Before we turn the page towards toward tonight’s game with Minnesota, there’s still a few notes left over from practice yesterday.
Late last night we posted an article where Kings coach Terry Murray said that Tuesday’s game vs. Anaheim was Dustin Penner’s best game of the year.
There’s no denying that Penner seems to be living up to the words he said last week, where he claimed to be healthy for the first time all year and was ready to go. He looked good in Saturday’s game with Montreal and even more impressive against the Ducks.
“Better than I was two games prior,” said Penner, when asked if he was feeling better about his recent performances. “But, it’s only two games.”
While he may have humble there, he did admit to being excited about playing his old team – “It always is. I played with Getzlaf and Perry for most of my time with them. So, it’s always nice to grade yourself against some All-Stars and Olympians. Those two guys have been playing really well and getting better every year for a long time. That makes it a nice measuring stick for a lot of guys.”
In a few articles yesterday we also mentioned that several players noted that the feeling on the bench Tuesday was different than other games this season when the team was down 2-0. After hearing it from a few of the Kings, I asked Penner if he felt it too…
“Yeah, everybody was talking on the bench. Kopi and I were excited to play with each other and we wanted to go out there and win it. We were a victim of the hockey gods, I think. Anaheim was owed a game because of the last few (where they came back from ahead to lose two games). We probably win that game if they had held the lead against Philly or Minny.”
Those thoughts are a direct result of what he saw on the ice – “If you look at it, a couple of their goals weren’t set up by design. That last one, we won the draw and ping-pongs off, I think, Scuderi’s skate, then Drew’s knee or pants – then, a nice little chip shot, six feet wedge over Quickie’s blocker. It was a nice little wedge – two hop stop, back of the net.”
Finally, the hit on Corey Perry. There’s no need for a set up here.
“He milked it. Pears is known for milking it. He knows he hit me (first). It wasn’t a cheap hit. But, I know he was coming after me, just because Fowler was on me, I threw him off and then Pears came down from his point to hit me. Then, he laughed and said ‘Suck on that Pens.’ So, I laughed and said ‘OK, open season.’ I went and hit him back and I might have crossed checked him.’
Confirming for Penner that Perry milked it, he added – “He was back on the ice the next shift, no worse for wear!”
Penner also had a simple explanation for why Perry went to the trouble of not only turtling on the ice, but making the effort to go down the tunnel to the locker room (only to return moments later) – “I think that’s what you do when you get to his level. When you’re an MVP, you really have to have a flair for the dramatics.”
Classic.
For more from Penner, be sure to check out the related links below. The comedy never ends.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Penner defends himself against Matt Greene’s accusations
Exclusive: Halloween costume pics and stories from the LA Kings players party
The Dustin Penner Comedy Hour – advice for the NHL, he’s looking for a shoe sponsor and more
Matt Greene on the one thing he never wants to see again from Penner
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