First, I apologize for being away. My real world has gotten hectic, and I just haven’t had the time to post regularly on this site. I have been watching the Kings games (c’mon guys, gotta have your priorities), but just not the time or energy to post long rambling posts about the games that you’re probably all sick of anyway! Anyway, things have slowed down again, and I don’t anticipate any real hectic times coming for quite a while, so I’m back. And better than ever!
Now, on to the road-trip and games that I’ve missed. When last we left, the Kings were heading to Carolina… let’s see what happened. (Though frankly, if you’re a Kings fan, reading a Kings blog, and don’t know what happened in the last 4-5 games… well… you should watch more games)
We won. It was a fine game, and we picked up some much needed points to snap our losing streak. That’s all I’ve got to say about that game. Good job Kings.
Next up? Atlanta. I’d rather ignore this game. The freaky part of the game is that the Kings actually played pretty well, with the possible exception of the goalkeeping, but every single time we turned around, the Thrashers capitalized, and the result was an embarrassing 7-0 loss. Memories of awful years past came flooding back, and suffice it to say that we’re all ready to put this game behind us.
On to Tampa Bay, where the Kings put a successful effort on the ice, and came away with a shootout win against the Lightning. After a controversial call had a Tampa Bay goal waved off during overtime, the Kings, backstopped by talented but frustratingly inconsistent goalkeeper Quick, pulled the win out in the shootout.
At that point it put the Kings record on the road trip at 2-2. Frankly after being embarrassed in two of the games, the fact that they headed into Florida with a chance to come home with a winning record on the trip is nothing less than a miracle. Certainly not something that would likely have happened in the past… How would they do against Florida? After a solid but unspectacular first period, the Panthers scored the first goal of the game on the Power Play early in the second period. Of course in what seems like a pattern on this road trip, the Kings allowed another long pass to get the Panthers free on a break, and they scored another goal about a minute later.
Fortunately the Kings fought back and tied the game up with a goal in the second, and a nice power play tally fairly early in the third. Tied up at 2-2, the game effectively started over. At that point it was decided that Randy Jones would be a good pickup. With another goal, this time shorthanded, Randy Jones is proving himself to be quite an addition to the team. The Panthers knotted it up at 3-3 with around five minutes remaining, and we’re heading to overtime.
With another excellent performance in the shootout, Quick and the Kings come away with the extra point. The Kings return home after an road trip where they ended up 3-2. We’ll call it a good trip, and forget about the awful showings. Good teams know how to win and the Kings haven’t collapsed yet. I must say, while I love watching my team win, it’s frightening to watch every game, fearing that the old Kings will be back. Here’s hoping they’re gone for good.
Up next: Philadelphia Flyers