has covered the Kings on a full-time basis since 2005 and a part-time basis since 2001. He can often be found shivering beside a practice rink in El Segundo or shivering inside the coldest press box in North America, located near the top of Staples Center. He misses attending games at the Forum, even with its ugly yellow and orange seats and the long trek down to the underground restrooms.
E-mail Rich
Matthew Kredell broke into the Daily News in 1998, working part time at the paper while going to USC. After graduating in 2001, he spent three years as the head prep football writer before moving up to do USC basketball and backup Trojans football for two seasons. This is his first year covering Kings hockey, making him a humble padawan to Rich. A third-generation Los Angelean, he grew up reading the Daily News while at El Camino Real High in Woodland Hills.
E-mail Matthew
Crawford quotes
Posted by Rich Hammond at 4:08 PM
It should be noted that we didn't know Nagy was still on the ice -- and therefore almost certainly a healthy scratch -- at the time we talked to Crawford. So that's why there are no questions about it...
On Aubin: ``We're hoping he comes out and plays a great game. He has probably been ready for two or three days. We probably could have played him over the weekend but we thought that giving Jonathan another opportunity was the way to go. ...Giving him the extra days has been a benefit to him.''
On Aubin's play during training camp: ``He was probably the most stable of the goalies. He plays a strong center-net position. His economy of the net was very impressive to me. He doesn't overreact and he plays a strong center-net position and he forces the shooter to beat him.''
On playing Minnesota: ``We've got to view them as a first-place club, collectively. They're not just the Minnesota Wild that snuck up on teams the last couple years. The skill level is there. ... They've got more people know and offensively they're a little more dynamic. They play a lot more up-tempo. You have to watch turnovers. They have a great probability of beating you if you turn the puck over.''
On Bernier and Murray, and the idea that the ``environment'' wasn't right for them to stay: ``When your team isn't going well and you've got bright prospects... The atmosphere is what is important for those guys to flourish. It's a momentary setback for (Bernier) and now we're concentrating on developing him rather than forcing him into the lineup. ... It's not going to hurt (Murray) to play in the American league right now.''
Posted at 04:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Aubin quotes
Posted by Rich Hammond at 3:21 PM
J.S. Aubin has recovered from his strained groin -- actually, he's been healthy for a couple days, at least -- and will start tonight against Minnesota.
``I had a pretty good training camp. I played well and I was seeing the puck well. It was very frustrating to have that injury at that time. I can't wait to get in and see some action. ... I'm just going to focus hard on the first shot and swallow up everything or give up a good rebound in the right place.''
It was pointed out to Aubin that he has bad a history of hot streaks during his career, the implication perhaps being that maybe he can get on one now and lift the Kings out of their early-season doldrums.
``I'd like to...have a full season with lots of streaks. Since my first year in Pittsburgh, I haven't played a lot of games over a period of time, so it's hard to get on some streaks.''
I asked Aubin if -- knowing that a goalie's goal for every game is to record a shutout -- he approaches things any different against a team like Minnesota, that doesn't allow many goals.
``We've got to keep it tight. We know it's not going to be a high-scoring game, or at least on paper it shouldn't be. You have to be patient because you know you're not going to get much. Hopefully you can get some power plays and get some chances there.''
Aubin was asked about the Kings turning things around after their 1-5 start.
``We're good. We know we are. We just need to play well. The ingredients are there. We just need to play well and we need to get that taste. I don't think anyone thought we would be 1-5, meaning that we do have a team that's pretty decent. We just have to work on that and believe in it.''
Aubin developed a solid friendship with Jonathan Bernier since the start of training camp. On Tuesday morning, Aubin took over Bernier's old locker. Aubin joked about how every time he becomes friends with a player, that player gets traded or somehow sent away. He said it happened in Toronto last year. I thought maybe that's why he changed lockers, because Modry was starting to get nervous...
Posted at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Aubin in, Willsie in, Nagy out
Posted by Rich Hammond at 12:03 PM
That's how it looks for tonight's game. J.S. Aubin will start and, barring a last-minute change of heart by Crawford, Ladislav Nagy will be scratched in favor of Brian Willsie. Maybe this will be a way to get the attention of some players who ``aren't on the same page.''
Quotes soon...
E-mail Rich
Matthew Kredell broke into the Daily News in 1998, working part time at the paper while going to USC. After graduating in 2001, he spent three years as the head prep football writer before moving up to do USC basketball and backup Trojans football for two seasons. This is his first year covering Kings hockey, making him a humble padawan to Rich. A third-generation Los Angelean, he grew up reading the Daily News while at El Camino Real High in Woodland Hills.
E-mail Matthew
Crawford quotes
Posted by Rich Hammond at 4:08 PM
It should be noted that we didn't know Nagy was still on the ice -- and therefore almost certainly a healthy scratch -- at the time we talked to Crawford. So that's why there are no questions about it...
On Aubin: ``We're hoping he comes out and plays a great game. He has probably been ready for two or three days. We probably could have played him over the weekend but we thought that giving Jonathan another opportunity was the way to go. ...Giving him the extra days has been a benefit to him.''
On Aubin's play during training camp: ``He was probably the most stable of the goalies. He plays a strong center-net position. His economy of the net was very impressive to me. He doesn't overreact and he plays a strong center-net position and he forces the shooter to beat him.''
On playing Minnesota: ``We've got to view them as a first-place club, collectively. They're not just the Minnesota Wild that snuck up on teams the last couple years. The skill level is there. ... They've got more people know and offensively they're a little more dynamic. They play a lot more up-tempo. You have to watch turnovers. They have a great probability of beating you if you turn the puck over.''
On Bernier and Murray, and the idea that the ``environment'' wasn't right for them to stay: ``When your team isn't going well and you've got bright prospects... The atmosphere is what is important for those guys to flourish. It's a momentary setback for (Bernier) and now we're concentrating on developing him rather than forcing him into the lineup. ... It's not going to hurt (Murray) to play in the American league right now.''
Posted at 04:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Aubin quotes
Posted by Rich Hammond at 3:21 PM
J.S. Aubin has recovered from his strained groin -- actually, he's been healthy for a couple days, at least -- and will start tonight against Minnesota.
``I had a pretty good training camp. I played well and I was seeing the puck well. It was very frustrating to have that injury at that time. I can't wait to get in and see some action. ... I'm just going to focus hard on the first shot and swallow up everything or give up a good rebound in the right place.''
It was pointed out to Aubin that he has bad a history of hot streaks during his career, the implication perhaps being that maybe he can get on one now and lift the Kings out of their early-season doldrums.
``I'd like to...have a full season with lots of streaks. Since my first year in Pittsburgh, I haven't played a lot of games over a period of time, so it's hard to get on some streaks.''
I asked Aubin if -- knowing that a goalie's goal for every game is to record a shutout -- he approaches things any different against a team like Minnesota, that doesn't allow many goals.
``We've got to keep it tight. We know it's not going to be a high-scoring game, or at least on paper it shouldn't be. You have to be patient because you know you're not going to get much. Hopefully you can get some power plays and get some chances there.''
Aubin was asked about the Kings turning things around after their 1-5 start.
``We're good. We know we are. We just need to play well. The ingredients are there. We just need to play well and we need to get that taste. I don't think anyone thought we would be 1-5, meaning that we do have a team that's pretty decent. We just have to work on that and believe in it.''
Aubin developed a solid friendship with Jonathan Bernier since the start of training camp. On Tuesday morning, Aubin took over Bernier's old locker. Aubin joked about how every time he becomes friends with a player, that player gets traded or somehow sent away. He said it happened in Toronto last year. I thought maybe that's why he changed lockers, because Modry was starting to get nervous...
Posted at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Aubin in, Willsie in, Nagy out
Posted by Rich Hammond at 12:03 PM
That's how it looks for tonight's game. J.S. Aubin will start and, barring a last-minute change of heart by Crawford, Ladislav Nagy will be scratched in favor of Brian Willsie. Maybe this will be a way to get the attention of some players who ``aren't on the same page.''
Quotes soon...
