10 Tidbits from LA Kings practice

We’re going to resurrect an old favorite here at MayorsManor, the ’10 Tidbits’ theme for quick articles. With the Kings returning to practice today for the first time since ousting the Canucks on Sunday, things were pretty much business as usual. The most noticeable change was Dustin Penner playing on the second line with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. Coach Darryl Sutter used him in that role a few times throughout the series and it seemed to work well. Dwight King was down on the third line with Jarret Stoll and Trevor Lewis.

Here are 10 other notes and quotes…

– Carter on playing with Penner: “I think there’s a lot of similarities (to playing with King). Obviously, they’re both big guys who can get moving there. They’re both really good on the forecheck. That was one thing Kinger did real well for us, was stop bad pucks. And Pens, when he gets going, he gets in on the forecheck and he’s tough to take the puck off of. He’s pretty good at. So, for us, we have to find the open areas when he’s got it like that. He’s a skilled guy that will find you.”

– Colin Fraser on Blues captain David Backes: “He’s a great two-way player. One of the best two-way players in the league really. He can score and play against top lines too. He’s a hard working guy who doesn’t really take a shift off.”

– Matt Greene on the Blues and Kings being so similar: “You can say we’re the same, but we’re not. They finished second in the league, we finished eighth. So, they’re better. They scored more goals and gave up less. They’re a better team.”

– Penner on playing alongside Carter’s speed: “I think the elements that each individual brings to the line – Richie, Carts and myself – it has the blueprint for success. It’s just a matter of putting pen to paper.”

– Stoll on the picture of him pushing Drew Doughty away (see my tweet earlier today) – “I was afraid something was coming there. You never know with that guy, right? Get away from me!”

– Stoll didn’t get a haircut yet either (see this article). However, if the Kings were to go deep in the playoffs, he acknowledged he may have, what he called, a ‘male mullet.’

– Stoll on changes needed vs. the Blues: “There were parts of the last game in Vancouver where the Canucks were very, very physical and we lost our composure a little bit. We’re going to have to learn to be composed in those tough, tough situations against this team. We’re going to have some shifts in our zone. We’re going to have some tough times and the fire-drill is going to be on a couple times in our zone. So, we’re going to have to learn to figure that out and be composed with it.”

– Slava Voynov on changes he wants to make: “I need to shoot the puck more, for sure. On the power play I didn’t take enough shots. I also need good puck movement on the power play and better breakouts. I think I should be better everywhere because it’s the playoffs.”

– Dwight King says he knows Backes a little bit. His brother DJ King played for the Blues over parts of four seasons and is actually ‘really good friends’ with Backes. King says he’s met the Blues captain a few times and ‘joined them once’ when they hung out.

– While Sutter agrees that the Kings are more similar in style to the Blues than they were to the Canucks, he shot down any notion they’re virtually the same teams. “People keep saying that. But, if we were mirror images, we’d have had as many wins as they did. They won 30 games at home. Where’s the mirror?”

As for the big question – What’s the schedule for the series? – here’s the latest speculation… It’s looking like game one will be in St. Louis on Friday or Saturday (likely Saturday), with game two on Monday. Then, the series will move to LA for game three on Wednesday or Thursday, followed by game four on Saturday, May 5 or Sunday, May 6.

Additional notes were posted on twitter live from practice.

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