Kings' Jason LaBarbera finds gain in weight loss
HELENE ELLIOTT
The Kings goaltender looks to regain his consistency after suffering through ups and downs while he carried too much weight.
The numbers that relegated Kings goaltender Jason LaBarbera to second-tier status weren't his goals-against average or save percentage.
LaBarbera, usually steady and occasionally exceptional, sabotaged his chances to excel by carrying too much weight and too high a body-fat percentage on his 6-foot-3 frame.
His mass allowed him to cover a lot of net, but his bulkiness hampered his lateral movement. He knew it but couldn't motivate himself to do anything about it.
"It's always kind of been a black cloud over me, I think, my whole career," he said. "I've always dealt with it, but I've always played with it.
"I'm getting older, where it's one of those things where you've got to start looking at that, and maybe it will make a big difference."
Early this year he turned 28, not too late for a goalie to raise his game but fast approaching the failed-promise zone. The additional pressure of competing against younger rivals Jonathan Bernier, Erik Ersberg and Jonathan Quick finally inspired LaBarbera to get smart and get in shape.
This summer, while rehabilitating after sports hernia surgery, LaBarbera hired a nutritionist who cooked healthy meals for him and apportioned them in smaller quantities than he was used to.
"It's not that I ate bad. I would eat too much," he said. "It's hard not to. Coming from a family like I come from, you always had to eat what was in front of you."
Instead of stuffing himself three times a day this summer, he pulled a precooked meal out of his refrigerator every few hours. He lost 10 pounds and 7 percentage points in body fat but gained a ton of self-assurance.
If LaBarbera has a lean and hungry look, it's because he craves wins, not mountains of mashed potatoes.
"I see it in his eyes that he feels good about himself," General Manager Dean Lombardi said.
LaBarbera didn't distinguish himself Monday in giving up four goals on 17 shots over the first 40 minutes of the Kings' 6-4 split-squad victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, but here's some food for thought:
It was the Kings' first exhibition game, LaBarbera's first game since last Feb. 18, and Phoenix scored twice on power plays. LaBarbera may need time to regain his rhythm, but his newly fit physique gives him a fighting chance at soon tasting success.
"I haven't felt this good in my whole life," he said. "I know I can be a great goalie for this team.
