Opening Weekend Recap

Kopi's Ready For Halloween (PHOTO: ESPN)

 THE GOOD

• Kings score two goals this weekend and manage a split.  Can't really complain about that.
• The Kings throwback jerseys on Saturday were awesome.  Jonathan Quick's pads and mask were great too.  I like his throwback mask more than his current one.  I was really hoping to see some names but the Kings didn't permanently add names to the back of their Road uniforms until the NHL required them for the 1977 season.
• Kopitar wasn't seriously injured from an unintentional high-stick in the corner from Manny Malhotra that led to Kopi receiving 15 stitches on the outside; four on the inside, and the loss of a fake tooth. 
• Brayden Schenn looks like he belongs and should grab that open slot on the second-line any day now.  Kyle Clifford seems to have lost all that aggression that earned him this opportunity.  He may be on his way to Barrie before the week is over.
• Jarett Stoll dominated the faceoff circle with ease this weekend: 9-11 v. Vancouver & 11-13 v. Calgary.  Good for 83%.  
• Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier both looked solid in net.  Their contrasting goaltending styles are entertaining to compare.  Quick relies on his athleticism while Bernier is so positionally sound that he makes difficult saves look easy.  Some will question Calgary's second-goal scored by...Craig Conroy...but I'm willing to guess that Drewiske screened and tipped that shot past Bernier.  Besides, Bernier kept the Kings in the game on a number of occasions like this one...

THE BAD

• The Kings 4-on-3 power play at the end of OT on Saturday was downright ugly.  I'll give credit to the unit for keeping the puck in Vancouver's zone for the entire PP but watching Kopitar pass up open shooting lanes and instead defer to Stoll for one-times off the side boards and watch him miss the net three consecutive times was beyond frustrating.  Sheldon Souray anyone?
• Raitis Ivanans was unable to answer the bell on Sunday for Calgary after getting his own bell rung on Opening Night versus Edmonton's Steve MacIntyre.  But in true Terry Murray fashion; he skated a fourth-line of Schenn-Clifford-Westgarth. And in true Ivanans-form;  Westgarth proceeded to take two minor penalties for hooking and interference.  FYI Coach: Tim Jackman isn't scaring anybody on the Kings.
• Andrei Loktionov sitting in the press box.  Either play him or get him back to Manchester.  Please Dean...Don't let Coach give him the Oscar Moller-treatment.
• My buddy picked up Alexei Ponikarovsky in our fantasy league auction draft for $9.  I don't think I saw Poni or Simmer play in Calgary last night.  I picked up Alexander Frolov for  $18.  I'm going to go out on a limb right now and say we both overpaid.