The Los Angeles Kings Continued their strong start to the 2011-2012 season with another victory against the Phoenix Coyotes Thursday night. For the second game consecutive, goaltender Jonathan Quick denied every shot he faced for his second straight shutout. The Kings improve their regular season record with the 2-0 win to 4-1-1. "It's a good start, but we can't be satisfied with what we've done," said Quick."We've been good defensively the last couple of years and you come to expect it because out guys work so hard. It makes my job a lot easier when they are battling the way they do in front of me."
The healthy start is reflective of the off-season acquisitions quickly finding chemistry with the already soundly built team that started last season off with twelve wins through the first fifteen regular season games. What is also a significant part of the Kings productive numbers lies in the goaltending with Jonathan Quick at the helm, and the young and promising Jonathan Bernier behind him. In six regular season games thus far the club has only allowed nine goals.
After shutting out the St. Louis Blues two nights ago, Quick picked up his 16th career shutout last night with 28 stops. He recorded his 100th career NHL win in the game, and became the first goaltender since Mathieu Garon on April 1-3, 2006 to record back-to-back shutouts.
The team is playing solid, all around. The early season’s schedule combined with the preseason schedule, and the fact that they began the year in Europe has not fazed the team in a negative way. Since the beginning of the season, the Kings have played only once at home in a 5-0 blitzing by the home team over the St. Louis blues, Quick’s last shutout.
"The schedule was a big concern this summer when we saw the schedule and what was in front of us, especially the road games after coming back from overseas," coach Terry Murray said. "It really speaks a lot of the players in the dressing room; there is a great leadership group in there.
"When you just accept what it is and go out and play and take real good care of yourself with proper rest, you can get through it. We're still battling through it, but it's starting to come."
Opposite from Quick, off-season acquisition for the Coyotes Mike Smith played a strong game in front of the dismal attendance of 7,128 with 20 stops on the evening. Though the Coyotes outshot the Kings in the first period, the Kings limited Phoenix to only 17 shots through the last two periods of play. The Coyotes fall to 2-3-1 on the season with the loss.
"Mike Smith was excellent," Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said. "We were more determined (than the Chicago game), but the bottom line is you got to find a way to win and we didn't do that. You've just got to continue pounding away at it."
Kyle Clifford and Dustin Brown’s second period goals were all that were needed to grab the victory against the offensively lacking Coyotes. Captain Dustin Brown’s second goal of the season came on the powerplay at :56 of the second period. Brown was left all alone in front of the net for the second time on the night and buried it on the later chance. Off-season blockbuster acquisition Mike Richards dealt it out of the corner, and fed a perfect pass to Brown, who one-timed it in. Anze Kopitar would also assist of the goal with his nifty backhand dump to the waiting Richards, bringing him just two points away from the League lead, currently held by Toronto’s Phil Kessel. With the primary assist, Mike Richards improved to five points in six games.
Kyle Clifford would add insurance for the Kings at 15:23 of the second period. Clifford’s first goal on the year was a great lift for the team, having had the fourth line put the puck in the net. The goal came even strength as Kevin Westgarth broke into the offensive zone on a three on two, with a fourth King, Willie Mitchell, rushing in at the last moment for a potential rebound. Clifford gathered the pass from Kevin Westgarth, only to bury it short-side against Smith.
The Kings have been sound in the early season, as they are a legitimate threat in the West to an even greater extent. The offseason additions and growing wealth of young talent have matched well. The outstanding play of Jonathan Quick has bettered the team.
"Each guy is doing his job and it's a total team effort," defenseman Rob Scuderi said. "We're playing a strong team game and when things are easy, they go your way."
The Kings are (20-8-3) since the beginning of 2009-2010 in the month of October. Jonathan Quick is 4-0-1 in the regular season this year, with a league leading save percentage of .967 and shutout mark of two, and a second best (by.01) goals against average of 0.96 in five games.Quick has joine the 100 win club in LA, but accomplished the feat i just 185 games - 45 games fewer than Rogie Vachon and 43 fewer than Kelly Hrudey.
"This team has great accountability," said Quick. "We take pride in our defensive game, and have come to expect solid play on defense."
The Kings are reigning, a trend that is likely to continue through the season as Los Angeles seeks the spoils of the Stanley Cup.
- Kendall Grubbs
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