The Playoff Dance

I think I've figured out the secret to the Los Angeles Kings success on the road this season. It seems that Bob Miller also hosts a disco ball dance party to get the players excited for the game.

Bob Miller's Dance Party USA.

Kings 0, Flyers 2

Well, the dance party didn't work last night in Philadelphia. Sure the Kings lost 2-0 (I mean, really 1-0 since there was an empty net goal with 1 sec left) but they played an incredibly strong game, both on offense and defense. Erik Ersberg was superb in goal... but sadly, so was Marty Biron. Sure, getting at least a point out of this game would have been ideal, but the team is still only 4 points out of that 8th seed. Now the problem is that the next game is in Detroit on Friday night. The Kings have played great in the last 2 games against tough opponents... but Detroit is THE toughest opponent. At least Baby Daddy Captain Dustin Brown will be back for Friday nights game. I didn't notice his absence so much in the Minnesota game, but last night I really felt like Brown's ability to finish plays with a goal was missed last night. The Kings had a lot of shots and scoring chances... but no one to finish them. And where has Patrick O'Sullivan been the last 2 games? I feel like the puck is falling off his stick left and right and he is not moving towards the net with a hunger to score.

And if you would have told me during training camp that 19 Year Old Wayne Simmonds would become one of my favorite players to watch on the Kings... I would have slapped you silly and thrown you out of my house. But last night, Simmonds was flying all over the ice.

No, really flying. It's levitation, bro.

Wayne Simmonds, Michal Handzus and Brad Richardson are one of the strongest 3rd lines this team has ever had. Sure, I don't want them out on the ice all the time because scoring is not their strength... but night after night, this line is providing energy, excellent forechecking and the occasional scoring chance. I can not wait to see the type of player Wayne Simmonds will be after a couple seasons.

Miller Gone Wild

A "Clutterbuck" is:

a. one of the 7 dirty words you can't say on tv
b. a brief 1940's dance craze
c. the leader in hits for the Minnesota Wild
d. the Rooster from the Warner Brothers cartoons

Kings 5, Wild 2

A good win. A strong win. A win the Los Angeles Kings desperately needed if they have any hope in the world of getting into the playoffs. Right now they are 8 points out of the 8th seed. That is a lot of ground to make up in NHL world of 3 point games. But the effort was there tonight, a full 60 minutes. And perhaps inspired by the Facebook/CNN collaboration of Obama's inauguration, the Kings chose tonights game to unveil their presence in social networking.

Because nothing screams internet social networking like 37 year old Sean O'Donnell.

I'll bet you anything Bob Miller isn't on Facebook. Because he's old school. Like 71 years old school. He doesn't look a day over 60. I love Bob Miller. He's been calling Kings games since 1973 and I have grown up listening to him. I can be critical of other NHL play by play announcers... but I will never criticize Bob Miller. But I've noticed that this season, he does seem to be slipping up here and there. In fact during tonight's game versus the Minnesota Wild, Bob must have thought he was back in 1973.

I think that no more wine is necessary in the broadcast booth.

And later in the game I think he confuses the Chicago Blackhawks with the (now defunct) Minnesota North Stars.

Are the Kings playing the Hartford Whalers the next game?

But let's not forget that Bob Miller is a scrapper. And when he sees something that he doesn't like... he goes after it... with fury!

I'll take a half-aware Bob Miller over most of what the NHL offers for play by play announcers any day. Could you imagine listening to the Boston Bruins jerkoff Jack Edwards each game?