The Kings' Penalty Kill Needs To Continue To Succeed

The Kings, who have won two straight, will enter MTS Centre later tonight fresh off of a 2-0 shutout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The win moved the Kings to 3-0-1 under new coach Darryl Sutter.

Goaltender, Jonathan Quick, turned away all 38 shots faced for his league leading fifth shutout. The victory marked the 15th time in 16 games that the Kings have scored two or fewer goals.

While only scoring two goals a game may seem like a recipe for disaster the Kings have managed to go 7-7-2 over that period. 

Hockey Hangover: December 24

Last Night's Scores:
Panthers 0, Bruins 8
Capitals 3, Devils 4 (SO)
Maple Leafs 5, Islanders 3
Flyers 2, Rangers 4
Senators 1, Carolina 2 (OT)
Penguins 4, Jets 1
Predators 3, Stars 6
Lightning 1, Avalanche 2 (OT)
Blues 3, Coyotes 2
Flames 3, Canucks 1
Kings 1, Sharks 2 (SO)

Quick Stats:
Brad Marchand, BOS (3 goals, 2 assists)
Jonathan Quick, LOS (34 saves, 35 shots against)
Jason Chimera, WSH (2 goals, 2 assists)

Hockey Hangover: December 23

Last Night's Scores:
Sabres 2, Maple Leafs 3
Islanders 2, Rangers 4
Panthers 3, Senators 4 (OT)
Blue Jackets 5, Predators 6
Canadiens 0, Jets 4
Red Wings 2, Flames 3
Wilds 1, Oilers 4
Ducks 2, Kings 3 (SO)

Quick Stats:
Jeff Carter, CBJ (3 goals)
Jordan Eberle, EDM (2 goals)
Blake Wheeler, WPG (2 goals, 1 assist)

Hockey Hangover: December 22

Last Night's Scores:
Coyotes 4, Hurricanes 3
Canadiens 1, Blackhawks 5
Flyers 4,  Stars 1
Blues 2, Avalanche 3
Red Wings 2, Canucks 4
Lightning 2, Sharks 7

Quick Stats:
Claude Giroux, PHI (1 goal, 3 assist)
Jean-Sebastien Giguere, COL (37 saves, 39 shots against)
Logan Couture, SJS (2 goals)

Hockey Hangover: December 21

Last Night's Scores:
Rangers 4, Devils 1
Predators 1, Captials 4
Blackhawks 2, Penguins 3
Sabres 1, Senators 4
Coyotes 2, Panthers 1
Islanders 3, Jets 2 (SO)
Wild 1, Flames 2

Quick Stats:
Evgeni Malkin, PIT (0 goals, 3 assists)
Marian Gaborik, NYR (2 goals, 1 assist)
Nicklas Backstrom, WSH (1 goal, 2 assists)

Hockey Hangover: December 20

Last Night's Scores:
Canadiens 2, Bruins 3
Kings 3, Maple Leafs 2 (SO)
Ducks 3, Stars 5
Flyers 2, Avalanche 3 (SO)
Red Wings 3, Oilers 2
Wild 0, Canucks 4

Quick Stats:
Marian Hossa, CHI (1 goal,1 assist)
Roberto Luongo, VAN (33 saves, shutout)
Henrik Sedin, VAN (1 goal, 2 assists)

Hockey Hangover: December 19

Last Night's Scores:
Hurricanes 2, Panthers 3 (OT)
Flames 2, Blackhawks 4
Blue Jackets 4, Blues 6

Quick Stats:
Marian Hossa, CHI (1 goal, 1 assist)
T.J. Oshie, STL (1 goal, 1 assist)
Kevin Shattenkirk, STL (1 goal, 1 assist)

Hockey Hangover: December 18

Last Night's Scores:
Bruins 6, Flyers 0
Canucks 5, Maple Leafs 3
Devils 5, Canadiens 3
Sabres 3, Penguins 8
Ducks 3, Jets 5
Kings 2, Red Wings 8
Lightning 3, Blue Jackets 2
Blues 1, Predators 2 (SO)
Islanders 2, Wild 1 (SO)
Rangers 3, Coyotes 2
Capitals 1, Avalanche 2
Oilers 2, Sharks 3

Quick Stats:
Evgeni Malkin , PIT (3 goals, 2 assists)
Tim Thomas, BOS (31 saves, shutout)
Cory Emmerton, DET (2 goals, 1 assist)

Hockey Hangover: December 17

Last Night's Scores:
Maple Leafs 4, Sabres 5
Penguins 4, Senators 6
Flames 2, Panthers 3 (SO)
Stars 3, Devils 6
Ducks 1, Blackhawks 4

Quick Stats:
Thomas Vanek, BUF (2 goals, 2 assists)
Jason Speeza, OTT (2 goals, 2 assists)
Zach Parise, NJD (1 goal, 3 assists)

Video: USHL Player Dives For A Shorthanded Goal

In the second period of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders game against the Green Bay Gamblers, RoughRiders' Landan Smith scored his fourth goal of the season, a shorthanded goal, in unlikely fashion.

Down 2-1 at the time and killing a penalty, Smith pressured the Gamblers' defense who tried to regroup but shot the puck into Smith. As the puck bounced into the Gamblers' zone, Gamblers goalie, Ryan McKay, left his crease to play the puck. Smith then dived and swatted the puck up and over McKay before barreling into McKay and the end boards.



The RoughRiders went on to lose the game 5-6 in overtime.

Hockey Hangover : December 16

Last Night's Scores:
Stars 3, Islanders 2
Canucks 3, Hurricanes 4
Kings 2, Blue Jackets 1
Flyers 4, Canadiens 3
Flames 4, Lightning 5 (OT)
Rangers 1, Blues 4
Red Wings 3, Predators 4
Capitals 1, Jets 0
Oilers 2, Coyotes 4
Avalanche 4, Sharks 5

Quick Stats:
Michal Neuvrith, WSH (26 saves, shutout)
Shea Weber, NSH (2 goals)
Matt Carle (0 goals, 3 assists)

Do The Bruins Have The NHL's Best Goalie Tandem?

When looking across the NHL, there are goalies that any team would love to have between the pipes and anchoring their team. However, while some teams have one stud in net, they fall short when their back up takes to the ice. That is not the case in Boston.

The Boston Bruins, sit atop the Northeast Division and Eastern Conference, and look poised to make another run at the Stanley Cup, thanks in part to the dominating performances turned out by Bruins goaltenders, Tim Thomas and Tuuka Rask.

Through 30 games, Thomas and Rask have backstopped the Bruins to a league best 2.00 goals against per game average, and have turned out overwhelming individual performances as well.

Hockey Hangover; December 15

Last Night's Scores:
Bruins 5, Senators 2
Blackhawks 4, Wild 3 (SO)
Coyotes 1, Ducks 4

Quick Stats:
Tim Thomas, BOS (47 saves, 49 shots against)
Kiklas Hagman, ANA (2 goals)
Jonathan Toews, CHI (1 goal, 1 assist)

Hockey Hangover: December 14

Last Night's Scores:
Kings 0,  Bruins 3
Senators 3, Sabres 2 (OT)
Hurricanes 1, Maple Leafs 2 (OT)
Stars 1, Rangers 0
Red Wings 4, Penguins 1
Flyers 5, Capitals 1
Canucks 1, Blue Jackets 2 (SO)
Islanders 3, Canadiens 5
Devils 3, Panthers 2 (SO)
Flames 1, Predators 2
Wild 1, Jets 2
Sharks 3, Avalanche 4 (SO)

Quick Stats:
Tukka Rask, BOS (40 saves, shutout)
Richard Bachman, DAL (34 saves, shutout)
Brad Marchand, BOS (2 goals)

Hockey Hangover: December 13

Last Night's Scores;
Devils 5, Lightning 4

Quick Stats:
Steven Stamkos, TBL (2 goals, 1 assist)
Zach Parise, NJD (1 goal, 2 assists)
Adam Henrique, NJD (1 goal, 2 assists)

Kings Begin Post Murray Era Against The Bruins

When the opening puck drop for the Los Angeles Kings to play the Boston Bruins takes place, it will have been just over 24 hours since Kings' GM Dean Lombardi announced the firing of former head coach Terry Murray.

Hockey Hangover: December 12

Last Night's Scores:
Sharks 2, Blackhawks 3
Panthers 1, Rangers 6

Quick Stats:
Derek Stepan, NYR (2 goals, 1 assist)
Marian Gaborik, NYR (1 goal, 1 assist)
Artem Anisimov, NYR (1 goal, 1 assist)

Hockey Hangover: December 11

Last Night's Scores:
Canadiens 2, Devils 1
Rangers 4,  Sabres 1
Canucks 4, Senators 1
Penguins 6, Islanders 3
Lightning 2, Flyers 5
Jets 1,  Red Wings 7
Bruins 5, Blue Jackets 3
Sharks 0,  Blues 1
Ducks 2,  Predators 3
Wild 4,  Coyotes 1
Oilers 0,  Flames 3
Stars 2, Kings 1

Quick Stats:
Ryan Kesler, Van (2 goals, 1 assist)
Kyle Brodziak, Min (2 goals)
The New York Rangers, reached 2,500 franchise wins

Hockey Hangover: December 10

Last Night's Results:
Maple Leafs 2, Capitals 4
Panthers 1, Sabres 2
Hurricanes 2, Jets 4
Avalanche 1, Oilers 4

Quick Stats:
Dennis Wideman, Wsh (3 goals, 1 assist)
Evander Kane, Wpg (1 goal, 1 assist)
Sam Gagner, Edm (2 goals, 1 assist)

Hockey Hangover: December 9

Last Night's Results:

Panthers 2, Boston 0

Senators 4, Devils 5 (SO)

Blackhawks 3, Islanders 2 (OT)

Lightning 3, Rangers 2

Penguins 2, Flyers 3

Predators 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT)

Canucks 4, Canadiens 3 (SO)

Coyotes2 , Red Wings 5

Ducks 2, Blues 4

Avalanche 2, Flames 3

Wild 4, Kings 2

Stars 2, Sharks 5

Quick Stats:

Jose Theodore, Fla (40 saves, Shutout)

Patrick Sharp, Chi (2 goals, 1 assist)

Zach Parise, NJ (1 goal, 1 assist)

Video: Rangers' Anisimov Scores, Snipes Lightning In Celly

In the second period of the New York Rangers' 3-2 shootout lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Artem Anisimov scored his fifth goal of the year to put the Rangers up 2-1 at that time. What happened after the goal is what made the play unique. Anisimov finished off a backdoor pass, and then he celebrated (check it out below).

Video: Foligno Scores One-Handed Beauty

Nick Foligno has inserted his name on the ballot for goal of the year. Foligno picked up a pass in the neutral zone and beat a Washington Capitals defense man along the boards and then dangled through the slot. After powering through the slot Foligno cut below the goal line and reached back with one hand to tuck the puck past Capitals goaltender, Tomas Vokoun.

The Senators went on to lose to the Capitals 5-3.

Bobby Ryan Scores Late Goal, Gives Ducks 3-2 Win

The Anaheim Ducks went into Honda Center having lost two straight games where they held a 2-0 lead. The Ducks did not let that streak reach three games.

The Ducks came out and controlled much of the tempo during the first two periods of play and jumped out to a lead halfway through the first period. Bobby Ryan recorded his first of the game just under eight minutes into the game after Kings goaltender, Jonathan Quick, miss played the puck from behind the net. Teemu Selanne picked up the puck and Ryan buried Selanne's blocked shot.

About ten minutes later, reigning Hart Trophy winner, Corey Perry, finished off a back door pass from Ryan Getzlaf, which gave the Ducks a two goal lead going into the second period.

Video: Phanuef Drops The Hammer On Sauer

The NHL has recently been plagued with debate about illegal hits to the head, so it is always refreshing to see a clean hit delivered every now and then. Who better to deliver that hit than Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Dion Phanuef? Phanuef is one of the leagues hardest hitters and has proven so every season. Phaneuf's latest victim was Mike Sauer of the New York Rangers.

The Maple Leafs went on to beat the Rangers by a score of 4-2.

Crosby Looks To Continue Solid Start Against Slumping Ovechkin and Capitals

Sidney Crosby will face the Washington Capitals for the first time since last year's Winter Classic on New Years Day, where he was on the wrong end of a hit to the end that ultimately caused him to be sidelined until late last month.