Kings vs Oilers: Cookie for You?

Hearts broke all over Los Angeles at the end of the 2007-2008 season because of the Edmonton Oilers. Or more precisely, a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. While the past two seasons have shown us the decision was probably the right one, since it brought us Matt Greene and Jarrett Stoll, it was still hard to say good-bye to one Lubomir Visnovsky.



An All-Star during his tenure with the Kings, Lubo was also adorable, sweet and funny. Especially when it came to making All-Star commercials. I hadn't watched this in a long time. Cookie for you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n80xlftk_q8

So it was probably fitting that Lubo came back into our lives and hearts tonight, and promptly broke them all over again by scoring the game winning goal in a shoot-out. A ten round shoot-out.

What? Wait a minute? The Edmonton Oilers WON? They actually won a game? Aren't they the WORST team in the league? Yes, they are. So how exactly did this happen? Let me share some portions of my video log comments to myself from tonight, and you'll get the idea.

OK, nice pp shot, but no goal.... Another PP, and still no goal. Not good .... Flip me a puck Drew!...Man, our PP is just CRAP tonight, we can't get a sniff of that net!...ARRGH! Grebeshkov scored the first goal. Damn Oilers....Tough play with broken stick by Greener, thanks for giving him your stick Stollamole, but that thing has no shot-blocking magic.... OMG our PP STILL in trouble... Now Dustin Penner goal...ugh. Bad penalties. Lubo assist (VOTE FOR LUBO)....
WTG boys!!! Brownie with the backhander!! Drew on the assist. Love Dewey!!! .... Loving Rich Clune!!!....Smitty!!!!!!!!!! Getting gritty at the goal crease! Yeah baby!....
OH HELL NO! Drew gets mauled by the goalie!! 2 mins roughing, Drew 2 mins unsportsmanlike????? BS!!! Sully served the penalty...poor Sully :( Sorry your goalie is an ASS!!!!!!...And we're going to OT. Crashing the net!...Holy cow that was a crazy ass 4-3... now Both teams took time outs.... Oh snap! E came up HUGE with that glove save steal on Sully!

At the end of that crazy 60 minutes of regulation, we were tied 2-2. The shoot-out was a heart attack special. Here's how it went...

Shootout
Kopi scores!
Sully denied!
JMFJ no goal....
Potulny denied!
Brownie no goal....
Horcoff scores...crap!
Smitty no goal...
Nilsson denied
Stolly no goal...
Comrie denied
Drew no goal...(damn, really wanted him to be the one to win it)
Pouliot denied
Simmer.... GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! (now we just need a stop from the Iceberg)
Penner....goal. You freakin' Oilers!!!!!!!
Richie no goal
Pisani denied.
Zeus....GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! (please let this be it!)
Brûlé....goal. Damnit!!!!!
Fro no goal
Visnovsky.....Goal. Thanks for breaking my heart into tiny pieces Lubo....

And that's how the play-off bound Kings lost to the worst team in the NHL. Lesson learned: never underestimate a desperate team with nothing to lose. But guess what Kings? WE STILL BELIEVE IN YOU GUYS. Nadine even had a sturdier sign made, because we're not going anywhere but the playoffs!



On the plus side, Drew was the #3 Star of the Night, but because we lost he didn't get to skate out and give his stick away. Thanks for the effort Drewster! It means a lot!

And there was one other major bright moment tonight - the Wayne Simmonds Bobble Head!



The first 10,000 fans got them, and I was one of the lucky ones. It's going to be a special gift for a dear East Coast friend, and I'm sure I'll hear her squealing in excitement when it arrives. I love surprises! And since Simmer was the man of the hour, he was also the "Puck for a Buck" in the contest sponsored by the Kings Booster Club. Congrats to fellow season ticket holder Ashley Denise Huber for winning the Simmer puck...and making an appearance on the jumbo!



Now on to hot men. The Oilers are a terrific example of the fact that sexy comes in all shapes and sizes, and that sometimes sexy in photos and on TV ain't so sexy in person.

Let's start with my baby Patrick O'Sullivan. This was so hard for me. Sully was my first hockey love, my first jersey purchase, my first puck...so many of my first hockey experiences. Though he has now been firmly replaced by Drew in my heart, I still have a soft spot for him. And I think he needs my love. Because somehow this guy....



Has become this guy.



Sully, call me. We can fix this! PLEASE, let's fix this!

When I saw Ethan Moreau (far left) in the Sports Illustrated "Body Issue" this summer looking like this...



I must admit I didn't expect this in person.



Not the worst looking guy ever, but the face own it's on is not selling what's under that jersey. He should play hockey naked...all the time.

I know Mike Comrie is hooked up with Hollywood hottie Hillary Duff, but I gotta say...she can have him.



Of course, the biggest shocker of the night was Nadine confessing her attraction to wild man enforcer Zack Stortini. I'll give him this...he has the best flow in the NHL. And ya'll know I loves me some long hair!



But my "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night" is #27 - Right Wing Dustin Penner.



He gets a lot of grief from hockey writers about being a few pounds too heavy (sounds like someone else I know...), but he's slimmed down quite a bit this season and I think he looks absolutely great. And he's a cutie! Great eyes! Of course, he's also got a mean shot and scored on us tonight, because you can't just be hot for me to pick you. You gotta have some skills. So congrats Dustin, and welcome to the club!

Now please do me a favor, and go over to Sully and shake some sense into him while he grows his hair back.

The Kings have one more game before the Olympic break, on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche. Hopefully we play as well against them this weekend as we did at Frozen Fury back in September. GO KINGS GO!

The Thought Locker: February Travel Edition

• I always wanted to be such a high-powered, important business person that I could fly in an out of a city the same day for a meeting, just because it was so critical for me to be there. I have finally arrived! It's overrated.

• I have never wanted to return to my hotel room and find that the toiletries were replaced and fresh towels were added, but the bed didn't get made. Did someone use my room for a quickie while I was out?

• I admit I have never met a drain that my hair can't clog. But does it have to happen when I'm up at 4 AM trying to get ready for a butt-ass early flight? I already hate early mornings, so I seriously didn't need ANOTHER challenge, but thanks for playing.

• If you don't think caffeine is a drug, hang with me for a while when I'm overdue for a Starbucks hit.

• The Burbank Airport has the best music ever! Firmly rooted in the 80's...right where airport music should be.

• I love German engineering. My car politely alerted me to potential road ice the other morning via a chiming noise and a snowflake added to the temperature display. I was waiting for it to tell me I had mistakenly traveled all night and driven across the border into Canada as well, but sadly, I was headed to Burbank. Burbank, California. Yeah, I know....

• Delays due to frost on the windshield of a plane in February? Sure! In Burbank, CA? Huh???? And who knew you can't use de-icer because of EPA regulations? OK, I'm confused. If you can't user de-icer how the hell do you ever get planes in cold climates off the ground in the winter? Turns out they do....CA is just nuts.
  


• Southwest...still the coolest airline, if for no other reason than advertising creativity.

• Hertz.....are you trying to kill me now? At least you rented me a car with no damage, so thanks for that. But this message was a little worrisome....
  

• Attention germ freaks: You can't avoid germs on an airplane. Just put away your stinky sanitizer wipes away and stay home. You're still getting sick and now my plane smells.

• For some reason, I was a middle seat magnet this week. EVERY flight I was on was 50-75% full. Every time, someone sat next to me in the middle seat even when there was an aisle or window available in another row. GO AWAY!

• And finally....Arizona, would you PLEASE observe daylight savings time like the rest of the West?

Life Lessons From A Salvage Yard

Lesson One: Necessity is the Mother of Invention
No air cleaner hose? No problem! Cut the bottom out of a sour cream container, and you can MacGyver your car into running like new!



Lesson Two: Avoid Sticky Situations
A soda can exploded inside this vehicle when it rolled over, and the straw stuck to the window! Messy, but great for a laugh.



Lesson Three: Things Aren't Always What They Seem
I initially thought these were bullet holes, but they didn't go all the way through the panel and out the other side. Turns out, this is what the Fire Department does to a vehicle to stabilize it before they pull it back over an embankment. Stick a fork in this one!



Lesson Four: Be Prepared!
You never know who you'll meet when you're traveling the highways and byways of life. So have chewing gum, deodorant, music, and antacid at the ready....



....and by all means, don't forget your spare toothbrush!



Lesson Five: Don't Drink and Drive!
No further explanation required.





Be safe out there everyone!

The Thought Locker: Good Things, Idiots, and Ladies Men

• One of the joys of cleaning out your huge stash of cosmetics is finding something you dearly love and forgot you had. Why didn't I buy 12 bottles of Valentino's "Gold" perfume when they were still making it? Now I'm afraid to touch the travel sample bottle I have left because when it's gone, it's never coming back. My favorite perfume EVER, and now I can't find it anywhere. I Googled it, checked Sephora...and I'm at a loss. If anyone can help, hit me up.
  

• Technology is amazing. I simply love that my 11 year old nephew can e-mail me something random like "heyy aunt meg we just got like 2 feet of snow" and totally make my day.
  

• Chai Tea is simply the perfect way to unwind after a long day. I found a new one that has a little touch of coconut in it. I could just sit and inhale that smell for days and be happy!
  


• In the February issue of Vanity Fair, there is an article about the movie "Ishtar," which in it's time was the biggest bomb in the history of moving making. That's an amazing feat, especially considering Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman were involved. But there was a section in the article that intrigued me. Hoffman was recounting a discussion with Beatty, then the most notorious ladies man in Hollywood, asking him whether, given the opportunity, Beatty would "Make love to any and every woman." When Beatty confirmed he would, Hoffman asked why, to which Beatty replied "Because...you never know." Hoffman's observation on this was interesting. He said "I thought that was the most romantic thing I'd ever heard a man say, because he was talking about spirits uniting." I'm a little in love with Dustin Hoffman for seeing romanticism in that. I don't think I could have. Although I'm still undecided on whether it's really that romantic or just the best justification for sleeping around in the history of the world. Opinions?
  


• Dear Los Angeles drivers: I know it's strange when they put the freeway on-ramp on the left side of the highway. If you want to exit there, please just kindly put on your left turn signal to let me know. Otherwise, understand that I will ride up your tailpipe, honk at you, and assume you are just an ordinary non-driving moron that goes 35 mph in the fast lane. No offense, of course.

• And finally, to the fine folks at the US Postal Service. Please tell me why you have automated postage machines that can label my package, tell me how much it will cost to send, and actually SELL me the postage working around the clock. Then you foil my plans by locking the package container for no reason.
  

Kings vs Wings: Signs

How do you know something special is about to happen? All you have to do is look around. There are signs everywhere....

There are signs of growing adoration for a superstar in the making...



...and signs that you're kicking ass but still having fun.



There are signs of significant obstacles in your way...



...but the right man will bring you together...



...and an entire city will fall in behind you.



Because very soon, the world will know what we know.



We are the Kings...



...and we WILL be champions!



Congrats to the Kings on their 9TH straight win - THE LONGEST IN FRANCHISE HISTORY! GO KINGS GO!

Kings vs Ducks: The Greatest 8 Yet!

After the way things went down at the Kings-Ducks last meeting January 14th, there was no question tonight was going to get ugly. The question was just how many feathers would fly. The last round ended with the Kings routing the Ducks 4-0, and the Ducks Bobby Ryan retaliating late in the game with an ugly hit on the Kings' Oscar Moller. Then Brad Richardson and Drew Doughty came to his defense, and it got nasty. Drew, who never fights, much less gets angry, looked ready to rip Ryan's head off. So tonight, Mr. Ryan was public enemy number one.



Last year, immediate retaliation would have been a given. This year, we're a playoff team, and the Ducks are outside the playoff picture looking in. So while the Kings weren't going to accept nonsense in their house, I was hoping we wouldn't lose our composure for no reason...there is just too much at stake. And no lousy Duck is worth us missing the playoffs.

It didn't take long for things to get physical. Only a few shifts into the first period, Kings heavyweight Raitas Ivanas dropped the gloves and went rounds with well-known Ducks enforcer George Parros. From my vantage point, it was hard to say who won since they both landed some heavy blows, but it didn't really matter. The message on both sides was sent. We were in for long night.

Then the Ducks drew first blood 5:40 in and scored on a Jason Blake wrist shot. The Kings play was up and down the rest of the first, but Anze Kopitar managed to come through and tie it up at 18:54. Things looked better in the second period, as the Kings pulled ahead to a 3-1 lead aided by goals from Wayne Simmonds and Michal Handzus. But the highlight of the 2nd period, without a doubt, was Drew's MONSTER hip check on none other than Mr. Bobby Ryan, launching him into the boards. The Ducks may have struck first, but the Kings were not going away without a BIG fight.

In the 3rd, the Kings added a goal to the tally just 1:44 in (thank you Jack Johnson!), then proceeded to go into free-fall and give away 3 unanswered goals in about six and a half minutes. With just over 10 minutes of hockey left, it was gut check time. And no one checked his gut harder than our Captain Dustin Brown, who scored the go-ahead goal at 14:28. With a 5-4 lead, the Kings never looked back, and Anze Kopitar scored the final goal to finish the Duck roast and give the Kings a 6-4 win. And most importantly, we extended our winning streak to 8 GAMES! A tie for the longest win streak in franchise history!

Eight was a special number tonight for more than one reason. I also added to my collection of #8 gear and picked up Drew's stick in the Kings Care auction! Signed and everything! She shoots, she scores!!!!!!







It's gonna take me a long time to come down from all the excitement tonight....

Now on to hot men. As most people know, Ducks are unattractive creatures in general, which pretty much negates having an "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night." But the Ducks are blessed to have Teemu Selanne on their roster. Ah, Teemu. You are so pretty, why must you be a Duck? At least it's nice to see Teemu's is jaw back in place, even if it is with the assistance of 3 screws. Such a tragedy! At least he can afford a good plastic surgeon when he retires.



EIGHT IS GREAT! Do we dare DREAM that nine might be fine? We'll find out Saturday when the Kings face the Detroit Red Wings. GO KINGS GO!

Kings vs Rangers: I Think We've Turned A Corner

Kings fans can probably best be described as cautiously optimistic. If you've followed this team for the last few years, you learn that for every up there's a down coming. We're collectively waiting for the other shoe to drop. So when the Kings took the ice tonight at Staples Center, coming off a 5 game road trip undefeated, I was wondering which team would show up:

• Team A - The one with continued momentum and focus that would extend our win streak
• Team B - The one that comes flat in the first period from the relief of finally being home, loses focus, AND ultimately gives away the game.
  

I knew our opponent wasn't going to make it easy. The New York Rangers, fighting to stay in the play-off picture, made some trades in the past couple of days, and were kind enough to bring their new team members to play this evening. They also have a couple of notable prior Kings on the roster - big-bodied forward Brian Boyle and perpetual pest Sean Avery, hockey's favorite bad boy.



He looks all cute and innocent when he's smiling, but this guy is as annoying as they come. Avery was already smack talking the crowd as I was watching warm-ups. Although from this angle, all I could think of was putting my foot square in his ass and kicking him over.



Say what you will about Avery, but he brings competitive energy to the ice. If the Kings were going to win, they were gonna have to work for it.

I shouldn't have worried. Team A showed up and was firmly in charge all 60 minutes of the game, winning 2-1 on the strength of 2nd period short-handed goal by the surging Anze Kopitar, and a beautiful wrist shot at close range by Ryan Smyth in the 3rd. The Rangers played a gritty, hard-checking game, and their goalie Henrik Lundquist made some amazing stops that kept the score close. The Rangers lone goal came with 2:37 left, but the Kings hung in and closed the deal. In the process, it feels like this team has turned a corner and learned how to win no matter where they're playing or what it takes. The Kings are now the proud owners of a 7 game winning streak and firm grasp of 5th place in the Western Conference, which means a play-off spot. Maybe the other shoe is finally history.

One area where the Rangers did shine was player hotness! You can't tell from this photo, but goalie Henrik Lundquist is possibly the best looking man in hockey.



Click here and you'll see what I mean. SO HOT it should be illegal. But it's kind of unfair to everyone else to make him the "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night." He's in the Hall of Fame of Hotness already, so let's give some other boys a chance, shall we?

First up in the honorable mention category is former King Brian Boyle.



While I don't miss his non-existent hockey skills, he was always pleasing to look at and very nice to chat with. And at 6' 7" and 252 pounds, he's a whole lot of man, if you know what I mean.

Then there is the newest member of the Rangers (through trade from the Calgary Flames), Brandon Prust.



He gets an honorable mention for 2 very good reasons. He hails from London, Ontario (home of our very own Kings hottie Drew Doughty), and he also wears number 8. There must be something in the water in London, because they grow very nice looking hockey players up there. It's just a shame Brandon's debut with the Rangers was spoiled by a fight with the Kings Brandon Segal, an instigator penalty and a 10 minute game misconduct. But don't worry Brandon, you're still adorable!

But after considerable thought and lots of photo review, my choice for "Opposing Team Hottie of the Night" is #34 - Left winger Aaron Voros!



Scruffy, intense eyes, great smile, AND he can chew gum and skate at the same time! I'm sure it's not as easy as it looks. And at 6'4" and 215 lbs, there's plenty of him to love. Congrats Aaron! I'm sure King Henrik is proud of you. Send him my love, by the way...

While a 7 game winning streak is certainly something to celebrate, there was one more thing that made the night perfect. I found a Doughty Team Canada Olympic jersey at the Team LA Store. Right there on the end cap, waiting for me to wear it.





I'm still amazed I couldn't BUY one of these IN CANADA, but thrilled I got one in time for the Olympics. So now you know who I'm rooting for, and it isn't Team USA. I'm an adopted Canadian when it comes to hockey. So sue me....

In the meantime, the Kings look to extend their win streak to 8 games Thursday against our arch enemies from The OC, the Anaheim Ducks. GO KINGS GO!