Many Kings fans have often daydreamed of what it be like to have the Ducks’ Bobby Ryan lined up along side Anze Kopitar in Los Angeles. Wednesday in Sweden – thanks to the NHL lockout – fans were given a small taste of what the duo might be able to produce together. Playing on the same line as Kopitar, Ryan had two goals in his Mora IK debut.
It wasn’t all about Ryan though, Kopitar also had a goal and an assist in Mora’s 5-1 victory. They now sit sixth in the standings and are 4-1-1 in their last six games.
After the game, Kopitar checked in with us to report that his health was fine and he felt good throughout the night – which was welcome news after what he had been dealing with over the past week. Kopitar also seemed genuinely excited about their first game together, saying – “Playing with Bobby was lots of fun and I’m looking forward to playing more with him (again)!”
For Ryan, it was a bit of a rough 24 hours. First, he made the long international flight, only to find out his sticks didn’t arrive with his baggage. No problem though, he borrowed a few from Gasper Kopitar – and he now says he might not be giving them back.
For a quick recap of everything that went down, we have three videos…
First up is Ryan’s initial interview after arriving (where he briefly talks about Kopitar reaching out to him as the reason he’s in Sweden, something we first reported last week). Then, you can check out the game highlights, Ryan is wearing his familiar #9 and Kopitar his usual #11. Finally, a post-game interview, where Ryan gives himself a seven out of 10.
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