Hopefully Los Angeles Kings players and coaches all got what they wanted for Christmas. And hopefully the satisfaction of receiving what they asked for will inspire them to give Kings fans what they've been asking for - a WIN. The boys will have a chance to snap their 7 (yes, SEVEN) game losing streak tomorrow when they face the San Jose Sharks on home ice at Staples Center.
A question on everyone's mind is whether Dustin Brown, who leads the team with 16 goals, will suit up for Wednesday's match up, or if his shoulder strain will keep him in the locker room for the third straight game. If Brown does not play, the Kings will look to players such as Michael Cammalleri and Patrick O'Sullivan to provide some much needed offense.
Cammalleri started the season dangling at the top of the NHL's goal scoring list, but has struggled to find net recently. He was credited for the Kings' lone goal on Friday when they faced the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, but hadn't scored in his previous seven games. I'm sure Kings head coach Marc Crawford, and Kings fans alike, would be ecstatic to see Cammy finish where he left off and start lighting the lamp once per game again.
Despite being stuck in a defensive role at the start of the 2007-2008 season, O'Sullivan has been pleading his case as to why he should be seen as an offensive threat as well. In the month of December Sully has tallied 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists), including a short handed goal in the Kings' last game against Nashville. He is a solid penalty killer, and a decent option for the recently struggling power play unit, as well.
One thing is certain - I could care less who scores the next goal for the Kings so long as I see a "W" on the stat sheet at the end of the next game. These boys have got to pull things together, put in a full 60-minute effort as a team, and get their confidence back. Even though CBS Sportsline has already ruled out the Kings this season, we die hards can't lose hope just yet. Even if we are in dead last...
Keywords: Los Angeles Kings, Michael Cammalleri, Patrick O'Sullivan
