Fugly For the Win!

Got home from work, parked down on the couch and I just can't wait to watch Los Angeles Kings hockey in glorious High Definition television... here we go!

Oh. That can't be good.

While the good folks at Fox Sports West tried to get the game back on the air, they decided to look into their vault and run an old dating show...

Best episode of Blind Date ever!

Alex Frolov slowly begins his transformation into Jon Gosselin.

I feel a real connection with Heidi. I'm very excited about this date.

There is no way Alex is going to score.
And he also will not have a point in tonight's game.

Eventually, Fox Sports West got the game back on the air and used the opportunity to show off some fancy High Definition graphics!

That hologram technology is just getting better and better.

This is a left over storyboard from The Dark Knight.

But the worst HD-related news of the night?

Aww man! I wanted HD everywhere! What kind of a cheap production is this!?!

It doesn't matter if you saw it in HD, SD or while wearing your BVD's... it was another Kings victory!

Kings 6, Wild 3, Kings First Line, 18 points in 3 games

Another up and down effort by the Los Angeles Kings, filled with plenty of goals. And another impressive night from the Fugly line of Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams, who have dominated the Kings scoring for the first 3 games. Ryan Smyth's play has been nothing less than stellar and he and Kopitar are really clicking.

Worst episode of Blind Date ever.

This may be the first season in a long time that opposing teams won't be starting their backup goalies against the Kings. (Minnesota, I believe you learned that lesson the hard way tonight.) I've been pounding the drum of Ryan Smyth since he was first rumored to be traded to the Kings during last season. But I had no idea he'd be this good and fit this well into Terry Murray's system. For a while there tonight, it looked like that line could have scored each shift. And if Smyth wasn't doing well enough already during his time in Hollywood... there were a couple of casting directors at the game tonight looking to put Ryan in a re-make of a 80's classic.

I mean, they said it was big, but I didn't expect it to be BIG!

Sure it's only 3 games in, but man the Kings penalty kill looks horrible. After starting last season with an amazing penalty killing streak, this season the Kings have given up 7 goals in 11 shorthanded chances. It's enough to make your hair turn white.

Aw, hell! Another power play goal against.

Maybe Jack Johnson should be spending a little less time hanging out at USC and a little more time listening to Coach Mark Hardy.

Umm... when they asked me if I wanted to hang out on a college campus
I didn't think it'd be all dudes.

I'm less worried about the Kings awful penalty kill and more excited about the 15 goals in 3 games. Sure the first line has been dominant, but the 3rd line is chipping in and even little Teddy Purcell has looked like the goal scorer everyone was hoping he'd be. The Kings seem like they are really settling in and getting comfortable as a team. Why then... it's the perfect time to take a 6 game cross country road trip!

That doesn't look like a tough road trip at all.
Oh! It's the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings. Yeah, that might be tough then.

It's a shame that the Kings head out on the road for so long, so early in the season. The fans are just starting to get to know the players.

Hey. I'm Ryan. I make goals happen.

An Old Friend Returns

This social networking thing is SO awesome. The other day I reconnected on Twitter with an old friend from last season...


Tonight, the Los Angeles Kings take on the Minnesota Wild at Staples Center. This is the last home game before the Kings depart on a 6 game eastern and central time zone road trip which will probably end up making or breaking the 2009-2010 season. (If Kings fans have anything to say about it.) As I mentioned before, there are no more half-season games for us in the month of October, so I will be watching the Kings tonight in glorious High Definition... which means a brand new addition to The Royal Half this season.... HD Screencaps©!! So just think about what possibilities that brings...

All of this will be in glorious High Definition.

7:30pm can't come soon enough.

Holy Shit!!!

Training camp starts this Sunday, the 13th! In fact, Rookie camp has already started. After a long and much needed summer slumber... The Royal Half is ready to launch back into its in-depth and patented "Los Angeles Kings Hockey Coverage."

How I spent my summer... in hockey pajamas and carrying a stick.

First off, Season Ticket Holder Buddy and I did renew our seats for the 8th straight season (I count the lockout since we put money down for that year) and we are keeping the same great seats we've had for the past 7 non-playoff years.

But the biggest news of the summer has been the introduction of High Definition into TRH World Headquarters... that's right, I finally bought an HDTV.

I asked for the large one.

I've usually been on the forefront of gadgets and technology, but over the past few years, I've sat quietly by as I've watched most of my friends (and parents!) upgrade to HD. When the question came up "why don't you have an HDTV?" I dug my heels in the sand and proclaimed "not until the Los Angeles Kings are broadcast in HD!" And I continued to wait patiently... as the WNBA broadcast in HD, as the XGames broadcast in HD, as Paris Hilton's My New BFF broadcast in HD...

Just another night of watching pre-HDTV at The Royal Half headquarters.

But this summer... everything changed. Turns out that all of the Los Angeles Kings games for the 2009-2010 season will be broadcast in HD. So naturally, I went out the next day and bought a HDTV. And it's been glorious... better than I could have ever imagined. Sure... watching baseball and football and tennis looks incredibly awesome in HD... but the real deal is hockey. And thankfully the NHL Network has been airing a 2009 HD playoff game each night at 10pm since I bought the television.

I cannot wait to see Ryan Smyth's mullet in glorious HD.

So season tickets... check. Over-sized HD television... check. So what is left for the upcoming NHL season? Oh right... a hockey team!

I'm going to save my Season Preview for when we are closer to the opening faceoff... but it's safe to say that for any Los Angeles Kings fan... this is the season we've been waiting for. No one is thinking Stanley Cup... this season is all about getting that 7th/8th playoff seed. And I'm sure the players have been spending all summer getting serious about making the playoffs.

Ladies and Gentlemen... your starting goalie and top 2 defensemen.

Not exactly the summer training program I think Dean Lombardi has in mind. But at least the veterans have been working hard. Or at least they are just exhausted from showing Ryan Smyth around.

Worst American Idol Audition ever.

The first pre-season game is 2 weeks from yesterday. Opening night is 3 weeks from this Saturday. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Oh and apparently the Kings had some sort of festival last weekend celebrating hockey. Half Season Ticket Holder Buddy and I had no desire to go check it out... at all. It's kinda like how we aren't big jersey wearing guys either. We just care about what happens on the ice. Besides... it doesn't look like we missed anything cool.