I remember the first time I saw Jonathan Swift without his helmet, I thought, “Are there twelve?” lol I’m shocked that this big goalie who covered the entire net without breaking a sweat is so young! After the first November game, after making a save during the game, he pushed the stick against the goalpost when he lost 3-2 in the shootout, to the Penguins. (And where are they today? Written?).
First of all, I was trying to figure out what time the shoot was. Second, I thought this guy is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! He is a sweet, innocent, and quiet, young man during the day, then expands into an incredible monster during a hockey game.
So of course I fell in love from the start. It was amazing to observe his consistency in time, his level of greatness on the road, and to see him focus on the journey. There was never a moment when I didn’t think he was going to go on to MVP in the playoffs and win the STANLEY CUP! (Wise thinking at the moment. Thank you, Jonathan Quick. Amen).
By mid-November we were 17th in the league, then fighting for first in the Pacific Division. We want to go up and down. The most interesting part time for me then was watching the long duck feedings of the Kings. They refused to give up on their horses, and predicted that the Royals would go into the games, and kick in the semi-finals, which was the best they could reasonably hope for then.
Or so they thought. They played that “miracle on ice” wasn’t going to happen this season, AGAIN. (Wrong! ding!) Mur- runt, they are getting, they are complaining. And this good team reminded each other. They hoped, and I prayed with them. Go kings!!!!!
Anze Kopitar continued to be a hockey god. Sis called him “Kopistar” right after he uniquely turned the game around by taking the puck around his net, getting his rebound, then hitting it again and again until it went in. Dwight King should be investigated because he did the same thing. a memorable thing in the playoffs scoring against New Jersey (I think NJ).
But the chemistry wasn’t quite right with the Kings in the first few months, and fans and others began demanding a change. Coach Murray kept trying to find the perfect line by switching guys around, but it wasn’t to be. In December, Murray left and interim coach John Stevens stepped in. Kings fans responded by feeling relief, excitement, fear and pain to see Murray go because he was doing so much for the team’s defense.
The question quickly became, who is this man, the new coach, Darryl Sutter, and will he make a difference? Long-time fans know the Sutter families, since they’ve been in hockey apparently since we were all curled up at the cricket, sitting on our mothers’ knees. There are no fewer than six Sutters in the NHL, four of whom went on to coach.
Newbies like himself was curious about them guy, because this is, let’s say, an interesting looking guy! lol And his way of speaking is so unique. Hmmm. We learned that he spent 8 NHL seasons as a player, 13 seasons as an NHL coach, and coached the Kings’ fourth team. He called you a ‘hard ass’. Well, it turned out to be a hard ass, I think it was needed!!!
Also, Rob “Scuds” Scuderi and his lovely wife Courtney had a baby around this time. He did little, and we know that in a crucial part of the time he prefers and the blood he shed, in the quest to be made by kings STANLEY CHAMPIONSHIP CUP!!!!!!!
Next installment: The worm begins to turn! But more slowly.
Related article: The Los Angeles Kings Hockey Season Redux: Newbie No More
