PENALTY DISASTER Kings tallied 26 Penalty Minutes; Blow lead, lose in OT August 2, 2006- First the 'New' NHL and now Anaheim Ice. The crackdown on obstruction calls costs the Kings in their second game of the season. Nearly 2 full periods shorthanded were the Kings, the Cannibals were able to capitalize in the third, and win it in overtime.

Right- Kings defenseman Brian DeFazio slaps a shot infront of exKing Bob Quaid. DeFazio's ability to jump in the offensive zone quickly generated a penalty shot late in the game. Photo Credit: Mike Goodey- It was seen in the first game of the season, and it continued right away in the second game: the USA Hockey obstruction crackdown. With the sucess the NHL had in opening the game with the obstruction calls with the sticks, USA Hockey will go in full force with NHL type rules in 2006-2007. So Anaheim Ice has used this summer preseason to try out the new rules and there is only one thing you can say so far-- a whole lot of penalties. With most of the games being played so far with an emphisis on special teams, it will be important for the Kings to adapt to the new rules as quickly as possible. In addition, the teams must be able to juggle their lines as multiple calls are being made, and penalty killing and powerplay will be more important than ever. It didn't cost the Kings in the opening game of the summer, but special teams took their toll in game 2 versus the Cannibals.

3 Kings found themselves in the box in the opening 4 minutes of the game, giving the Cannibals 3 powerplay opportunites right off the bat. However it was the Kings that were to get on the board first, when Marc McGinnis stepped into the slot and ripped a slapshot that rung off the post and crossbar and into the net for a shorthanded goal and a Kings 1-0 lead. However it didnt take long for the Cannibals to tie the game up, as Dustin Hall netted his first on the Powerplay to tie the game up at one. Playing 4 on 4 hockey, Steve Huynh gave the Cannibals their first lead of the game when we was able to walk in and put one by Kings goaltender Lennie Lopez. The Kings penalty trouble continued in the first, as Justin Goodey was caught back to back with minors, adding to the 4 penalties for 8 minutes for the Kings in the first frame. But when the Kings penalties expired, they were able to get back on track, driving to the net and putting up some goals. Marc McGinnis put in his second goal of the period to tie the game up at 2. Assist credited to Kevin Ishikawa. Then with 1:24 left in the first, Robert Misiuk wristed a shot that trickled by the Cannibals goaltender and ever so slowly crossed the line for a Kings 3-2 lead. The Cannibals were assest 1 penalty in the first, and had 6 minutes and 22 seconds of powerplay time. The Kings had only 38 seconds of powerplay time. With that in mind, the Kings dodged a bullet in the first, taking a 1 goal lead into the second period while playing short for nearly half the period.

The Penalty brigade continued into the second for the Kings. 3 minors were called against the Kings, compared to 1 against the Cannibals. The Kings tallied 32 more seconds of powerplay time for a two period total of 1 minute and 10 seconds. The Cannibals however had 11 minutes and 50 seconds of powerplay to this point, with more to come. Amazingly, the Kings still remained a goal ahead with excellent penalty killing as they tried to keep that 1 goal lead in the third.

Things were looking good for the Kings, especially when they increased their lead to two when Kevin Ishikawa recieved a pass from Misiuk and put it in for his first goal of the season and a Kings 4-2 lead. But the story of the night continued to haunt the Kings as finally penalties against ended up costing them. With 7:44 remaining in the game, Stan Kadohata closed the gap to 1 goal as he put one in on the powerplay. It looked as if the Kings were going to catch a break when the Cannibals were caught with 2 penalties at the same time, for a Kings 5-3 for a full 2 minutes. The first half of the powerplay created plenty of scoring chances, but nothing going in. With 45 seconds remaining, the Cannibals were assest yet another penalty, and it looked as the Kings were going to have somre more chances to regain their two goal lead. However 8 seconds later the Kings were going to the box, and a Kings golden opportunity to increase their lead vanished with 5 minutes left in the game. With 2 minutes left in the game, the Kings continued to add drama to the game, as they would have to kill the remaining time in the period shorthanded if they were going to escape this game without another goal against. But the pressure was just to great, as Peter Karpink popped in his first goal of the night and tying the game with 1:52 left in the game.

The game was now tied at 4, and the Kings watched their 2 goal 3rd period lead vanish--mostly from the view of the penalty box. Was there magic left in the skates of the Kings players like in game 1 just a week ago? With 30 seconds left, rookie defenseman Brian DeFazio took off on a breakaway, where he was then pulled down in front of the net and down to the ice. DeFazio was awarded a penalty shot and a chance to regain that Kings lead with little time left onm the clock. DeFazio skated in left side, and couldn't sneak it past the Cannibals netminder. The Kings still refused to put their heads down, as a fluery came infront of the net as timed ticked away. Several chances from multiple King players tried to put in that last goal, including a crossbar from the stick of Kevin Costello with 10 seconds left. The Kings however were unable to put one of those chances in, and the game was going to overtime.

Both teams started tentitive and with caution as a penalty against their team could cost the game. The hero of the third for the Cannibals ends up being the hero of the game as Karpink, who just tied the game at the end of the third, pops home the game winner in overtime and a Cannibals 5-4 comeback victory.

For the Kings, mixed emotions of anger, dissapointment and frustration following the game vs the Cannibals. The Kings were assest 26 minutes in penalties, compared to the Cannibals 14. What was more frustrating was the fact that 17 minutes and 18 seconds of the 26 penalty minutes were actual powerplay time for the Cannibals, compared to 5 minutes and 23 seconds of powerplay time for the Kings. The crackdown on the rules will be enforced tightly all season long, in preperation for the regular season in October, which will have the new rules fully enforced.