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12-6-17

FROM LA KINGS INSIDER: surpassing Bob Murdoch (41 goals) to move into 10th place all time among club defensemen. He is two goals behind Garry Galley (44) for ninth place December 5, 2017 all time among club defensemen. By: Jon Rosen December 5 Postgame Notes -, who recorded three assists, surpassed the 20-point mark (4-18=22), most -With the win, Los Angeles improved to 27-19-14 among team-defensemen. all-time against Minnesota, a record that includes a home mark of 15-9-6. The win snapped the Wild’s -Los Angeles attempted 53 shots (28 on , 13 seven-game point streak in the series (5-0-2) and blocked, 12 missed). Minnesota attempted 43 shots was only the 11th game in the last 27 head-to-head (21 on goal, 11 blocked, 11 missed). Tyler Toffoli meetings that was not decided by a single goal. led all skaters with five shots on goal, four of which These teams have two games remaining, March 19 were recorded in the first period. at Xcel Energy Center and April 5 at Staples Center. -The Kings won 34-of-59 faceoffs (58%). Adrian -With the win, the Kings improved to 6-5-3 against Kempe won 4-of-8, Anze Kopitar won 14-of-24, the Western Conference, 3-2-1 against the Central Nick Shore won 7-of-14, Jussi Jokinen won 3-of-4, Division, 8-1 in three-goal games, 9-6-3 when their Tanner Pearson won 0-of-2 and Torrey Mitchell opponent scores the first goal, 7-1-0 when tied after won 6-of-7. the first period, 3-6-3 when trailing after two periods and 9-3-2 when outshooting their opponent. The Kings are scheduled to practice at 11:00 a.m. at Toyota Sports Center on Wednesday, -With the win, Los Angeles increased its winning December 5. streak to six games, their longest streak since November 28 – December 11, 2015 (six games). -Lead photo via Adam Pantozzi/NHLI

-By outscoring the Wild 4-0 in the third period, the Kings increased their league-best third period goal December 5, 2017 differential to +27 (40 GF, 13 GA). By: Jessi McDonald December 5 Postgame Quotes: Minnesota -Marian Gaborik (2-0=2) scored his 399th and 400th career goals and registered his 799th and Bruce Boudreau, on losing the lead off the 2-on-1 800th NHL points (400-400=800). He has six points with Gaborik and Kopitar: (4-2=6) in seven games this season and eight points It was a bad play. I mean, you make the play and (5-3=8) in 12 career games against Minnesota, the we’re talking about just getting it, shooting the puck team that selected him third overall in 2000. The at the net, and being simple. And we’re trying to Kings’ first four draft picks that year were make a cross-ice pass and it doesn’t work. And Alexander Frolov, Andreas Lilja, Yanick Lehoux then, coming back instead of just coming back to and Lubomir Visnovsky. the position, the defensemen goes to hit a guy and leaves a 2-on-1. And you know, probably a 2-on-1 -Anze Kopitar (1-2=3) recorded his 500th career against the worst two guys on the team to leave a 2- assist on Marian Gaborik’s 400th career goal. He is on-1. So I mean, ties it up and which one was the the fifth player in Kings history to reach the 500 next one? [Reporter: The shovel into Brodin.] What assist mark with the team. He has six points (3-3=6) are you going to do on that? And I mean, the faceoff during his current three-game point streak, while his one was a pure interference. Got to be called. They 34 points are tied for fifth in the NHL. don’t call it and it hits our stick and it’s 4-2.

-Jake Muzzin (1-1=2) tallied his third goal and 18th Boudreau, on knowing that the Kings were going point of the season. He scored his 42nd career goal, to push back in the third period:

We knew it. They’re plus-23 in the third and good game for the first two periods and we want to leading the league in that. You knew they were be able to take that for the entire game. going to come out. But if we would have done what we did the first 35 minutes of the game, I thought Dubnyk, on his read on Kempe’s goal: we were really good in denying a lot of scoring Yeah, I mean if I could do that play over I think I’d chances and getting it deep and playing the way we do something different. I was just trying to—you have to play to be successful. Then nearing the end see obviously it’s a pass across, Brods (Brodin) is of the second period, we had three turnovers I think with the guy and I thought I could get there. And I outside our line. Or the one turnover and they tried to get it up in the air and it just went on his scored the goal you know, 1-1 and then we got the skate and caught me in an awkward spot. So it just, momentum back. And then we had three turnovers I I’d do that one over if I could. think in the last five minutes and it gave them a little life going into the third. But when they put Tyler Ennis, on if there’s a way to explain the their push on, we just didn’t do anything about it. breakdown in the third period: Just not good enough. It’s kind of how LA plays. Boudreau, on the lack of offense from his top They’re patient and they wait for the opposition to line: make a couple mistakes and they take advantage of I don’t know. I mean we talked a lot about Kopitar it and that’s what they did tonight. Like you said, and Doughty, you know because Mikko’s (Koivu) we were good for two periods. We play a full 60 line was against Kopitar and I think they were minutes and I think we come away with that. almost out exclusively in the first two periods. And then they changed it up a little bit. And when the Ennis, on the difference between the second and play got going, the line changes were becoming a third periods: little different because we’d change after 25 and I think we played the way we were supposed to. We they’d change after 40 so you couldn’t get the played it behind them, we cycled, we played well. matchups you wanted. And then they got a couple Got pucks to the net and worked them down low goals. and that’s how you’ve got to play against them. But we got away from that in the third and it cost us. Devan Dubnyk, on what changed from the second period to the third: Ennis, on what LA was doing to dictate play in Well, that’s the thing, you don’t want to give them the third: life or anything to feel good about. And 2-on-1 from I think they just wait for you to get away from it and the far blue line, obviously they made a good play they take advantage. You know, they took and they’re feeling good. The energy in the building advantage. We had some chances on the power is high and they start coming back. And that’s a play. You know, I think if we win the special teams good hockey team. It’s tough to weather that at the battle, we win. I think if we play 60 minutes, we best of times, but you’ve got to try to take win. Like you guys said, we didn’t play in the third advantage when you’re at a good spot. and that’s what happens when you play a good team. Dubnyk, on what the Kings did that allowed them to take the lead: Charlie Coyle, on giving up the lead: Yeah, and like I said, you feel the energy in the Just because we’ve got the lead, we’ve got to make building and they got some life and they’re moving sure we’re doing the right things defensively. You their feet. They check hard and they check hard in can’t always on the rush with four guys up there. our end and they’re forcing turnovers and creating And yeah, it’s a shame that happened and at that turnovers. And you know, they’re getting chances point it’s still a game there. We’ve got to find a way and that’s what kind of puts you back on your heels and we didn’t do that. when they’re coming at you like that. You know, you’ve just got to take a lesson. We played a really Coyle, on breakdowns in the third: I don’t know what it is. When we get the lead it’s

almost, I don’t know if we just sit back or we just Marian Gaborik, on reviving his chemistry with kind of focus solely defensively. I don’t know. Kopitar: We’ve got to find a way to keep pushing and play I think getting more comfortable each game, and our game and keep coming at that and not let them obviously the lines changed, but it’s a long season, come at us and sit back and wait for something to so it’s going to be going back-and-forth, but happen and just survive, you know? We’ve got to whatever it takes to win games. Tonight, it clicked keep our foot on the pedal there and keep throwing pretty well for us, and again, the third period was shots. And they’re doing the right things and I don’t huge for us. We’ve got to fix some problems prior think we did that. to that so we don’t get down in the hole and have to dig ourselves out again. But the second period, we Coyle, on how the Kings were able to turn the need to kind of work on, and overall, big game. momentum of the game: I think they came at us and we kind of sat back and Gaborik, on the win: you can’t afford that. Especially with the lead, It feels pretty good. We have two more games at you’ve got to keep coming and we kind of stopped home. Obviously home games have been an issue at that point. And that’s unacceptable to play like for us a little bit lately, so coming off the road, it’s a that. huge two points, so hopefully we can get another four before we head out east.

December 5, 2017 Gaborik, on how the team summoned the third By: Jon Rosen period energy: December 5 Postgame Quotes: Kopitar, Gaborik I don’t know, I mean, we’re desperate. Just tried to create more energy within our group. We tried to Anze Kopitar, on reviving his chemistry with play more in their zone and just the desperation, like Marian Gaborik in the third period: I said, the third period has been very good for us Yeah. I mean, I don’t think the first two periods this year. We just dug in and tied it up and then kind were very energetic. I think the whole building kind of a fluky goal, the third goal, and just kept going of felt that. But then, being down one going into the from there, so it was a big effort by everyone. third, you kind of have to throw everything out there, and obviously scoring pretty quick in the Gaborik, on the milestones established in the third, that certainly helped, and then getting a little win: bit of a lucky bounce on … Adrian’s goal, It feels definitely good. 400 goals, I’m very proud obviously we’ll take ‘em. We were just able to lock of it. Congrats to Kopi for his 500th assist. It’s kind the game down. They didn’t have much in the third, of ironic his 500th assist assisted on my 400th goal, and I think we did a good job. especially against my former team, as well. So, yeah, it feels good, for sure. Kopitar, on Gaborik’s goal scoring ability: You give him the puck in the areas that he needs Gaborik, on whether he’ll split the puck with them to score, more often than not he’s going to put Kopitar: it in. That’s what we’re going to need from him Yeah, we talked about it a little bit. Kopi said to going forward, too. keep it. Johnny came in and said it’s going to stay with the organization. [Laughs] Kopitar, on six consecutive wins: We had a pretty good start, and right now, it -Lead photo via Harry How/Getty Images certainly feels good. It was just nice. We’re feeling confident. I think you can kind of tell that we have that swagger back. Maybe it was missing in that December 5, 2017 little slump that we were in. It’s fun now, it’s By: Jon Rosen exciting, and we want to keep it rolling. December 5 Postgame Quotes: John Stevens

On the third period: On moving Gaborik onto Kopitar’s line midway We thought it was terrific. We actually thought it through the game: was a pretty good hockey game overall. There was I thought Gabby was skating and he had some good really tight checking by both teams. They made a jump, and we’ve done that before. Alex has kind of good play, I thought, and caught a break when they been a good fit on the line, but they’re playing came back and scored right after we tied it up. We against some big, heavy guys there, and they just tried to get it regrouped, and that’s probably as weren’t really generating a lot of offense, so we’ve good a third period as we’ve had this year in terms made that switch before. We put Tanner up there. of moving the puck, getting it deep, coming up with We thought Gabby was going good, and they’ve loose pucks, and obviously scoring goals goes obviously had good success before, so we put without saying, but I thought that was just a really Gabby up there, we moved Juice – Adrian – back in solid third period coming off a tough road trip. with Ty and Tanner, and we thought we’d have good speed with Lewie and Alex playing with On shutting down chances in the third period, Shoresy. That was the thinking on the switch, and and making strides in the team game and we got good jump out of all those lines with the checking: change, so it was productive for us. We’re going to keep working on our team game. I really thought our team game the last two games of -Lead photo via Harry How/Getty Images the trip was really, really sound. I just liked the way we were coming back in our zone, I liked the way we were getting plays getting stopped quickly in our December 5, 2017 own zone and it made us fast going the other way. By: Jon Rosen We knew this was going to be a tough game coming Game 29: Los Angeles Vs. Minnesota off the road. You don’t get much time to rest. They’d come in here, they hadn’t played in a couple 5, 2 days, and they’re a good team. They’ve played well Final lately, and their defense can really skate and move pucks, and they’ve got some heavy forwards there, Radio Feed so we knew it was going to be a tough game, and I FUBO TV Stream was really happy to see our guys to have the NHL.com Preview resilience to stay with it there and have that kind of Box Score a third period, especially under the circumstances Ice Tracker coming off the road. SOG: LAK – 28; MIN – 21 On Marian Gaborik and Anze Kopitar’s PP: LAK – 0/2; MIN – 0/1 milestones: Yeah, the guys were asking who gets the puck, so I First Period told them I’d take it. I’m happy for those guys. No scoring Kopi’s just been a horse all year, and Gabby’s worked so hard to come back and really wants to Second Period play and be a productive player. I mean, 400, it’s 1) MIN – Charlie Coyle (2) (Chris Stewart, Daniel impressive to me to see those type of numbers, and Winnik), 10:30 Gabby, at his age, and the injuries that he’s fought 2) LAK – Jake Muzzin (3) (Drew Doughty, Nick to be that good a player, it’s kind of fitting that Shore), 14:24 those two guys would partner up on a milestone like 3) MIN – Tyler Ennis (5) (Zack Mitchell, Matt that. [Reporter: How many goals did you score in Cullen), 15:34 your career?] In the ? I said this before – I’m still looking for that first one. Third Period 4) LAK – Marian Gaborik (3) (Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown), 4:35

5) LAK – Adrian Kempe (10) (Jake Muzzin, Drew however long it was, so the first couple of games Doughty), 12:38 were an adjustment, but now I’m right back to 6) LAK – Marian Gaborik (4) (Anze Kopitar), normal and I’m used to it already,” he said. “Maybe 14:00 one or two games I was like, ‘there are a few 7) LAK ENG – Anze Kopitar (15) (, different things,’ but we’re right back to where we Drew Doughty), 19:04 were when we won the Cup five years ago, me and Muzz.” Los Angeles Kings (17-8-3) vs Minnesota Wild (13-10-3) And that benefits both players. In the 136-plus Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 7:00 p.m. minutes in which Doughty and Muzzin have skated Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA together, the Kings have a Corsi-for of 57.8%. Referees: #38 Francois StLaurent, #45 Peter When they’re apart, Doughty’s on-ice rate drops to McDougall 50.0%. When Doughty and Forbort are together, the Linesmen: #73 Vaughan Rody, #63 Trent Knorr team’s possession rate is 51.1%. When they’re NBCSN, FUBO TV, KABC 790, I Heart Radio apart, Doughty’s on-ice rate rises to 53.6%. (via Natural Stat Trick) LAK starters: G , D Jake Muzzin, D Drew Doughty, LW Alex Iafallo, C Anze Kopitar, “It’s different. Muzz is a little bit more … active in RW Dustin Brown the D-zone, where he’s really going hard at guys LAK scratches: D Oscar Fantenberg, F Nic Dowd and he’s trying to react quicker, whereas Forbs, he’s more patient,” Doughty said. “Forbs is unbelievable MIN starters: G Devan Dubnyk, D Ryan Suter, D at defense. Like, I can’t even explain how good that Matt Dumba, LW Jason Zucker, C Mikko Koivu, guy is at defense. He’s so good. The difference RW Mikael Granlund between him and Muzz is Muzz might be a little MIN scratches: D Gustav Olofsson, D Jared better at moving pucks, and that’s not a knock Spurgeon against Forbs, but Forbs’ defense, he might even be better than me at it. That’s how good Forbs’ defense -Lead photo via Bill Smith/NHLI is, and that’s how much confidence I have in his D. Yeah, they’ve both been great.”

December 5, 2017 That’s some impressive praise for Forbort, among By: Jon Rosen the better players on the roster at defending the Doughty: “I Feel Like I’ve Been Playing Some rush. But, hey, let’s agree to disagree with Drew Of My Best Hockey” here. There probably isn’t another defender in the league as good as Doughty at moving his feet to John Stevens adjusted his defensive pairings for the cover ground and shut off plays, nor is there anyone November 24 game at Arizona, placing Jake as equipped at checking, using his stick to thwart Muzzin back alongside Drew Doughty and aligning net-bound pucks or making dynamic plays to snuff Derek Forbort with the Christian Folin/Oscar out rushes. I could keep going. Fantenberg consortium. The Kings have points in all six games since then and will carry a five-game “I always feel like there’s never really a game winning streak into tonight’s match-up with the where I don’t play well, but as of late I feel like I’ve Minnesota Wild. been playing some of my best hockey,” he said. It comes with the context that before the recent How much does this Muzzin-Doughty combination winning streak, he might not have been at his affect the team, and most importantly, the output of absolute best. A brief, early-season lull has crept in its most important defensive player? from time to-time in his career, but that’s often corrected quickly. “It affects me a little bit, just because I was so used to playing with Forbs for a year and a half or

And, it should be understood that “Doughty hadn’t can, and I think that’s what separates me from some been playing his best hockey” comes with the other guys around the league. I hate losing. I hate reminder that even when he has a B-game, instead being embarrassed. I don’t want to ever get beat. I of, say, his performance in Detroit one week ago, hate being on the ice for goals against, and I just the team still understands that he has a positive want to help the team win and I know I’ve got to try impact on the team’s performance. to be one of the best players on the ice every single night.” “Maybe I’m not getting crazy numbers or anything like that, but my defensive game has just been on point,” he said. “Like, the other night, going against December 5, 2017 Ovechkin’s line, [Sunday] night going against Kane By: Jon Rosen and Toews’ line, those are not easy things when you Veteran Forward Matt Moulson Joins face those challenges with every team, but those Reign On A Loan two teams are really big challenges. Obviously, I have a lot of help from my partners. Derek’s been Veteran NHL forward Matt Moulson is returning an unbelievable partner for me. As of late, Muzz to Southern California. has been a great partner for me. I can’t say it’s all on me, but I do feel like I’m playing some of my On Tuesday, Moulson was loaned to the Ontario best hockey right now, and a lot of that just has to Reign (AHL) by the after clearing do with getting older. My leadership has grown so waivers. The skilled forward of 650 NHL contests much, so I really feel good out there and feel good returns to the Golden State for the first time since about myself and feel good about our team, and that the 2008-09 season when he was a member of the just helps with the confidence and makes me play Kings. This time, he is tasked to not only contribute better.” on the score sheet for the Reign, but to also provide guidance to a young, developing squad. He will also Of course, the Muzzin-Doughty partnership was a be able to quickly make the Left Coast home as he major boon for the team in the 2014 postseason, is the brother-in-law is current Kings when their pairing matched up against the top lines Jonathan Quickand frequently spends on San Jose, Anaheim and Chicago, three of the time in the Los Angeles area in the offseason. Western Conference’s four highest scoring teams that season, before the team completed its second Moulson, 34, appeared in 14 games with the Sabres run. this season, recording no points before being placed on waivers. The North York, Ontario, native, who “We have pretty good chemistry and we seem to not has family living in the Los Angeles area, is a spend any time in our zone when we do get the veteran of 650 NHL games over 11 seasons with the puck. We’re both good at breaking the puck out,” Kings (2007-09), (2009-14), Doughty said of Muzzin. “Muzz is a good player. Sabres (2013-18) and Minnesota Wild (2013-14) He’s been playing great, really. He makes things totaling 369 points (176 goals, 193 assists). simple when he needs to. He makes the outlet passes when he needs to and gets up on the rush. The Reign are not unfamiliar with veteran NHL He’s got an unbelievable shot. He’s been great for experience educating a young locker room. Last us, and we need him to be really good for us. He’s season, forward Teddy Purcell spent ample time one of our top two, three defensemen, and we need with the Reign organization and defenseman Rob him to be great for us in order for us to win, and Scuderi, Tom Gilbert and Devin Setoguchi also that’s why we have won lately – because he’s been made stops in the Inland Empire. great.” The 6-foot-1, 203-pound forward last skated in the “I don’t have the best shot, I’m not the fastest AHL with the Kings’ affiliate, the Manchester skater, and I don’t have one of the best skills of any Monarchs, in 2008-09 and picked up 160 points (74 on the team. I just compete as hard as I possibly goals, 86 assists) in 188 games over three seasons.

During his rookie season in 2006-07, Moulson led good things for the hockey team. [Reporter: the Monarchs in scoring with 57 points (25 goals, Piggybacking off that, he’s always been a high- 32 assists), skated with then-rookie and current percentage shooter in his career. Like, the shooting Kings veteran Trevor Lewis and helped the team to percentage this year seems to be a little bit of the third round of the Playoffs before anomaly. Everything you said, it seems that he’s falling to the Hershey Bears. With the Kings, he doing a lot of other things well, but in terms of just contributed 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 29 the spots on the ice where he’s getting the puck or games. shooting or the chances he’s getting, is there any difference between this year and previous years?] I don’t have the raw numbers, but there are lots of December 5, 2017 games where we come out of those games and By: Jon Rosen Tanner and say, ‘you’re getting all the looks.’ We’d Stevens On Toffoli, Pearson, Returning Home like to see him finish on those looks, but I think he has been getting chances. Whether the percentage is On a “rebound season” for Tyler Toffoli: different in terms of the total number of I don’t know if I would term it a ‘rebound season.’ I opportunities at different parts of the ice, we’ve mean, I think his season was really affected by liked his game. The road trip we had, going back to injury last year. I think Tyler’s always been a very the beginning of the year, we thought those guys opportunistic score, and I think that line with Carter, played really well – the trip that started in Pearson and Toffoli is a line we’ve liked back since Columbus really I think got their game going. I ’14. With Jeff going down with injury this year, I think there’s been some parts of the season where think Tanner and Tyler have had some good his game hasn’t been as effective, but I think continuity. Their centermen has changed a little bit, overall, he’s doing the types of things that are going but our internal expectations of Tyler, that’s kind of to lead to success as long as he stays with it. who we think he is. We think he should be somewhere between a 25 and a 30-goal scorer and a On whether tonight’s game is an extension of the guy that can play in all situations. road trip: We’ve tried to approach it that way. We spent some On whether aspects of Tanner Pearson’s game time yesterday just talking about coming off the are overlooked because he’s not scoring road. I think the tendency without even thinking regularly: about it is ‘the road trip’s over,’ and you kind of Yeah, that’s a good point, Daryl. I think Tanner can want to know [inaudible]. We put a big value on finish more than he has. He’s had some really good preparation yesterday and coming home and being chances, and there are games where he’s had great ready to play. Minnesota’s playing well. They’re a looks at the net but hasn’t put the puck in the net. very good team that’s going to forecheck hard and He is one of those guys that goals go in the net, and we need to be ready to go and be dialed in even if you go back and look, and he won a board battle though the road trip’s over. You have three games and chipped a puck out of his zone, or he got in on at home here, but we’d like to treat it as an the forecheck and got a play sopped up, I think he extension of the road trip. does a lot of the yeoman’s work that leads to a lot of offense, and I think that’s why he fits well with -Lead photo via Scott Rovak/NHLI Tyler – because Tyler usually puts himself in position on those pucks that get turned over that he can do something with them. I think there’s a lot of December 5, 2017 really good in Tanner’s game, and again, I think By: Jon Rosen Tanner can score. There’s no question that I don’t Moring Skate Notes: Injuries; Play At Home; think that he’s a perennial 20-plus goal scorer. He’s Gaborik; Kuemper, Folin, Wild really good around the net, and he really understands the value of being at the net. There’s Good afternoon from the offices adjacent to Toyota certainly a lot of small things in his game to lead to Sports Center, Insiders. A reminder: tonight’s game

against the Minnesota Wild starts at 7:00 p.m. looking to channel the mentality and success they (NBCSN / FUBO TV / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio). built up on last week’s trip into tonight’s game. There will be a bit of a flashback as the game will be called by Chris Cuthbert and Jim Fox. For Kings “Yeah, we talked about it yesterday – carrying that fans, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if that’s where the momentum from the road and our road game back 2016-17 parallels end. Lines and pairings: into Staples Center,” Jake Muzzin said. “[We’re] Trying to put a finger on what’s been the difference, Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown and I think we found it, and hopefully we can Pearson-Shore-Toffoli execute coming out tonight with a big start to the Gaborik-Kempe-Lewis game.” Jokinen-Mitchell-Brodzinski Clifford-Andreoff-Dowd One thing I’ve picked up on is that many players will say finding success at home stems from having Muzzin-Doughty the right mindset so that they’re ready right off the MacDermid-Martinez bat. The Kings have allowed the first goal in their Forbort-Folin last four home games and despite a Western Fantenberg Conference-best plus-24 goal differential have been out-scored 28-21 in first periods this season, so Notes! there’s a clear reference point to attack and improve. -Jonathan Quick left the ice first and will be expected to start in net. Nic Dowd, Oscar “It’s more about getting your mental game ready Fantenberg and the players on injured reserve and getting mentally prepared to come out with that remained on the ice with for some same road mode intensity that we had on the road extra work, so they’re not expected to get into these past four games,” Muzzin said. tonight’s game. Speaking of the players on IR, the Kings shared some injury news yesterday, which I For some players, that may mean cranking up the passed along via Twitter. Andy Andreoff has been music en route to the game, whether traveling on a cleared to resume practicing with the team, and bus while on a road trip or carpooling with Kyle Clifford continues to progress and will be teammates to Staples Center. Muzzin usually will integrated into practice this week. There’s no real drive to games with Trevor Lewis and Tanner timetable yet on Clifford’s return. Andreoff is Pearson. closer. Both players have skated each of the last two days, and Clifford was becoming integrated into The trio shares the controls of the music, but if practice on last week’s road trip. There’s nothing Muzzin has his say, and the radio is on, he wants a new with Jeff Carter. He remains months away. non-interrupted stream of music.

-Torrey Mitchell said he had some “butterflies” “I’m going with whatever’s playing,” he said. “If prior to his first shift, which is natural when joining it’s a commercial, I’m going to the next station right a new team, but settled in well as his debut in away. It could be country, it could be top hits, it Chicago progressed. He won 8-of-12 faceoffs in could be top hits. I’m constantly rotating.” 12:49 of ice time. “It was fun just to put all the immigration stuff behind and just get back to what And blasting music isn’t simply a cure for getting we’re in here for, and that’s just playing hockey, so ready to play a game. That preparation starts before it was good,” he said. and continues after the players are taking the 105 to the 110. -So, some may have noticed that the Kings are 10- 3-1 on the road and only 7-5-2 at home. They won “I mean, there are still some guys that do it that their last home game – the first game of their need to get focused that way,” he said. “You’ve got current five-game winning streak – but will be to do what you’ve got to do to get ready for a game.

If it’s headphones on and loud music, then [heck], same time, it’s just two points on the line and if we do it.” focus on our team game, we’ll be successful.”

-I’ll have more from Drew Doughty today, but That was essentially the sentiment that Kuemper here’s what he shared about playing alongside shared. And despite being asked whether there was Muzzin, as opposed to Derek Forbort: “It’s any bitterness towards the end of his Wild tenure, different. Muzz is a little bit more … active in the when he wasn’t getting a ton of game work nor D-zone, where he’s really going hard at guys and regular reps during infrequent late-season practices, he’s trying to react quicker, whereas Forbs, he’s and the team chose to recall Alex Stalock for work more patient. Forbs is unbelievable at defense. Like, when trying to ease Devan Dubnyk’s schedule, he I can’t even explain how good that guy is at said there weren’t any regrets towards his final year defense. He’s so good. The difference between him of his five-year stint in St. Paul. and Muzz is Muzz might be a little better at moving pucks, and that’s not a knock against Forbs, but “No, not at all,” he said. “I really enjoyed my Forbs’ defense, he might even be better than me at experiences in Minnesota, enjoyed my time here. it. That’s how good Forbs’ defense is, and that’s I’m just excited about a new chapter here in L.A. how much confidence I have in his D. Yeah, and really excited about how things have been they’ve both been great.” going so far.”

-Tonight’s game pits three Kings against their Things have been going exceedingly well through former team. Darcy Kuemper and Christian Folin his first 419 minutes with the Kings. He’s 4-0-2 played for the Minnesota Wild as recently as last with a and leads all qualified goalies with a season, while Marian Gaborik scored the first goal .944 save percentage and a 1.72 goals-against in Wild history and is the franchise’s all-time leader average. in goals (219), power play goals (59) and game- winning goals (43), and ranks second in points “I think as you get older, things get a little bit (437) in 502 games between 2000-09. easier,” he said. “You learn a lot about yourself and your game. I’ve always just tried to keep improving, But tonight will be Gaborik’s 12th game against his and right now I’m really happy with where my former team. He has three goals and six points in game’s at.” his 11 previous games against Minnesota, one goal and one assist of which were netted at Xcel Energy He’s also reunited with Bill Ranford, with whom he Center in the teams’ previous meeting on February worked with “a couple times” when Kuemper was a 27. member of the ECHL’s early in the 2011-12 season. Kuemper isn’t expected to get into tonight’s game. The next Kings-Wild match-up begins the first half “He’s obviously got a great track record,” Kuemper of a March 19-20 at Minnesota / at Winnipeg back- said. “We’ve had really good experiences so far, to-back, so there’s a good chance he could make his and he’s helped give me a really good foundation first career start against his former team some three for this year that I’m quite comfortable with.” and a half months from now. Folin, on the other hand, is projected to play tonight, one game after he The Kings and Wild have employed structured scored an important third period goal against systems play for much of this decade that have Chicago for his second marker as a King. leaned to the defensive and have made them among the more detail-oriented teams in the league. “I obviously circled [tonight’s game] right away,” Minnesota probably gained a bit of a jump on Los Folin said. “I’ve been looking forward to it, Angeles in the push towards a speed-oriented attack actually, for sure. I’ve made a lot of really good that relies on excellent pacing, while Los Angeles friends in Minnesota and I had three good years still retains some of its “heavy” identity, but both there, so it’s obviously a special day, but at the teams have found continued success at suppressing

shots and chances against when they’re on their Forward Matt Luff and defenseman Zac Leslie games. struck on the power play in the second period, but the Tucson Roadrunners scored three goals in the “It’s probably fairly similar [systems], actually,” first 5:32 of the third period to defeat the Ontario Folin said. “My transition hasn’t been that hard Reign 5-2 Tuesday night at Tucson Arena. because in Minnesota we had really solid D, and everything starts in the back end with good The Roadrunners went 3-for-6 on the power play goaltending, so it’s fairly similar. They play kind of while the Reign went 2-for-7. similar styles of hockey.” ORI: Fantastic second period for the Reign to make Not as similar: outdoor opportunities in December. it 2-2, but what did you see at the start of the third period that allowed Tucson to jump back in? “The difference [between Minnesota and Los Head Coach Mike Stothers: A quick strike by Angeles] would be I live by the beach here,” them on the first shift, 36 seconds in, dictated their Kuemper said. “It’s hard to beat that. I’m not readiness to play the final 20 minutes. complaining about it.” ORI: Power plays and penalties were the name of -Still in the, uh, Wilderness are Zach Parise (IR / the game. Tough to keep pace and foucs with so back surgery) and Jared Spurgeon (groin). Via many whistles? Sarah McLellan, who joined the Star-Tribune after a Stothers: Apparently it was. terrific job on the Arizona Republic’s Coyotes beat, Minnesota is expected to line up with an offensive ORI: Texas and San Antonio have had a history of group of Granlund-Koivu-Zucker, Niederreiter- being quick teams that can strike. How is tonight’s Staal-Foligno, Winnik-Coyle-Stewart and Ennis- game a teaching moment for the upcoming weekend Cullen-Mitchell and defensive pairings of Suter- in Texas? Dumba, Brodin-Murphy and Reilly-Prosser. Devan Stothers: A lone wolf will never out run a cheetah, Dubnyk is projected to start in goal. but a pack of wolves will always wear down their prey. Pack mentality!! -7:00 P.M. START, INSIDERS. Tonight’s officials will be referees Francois StLaurent and Peter MacDougall, and linesmen Vaughan Rody and December 5, 2017 Trent Knorr. I’ll join Jason Gregor on TSN 1260 By: Joey Zakrzewski Edmonton at 2:05 p.m. PT. Click here to listen live. Live Blog: Reign At Roadrunners 12/5/16 John Stevens quotes will follow and will contain an interesting look at Tanner Pearson’s season. Let’s Ontario Reign 2 (9-9-0-1) vs. Tucson talk soon. Roadrunners 5 (11-4-2-1) Game #19 -Lead photo via Dave Sandford/NHLI Tuesday, December 5, 2017, 6 p.m. PT Tucson Arena in Tucson, Arizona Referees: Stephen Reneau (#34), Terry Koharski (#10) FROM REIGN INSIDER: Linesmen: Fred Hudy (#30), Eric McDonald (#24) Box Score December 5, 2017 By: Joey Zakrzewski Bus Texts With Stutts: Roadrunners Use Power 3rd Period: Play To Flip Reign – Puck is down for the 3rd period and BANG…TUC strikes as Tyler Gaudet puts one past Petersen 36 seconds in. Former ONT FW Mike Latta with assist. 3-2 TUC

2nd Period: – TUC : Adam Clendening with roughing – TUC Goal: Mayo deflects in his first goal of the call at 14:32 of 2nd. ONT to 5th PP. 1/4 tonight. season at 2:19. In a flash, TUC takes a 4-2 lead. Down 2-1 to TUC Was 2-2 at start of frame. – ONT Goal: Zac Leslie strikes on the power – ONT Penalty: Sam Herr takes a roughing call play to make it 2-2. Traffic in front of Hill and after a crease gathering. guess who…Brett Sutter. 4:26 left in 2nd. ONT – TUC Goal: Nick Merkley catches pass out of now 2/5 on PP tonight corner and knocks it past Petersen. 3rd PPG for – Tonight the 3rd time ONT has struck twice on the TUC tonight. 5-2 lead for Roadrunners with PP this season. Went 2/5 at CLE on 10/27 and 2/6 14:13 left in 3rd period. on 10/28 at CLE – TUC 2/4 on power play. ONT is 2/5. – Complete reversal of 1st period for ONT. Shots – TUC with three goals in first 5:32 of third period 13-4 their favor in the frame. 2-2 late 2nd period. – TUC Penalty: Latta off for holding the stick at – 2nd period comes to a close in TUC with ONT- 6:32. Opportunity for ONT to get back into the TUC tied 2-2. All 4 goals scored on PP. ONT with contest. Looking for 1st 3G PP performance of both goals in 2nd. Luff and Leslie. Out shot TUC season 13-4 in stanza – Penalties continue to add up. ONT Justin Auger takes a seat for tripping at 10:45. 6th PP for TUC 1st Period: coming up. 5-2 TUC lead with 9:15 left in 3rd. – ONT Starters: Petersen, Gravel, LaDue, Amadio, – Clock ticks away quickly in the 3rd period. ONT Wagner, Mersch. No Roy, Imama, Ward trails TUC 5-2. 2:19 left in contest. – Tucson pressuring early. Shades of Sunday. – TUC Penalty: Tye McGinn called for goalie Stothers call it a “gutsy” win. Another 60-min effort interference on Petersen with 2:19 left in 3rd required period. 7th PP for ONT tonight. Down 5-2 – Early PP for ONT. TUC’s Merkley called for – Tonight’s 7 power play chances for ONT is 2nd hooking. highest among this season. Went 1/8 on Nov. 4 vs. – PP comes to a close for ONT. Couple looks sneak SD on TUC goal Adin Hill. 0-0 with 6:28 gone in 1st – The game comes to a close. TUC takes a 5-2 win period. over @ontarioreign. TUC scored 3 goals in first 6 – Falkovsky covering some ground for ONT min of third period to break a 2-2 tie. defense. Breaks odd-man rush with outstretched stick. Follows up with big hit. – Puck is down for the 2nd period and ONT takes a – Petersen comes up with the save of the game hooking call 1:20 into the frame. 4th PP for TUC. already. Denies TUC with full splits right-pad save. Matt Luff in the box. TUC up 2-0 0-0 with 11:06 left in 1st period. – Petersen continues to keep ONT in the contest. – ONT Penalty: Zac Leslie picks up an interference Multiple saves in the early stages in the 2nd. 2-0 well away from the puck. 10:25 left in 1st. 0-0. 1st TUC 5:45 into frame. PP for TUC. TUC 4th in AHL on man-advantage – Adin Hill denies Justin Auger in close for his best – TUC Goal: Looke catches pass and beats save of the contest. Keeps it a 2-0 TUC lead. 11:40 Petersen past the blocker. 1-0 TUC with 9:15 left left in 2nd in 1st. PPG for TUC – TUC Penalty: 9:32 into the 2nd, Petersen takes a – TUC Penalty: Roadrunners flagged following tripping call. ONT goes on 4th PP of game. 0/3. center face off. Mayo off for a hold. ONT goes on TUC up 2-0 2nd PP. 0/1 and down 1-0. 8:54 left in 1st – ONT Goal: Matt Luff knocks in a rebound on – Reign PP having a tough time. Amadio and the power play. Brett Sutter with a good screen LaDue collide into each other and then Mersch and in front. 2-1 TUC Walker collide. ONT now 0/2. – T.J. Hensick extends his point streak to four – TUC Penalty: Kempe (not that Kempe) takes a games with primary assist on Luff power-play goal. tripping. Back-to-back looks for ONT. Down 1-0 All 3 goals tonight have been on PP. 2-1 TUC with with 6:06 left in 1st 8:06 left in 2nd. – 3rd ONT PP comes to a close. Set up better, but

no chances. 3:48 left in 1st. 1-0 TUC the league with a 2.23 goals-against average. – ONT Penalty: Puck hops over the glass with 1:45 – The Reign have allowed two goals or less in 10 of left in 1st. D Sean Walker goes off for Delay of their last 12 contests. As a result, they are 9-2-0-1 Game. 1-0 TUC over that stretch. – ONT running into penalty trouble. Interference to Justin Auger at 18:21. 5on3 for TUC late 1st period. Up 1-0 – TUC Goal: Wood sets up Sislo for 5on3 PPG. 2-0 TUC with seconds to go in 1st period. – A first period ONT would like to forget. TUC up 2-0 with a pair of power-play goals. Looke and Sislo. TUC out shot ONT 15-5. TUC will have PP time to start 2nd period.

Pregame: What a busy day in Reignland. – – NHL veteran forward Matt Moulson loaned to Reign from Buffalo (NHL) – Tonight is Game 2 of a five-game road trip for the Reign. Started journey with a 4-2 win at Tucson on . Sunday. – Reign continue to be the backbone of the team’s success. Cal Petersen leads the AHL with a 1.59 goals-against average and is third with a .941 save percentage. Jack Campbell sits seventh in

FROM LAKINGS.COM

December 5, 2017 DYNAMIC DUO: Gaborik Scores 400th Goal, Kopitar Records 500th Assist The pair led the LA Kings to a 5-2 comeback win over the Minnesota Wild, but the one night of magic is nothing new for either player

It was a wild night for Marian Gaborik and Anze Kopitar against Minnesota. The duo led the LA Kings to a 5-2 comeback win over the Minnesota Wild, but the one night of magic is nothing new for either player. Late in the third period, Kopitar won a face-off directly to Gaborik, who, for the 400th time in his career, found the back of the net. That assist was the 500th of Kopitar's career. Not a bad little combination for a goal. "It feels great, especially playing against my former team," Gabroik said after being named the first star of the game. The Wild, however, did not seem as enthusiastic following Gaborik's milestone goal... With the goal, Gaborik became is now the sixth active player to reach the 400-goal milestone, joining Jaromir Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Marian Hossa, Patrick Marleau and Rick Nash on the list. He is the 94th player in NHL history to eclipse 400 career goals. And, without looking it up, we're pretty confident that Kopitar is the first Slovenian to reach 500 career assists.

December 5, 2017 Ontario Reign Receive Veteran Forward Matt Moulson on Loan from Buffalo

The Ontario Reign, Affiliate of the LA Kings, have received forward Matt Moulson on loan from the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Moulson, 34, appeared in 14 games with the Sabres this season, recording no points before being placed on waivers. The North York, Ontario, native, who has family living in the Los Angeles area, is a veteran of 650 NHL games over 11 seasons with the Kings (2007-09), New York Islanders (2009-14), Sabres (2013-18) and Minnesota Wild (2013-14) totaling 369 points (176 goals, 193 assists). His brother-in-law is current Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick and he is also the brother-in-law of former Reign forward Sean Backman. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound forward last skated in the AHL with the Kings' affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, in 2008-09 and picked up 160 points (74 goals, 86 assists) in 188 games over three seasons. During his rookie season in 2006-07, Moulson led the Monarchs in scoring with 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists), skated with then- rookie and current Kings veteran Trevor Lewis and helped the team to the third round of the Calder Cup Playoffs before falling to the Hershey Bears. With the Kings, he contributed 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 29 games.

FROM LATIMES.COM

December 6, 2017 By: Helene Elliott What we learned from the Kings' 5-2 victory over Minnesota Here are some things we learned from the Kings’ win over the Wild on Tuesday.

1. The Kings have been good at closing out games

By outscoring Minnesota 4-0 in the third period the Kings improved their goal differential in the third period this season to an impressive +27. They’ve scored 40 goals in the third period and have given up only 13, and opposing coaches are paying attention to that. “You knew they were +23 in the third and leading the league in that. We knew they were going to come out,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said of his expectation that the Kings would be formidable in the third period. “We had three turnovers in the last five minutes [of the second period] that gave them a little life going into the third. When they put their push on, we just didn’t do anything about it.”

2. A six-game winning streak hasn’t made the Kings complacent

Winger Marian Gaborik was pleased with the team’s third-period rally but wished it hadn’t been necessary. “We’ve got to fix some problems prior to that so we don’t get down in a hole and have to dig ourselves out,” he said. “The second period we need to work on. Overall, it was a good game.”

Coach John Stevens liked the final 20 minutes. “It was probably as good a third period as we’ve had this year in terms of moving the puck, getting it deep, coming up with loose pucks and obviously scoring goals,” he said. “Just a really solid third period coming off a tough road trip.”

But he said he believes the Kings can be better. “We’re going to keep working on our team game,” he said. “I thought the team game the last two games of the trip was really, really sound. We knew it would be a tough game coming off the road. …Their defense can really skate and move pucks. I was really happy to see our guys had the resilience to stay with it there and have that kind of a third period, especially in the circumstances of coming off the road.”

And soon enough they’ll be leaving again. “We have two more games at home. Home games has been an issue for us a little bit lately, so coming off the road it’s a huge two points,” he said, referring to the Kings’ 8-5-2 record at Staples Center. “It would be nice if we can get another four before we head out east.”

3. They played the numbers game well

Gaborik, who scored his 400th career NHL goal and 800th NHL point, has four goals in six points in seven games since returning from a knee procedure. Center Anze Kopitar, who earned his 500th career assist, is the fifth player in Kings history to reach that mark with the team. He has three goals and six points in a three-game point streak.

Defenseman Jake Muzzin’s goal was his third this season and 42nd of his career, surpassing Bob Murdoch’s 41 and moving him into the top 10 among Kings defensemen in all-time goals.

December 5, 2017 By: Helene Elliott Kings get to celebrate more than just a victory Anze Kopitar is usually thoughtful and articulate in interviews with reporters, but when a certain question was posed to the Kings captain the other day, a look of exasperation crossed his face and his tone reeked of annoyance.

What, he was asked, can he learn from the struggles he experienced during the nightmare that was his 2016-17 season? His answer was curt.

“Can we stop talking about last year at some point?” he said.

Tuesday night was that point.

Kopitar set up Marian Gaborik twice in the third period, once for the tying goal and again on a goal that was a milestone for both players, and also scored into an empty net as the Kings rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild at Staples Center and extended their winning streak to six games.

On that fourth goal Kopitar won a faceoff and got the puck to Gaborik, whose shot went off the stick of defenseman Matt Dumba and past goaltender Devan Dubnyk. It was the 400th goal and 800th point for Gaborik, who is seven games into his return from a knee procedure, and the 500th assist for Kopitar.

The Slovenian center now has a team-leading 15 goals and team-best 34 points in 29 games; he had merely 12 goals and 52 points in 76 games last season, the first time in 10 seasons that he was not the Kings’ top scorer.

The Kings’ biggest problem once they overcame a sleepy first period was how Kopitar and Gaborik would share the puck that produced their simultaneously memorable moment. But that dilemma was solved quickly.

“I told them I’d take it,” said coach John Stevens, who moved Gaborik up to the top line with Kopitar and Dustin Brown during the second period because he liked Gaborik’s jump and because he thought Gaborik would fare better than Alex Iafallo was doing against Minnesota’s big forwards.

“I’m happy for those guys,” said Stevens, who scored no goals in his 53-game NHL career. “Kopi’s just been a horse all year and Gabby’s worked so hard to come back and really wants to play and be a productive player. Four hundred, it’s impressive to me to see that type of numbers and Gabby at his age and the injuries he’s fought to be that good a player. Kind of fitting that those two guys would partner up on a milestone like that.”

Kopitar and Gaborik, 35, had played together before, and their chemistry was obvious as soon as they were reunited Tuesday.

“You give him the puck in the areas that he needs them to score, more often than not he’s going to put it in,” Kopitar said. “And that’s what we’re going to need from him going forward, too.”

The Wild had scored first, at 10 minutes 30 seconds of the second period, when defenseman Charlie Coyle got a step on Kings center Adrian Kempe and darted into the slot to redirect a pass from Chris Stewart past Jonathan Quick. The Kings matched that at 14:24, on a goal by defenseman Jake Muzzin. Nick Shore made it possible with a slick backpass to Drew Doughty, who earned the first of his three assists when he found Muzzin at the top of the left circle for a slap shot that got past Dubnyk’s glove.

Minnesota came back to regain the lead at 15:34 after Tyler Ennis’ second wraparound attempt got past Quick, but the Kings took over the rest of the way.

“The third period was huge for us,” said Gaborik, who began his NHL career with Minnesota. “We were more desperate. We tried to create more energy within our group and tried to play more in their zone and just desperation.”

That paid off when Gaborik finished off a two on one with Kopitar and tied it at 4:35. The Kings got a lucky bounce when Kempe’s centering pass caromed off defenseman Jonas Brodin and into the net at 12:38, and benefitted again when Gaborik’s shot deflected off Dumba and into the net for a 4-2 lead at the 14-minute mark.

Kopitar sealed it with the empty-netter with 56 seconds left, giving the announced sellout crowd more reason to celebrate.

“I’m very proud of it,” Gaborik said of his 400 goals. “Congrats to Kopi for his 500th assist. It’s kind of ironic he gets it on my 400th goal and it’s against my former team as well.”

FROM DAILYNEWS.COM

December 5, 2017 By: Robert Morales Marian Gaborik, Anze Kopitar reach milestones as Kings win 6th straight

LOS ANGELES — Marian Gaborik didn’t start Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild on center Anze Kopitar’s line. But the right wing was moved there in the second period and later scored two of the Kings’ four third-period goals to lead them to a 5-2 victory over the Wild before 18,230 at Staples Center.

The goals were Nos. 399 and 400 of Gaborik’s career, making him the sixth active player to reach the milestone (Jaromir Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Marian Hossa, Patrick Marleau, Rick Nash). Kopitar had two assists in the win, his 500th coming on Gaborik’s second goal.

The Kings (18-8-3), who trailed 2-1 after two periods, extended their win streak to six games. The Wild (13-11-3) had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Gaborik was playing in just his seventh game of the season after missing the first 22 with a knee injury. “Yeah, I mean, I missed a lot of games, obviously, so getting more comfortable each game,” said Gaborik, who has four goals.

Coach John Stevens liked the idea that Gaborik and Kopitar both reached milestones on the same goal.

“The guys were asking, ‘Who gets the puck?’” Stevens said, laughing. “I told them I’d take it. But I’m happy for those guys. Kopi’s just been a horse all year and Gaby’s worked so hard to get back and really wants to play and be a productive player. … It’s kind of fitting that those two guys would partner up on a milestone like that.”

Kopitar didn’t think much of the game through the first 40 minutes. But he liked what he saw thereafter.

“I don’t think the first two periods were very energetic, I think the whole building kind of felt that,” he said. “But then being down one going into the third, you kind of have to throw everything out there.

“Obviously, scoring pretty quick in the third, that certainly helped.”

After Gaborik tied the score at 2-2 at 4:35 of the third, Adrian Kempe got credit for his 10th goal of the season when the puck went past Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk off the skate of Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin. That gave the Kings a 3-2 lead.

Gaborik then scored his 400th after Kopitar won a faceoff to the left of Dubnyk for a 4-2 lead at the 14:00 mark. Kopitar scored an empty-net goal – this 15th of the season – at 19:04.

Stevens didn’t hide how he felt about the third period of this one.

“I thought it was terrific,” he said. “I actually thought it was a pretty good hockey game overall. It was really tight checking by both teams.”

Stevens made a bold statement.

“It was probably as good a third period as we’ve had this year in terms of moving the puck, getting it deep, coming up with loose pucks,” he said. “And, obviously, scoring goals goes without saying. But I thought that was just a really solid third period coming off a tough road trip.”

The Kings won all four games on their recently concluded road trip.

The Wild got second-period goals by Charlie Coyle at 10:30 and Tyler Ennis at 15:34. They were sandwiched around a goal by Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin at 14:24.

Drew Doughty had three assists for the Kings.

With 13:46 left in the first period, Kings defenseman Kurtis MacDermid and Wild right wing Chris Stewart engaged one another in a brisk round of fisticuffs. MacDermid took some punches to the face early in the scuffle, but he came back and distinguished himself very well.

December 5, 2017 By: Robert Morales Anze Kopitar having ‘fun’ rebound season for Kings

LOS ANGELES — Anze Kopitar played international hockey for his native Slovenia in the summer of 2016 and also played for Team Europe in that year’s World Cup in September, before the 2016-17 NHL season. What followed was Kopitar’s worst season with the Kings. The center scored just 12 goals and had 40 assists. The 52 points were the lowest of his career, which is now in its 12th season, save for the strike-shortened 2012-13 campaign when he had 42 points in 47 games.

Kopitar did miss a handful of games with a wrist injury, but he still played in 76 of 82 games last season. He wasn’t using the injury, nor his international play, as excuses this week when discussing the solid rebound season he’s currently having.

“I mean, I’m enjoying myself, for sure,” said Kopitar, who had 14 goals and 17 assists for a team-high 31 points – tied for 10th in the league – through 28 games before Tuesday’s game against the visiting Minnesota Wild. “Good individual start and good team start will do that to you.

“It’s obviously a lot more fun than it was last year from my point of view of scoring goals and putting up points. And just bottom line, I know how to play.”

It wasn’t just Kopitar who failed. The team did not make the playoffs, and its 2.43 goals per game average was 24th in the 30-team league. Out went Coach Darryl Sutter, with associate head coach John Stevens taking his place.

The Kings are now averaging 2.96 goals, and with 37 points before Tuesday’s game were leading the Pacific Division and, along with Nashville, were just a point behind Winnipeg and St. Louis for top spot in the Western Conference.

Right wing Dustin Brown was asked to talk about his linemate’s resurgence. Brown was funny.

“From a hockey standpoint, he’s shooting the puck more. For sure, I’ve noticed that he hasn’t passed it as much,” Brown said, smiling and drawing laughs from reporters.

Brown said the team as a whole is having more fun, but especially Kopitar.

“I talked to Kopi a lot last year,” Brown said. “We sit next to each other in the locker room, we’ll sit next to each other on the bus. So I think he just wasn’t enjoying the game last year. Every player has kind of been there at some point in their career, and I think this year he’s just really enjoying playing.”

Kopitar intimated there were moments last season when he felt kind of lost.

“There were a couple of times where I didn’t know what to do with myself for a little bit,” he said.

Kopitar, 30, said “last year was a really bad year” and that he has put it behind him. When a reporter kept questioning him, he made that clear in a friendly way.

“Will you stop talking about last year at some point?” he said, smiling.

He learned a lot, though.

“I don’t know, just to really try and grind it out and you just try to stay as positive as you can,” Kopitar said. “You can’t get too low on yourself, that’s for sure, and maybe I was guilty of doing that a couple of times last year when I wasn’t feeling great.”

COACH SAW IT COMING Stevens isn’t surprised about Kopitar’s turnaround. It’s one he expected because of the work he put in over the summer.

“I mean, I’ve seen Kopi play at a really high level,” Stevens said. “He was probably the one guy that I thought, ‘If there’s a guy that can get his game back, it’s him.’”

Kopitar had 25 goals and 49 assists for 74 points in 2015-16. His best season was in 2009-10, when he had 34 goals and 47 assists for 81 points. He signed an eight-year, $80 million contract prior to last season. ICE CHIPS The Kings will continue their three-game homestand by taking on the Ottawa Senators on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The homestand will culminate with a game against Carolina on Saturday night at 7:30. … The Kings then embark on a four-game trip that will include games with New Jersey, the , New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers.

FROM NHL.COM

December 5, 2017 By: Dan Greenspan Gaborik scores No. 400, Kings top Wild for sixth straight win Los Angeles rallies with four goals in third period

LOS ANGELES -- Marian Gaborik scored his 400th NHL goal. Anze Kopitar got his 500th NHL assist. But the milestones happened on the same play, which raised the issue of what to do with the puck. "I told 'em I'd take it," Los Angeles Kings coach John Stevens said. Gaborik scored Nos. 399 and 400, and the Kings extended their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild at Staples Center on Tuesday. Adrian Kempe, Jake Muzzin and Kopitar scored for the Kings (18-8-3), who have the longest active winning streak in the NHL. Jonathan Quick made 19 saves and won his fifth straight start. Kopitar finished with three points, capping off the Kings' four-goal outburst in the third period with an empty-net goal on the power play. The Kings have a plus-27 scoring margin, second in the League behind the Tampa Bay Lightning. "I don't think the first two periods were very energetic. I think the whole building kind of felt that. But then, being down one going into the third, you kind of have to throw everything out there," said Kopitar, who has three goals and three assists during a three-game point streak. Tyler Ennis and Charlie Coyle scored, and Devan Dubnyk made 23 saves for the Wild (13-11-3), who have lost four of their past five games. The Kings took a 3-2 lead after Dubnyk used his stick to knock away Kempe's centering pass, but sent it into Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin's right skate. It careened back in between Dubnyk's pads at 12:38. "This one was really frustrating because it was a play that they didn't do anything," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "This one, if we hadn't touched the puck, it's going into the corner." Gaborik got his 400th goal and 800th NHL point 1:22 later off a face-off win by Kopitar, with the shot hitting Matt Dumba's stick. "[Kopitar] has just been a horse all year, and [Gaborik] has worked so hard to come back and really wants to play and be a productive player. It's kind of fitting that those two guys would partner up on a milestone like that," Stevens said. Stevens shuffled his lines in the second period, reuniting Gaborik with Kopitar and Dustin Brown. The line, which served as a major catalyst during the Kings' run to the Stanley Cup in 2013-14, sparked the third-period rally when Gaborik finished off a 2-on-1 break with Kopitar to make it 2-2 at 4:35 of the third period. It was Gaborik's sixth point in seven games after going through an extended training camp to recover from offseason knee surgery. The Kings are 6-0-1 with Gaborik in the lineup. Coyle opened the scoring at 10:30 of the second, finishing off a 3-on-2 break. Tyler Toffoli missed on his attempt to reach out and steal Coyle's pass to Daniel Winnik in the offensive zone, allowing the Wild to charge the other way. Chris Stewart sent the puck towards the net and Coyle redirected it past Quick for his second goal.

Muzzin tied it 1-1 at 14:24 of the second period on a shot from the left circle. The Wild regained the lead 1:10 later when Ennis scored on a wraparound. But Minnesota failed to maintain its intensity in the third period, with self-inflicted mistakes that allowed Los Angeles to capitalize. "When they put their push on, we just didn't do anything about it," Boudreau said. Goal of the game Gaborik's goal at 14:00 of the third period. Save of the game Quick against Ennis at 4:11 of the second period. Highlight of the game Gaborik's goal at 4:35 of the third period. They said it "You give him the puck in the areas that he needs to score, more often than not he's going to put them in. That's what we are going to need from him going forward too." -- Kings captain Anze Kopitar on forward Marian Gaborik

"You don't want to give them life or anything to feel good about. Two-on-one from the far blue line, obviously, they made a nice play. They're feeling good, the energy in the building is high, and they start coming back." -- Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk

Need to know The Kings equaled their longest winning streak since winning six in a row from Nov. 28-Dec. 11, 2015. … Coyle has a point in five straight games (two goals, three assists). … Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon(groin strain) missed his fourth straight game. … Kings defenseman Drew Doughty had two assists, giving him 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in his past 11 games.

What's next Wild: At the Anaheim Ducks on Friday (10 p.m. ET; PRIME, FS-N, SN1, NHL.TV) Kings: Host the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, TSN5, RDS, NHL.TV)

December 5, 2017 By: Mike G. Morreale United States invites 28 to final World Junior evaluation camp Top 2018 NHL Draft prospects Tkachuk, Hughes, seven from 2017 team among those on roster

Boston University center Brady Tkachuk and University of Michigan defenseman Quintin Hughes, each a projected first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, were among 28 players invited to United States selection camp, the final step toward picking the United States roster for the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The camp, which includes 15 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders, will be held at Nationwide Arena and OhioHealth Ice Haus in Columbus, Ohio, from Dec. 15-19. The U.S. will be coached by Bob Motzko, who led the U.S. to the gold medal at the 2017 WJC. Tkachuk and Hughes are A-rated skaters on NHL Central Scouting's November players to watch list. "I'm going to try to work my hardest, try to impress the coaches with my skill and hard work," Tkachuk said. "I want them to know I can play at any position and play in any situation, and I'll focus on every shift." Two other 2018 Draft-eligible players, University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich and Western Michigan University forward Hugh McGing, also were invited to the five-day camp. Perunovich, who was eligible but not selected in the 2017 NHL Draft, is one of five players invited from Minnesota-Duluth. Joining him will be defensemen Michael Anderson (Los Angeles Kings) and Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg Jets), and forwards Joseph Anderson () and Riley Tufte (Dallas Stars). Invited to camp were 10 first-round draft picks, among them forward Kailer Yamamoto, who selected by the at No. 22 in the 2017 NHL Draft and had three assists in nine games before being returned to Spokane of the . Other first-round picks attending are forwards Casey Mittelstadt (Buffalo Sabres, No. 8, 2017), Joshua Norris (, No. 19, 2017), Ryan Poehling (, No. 25, 2017), Logan Brown (Ottawa Senators, No. 11, 2016), Kieffer Bellows (New York Islanders, No. 19, 2016), Max Jones (Anaheim Ducks, No. 24, 2016), Riley Tufte (Dallas Stars, No. 25, 2016) and Trent Frederic (Boston Bruins, No. 29, 2016), and goaltender Jake Oettinger (Stars, No. 26, 2017). The roster also includes seven players from the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 2017 WJC in Montreal: Goaltenders Oettinger and Joseph Woll (), defensemen Adam Fox (Calgary Flames) and Ryan Lindgren (Boston Bruins), and forwards Bellows, Patrick Harper () and Joseph Anderson (New Jersey Devils). "This is an accomplished, versatile group of players that has experience winning across all levels of hockey," said U.S. national junior team general manager Jim Johannson. "There is a specific style of play Motzko and his staff intend to utilize, and while there are still some difficult decisions to make, our staff is excited to begin identifying a roster that can ultimately win a gold medal." The United States has a chance to win a medal for the third straight tournament for the first time. It won the bronze medal in 2016. The U.S. will play exhibition games against Belarus at Northwest Arena in Jamestown, New York, on Dec. 20, and against at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 22. The U.S. hopes to have a 23- player tournament roster (three goaltenders, seven defensemen, 13 forwards) set by the end of the game against Belarus. The 2018 WJC will be held in Buffalo from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2018. The U.S. will open the tournament against Denmark in a Group A preliminary-round game at KeyBank Center on Dec. 26. Also in Group A are Canada, Finland and . The U.S. will play Canada in a preliminary-round game at New Era Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, at 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 29. Group B consists of Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, and Belarus.

USA HOCKEY SELECT CAMP ROSTER GOALTENDERS: Jake Oettinger, Boston University, H-EAST (Dallas Stars); Jeremy Swayman, Maine, H- EAST (Boston Bruins); Joseph Woll, Boston College, H-EAST (Toronto Maple Leafs) DEFENSEMEN: Michael Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Los Angeles Kings); Adam Fox, Harvard, ECAC (Calgary Flames); Quintin Hughes, Michigan, BIG10 (2018 draft eligible); Cole Hults, Penn State, BIG10 (Los Angeles Kings); Philip Kemp, Yale, ECAC (Edmonton Oilers); Ryan Lindgren, Minnesota, BIG10 (Boston Bruins); Andrew Peeke, Notre Dame, H-EAST (Columbus Blue Jackets); Scott Perunovich, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (2018 draft eligible); Dylan Samberg, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Winnipeg Jets); Reilly Walsh, Harvard, ECAC (New Jersey Devils) FORWARDS: Joey Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (New Jersey Devils); Jack Badini, Harvard, ECAC (Anaheim Ducks); Kieffer Bellows, Portland, WHL (New York Islanders); Logan Brown, Windsor, OHL (Ottawa Senators); Trent Frederic, Wisconsin, BIG10 (Boston Bruins); Patrick Harper, Boston University, H- EAST (Nashville Predators); Max Jones, London, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); William Lockwood, Michigan, BIG10 ( Canucks); Hugh McGing, Western Michigan, WCHA (2018 draft eligible); Casey Mittelstadt, Minnesota, BIG10 (Buffalo Sabres); Joshua Norris, Michigan, BIG10 (San Jose Sharks); Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State, NCHC (Montreal Canadiens); Brady Tkachuk, Boston University, H-EAST (2018 draft eligible); Riley Tufte, Minnesota-Duluth, NCHC (Dallas Stars); Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane, WHL (Edmonton Oilers)

FROM ESPN.COM

December 5, 2017 By: AP Gaborik's 2 goals lead Kings past Wild 5-2 for 6th straight

LOS ANGELES -- Some goals are more memorable than others. Marian Gaborikand Anze Kopitar combined on one Tuesday night that they won't soon forget.

Gaborik scored twice in the third period to lead the Los Angeles Kings past the Minnesota Wild 5-2 for their sixth straight victory.

The second goal of the night for the 35-year-old Gaborik gave him 400 for his career. It came off an assist from Kopitar, his 500th in the NHL.

"They were asking me, who gets the puck?" Kings coach John Stevens said.

"I'm happy for those guys. Kopi's just been a horse all year. It's impressive to me to see that type of number with Gabby at his age and the injuries he's fought through, to be that good a player. That's kind of fitting that those two guys would partner up on a milestone like that."

Jake Muzzin, Adrian Kempe and Kopitar also scored for Los Angeles, which broke loose for four goals in the third period. Jonathan Quick made 19 saves.

Charlie Coyle and Tyler Ennis scored for Minnesota. Devan Dubnyk stopped 23 shots. The Kings are the NHL's best third-period team, so their onslaught hardly came as a surprise to the Wild.

"You knew they're plus-23 in the third and leading the league in that," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "When they put their push on, we just didn't do anything about it."

The Kings are now plus-27 in the third.

"That was probably as good a third period as we've had this year," Stevens said.

Kopitar added an empty-net goal to go with his two assists. He has 15 goals this season.

"We were just able to lock the game down," Kopitar said. "They didn't have much in the third, and I think we did a good job."

The Wild played well enough in the first two periods to carry a 2-1 lead into the third.

Los Angeles tied it on a 2-on-1 breakaway, with Kopitar giving Gaborik a late feed for his first goal.

"You don't want to give them life or anything to feel good about," Dubnyk said. "The 2-on-1 from the far blue line, obviously they made a nice play. They're feeling good, the energy in the building is high and they start coming back. That's a good hockey team."

The Kings took a 3-2 lead on a fluke goal. Kempe fired a shot that was blocked by Dubnyk, but the deflection went off the skate of Minnesota's Jonas Brodinand into the net. "If we hadn't touched the puck, it's going into the corner," Boudreau said. "To me, that's frustrating."

Gaborik's milestone goal also had some assistance. Taking another pass from Kopitar after a faceoff, his shot deflected off the stick of Minnesota's Matt Dumba and then the near post before hitting the net. Boudreau said there was interference on the play that the officials failed to call.

The Wild coach also thought his team was lacking something.

"They don't have that self-confidence that I think we had last year," he said. "When our third periods came, they just knew they were going to win. Now every game has been a battle."

Game notes The Kings remain undefeated in regulation when scoring three-plus goals (14-0-2). . Gaborik did not start on the first line with Kopitar, but was switched late in the second period. "I'm getting more comfortable with each game. Obviously the lines change, but it's a long season. Whatever it takes to win games. Tonight it clicked pretty well for us," Gaborik said. ... Minnesota had won four of six.

UP NEXT

Wild: Head down the freeway to play Anaheim on Thursday.

Kings: Remain home to host Ottawa on Wednesday.

FROM .COM

December 6, 2017 By: Luke Fox NHL Power Rankings: Realistic Trade Bait Edition

Feeling loose, Mike Babcock walked into the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room Tuesday with a plan and a twinkle in his eye.

“It’s quiet around here,” barked the coach, stifling a smile. “Let’s get some rumours going right now. Let’s get some s— that really doesn’t matter. What do you want to go with?”

Let’s go with some trade bait, real or make believe, for every NHL team.

We’re a third of the way into the season, the contenders and pretenders have begun to separate themselves, and we’ve already been blessed with a couple of actual hockey trades.

The three-way deal involving Kyle Turris and Matt Duchene broke the seal, then last week’s Adam Henrique– Sami Vatanen swap blindsided the insiders. The candid comments by 2019 free agents Drew Doughty and Erik Karlsson only whetted our appetite for roster shakeups further.

With less than two weeks before the Dec. 19 holiday roster freeze takes effect, we look at 31 realistic pieces of trade bait who may or may not get dangled in the NHL Power Rankings: Trade Bait Edition.

Hey, it’s a business. And we’re starting stuff that really doesn’t matter.

3. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have made quick decisions on players that aren’t working; they already traded Michael Cammalleri and waived Brooks Laich. Los Angeles isn’t trading Doughty any time soon, but the Kings do have have extra picks in the fourth and sixth rounds plus a few million in cap space if they want to rent some depth for a playoff run.

December 5, 2017 By: AP Sabres loan Matt Moulson to LA Kings’ AHL affiliate

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres are shipping Matt Moulson to California to continue playing after the underachieving winger cleared waivers.

The Sabres loaned Moulson to the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, rather than their nearby affiliate, the Rochester Americans. Ontario is the top minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.

General manager Jason Botterill said Moulson has been a "true professional" about being placed on waivers. The 34-year-old has no points in 14 games this season and is in the fourth season of a $25 million, five-year contract.

"From an organizational standpoint, we felt that with our young forwards in place in Rochester, we did not want to take away from their development and ice time by adding another veteran player at this time," Botterill said.

"Matt has previously spent time within the Kings organization early in his career and we felt this would be the best opportunity for him."

Moulson played parts of two seasons earlier in his career for Los Angeles. He remains property of the Sabres and counts $3.975 million against their salary cap while in the minors.

Three times a 30-goal scorer when playing with John Tavares for the New York Islanders, Moulson has 369 points in 650 regular-season games.

Buffalo waived Moulson after acquiring forward Scott Wilson from the for a 2019 fifth- round pick.

In the first season under Botterill and coach Phil Housley, the Sabres are 6-17-4 and their 16 points are the fewest in the NHL.

FROM NBCSPORTS.COM

December 6, 2017 By: Scott Billeck Gaborik scores twice, including his 400th NHL goal in win

Marian Gaborik has taken his talents coast to coast over his National Hockey League career, but he found most of his scoring success as a member of the Minnesota Wild.

So it was a tad fitting that Gaborik would reach the 400-goal milestone against his former club, scoring twice in a 5-2 win for the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday to extend L.A.’s winning streak to six games.

Gaborik initiated a four-goal third period for the Kings, who trailed 2-1 after two frames, scoring No. 399 to tie the game 2-2 in the first five minutes of the period. No. 400 came roughly 10 minutes later as Gaborik was the beneficiary of a Kings faceoff win and buried the milestone mark past Devan Dubnyk.

Neither team could find the back of the night on a combined 19 first-period shots, but the floodgates started to crack in the second.

The Wild grabbed the first goal, with Charlie Coyle getting his stick on a centring pass.

Jake Muzzin tied the game with a blistering slap shot after Drew Doughty found his defense partner in space at the top of the left circle.

Minnesota regained the lead just over a minute later, with Tyler Ennis whacking the puck past Jonathan Quick.

But it was Gaborik’s night, and he wouldn’t be denied in the third.

After he tied the game, Adrian Kempe‘s centering pass went off the skate of Jonas Brodinand behind Dubnyk for the Kings’ first lead of the game.

After Gaborik scored his 400th, Anze Kopitar potted his 15th of the season to extend his goal-scoring streak to three games. Kopitar also had two helpers in the game, giving him 500 in his NHL career.

December 6, 2017 By: Scott Billeck The Buzzer: Milestones, and NHL firsts

Marian Gaborik, Los Angeles Kings:

Gaborik scored twice and helped propel a four-goal third period for the Kings, who came back from a 2-1 deficit after 40 minutes to win 5-2 against the visiting Minnesota Wild. Gaborik’s second goal of the night was his 400th of his NHL career. It came against the team he achieved his highest scoring prowess with.

December 5, 2017 By: Sean Leahy Let’s pick the 2018 NHL All-Star Game captains

The NHL opened up voting for the 2018 All-Star Game on Saturday. The event will take place the weekend of Jan. 27-28 at Amalie Arena in Tampa. As usual, Saturday night will be all about the Skills Competition, while Sunday will mark the third straight year the league goes with the 3-on-3 divisional tournament format.

Voting, you’ll remember, is only for the four captains representing each division and runs through Jan. 1. The remaining All-Stars will be named some time next month.

So with the All-Star Game on the mind, we decided to take it upon ourselves and help the NHL come up with their four captains. There won’t be any John Scott-type fun this year, unless the NHL agrees to change the Metropolitan Division jerseys to feature Ryan Reaves’ awesome Phil Kessel shirt.

In the meantime, here’s what we’re going with…

PACIFIC DIVISION

Leahy: Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings: Johnny Gaudreau and Connor McDavid will definitely be in Tampa, regardless. They’re having strong seasons. While the NHL tries to get one player from each team involved, who’s to say they don’t go with Drew Doughty for LA? Kopitar is back to being the dominant force we remember and has bounced back with 14 goals and 31 points in 28 games. As an added bonus, he might even bring his awesome pup Gustl to the festivities.

FROM YAHOOSPORTS.COM

December 5, 2017 By: Ryan Lambert NHL Power Rankings: Predators looking like the team to beat out West

(Hey everyone, we here at Puck Daddy are doing real power rankings for teams Nos. 1-31 — well, those numbers but like, reversed. Actually, it’s just me doing it. Anyway, here they are, based on pretty much only how I am feeling about these teams, meaning you can’t tell me I’m wrong because these are my feelings and feelings can’t be wrong. Please enjoy them.)

5. Los Angeles Kings

Credit where it’s due: This is a better club than anyone expected. I’m still kinda waiting to see when the bottom drops out.

FROM STARTRIBUNE.COM

December 5, 2017 By: Sarah McLellan Bad hop goal is costly in Wild's 5-2 loss to LA Key goal caromed off Jonas Brodin on rebound.

LOS ANGELES – Given a second chance, Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk wouldn’t jab his stick into the cross-ice pass and watch the puck bounce off defenseman Jonas Brodin’s skate and roll behind him into the net. “I’d do that one over if I could,” he said.

But even if the fluky goal — which emerged as the game-winner — didn’t happen, a rally by the Kings seemed inevitable amid a third-period push that saw Los Angeles rattle off four answered goals en route to a 5-2 victory over the Wild on Tuesday night in front of 18,230 at Staples Center.

“They start coming hard, and that’s a good hockey team,” Dubnyk said. “It’s tough to weather that at the best of times, but you gotta try to take advantage when you’re in a good spot.” That’s where the Wild found itself after two periods.

It had built a 2-1 lead and although the action was mostly sleepy through the first period with the Kings returning home after a long road trip and the Wild beginning a three-game swing through California, the lull seemed to suit the team. Winger Chris Stewart, who earlier in the game fought defenseman Kurtis MacDermid in a spirited slugfest that traveled around the Kings zone, fed center Charlie Coyle for a redirect in front 10 minutes, 30 seconds into the second to extend Coyle’s point streak to five games.

Los Angeles responded shortly after, tying it on a heavy slapshot from defenseman Jake Muzzin at 14:24. But only 1:10 later, the Wild received another helping of secondary scoring to reinstate its lead.

This time, winger Tyler Ennis put back his own rebound by Kings goalie Jonathan Quick after a wraparound attempt for his fifth goal of the season.

“We played the way we were supposed to,” Ennis said. “We got it behind them. We cycled really well, got pucks to the net and worked them down low. That’s how you gotta play against them, but we got away from it in the third and it cost us.”

An odd-man rush led by two of the Kings’ most talented forwards, captain Anze Kopitar and winger Marian Gaborik, started the comeback that secured Los Angeles’ sixth consecutive victory.

With defenseman Matt Dumba caught in the offensive zone, Kopitar set up Gaborik 4:35 into the third.

“That puts us on our heels,” said Dubnyk, who had 23 saves compared to 19 for Quick. “That’s not how we want to come out when we’re winning a game on the road.”

The throw to the middle by winger Adrian Kempe that caromed off Brodin and into the net at 12:38 broke the 2-2 tie, and Gaborik — the Wild’s career leader in goals — added an insurance marker 1:22 later for career goal No.400 on a shot that clipped Dumba’s stick before flying by Dubnyk.

“When they put their push on, we just didn’t do anything about it,” coach Bruce Boudreau said.

Kopitar buried a power-play empty-netter with 56 seconds remaining; the Kings went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Wild was 0-for-1 in the team’s first regulation loss this season when leading after two periods.

“They don’t have that self-confidence that I think that we had last year,” Boudreau said. “Our third periods, we knew we were going to win. Now I think because every game has been a battle, every game has been nip and tuck, that they maybe aren’t as confident as they should be.”

FROM FORBES.COM

December 5, 2017 The Business of Hockey https://www.forbes.com/nhl-valuations/list/#tab:overall

December 5, 2017 By: Mike Ozanian The NHL's Most Valuable Teams

NHL team values are up 15% over last year to an average of $594 million, the biggest increase in three years.

Deal-making in and out of hockey has been a boon to the NHL, most notably the $2.2 billion sale of the Houston Rockets (NBA), the $1.2 billion price for the Miami Marlins (MLB) and the $500 million expansion fee paid by the NHL's . These three deals illustrate the willingness of buyers to pay ever- increasing revenue multiples for big-market, profitable teams (over eight times for Rockets), medium-market, money losing teams (almost six times for Marlins), and new teams in untested markets (likely over three times this season's revenue for the Knights).

The NHL has also benefited from its 2015 deal with MLBAM, in which baseball's internet and technology arm purchased the rights to distribute hockey's live out-of-market games and the NHL got just under a 10% stake in BamTech (technology and streaming services). In 2016, ESPN's purchase of one-third of BamTech valued it at $3 billion. ESPN's acquisition of a controlling stake in BamTech this year valued it at $3.75 billion.

Higher team revenue (general gate, premium seating, television, advertising) and profits (excluding the Knight's expansion fee, worth over $16 million to each of the 30 preexisting teams) also boosted values. Average revenue for the 2016-17 season increased 8%, to $148 million. Operating income went up 20% over the previous season, to an average of $18 million (Note: all figures are in U.S. dollars). The seven Canadian teams were also assisted by a 6.7% increase in the value of the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar from the 2015- 16 season to last season.

See the full NHL valuation list here

The New York Rangers are the NHL’s most valuable team, worth $1.5 billion. This is the 19th edition of Forbes’ NHL valuations and the third consecutive year the Rangers have taken the top spot. Last season, the Rangers had more revenue ($246 million) and operating income ($94 million) than any other hockey team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, worth $1.4 billion, usurped the Montreal Canadiens ($1.25 billion) for second place. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Leafs and NBA’s Raptors, inked a 20-year, $640 million arena naming rights deal with Scotiabank--the richest in sports. Viewed through the lens of a financial arms race, the MLS&E deal best compares with the sponsorship deal Madison Square Garden inked with JPMorgan Chase in 2010, which is worth $30 million a year.

The $500 million fee paid by the Golden Knights to become the NHL's 31st team this season as a base line for the value of hockey teams illustrates the league's enormous financial success as it has grown from six to 31 franchises (see table below).

The inflation-adjusted price of admission to the NHL has increased at a 7.4% compound annual rate since 1967 when compared with the Knight's $500 million fee. The next round of expansion, 1970, has had the poorest return--5.8%. And the most recent latest expansions (1992, 1997) before the Knights are tied for the best returns (7.7%). Average for the nine expansion years: 7%.

In contrast, net of inflation, the S&P 500 has posted annual price appreciation of just 2.5% since 1967 and 5.6% including dividends. Existing owners share in the expansion fee equally. Part of the return they earn on their team are future expansion fees.