-Not to put a damper on the whole "Kings are in 1st place (and the Ducks are in last)" thing, but I'm still really bummed about Wayne Simmonds.  There are injuries that you hate to hear about because it hurts your team (Ryan Smyth), and there are injuries you hate because you just feel bad for the guy.  I feel bad for Simmonds.  I mean, hes only 21 and he's been the driving force behind the team for 3 weeks, but now his whole season is probably lost.  He'll be back in about 6 weeks but it usually takes a lot longer for a player to feel comfortable after a knee injury.  Will he still have the same explosiveness?  Will he still play with the same fearlessness?  I don't know.  I'm scared.  Poor little guy.

-On the plus side, Simmonds' injury does open the door for yet another call up from Manchester to either play great or get injured in their first game.  I really, really hope they end up calling Marc-Andre Cliche for a shot.  If you don't remember, Cliche was one of the people involved in the Sean Avery trade and he was the shutdown center for Canada during the World Junior Championships in 2007.  I have an unreasonable and unrequited love for Cliche and I am convinced he is going to take Jarret Stoll's place as the shutdown center for the Kings some day.  Call up Cliche, so that I may unfairly credit him for fortuitous bounces and concoct elaborate scenarios to justify him staying up with the Kings.

-With Simmonds out I think it's only a matter of time before Alex Frolov is put back alongside Michal Handzus.  Terry Murray loves spreading out the scoring and that line is going to look pretty weak unless someone is moved down to shore it up.  Oddly enough, I kind of think the Kings should look at replacing Kopitar, not Simmonds.  I think Fro and Justin Williams have a lot of chemistry together and the Kings should think about keeping them together.  When Smyth gets back I wouldn't mind seeing:

Smyth-Kopitar-Purcell/Moller/Me

Frolov-Stoll-Williams

Parse-Handzus-Brown

Ivanans-Cliche (hooray!)-NOT Harrold

I don't know, just a thought.

Marketing Exec: "Well, we've been at this for 3 days and we still don't have anything.  C'mon guys, this is important.  If you can't come up with something then I'll find someone who will!"  *leaves, slams door

Copy Writer #1: "Jesus, this is ridiculous.  Guess we better start preparing our resumes."

Copy Writer #2: "I mean, what does he want from us?  We're not geniuses.  We've given him 30 different titles and we still can't find one he likes."

Copy Writer #3: "I know.  Oh well, I'll put on another cup of coffee.  ...Eek!"

Copy Writer #2: "What's wrong?"

Copy Writer #3: "Ahh, nothing, I just burned my hand a little.  Boy, that was embarrassing.  I think I squeaked instead of yelling."

Copy Writer #1:  "Wait a minute... squeak... sequel... I'VE GOT IT!!!  LET'S CALL OUR MOVIE 'THE SQUEAKQUEL!!!!'"

Copy Writer #3: " The Squeakquel... why, that's genius!  You've done it!  We're saved!"

Copy Writer #2: "To The Squeakquel!"

Copy Writers #1, 2 and 3: "Huzzah!"  *clink coffee cups together

***

"'Joe,' our driver, was willing.  His name was not really 'Joe,' but that's what we'd been instructed to call him.  I had talked to the FoMoCo boss the night before, and when he mentioned the driver he was assigning to us he said, 'His real name is Steve, but you should call him Joe.'

"'Why not?' I said.  'We'll call him anything he wants.  How about Zoom?'

"'No dice,' said the Ford man.  'It has to be Joe.'"

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

I don't know why but that kills me every time I read it.

Prediction: Kings win, 4-2.  Goals by Parse, Kopitar, Doughty and Moller.