Game 76: Stars 3, Kings 2; Game 77: Coyotes 2, Kings 1

It took 77 games to officially eliminate the Kings from the playoff picture this season, and nothing is more frustrating.

I mean, last season was frustrating, but to be eliminated with five games to go... Man, it sucks worse than last season?

"Why? They have a better record than they had last season." Granted, last season they had 71 points and so far this season, they have 73 points. But is it really something to be marginally better this season?

"But they're a young team." Granted, they decided to move ahead with the kids this season. But then, Lombardi decides to trade away one of his "prize" players, and suddenly it makes you wonder if the pressure's not setting in.

This team needs to make the playoffs next season. Fans will not accept a seventh season without a postseason appearance. AEG could use the influx of playoff money as well.

Sorry, but I don't feel like blogging now. Personally, I feel deflated.

AP: Morrison scores pair to help Stars end skid, beat Kings

"When you come off a long road trip, it always seems that you have a tough time getting into it in the first game at home," Kings forward Justin Williams said. "But at this level of the game, it's unacceptable for us to have a performance like that. It's ugly, it stinks, and it won't happen again."

AP: Upshall's late winner sends Coyotes past Kings

“I thought he (goalie Jonathan Quick) was our best player here tonight. We didn’t generate a lot to test their goaltender very often.”—Kings coach Terry Murray.

Yahoo: Team report

Thomas Hickey, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2007 draft, made his American Hockey League debut with Manchester on Wednesday and had two assists. Hickey recently completed his junior career with Seattle of the Western Hockey League.

LAKings.com: Royal Road Report: 17 and counting

"I think a lot of guys have the potential to play in the NHL and a lot of good skills. But that’s just part of playing at this level; it’s just competing every night. I think that’s the most important thing to learn for a young guy… You go out to win every night. Whether you play cards or whether you play hockey. That’s the goal of any sport you play is to go out there and be competitive and try to win games…"

They said it

"If we maybe came better prepared, we wouldn't have had to play from behind or try and come back, and that's something that we have to learn." - Dustin Brown, Kings captain

Looking through purple, swollen eyes

A Queen Among Kings: R.I.P.: Coyotes 2, Kings 1

The hockey is terrible and it's not like they're playing opponents who are playing great hockey themselves. I'm not that excited to go to the Kings home game tomorrow but it's the second to last game at Staples Center and I'll make a half-assed attempt to milk it for all it's worth.

Examiner.com: Kings playoff drought all but officially extended

If the Los Angeles Kings and their fans were entertaining any hopes of a last-minute run to the playoffs, they may have met their demise at Staples Center on Tuesday night as the Kings lost 3-2 to the Dallas Stars. It didn’t take long in the post-game aftermath for the captain and the head coach to put their fingers on what went wrong.

Peeping the dailies