Thoughts from Kings captain Dustin Brown following the team’s practice at Dodger Stadium on Friday…
On having his family out at the rink today:
“One of the best things about what we do for a living is if you have kids, they get to experience a pretty unique aspect of it.”
On the importance of the game, considering how people around the country will be seeing 50,000 people in attendance:
“It’s part of the process of growing the game. You’re staring to see, especially in the US, we’re starting to have better junior teams and world championship teams and Olympic teams because the game is starting to become more popular. Events like this…obviously the Winter Classic has been very successful, but I think this is one of those…obviously this is not a normal climate or a normal locale for this type of thing so it draws a bit of extra excitement locally. Just running into people I know and a lot of random people, all year, they’ve been talking about the outdoor game.”
On Regehr’s wanting to hit a puck out to the left field wall:
“I would give him a lot of money if he were able to hit a puck over the wall out there. It’s pretty far, and he can’t really lift the puck as it is. [Reporter: So no thought on your part about getting a home run out there?] No. [Reporter: I could see the penalty that would get.] Yes. I don’t know about a penalty. The better idea I had was for two points, play a baseball game, Ducks vs Kings.” [Laughter]
On how huge for Los Angeles this game is:
“It’s one of those things that have never happened before. You have two teams who are doing really well this year. I think the excitement is that it’s never been done here in LA and especially in Dodger Stadium. There’s a lot of excitement over in the Dodger organization right now, to be able to come in here and use their facility and to have the fans fill in the Dodger Stadium for a hockey game will be a unique experience for players and for fans as well.”
On any upsurge of energy considering they’ve taken over their clubhouse:
“It’s definitely baseball, hockey, the locker rooms are pretty similar. Like I said, it’ll be pretty cool tomorrow to walk out there to see the stadium full. We’ve got to try to get two points.”
On if they will pay any attention to the circus going on around them or if they’ll be focused on the game:
“Today was more taking it all in. Tomorrow we’re going to have a normal day at our normal facility then we come here for a game. You’ll have a little bit of a feel during warm-up, but once the game starts, it doesn’t matter if you’re playing at sold-out Staples Center or if no one’s in the building. Once you start playing, you just focus on the game.”
On what his song would be, walking out:
“I haven’t really thought that far ahead, to be quite honest.”
On if he’ll put a puck into left field:
“I did one today, barely. That’s the one thing you don’t realize about a baseball field, how big it is. The hockey rink seems big and then a couple pucks went out of play here and they’re barely getting into the outfield. If anyone can hit a home run with a puck, it’s pretty impressive.”
On what advice he might give to a first time hockey player:
“Quite honestly, just keep skating. If it’s your first time, you’ve got to learn how to skate before you can play.”
On if he had a chance to soak it at all or if he was focused on the two points:
“It was pretty laid back today in practice. We just went out there and got a few drills in and got used to the ice. Then the family thing was the main attraction for today. But again, tomorrow we get back to Toyota [Sports Center] and get our normal pre-game skate. I think that’s when your game day routine will kick in regardless of the venue or the circus that it’s going to be.”
On what his wife and kids have said about coming out today:
“They got out of school today and she said, we’re going to go do something special. They don’t really understand it, but it’s a memory that they’ll have forever which will be cool for them. It’s just one of those things. We didn’t really tell them, that way when they’re here, it’s pretty cool for them, but it’s not a big deal for them.”
On if someone needed to give Doughty directions on which way to go so he didn’t go straight to the roller rink:
“Who knows with that kid? He probably thought it was the regulation size rink anyway. Dewey, we try to guide him the right direction. Once we get him where he needs to be, he’s pretty good.”
On if Penner had a little extra celebration on that goal last night:
“I think anybody in his situation would be pretty excited. If you get traded, it’s always nice scoring against your old team.”
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