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About This Page: This is a discussion on LA Kings Talk within the LetsGoKings.com forums, at Los Angeles Kings Hockey Fan Forum. Los Angeles Kings (26-37-5) 57 pts
VS.
Ottawa Senators (37-24-7) 81 pts
Game Time: 7:30 PM PST | 10:30 PM EST
Location: Staples Center | Los
The Ottawa Senators appear to be making small steps of progress through the first two games of their road trip against Pacific Division teams, but still have no wins to show for it. The Senators will try again against the worst team in the West - the Los Angeles Kings - as their trek continues Thursday.
Ottawa (37-24-7) is 1-5-1 in its last seven games after a 3-2 overtime loss at San Jose on Wednesday. Jason Spezza scored both goals for the Senators, who are 1-2-1 since general manager Bryan Murray returned behind the bench after firing John Paddock.
The Senators have lost a season-high four in a row (0-3-1) on the road, their longest such skid since dropping five straight from March 17-April 2, 2000. Despite losing the first two games of this trip, Murray feels his team is closer to regaining its early season edge, when Ottawa raced to a 15-2-0 start.
Murray is unsure if captain and right wing Daniel Alfredsson will miss his second straight game due to back spasms. He was cross-checked by Anaheim's Francois Beauchemin in the third period of Monday's 3-1 loss, but is optimistic he will be able to play.
Alfredsson, who has team highs of 37 goals and 79 points, has six goals and four assists in 15 lifetime games versus Los Angeles.
The Kings (26-37-5), last in the West with 57 points, are trying to avoid a sixth consecutive loss and had just one point on a recently completed four-game road trip. They lost 3-2 at St. Louis on Tuesday, falling to 2-6-2 in their last 10 games.
To make matters worse, the Kings learned Wednesday that starting goaltender Jason LaBarbera - sidelined since Feb. 18 - will miss the rest of the season after undergoing sports hernia surgery. Veteran Dan Cloutier and Swedish rookie Erik Ersberg will continue to share netminder duties, with coach Marc Crawford likely to give Ersberg - 0-1-2 with a .929 save percentage in his first three starts - more playing time.
The Kings, who have scored 19 goals in their first three games against Northeast Division teams, are 8-1-0 with one tie all-time at home against the Senators. Ottawa's lone win at Los Angeles came Jan. 11, 2000, in a 4-3 victory.
The Kings have a home record of 14-17-2 and their last 10 games is a record of 2-6-2.
The Senators have a road record of 17-12-4, and their last 10 games is a record of 3-5-2.
The Kings continue their Canadian home stand on Saturday afternoon against the Montreal Canadiens at Staples Center.
"It was very spirited. You knew it was going to be a tight game," Kings coach Marc Crawford said. "And it was a very tight game. But they got the breaks from the officials tonight on the calls, and that ended up being the difference in the game. We had that power play right at the very end of the game. I thought that our guys battled hard tonight, and they had six good chances in the third period. Unfortunately, we couldn't solve their goalie in the third period."
"Somehow, it bounced in and I really don't know where it went in," Ersberg said.
"We had feared that that was the case,'' Crawford said of the sports-hernia diagnosis. "It's unfortunate. He's had a decent season for us. I think he's proved that he's a capable NHL goaltender and obviously he played the bulk of the time for us. So, it's a tough injury but on the positive side, it allows him to have a long period of recovery and hopefully he'll be ready to start fresh at the start of next season.''
"I think what we're doing now is, we're just saying that Ersberg has played well and we'll keep going with Erik and see if he can continue to play strong. He obviously isn't tired or anything like that. Dan, I think, came in here and he had no pressure on him, with Jason being the No. 1 goalie. I thought he performed well. Since he became the guy, so to speak... maybe we can lessen that burden on him. Both of them just have to go out and play."
"Obviously we're in a situation, quite obviously, where we're looking right now and we're seeing where these players are at. It's exciting that Erik Ersberg is young and looks like he's got a little something, much like it was exciting at the start of the season when we had had a young goaltender, Bernier, come in and show that he had something that you could look forward to. (Ersberg) is going to get a chance to play right now, and we're excited for him and I think our guys have focused in, even that much more. When you've got a young defense and you've got a young goaltender, that's the type of situation where your forwards have to take ownership of the defensive part of the game. We've got to be defending as a group of six back there and making sure that we limit chances.''
Erik Ersberg quotes, from questions asked by Rich Hammond:
"First of all, it was a great experience to start some games and play some games up here. It was really fun. We didn't get too many points though, but I think I played OK.''
On how playing in the NHL differed from his expectations:
"It was actually kind of what I thought it would be. It's a fast game, really fast, compared to the minors and where I've been before this year. It's a little more structured and there are obviously better players. But I think it's a little easier to read what's going to happen because there's not so many broken plays. Some parts of it are almost easier up here.''
If it helped to watch games from the bench:
"Every time you're on the bench, you try to watch and see what's going on out there and maybe pick up a thing or two. So I'm sure it helped me a little bit.''
On his rebounding controls:
"It's something I've worked a lot on this year down in Manchester with the goalie coaches. It's an important part of the game. If you can do that well, you're going to help your `D' a lot and make them not have to take such long shifts sometimes."
Los Angeles Kings
Derek Armstrong (Left knee sprain on 2/22/08) day-to-day
Jason LaBarbera (Groin injury on 2/21/08) IR
Ladislav Nagy (Sore neck on 1/19/08) IR
Ottawa Senators
Cody Bass (Ankle injury on 1/29/08) IR
Brian McGrattan (Flu on 2/25/08) day-to-day
Chris Neil (Right knee on 2/22/08) IR
***GDT - Ottawa Senators @ Los Angeles Kings - 3/6/08*** 
BIG JOE
