Sean O'Donnell News

Marked by an energy level that winger Dustin Brown noted "wasn't very good," the Kings' 3-1 loss Saturday to the Nashville Predators at Staples Center appeared just as lifeless in the team's dressing room afterward.

After the Kings began the season with a four-for-11 effort in penalty kills in their first three games, defenseman Sean O'Donnell thought the team's unit was, as he put it, "behind the 8-ball." The picture looks much different now.

SEATTLE Thousands of people, including law enforcement from across the country and Canada, have filled KeyArena this afternoon for a memorial service to honor slain Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton.

The good thing about being in Hollywood is that when new script ideas are lacking, there is always the option of recycling an old one.

Nicklas Lidstrom reached a milestone - and helped the slow-starting Detroit Red Wings get back to .500. Lidstrom became the first European defenseman and eighth overall to reach 1,000 points, assisting on two goals in Detroit's 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

Randy Jones didn't think anything could top the Pearl Jam concert he watched Wednesday night in Philadelphia.

Vancouver Canucks right wing Sergei Shirokov, left, of Russia and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Greene battle for the puck during the first period of their NHL hockey game, Thursday, Oct.

Detroit's Dan Cleary, top, and Anze Kopitar of the Kings battle for the puck during Thursday's game.

Somewhere in Sweden, there are two lost bags labeled intensity and intelligence.

The Minnesota Wild spent their first 100 minutes of this season looking like a team that was out of sorts.

Ryan Smyth scored two goals to help the Los Angeles Kings to a 6-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

The Los Angeles Kings hope to continue their recent dominance of the Minnesota Wild when the two clubs square off Thursday night from Staples Center.

If Sean O'Donnell were negotiating a new contract, he'd have ammunition to ask for a raise based on the Kings' performance in the two games he sat out while serving a league-imposed suspension that carried over from the exhibition season.

Drew Doughty might lead the Kings to the playoffs this season. The 19-year-old defenseman might develop into a perennial All-Star and win the Norris trophy often enough to buy a tuxedo for the awards ceremony, not rent.

After injuring his left shoulder during the Kings' second game last season and undergoing surgery, defenseman Jack Johnson returned to the lineup in mid-January, slightly earlier than expected.

It's time. Six seasons out of the playoffs, a long rebuilding period, and now the boys are ready.

With Kings defenseman Sean O'Donnell out the first two games of the regular season to complete his suspension for a match penalty in an exhibition game last week, Alec Martinez says he'll try to take advantage as he takes over the vacated spot.

Two weeks of training camp and eight exhibition games didn't tell the Kings or Ducks much they didn't know before this whole sweaty exercise began.

Bobby Ryan had two goals and an assist, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry each had a goal and an assist, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 on Sunday night in the pre-season finale for both teams.

NHL on the lookout for instigators Montreal Canadiens Gregory Stewart, left, fights with Boston Bruin Guillaume Lefebvre during the first period of their NHL preseason hockey action in Montreal, September 24, 2009.