Game Thread: NHL Stadium Series - Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings 1/25/14 | 9:30pm

[Cobiemonster]

vs.

at

Game Time: 9:30pm EST/6:30pm PST - NBCSN & CBC​

DUCKS (38-10-5) at KINGS (29-17-6)

(2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game at Dodger Stadium)

TV: NBCSN, CBC, RDS2

Last 10: Anaheim 8-2-0; Los Angeles 4-4-2

Season series: This is the third of five games between the SoCal rivals and the second in a span of three days. The Ducks beat the Kings on Thursday, 2-1, on goals from Dustin Penner and Patrick Maroon. The Kings won the first meeting of the season, 3-2 in a shootout, on Dec. 3.

Big story: The 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series is finally here. This game at Dodger Stadium is the first of four games in the series and the first NHL outdoor game played in a warm-weather climate. The layout of the event features not only the rink in the middle of the field at Dodger Stadium, but a beach volleyball court in left field, palm trees in center field, a stage in right field for two performances by KISS, and a roller hockey rink in the area by home plate.

Team Scope:

Ducks: Anaheim rebounded from its first regulation loss of the season on home ice (Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets) to beat the Kings in a physical game Thursday at Honda Center. Frederik Andersen made 30 saves and the Ducks got second-period goals from Penner and Maroon separated by 4:02.

Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller is expected to start the game Saturday. He was in net for the 3-2 loss to the Jets earlier this week. He gave up the three goals on 11 shots before he was pulled late in the second period. It was arguably his worst performance of the season.

"I know every time we play this team, it's a man's game," coach Bruce Boudreau said of the Kings. "You better be prepared to hit and to be hit, because they're so good."

Kings: The Kings' struggles continued Thursday as they lost their fourth straight game, including their third in a row in regulation. They are 0-3-1 in their past four games and just 4-9-2 in their past 15.

"We should have some fire in our belly and be upset," forward Justin Williams said.

This is considered a home game for the Kings, who have been on the road since Jan. 16 because the music industry is taking over Staples Center for the Grammy Awards on Sunday. Their road trip will continue Monday at the San Jose Sharks and Tuesday at the Phoenix Coyotes. The Kings won't play another true home game until Thursday, when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to Staples Center.

Who's hot: Kings center Anze Kopitar has points in six of the past eight games and left wing Dwight King had points in back-to-back games. … Ducks right wing Corey Perry hasn't gone two games in a row without a point since Nov. 20-22. He has 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points in the past 28 games. Anaheim center Nick Bonino has points in three straight games (one goal, three assists) and nine of his past 12 (six goals, eight assists).

Injury report: Kings defenseman Matt Greene (concussion) is out indefinitely. … Ducks defenseman Luca Sbisa (wrist) and goalie Viktor Fasth (lower body) are out. Defenseman Sheldon Souray is out for the season after undergoing wrist surgery.

Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings - 01/25/2014

 

[forty_three]

They are doing a special on it on NHLN.

Just showed the Kings players standing in the outfield in shorts and t-shirts kicking a soccer ball around.


This is going to be a train wreck.

 

[Cobiemonster]

They are doing a special on it on NHLN.

Just showed the Kings players standing in the outfield in shorts and t-shirts kicking a soccer ball around.


This is going to be a train wreck.

I can't wait for this - this is going to be a great game I think

 

[forty_three]

I can't wait for this - this is going to be a great game I think

The ice is going to be ridiculously bad. There will be no flow to the game at all.

And I fear someone is going to get hurt.

 

[esls79]

The ice is going to be ridiculously bad. There will be no flow to the game at all.

And I fear someone is going to get hurt.

Hasn't Dustin Brown taken out enough players for one season already?

 

[Cobiemonster]

The ice is going to be ridiculously bad. There will be no flow to the game at all.

And I fear someone is going to get hurt.

I think it's hard to assume that the ice is going to be bad before the game has even played - from all the looks of it, so far in practice it's looked good

 

[forty_three]

I think it's hard to assume that the ice is going to be bad before the game has even played - from all the looks of it, so far in practice it's looked good

The air is 70 degrees and it's sunny. That tends to have a negative effect on ice.

 

[dash]

I hope Vin Scully throws out the first puck...

 

[esls79]

The air is 70 degrees and it's sunny. That tends to have a negative effect on ice.

Temps don't matter - it's all about the wind chill nowadays.

 

[Cobiemonster]

The air is 70 degrees and it's sunny. That tends to have a negative effect on ice.

It's supposed to be mid 60's at game time and will probably drop during the game

Listen to Dan Craig speak, if he says it's good, then it will be good

 

[dash]

One of the great things of hockey is the speed of the game and that speed is greatly reduced with these outdoor games as the ice is noticeably slower. You'll be able to clock Robyn Regehr with an egg timer Saturday night.

 

[Cobiemonster]

One of the great things of hockey is the speed of the game and that speed is greatly reduced with these outdoor games as the ice is noticeably slower. You'll be able to clock Dustin Penner with a pancake Saturday night.

Fixed

 

[dash]

Fixed

That's waffle, er, awful, but also delicious.

 

[forty_three]

One of the great things of hockey is the speed of the game and that speed is greatly reduced with these outdoor games as the ice is noticeably slower. You'll be able to clock Robyn Regehr with an egg timer Saturday night.

I've skated outdoors on artificial ice once at a rink in downtown Baltimore. It was like 45 degrees and it was like skating on a slurpee.

I hope I'm wrong about the ice there.


Almost wondering if it's would have been worth trying a full rink of that synthetic ice...


I will STFU now.

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

That looks sick!!

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

That looks sick!!

I think so too, they did a great job setting it up.

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

They all look pretty good so far. I hate Yankee Stadium since i'm a Mets fan but it does look great with my boys in it!

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Not much of a baseball fan myself but it's very picturesque from what I've seen.