Throwdown Lowdown – Kings @ Blues, 01-18-11
You will likely not see Wayne Simmonds tonight. Image via Zimbio
In a seemingly-lethargic 4-2 San Jose Sharks win over the Blues Saturday night, we saw two fights by our team. First, Ryan Reaves squared off with fellow youngster Brandon Mashinter and lost in proper fashion (video here). Then, before being sent back down to Peoria, Ian Cole went at it with Benn Ferriero in one of those hated “I didn’t like your clean hit on such-and-such” fights that I absolutely cannot STAND. The fight was correctly ruled a draw (video here). That brings the Blues to 44 fighting majors on the season, good for second in the NHL only behind those ever-truculent Anaheim Ducks. Their fight record now stands at 18-15-11. That downward decline in fight record STILL scares the crap out of me.
We’ve reported on the Los Angeles Kings twice already this season (December 16th in St. Louis and January 13th in Tinseltown). And guess what? You could click on the January 13th report and virtually get the same thing I am about to throw at you. But I’m going to finish this report strong anyway, and there are a couple minor changes anyway as far as personnel is concerned. The Kings, like they were last Thursday, are tied for ninth in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs with 29 fighting majors on the season, which is not bad. Also not bad? The Kings’ fight record on the season – a solid 11-5-13.
“The Big Red Dog”, Kyle Clifford (6’2”, 207lbs, 4-1-4 including a win over Tyson Strachan) leads the team with nine fights on the season. A well-known fighter, Kevin Westgarth (6’4”, 228lbs, 3-3-1) has fought seven times this season. These two are followed by Wayne Simmonds (6’2”, 183lbs, 3-0-2, not expected to play with a lower body injury) with five and Matt Greene (6’3”, 231lbs, 0-1-1) with two. Solo fighters include Justin Williams (6’1”, 188lbs, Win), Brad Richardson (5’11”, 192lbs, Draw), Ryan Smyth (6’2”, 192lbs, Draw), Willie Mitchell (6’3”, 212lbs, Draw), Davis Drewiskie (6’2”, 218lbs, Draw) and Marco Sturm (6’0”, 194lbs, Draw).
I fully do not expect Cam Janssen to play tonight, mainly due to the emergence of young Reaves – son of Willard Reaves, a former Canadian Football League fullback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. To say this young man brings a football mentality to the ice is an understatement – he is an absolute bulldog. I expect Reaves to fight someone like Westgarth tonight.
A win on home ice would be a great opener to this three-game home stand. GET TO IT!
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
