The only thing anyone is really talking about from Saturday’s Kings-Avalanche tilt is Johnson’s hit on Smyth and how the Avalanche responded. Before the most memorable part of the game, it was obvious that one team was working to keep their playoff spot and the other team was taking steps toward the beginning of the end of this year’s Kings. It is easy to say and laudable to believe that Los Angeles players are skating for contracts. It is quite another to do it.
The visitors took a scant three shots on goal in the first and spent the entire first period in their own zone. But for Cloutier and a shot off the post, the first 20 ended with the score even. As has been the case on this road trip, the Kings started the second with the same amount of shots from the first period in the first three minutes. That strong start ended when the Avalanche scored on their first chance of the middle stanza and two more followed. Despite being even in the circle in the first, the Kings’ centers sans Cammalleri who won all seven face-offs, Kopitar, O’Sullivan, Giuliano and Ellis got schooled. They just did.
The Code
The Code (Carla Muller) 
