Frozen Royalty

Los Angeles Kings Left Wing Simon Gagne Is Healthy Once Again

Gann Matsuda — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:36:42 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — As you walked into the Toyota Sports Center, the practice facility of the Los Angeles Kings in El Segundo, California on Friday morning, there was a strange, yet vaguely familiar sight on the ice. That was the sight of the number 12 on the back of a jersey during a full [...]

Phoenix Coyotes Reaction To Game 5 Loss Was A Disgrace

Gann Matsuda — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:40:50 +0000

COMMENTARY: The Phoenix Coyotes, seething after Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown flattened Coyotes defenseman Michal Rozsival late in the overtime period, lost their composure, and, as a result, the game, and the series. They embarrassed themselves, and their organization, after the game, with perhaps the most ridiculous excuses one could possibly imagine for [...]

Don’t Expect Much Improvement In TV News Coverage Of Los Angeles Kings Over Long Term

Gann Matsuda — Tue, 22 May 2012 02:21:53 +0000

COMMENTARY: The Los Angeles Kings are more popular than ever on local television news broadcasts, which should be music to the ears, and candy for the eyes, of long-suffering hockey fans in the area. But the local television news outlets are, evidently, horribly unprepared to cover the game. The result is unfathomable mistakes, and shoddy [...]

Frozen Royalty’s Gann Matsuda Breaks Down LA Kings Loss In Game 4, 2012 Western Conference Finals

Gann Matsuda — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:30:27 +0000

Following post-game interviews after the Los Angeles Kings’ 2-0 loss in Game 3 of the 2012 Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday, May 20, I appeared on Inside Sports’ From The Arena post-game show hosted by Charles E. Smith, Jr. I joined Smith to analyze and wrap-up the Kings’ Game 3 loss, [...]

Los Angeles Kings Are Flying High, While Trying To Keep Their Skates Planted Firmly On The Ice

Gann Matsuda — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:53:18 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — It’s so close, they can almost touch it. But just the same, they would rather keep it at a distance, at least until they earn the right to talk about it openly. “It” is the Stanley Cup, the most revered and coveted trophy in professional team sports, and with a win [...]

Are The Phoenix Coyotes Grasping At Straws Facing 3-0 Series Deficit Against The LA Kings?

Gann Matsuda — Sun, 20 May 2012 01:15:58 +0000

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — After his team dropped a 2-1 decision to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 3 of the best-of-seven 2012 Western Conference Finals, now finding themselves trailing the Kings in the series, 3-0, Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett began grasping at straws. “Personally, I’ve talked about this in [...]

Los Angeles Kings Rookie Left Wing Dwight King’s Wildest Dreams Are Coming True

Gann Matsuda — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:18:53 +0000

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — Playing in the National Hockey League, and in the 2012 Western Conference Finals, has to be beyond the wildest dreams of Los Angeles Kings left wing Dwight King. After his first recall on November 16, 2010, the 6-3, 234-pound native of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, made his NHL debut [...]

Phoenix Coyotes Don’t Look Like They Have An Answer For The Los Angeles Kings

Gann Matsuda — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:34:21 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After dropping Games 1 and 2 of the 2012 Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Kings, both rather lopsided affairs on home ice, the Phoenix Coyotes let their frustration boil over, as National Hockey League teams often do, resulting in a parade to the penalty box. That frustration led to [...]

Phoenix Coyotes Say They Have More To Worry About Than Los Angeles Kings’ Top Lines

Gann Matsuda — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:43:20 +0000

Heading into Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals (scheduled for tonight, 6:00 PM PDT, Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, Arizona), the Phoenix Coyotes know that their biggest challenge will be finding a way to contain the Los Angeles Kings’ top lines, most notably, their first line of Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, and Justin Williams, who totally [...]

Los Angeles Kings/Phoenix Coyotes: 2012 Western Conference Finals Preview

Gann Matsuda — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:38:18 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Despite what the players and coaches have been saying over the past week, the National Hockey League’s 2012 Western Conference Finals (Game 1 is scheduled for tonight, 5:00 PM PDT, Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona) features two teams that are very, very similar. Whether it is a hard, aggressive forecheck, solid [...]

Los Angeles Kings: Not Easy For Black Aces To Stay Focused, Ready

Gann Matsuda — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:52:11 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Every team in the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Playoffs has them, but they are usually unseen, or keep to themselves, staying out of the limelight, patiently waiting for their chance to crack the lineup, often a fleeting opportunity, at best. These are the Black Aces, the extra skaters and goaltenders [...]

From Murray To Sutter: What’s Changed For The Los Angeles Kings?

Gann Matsuda — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:17:20 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — With the Los Angeles Kings set to face their Pacific Division rival, the Phoenix Coyotes, in the 2012 Western Conference Finals—just the second time in the Kings’ 44-year history that they have reached the conference finals—many are still shaking their heads, blown away at the dominance the Kings have displayed in [...]

Frozen Royalty’s Gann Matsuda Breaks Down LA Kings’ Playoff Run With Brad Kurtzberg on STN Sports Report

Gann Matsuda — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:31 +0000

Less than 24 hours after the Los Angeles Kings completed their four-game sweep of the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference Semifinals, I broke down the Kings’ 2012 playoff run to date on The STN Sports Report with Brad Kurtzberg. Kurtzberg, who covers the New York Islanders, and has written a book, Shorthanded: The [...]

Frozen Royalty’s Gann Matsuda Wraps-Up LA Kings Sweep of St. Louis Blues On From The Arena by Inside Sports

Gann Matsuda — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:27:30 +0000

Immediately following post-game interviews after the Los Angeles Kings’ 3-1 victory in Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinal series against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday, May 6, giving the Kings a four-game sweep in the series, yours truly appeared on Inside Sports’ From The Arena post-game show hosted by Charles E. Smith, Jr. [...]

Los Angeles Kings: Doughty’s Maturity Starting To Show In Post-Season

Gann Matsuda — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:06:47 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After making quick work of the Vancouver Canucks, sending them off to an early summer vacation after just five, first round playoff games, the Los Angeles Kings have a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven, second round series against the St. Louis Blues, with Game 4 coming up today, at noon [...]

Los Angeles Kings: No, That Guy Wearing Number 25 Is Not An Impostor

Gann Matsuda — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:01:10 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — At the same time that fans of the Los Angeles Kings are rejoicing in their team’s early success in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, having eliminated the Vancouver Canucks in five games, and jumping out to a 2-0 lead over the St. Louis Blues in their second round series, they are [...]

Los Angeles Kings Can’t Rely On Gift-Wrapped Wins In Post-Season

Gann Matsuda — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:34:06 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — One day after their resounding 5-2 victory on April 30, which gave them a 2-0 series lead over the St. Louis Blues in their best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinal playoff series, the Los Angeles Kings knew that they were more than a bit lucky in Game 2. “That was probably one of [...]

Los Angeles Kings Will Need Repeat Performance From Third and Fourth Lines Against St. Louis Blues

Gann Matsuda — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:16:39 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Looking back at the Los Angeles Kings’ first round playoff series win over the Vancouver Canucks, the first things that come to mind are the play of right wing Dustin Brown, and goaltender Jonathan Quick. There was also a series-winning overtime goal scored by center Jarret Stoll, which, by itself, is [...]

Los Angeles Kings Must Win Game 5, Or Risk Handing Control Of Series To Vancouver Canucks

Gann Matsuda — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:29:51 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — With Game 5 of their Western Conference Quarterfinal playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks coming up tonight at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, the Los Angeles Kings have a stranglehold on the series with a 3-1 lead. But the Canucks won Game 4 easily, with star forward Daniel Sedin making his triumphant [...]

Los Angeles Kings Are All Singing The Same Tune After Game 4 Loss To Vancouver Canucks

Gann Matsuda — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:47:54 +0000

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — After blowing their chance to sweep the Vancouver Canucks out of the first round of the National Hockey League playoffs after a 3-1 loss in Game 4 on April 18, the Los Angeles Kings were singing the same tune, so to speak, after watching brothers Daniel and Henrik [...]

Los Angeles Kings Looking To Make History With Sweep Of Vancouver Canucks

Gann Matsuda — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:18:16 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Over their 44-year history, the Los Angeles Kings have been swept in a playoff series nine times, but they have never accomplished that feat. Moreover, the Kings never had a 3-0 lead in a series until their current Western Conference Quarterfinal playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks, so it can also [...]

Critics Of Dustin Brown’s Captaincy Of Los Angeles Kings No Longer Have A Leg To Stand On

Gann Matsuda — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:20:21 +0000

LOS ANGELES AND EL SEGUNDO, CA — Ever since Dustin Brown was named as the 15th captain of the Los Angeles Kings on October 8, 2008, many have been highly critical of his captaincy, with a considerable number calling for the “C” to be ripped off his chest, something that has become a common, repeated [...]

Frozen Royalty’s Gann Matsuda Talks LA Kings and the NHL Playoffs On Cable Radio Network, April 16, 2012

Gann Matsuda — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:12:41 +0000

On April 16, 2012, Frozen Royalty’s Gann Matsuda appeared on The PM Show with Michael Horn, on Cable Radio Network, talking about the Los Angeles Kings’ improbable success in the first round of the National Hockey League playoffs against the Vancouver Canucks, who trail the Kings in the series, 3-0. The segment also reviews [...]

Even With 2-0 Series Lead, Los Angeles Kings Know They Need To Be Much Better

Gann Matsuda — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 13:04:51 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — After returning to the Los Angeles area with a surprising 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven, quarter final round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks, winners of the President’s Trophy for earning the best record in the National Hockey League this season, one might expect to see huge smiles, lots of laughter, [...]

LA Kings Defenseman Willie Mitchell Warns Against Overconfidence

Gann Matsuda — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:38:50 +0000

EL SEGUNDO, CA — Despite their underdog status going into their first round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings, lead the series, 1-0, after winning Game 1 on April 11, 4-2, in Vancouver. The Kings went into the series saying all the right things about not being concerned about being the [...]