Throwdown Lowdown – Blues @ Kings 03-17-11

The Big Red Dog doesn’t mind big competition. Image via Zimbio

What a day for the Blues yesterday.  First, the team is for sale (AGAIN . . . I’m planning a rant at St. Louis Game Time about this later).  Then a depleted squad decided to sleepwalk through a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at the Building Formerly Known As The Arrowhead Pond.  (To be fair, the Ducks didn’t play inspired hockey either.)  THEN, it’s important to point out that two of the top-four fighting teams in the NHL DIDN’T EVEN FIGHT EACH OTHER!  A sad day all around, in my opinion.  The Blues hang tight at 65 fighting majors on the season, which is still good for third place in the NHL.  The Blues’ fight record stays steady at 27-19-19.

We’ve covered the Los Angeles Kings a few times this season (December 16th, January 13th and January 18th), and in covering them, we’ve found a team that’s not too afraid of the fisticuffs but certainly not one of the elite fighting teams.  They have a few guys who will brawl with just about anyone, though, and they may be key to whether or not there will be a fight tonight.  The Kings currently sit tied for 13th in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers with 40 fights on the season.  Their fight record is pretty good at 15-8-17.

The Kings are led in fights by rookie “The Big Red Dog” Kyle Clifford (6’2”, 207lbs, 7-3-4 including a win over Tyson Strachan) with 14 fights.  Not too far behind him is Kevin Westgarth (6’4”, 228lbs, 5-3-4) with 12 fights.  Wayne Simmonds (6’2”, 183lbs, 2-1-3) rounds out the triumvirate of top Kings fighters with six fights.  Matt Greene (6’3”, 231lbs, 0-1-1) has fought twice this season.  With one fight each for the Kings, we have Justin Williams (6’1”, 188lbs, Win), Willie Mitchell (6’1”, 188lbs, Draw), Davis Drewiske (6’2”, 218lbs, Draw), Ryan Smyth (Yes, I said RYAN SMYTH, 6’2”, 192lbs, Draw), Brad Richardson (5’11”, 192lbs, Draw) and Marco Sturm (Again, yes, I said MARCO STURM, 6’0”, 194lbs, Draw, Traded to the Caps at the deadline).

Clifford strikes me as the guy who wants to show he’s the enforcer of this hockey club.  Might he try to dance with one of the Blues big-name fighters like Cam Janssen?  It’s possible.  Then again, anything is possible.

I don’t have much else to say except . . .

LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!

Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights