Kings' Erik Ersberg will start against Ducks
KINGS FYI
Kings goaltender makes his first start of the season, against Anaheim, one of the hottest teams in the NHL.
Goaltender Erik Ersberg has sat, watched and been occasionally tossed out on the ice for mop-up duty for the Kings.
On Tuesday night, it will be his job to face one of the hottest teams in the NHL.
Ersberg makes his first start of the season, replacing Jason LaBarbera, and will have to hold off a Ducks' team that is 6-0-1 in its last seven games.
"It's a good opportunity for him, a home game against one of the premier teams in the league," Kings Coach Terry Murray said. "His time is here, and we're looking forward to seeing something from him."
Ersberg has played in two games this season, both in relief of LaBarbera. He has given up two goals on 14 shots. Last season, he started 13 games after being recalled from minor league Manchester and led the Kings with a 2.48 goals-against average.
The Ducks, though, will offer a considerable challenge, having scored 27 goals in their last seven games, three of which were shootouts.
"I've been trying to stay ready," Ersberg said. "I think playing those two games has helped, even though I didn't see very many shots. I was able to be on the ice in a competitive situation."
What's my line?
The Kings have been juggling lines. During Monday's practice, Oscar Moller was with Alexander Frolov and Jarret Stoll and defenseman Peter Harrold with Patrick O'Sullivan and Brian Boyle.
Harrold, a defenseman, is part of what Murray called "an experiment." Harrold started at forward against Calgary on Saturday, a trial run that Murray compared to the Montreal Canadiens using defenseman Mark Streit at forward last season.
Streit scored 13 goals for the Canadiens.
"You look around the league the past couple years and there seems to be defensemen who are able to step up at the forward position and really contribute," Murray said.
"Look at Streit last year. I remember playing against him and he had a couple huge goals in different games. We kind of see the same thing here with Harrold. He sees the ice, skates well, he's intelligent. We're looking for somebody that gives up little more pop on that line."
Moller, meanwhile, logged time with Frolov and Stoll against Calgary, and Murray said, "We saw good stuff from them."
Stoll said that Moller brings energy to the game and teammates feed off that.
