Throwdown Lowdown – Kings @ Blues – 12-16-10
Tough guy? Yes, Kevin Westgarth is one. Image via Zimbio
For two main reasons, I dislike the Detroit Red Wings. For one, they’re always better than the Blues, as last night’s 5-2 final would attest. Secondly, they rarely drop the gloves. And they didn’t last night. Screw that. The Blues have collected 30 fighting majors, good for third place in the NHL standings by themselves. And that fight record remains very robust, at 16-7-7, despite the Red Wings’ best efforts.
The Los Angeles Kings, much like their fellow Southern California “flatmates” in Anaheim, have not let the glamour and glitz of Tinseltown get to their heads when they step on the ice. They are like any of these other solid Western Conference teams – they do have skilled players, but they also have physical, rugged players . . . and several of them do not mind dropping the gloves. The only difference between the Ducks and the Kings comes in quantity – the Ducks are an elite fighting team with a couple of heavy punchers, while the Kings have top-to-bottom fight experience on the season. Obviously, the likes of Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson aren’t going to fight, but just about everyone else might. All in all, the Kings have fought 19 times thus far on the season, earning them 13th place all by themselves in the NHL. Their fight record is a respectable 7-3-9.
The Kings are led in fights by Kyle “The Big Red Dog” Clifford (6’2”, 207lbs, 3-0-2) and Kevin Westgarth (6’4”, 228lbs, 2-2-1, known as the guy severely bloodied by John Scott) each with five. Following them is Wayne Simmonds (6’2”, 183lbs, 1-0-3) with three and Matt Greene (6’3”, 237lbs, 0-1-1, questionable with an upper body injury) with two. Justin Williams (6’1”, 188lbs, Win), Willie Mitchell (6’3”, 212lbs, Draw), Davis Drewiskie (6’2”, 218lbs, Draw) and Ryan Smyth (6’2”, 192lbs, Draw) round out the fighters with one each.
With so many fighters, it’s hard to say which fighters will go at it, but I would love to see Westgarth and Brad Winchester take on each other for a heavyweight bout. Your best bet for a mid-card would likely be Clifford going at it with Cam Janssen.
The Note is at home for all but one game until January. It’s time to make up some ground. Whaddaya say?!
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
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