kings...literally. Smolinski's stick snapped in half, causing the turnover and the outnumbered attack. Second Period ------------- The Kings were a little better in the second period, but not by much. 3. LOS ANGELES. Smolinski 8 (Modry, Jason Allison), 10:00 POWER PLAY After some inept execution on earlier power plays, the Kings got another one after Blue Jackets' defenseman Mattias Timander went off for holding at 9:31. The Kings got this power play set-up, and they moved the puck very well. Eventually, Allison got the puck at the top of the right circle. He faked a pass in front, and then backhanded the puck between the legs of a Columbus defender to Modry at the top of the slot. Modry fired a one-timer that was deflected by the stick blade of Columbus forward Mike Sillinger. Johnson was in front, screening Tugnutt, who did not see the deflection. The puck went right to Smolinski, who was just outside left crease, and he had a wide open net to shoot at. Third Period ------------ The Kings dominated this period early, holding the Blue Jackets to just one shot on goal for much of the period. 4. LOS ANGELES. Deadmarsh 10 (Steve Heinze, Boucher), 2:41 POWER PLAY With Timander back in the box on a double-minor for high-sticking at 18:43 of the second period, Deadmarsh got the puck on right wing, at the red line, and he carried the puck into the Columbus zone with speed. He took the puck behind the net, and into the left corner. He then moved up the left wing boards, and from the left outer hashmark, passed back to Heinze in the left corner. Heinze took the puck towards the net, drawing two Columbus defenders to him. From below the left circle, Heinze backhanded a pass between the legs of Blue Jackets' defenseman Lyle Odelein to Deadmarsh, who was driving to the front of the net from the left side of the slot. From the low slot, Deadmarsh got off a one-time wrist shot, beating Tugnutt through the five-hole. One might think that the Kings had built themselves a secure lead...guess again... 5. COLUMBUS. Shelley 1 (Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre), 3:49 Kings' defenseman Mattias Norstrom got the puck in the right corner, and tried to clear it off the right wing boards. Grand-Pierre knocked down the clearing pass outside the lower left circle, and threw the puck towards the front of the net. The puck was deflected on the way to the front of the net by Norstrom, and then Shelley reached around Boucher and got his stick blade on the pass, deflecting it between Potvin's pads as he slid to his left into position. Boucher had Shelley covered very well, but failed to control his stick, and the deflection fooled Potvin. The goal was Shelley's first NHL goal. The Blue Jackets pulled Tugnutt for the extra attacker at 19:03, but could not score, despite getting some dangerous chances. Shots on Goal ------------- Los Angeles: 6 8 11 -- 25 Columbus: 8 7 5 -- 20 Power Play Conversions ---------------------- Los Angeles: 2/5; Columbus: 0/3 Zone Time --------- Los Angeles: 7:40 8:37 6:54 -- 23:11 Columbus: 7:57 7:38 9:11 -- 24:46 Neutral: 4:23 3:45 3:55 -- 12:03 Three Stars (official) ---------------------- #3 - Potvin; #2 - Johnson; #1 - Smolinski The Kings did not come out hard enough from the opening face-off, getting outworked and outhustled by Columbus, and they were lucky to be facing the Blue Jackets, who are near the bottom of the NHL rankings on offense. Can't argue with the three star selection, although Deadmarsh deserves honorable mention. Next Game: On Sunday, the Kings jump on the bus for a road trip...literally, as they skate against Paul Kariya and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at 5:00 PM PST. Televised in the Los Angeles area on KCAL-TV 9 with Mighty Ducks' broadcasters Chris Madsen and Brian Hayward.
(C) Copyright 2001-02 by Gann Matsuda. All rights reserved. This report may not be duplicated, copied, printed or distributed in any way without permission.