Game 40: Kings 4, Ducks 3

This game was nice payback for what transpired two days ago. And much of it has to do with the juggling of lines.

When I first heard Murray was planning on mixing up players, top to bottom, I had flashbacks of Crawford's mad scheming. As it turns out, it was exactly what the Kings needed.

The bad thing is Bobby Ryan made a case for Calder tonight, scoring a natural hat trick. The last goal was, admittedly, pretty.

• AP: Frolov scores winner as Kings beat rival Ducks

''I liked what Brown did on the first goal. That was real a strong play, just an individual effort,'' Kings coach Terry Murray said. ''As soon as that happened, I put him back up there with Kopitar and made a few changes on the lines. There were a lot of things that happened in the game that were reasons why I went back to different lines then when I started.''

• LA Times: Kings hold on to beat Ducks, 4-3

It took tremendous efforts by Kopitar, Brown, Frolov and everyone else in black and white to overcome the one-man show staged by Ducks rookie Bobby Ryan, who erased the Kings' 3-0 lead by scoring his first career hat trick in a span of 2 minutes 21 seconds.

• Daily News: Trading places: Kings get vengeance on Ducks

Hours after they learned that talented rookie forward Oscar Moller would miss at least three weeks with a fractured clavicle, the Kings hit the ice with their restructured offense, and for a while, coach Terry Murray's line juggling led to some offensive magic.

They said it

"We knew we were capable of winning this game. We played a really good, solid team game. We just gave up a couple goals at the beginning of the third period, but we didn't stop and kept working and scored a goal."– Kings winger Alexander Frolov

Looking through purple-hued goggles

• A Queen Among Kings: Ahead of Dallas!

The penalty box was kept annoyingly warm by the bodies coming and going through the game. The Kings took seven penalties and Ryan scored one of his three right after the Kings had killed a 5-on-3. Not only was that frustrating, but it was compounded by the fact the Ducks had only taken three penalties of their own! The roles were reversed here and I did not like that feeling of constantly having to kill off penalties when the Kings REALLY needed to come out with a win.

• Purple Crushed Velvet: Kings 4, Ducks 3

• The Royal Half: Shake it up

From the other side of the ice: the Anaheim View

• Orange County Register: Ryan's one-man show isn't enough in Ducks loss

Fans did get a scare when the building shook in the second period, but more than a few jaws also were dropped by Bobby Ryan's tying, highlight-reel goal that capped an official coming-out party for the young Ducks star.

• Press-Enterprise: Kings bounce back to beat Ducks

 The Kings had scored just one goal against the Ducks in their past three meetings, dropping all three games. They were able to reverse that trend Thursday, initially sparked by a great individual effort by Dustin Brown.

• On the Pond: Ryan's Hat Trick Still Short Against Kings

By the middle of the second period, the Ducks looked like toast against the Kings.  Down 3-0 on goals from Dustin Brown, Wayne Simmonds and Anze Kopitar and facing a hot goaltender in Jonathan Quick, the Ducks had a seemingly insurmountable lead.  Bobby Ryan had other ideas.

Kings-related news

• Press-Enterprise: Ducks, Kings headed down different paths

 The Kings and Ducks, who resume their home-and-home series tonight at Staples Center, appear headed in different directions as usual. But it's not the way you might think, unless you've been paying close attention.
 Yes, the Ducks are still in the thick of the playoff race, still considered an elite team in some quarters even though they'll likely struggle just to get home-ice advantage in the first round. And yes, the Kings are seven years removed from their last playoff appearance and not expected to get there this year either.

• The Fabulous Forum: Kings' Drew Doughty called to the principal's office

(Drew Doughty) didn't have one of his better games Tuesday at Anaheim, which led Mark Hardy, the assistant coach who's in charge of the Kings' defensemen, to call Doughty and defense partner Sean O'Donnell in for a chat before the Kings faced the Ducks again tonight at Staples Center.

•The Fabulous Forum: Kings' Oscar Moller has fractured clavicle

The Kings' Oscar Moller has suffered a fractured clavicle and will be reevaluated after the All-Star break. He did not skate with the team this morning.

Peeping the dailies