Game 70: KIngs 3, Bruins 2 (overtime)

Earlier this week, when NHL.com ran a poll on their homepage, asking fans to select their choice for the Calder Trophy, Drew Doughty was nowhere to be found. The rookie defenseman was omitted in favor of Patrik Berglund, Steve Mason, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Kris Versteeg and one of the Kings' opponents Thursday night, Blake Wheeler. Apparently, being the leading rookie scoring defenseman in the league with the highest time on-ice time doesn't count.

But he made sure that East Coast-biased media got a taste of Doughnuts, scoring the tying goal with less that 2 minutes to go in the third period, then assisting on Dustin Brown's overtime goal to help the Kings scratch out an overtime win. Doughty led all skaters in time on the ice yet again, playing almost double than "Calder hopeful" Wheeler, who finished the game with nothing to show for his effort, other than sweaty socks.

I've said it once, and I'll keep banging that drum: Drew Doughty MUST be considered as one of the top contenders for the Calder, the MVP award for rookies. You can try to explain to me why some of these other players might come close to Doughty, but you will have to admit that none of the players mean as much to their individual teams as Doughty does to the Kings.

NHL.com, you should be ashamed. All you did was open up ESPN's Rookie Tracker and put the top four skaters and two goalies up, without even thinking that there's been a front-runner all season. A player who has helped turn around of the the league's most under-achieving squad, allowing them to turn the page and start changing the culture of the franchise. How can you not mention Doughty's name in any conversation about Rookie of the Year?

The Calder was last presented to a defenseman back in 2002-03, when it was awarded to Barret Jackman, when he was 21. He had 19 points and 190 penalty minutes. And had already logged six years down in the juniors and minors before breaking into the NHL. Before that, it was Bryan Berard, who at 48 points at age 19. Both players show the absolute wide spectrum of what a defensman could be: from a stay-at-home blueliner to a high-scoring threat from the point.

Doughty is 18, and already has 23 points. If you had to pick a spot between those two points on the defenseman curve, he';d be right smack in the middle, a player who can do both. You can't deny the maturity of the kid, with his steady play and inate hockey sense. And look at the players that made NHL.com's "Calder Favorite" list: Mason and Berglund are 21, Ryan is 22, Versteeg and Wheeler are 23 and Rinne? Well, he's almost the same age I was when I finally got my B.A. from Cal State Fullerton. These guys aren't rookies, by any sense of the imagination.

Doughty for Calder. Enough said.

• AP: Brown's OT goal caps Kings' comeback win over Bruins

"Whether we're on the road or at home, teams are coming up against us and it's almost like they've got the upper hand already," Bruins goalie Tim Thomas said, "because they're the more confident team."

• Yahoo: Team report

The Kings bucked a couple of negative trends with Thursday’s victory. They had been 3-23-4 when trailing after two periods, 2-16-5 when trailing after one period and 5-22-7 when allowing the first goal this season. The Kings also had an 0-5-1 record in their last six road games.

• Royal Road Report: Brown wins it

They said it

"They're the best team in the Eastern Conference. To be able to play with them like that and outshoot them and end up winning the game in overtime just gives us a lot of confidence." – Drew Doughty, Kings defenseman

More Kings observations

• Frozen Royalty: Los Angeles Kings Have Much To Learn, Much To Look Forward To

Yes, it is time to write the epitaph for the Kings, who will miss the playoffs once again in the 2008-09 season. The big reason? Their lack of consistent play, in large part because of their relative youth and inexperience.

• Examiner.com: Are the Kings facing checkmate?

After all, even the most optimistic of Kings’ fanatics are probably feeling a little disappointed. And it isn’t even in the fact that the Kings lost to the Nashville Predators 4-3 at Staples Center on Monday night, marking a third straight loss overall and ending a three-game home winning streak. Their mood probably has more to do with how they lost.

• Press Box Perspective: Time to stop believin'

Unfortunately for NHL fans in southern California, the only hockey team in the area making the playoffs this year might just be the Ontario Reign. In good news, the arena is beautiful, prices are lower, and parking is free. The down side, of course, is that all the NHL playoffs may have to be on TV or require travel for those who live in southern California. There is the possibility that the not-so-distant future will have both the Kings and the Ducks in the playoffs, though. The future looks bright for hockey fans in the LA/Orange County area.

• Inside Hockey: Problems at Left Wing for Kings

• Inside Hockey: Kings are set at Right Wing

Looking through purple-hued goggles

• A Queen Among Kings: Never Would Have Guessed: Kings 3, Bruins 2 (OT)

Two games ago, they played the Nashville Predators (a bubble team in the West) and they couldn't pull out the win. Last night they played the Boston Bruins where they were up and down and all over the place in terms of passing, shooting, and teamwork in general. They managed to get the win in overtime (3-2), but wow, it was a shaky game for the Kings.

• Battle Of California: Last game of the season

The Kings play the Boston Bruins tonight, who are... good?  I don't know what happened in Boston this year, but for some reason I think every single person on their roster exceeded expectations.  Who the hell is David Krejci and why does he have 63 points?  Dennis Wideman has 44 points?  They're probably going to have 6 20-goal scorers this season and have a few more players that could join that club if they get hot.  And yet, absolutely no one is going to pick them to win the Cup.  They're the Utah Jazz of the NHL.

From across the aisle, the Boston view

• Boston.com: Bruins let Kings take over

The loss underscored some ugly truths about the Bruins. They're playing scared. They're downright polite when they take leads. They think twice about turning in 60-minute efforts. And they're not committed to being as hungry and desperate as their opponents.

• Cornelius Hardenbergh & The Hockey Blogging Adventure: WHAT THE HELL BRUINS

Overtime time. The bruins for some awful reason are trying to get it to the shootout. I don't know why, it doesn't make any sense what the hell is going on with this team why are the L A KINGS more successful in February and March than the Bruins? Shit.

• Hub Hockey: Really? Bruins Lose To The Kings In OT

It's totally between their ears at this point. They have the talent, I know they have the drive and desire, but they were tighter than hell in the third last night, in contrast to LA's "what the hell, we got nothing to lose" approach.

• Bruins Blog: Final, Kings 3, Bruins 2 (OT)

"Maybe if we got a goal on the power play, it would change things and get momentum," said Michael Ryder. "When we didn't score early in the game on a couple power plays, they got the momentum and started taking it to us."

• TheBruinsBlog.net: At least the faceoffs were phenomenal

• Stanley Cup of Chowder: B's Game Notes: Kings 3 Bruins 2 OT

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