Craig Johnson

Craig Johnson comes as advertised. Standing outside the Autry National Center on a boiling summer afternoon, the Wyoming-based crime novelist is decked out in a long-sleeve shirt made of heavy cotton, scuffed brown boots and a 10-gallon hat that provides shade, but not nearly enough. Spotting his interlocutor, Johnson sticks out his hand and delivers a booming "How ya doin'?!"

Craig Johnson comes as advertised. Standing outside the Autry National Center on a boiling summer afternoon, the Wyoming-based crime novelist is decked out in a long-sleeve shirt made of heavy cotton, scuffed brown boots and a 10-gallon hat that provides shade, but not nearly enough. Spotting his interlocutor, Johnson sticks out his hand and delivers a booming "How ya doin'?!"

He can still see the open ice in front of him, with only goalies to beat in Edmonton and Vancouver. "I've missed on a couple of breakaways," King winger Craig Johnson said Thursday. "If I had hit that one in Edmonton, we'd have been up, 3-1. If I'd hit that one in Vancouver, we'd have had a 3-1 lead." Johnson has been playing on a checking line with center Nathan LaFayette and winger Russ Courtnall.

Mighty Duck forward Craig Johnson offered this scouting report for teammate Vaclav Prospal's return to Tampa tonight. "You know his nickname here was 'Lou,' " Johnson said. "It was 'Lou' Prospal. So if you hear something that sounds like boos, it's not. They'll be saying 'Looooou.' " Prospal, sitting near Johnson in the Ducks' dressing room at the time, laughed. An upbeat moment in what has been a downtrodden season. Prospal tonight faces the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team he left to sign a five-year, $16.5-million contract with the Ducks.

Left wing Craig Johnson, who had career highs in goals and assists for the Kings last season, agreed to terms Tuesday with the NHL team on a two-year contract. Johnson had 17 goals and 21 assists in 74 games with the Kings. "Craig Johnson is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, and his speed is a threat each time he jumps on the ice," General Manager Dave Taylor said. Johnson, 26, was drafted by St. Louis as the 33rd overall selection in 1990.

Craig Johnson broke a tie with eight seconds left in the second period and Jamie Storr made 26 saves as the Kings beat the Colorado Avalanche, 3-1, in an exhibition game at Denver. Johnson beat Randy Petruk off a rebound to give the Kings a 2-1 lead, and Donald MacLean made it 3-1 at 2:04 of the third period. Scott Barney also scored for the Kings.

King left wing Craig Johnson, who was acquired in the Wayne Gretzky deal from the Blues in February, won't be able to start the season on Oct. 4. Johnson has been limited to two exhibition games and went pointless. Last season, he had five goals and nine points in 11 games with the Kings. Throughout training camp, he has been hampered by a hip flexor and he also has an abdominal strain.

The Kings' injury list was blank. Nobody was under suspension. For the first time all season, everybody was available to play Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers, including left wing Craig Johnson, cleared to return after sitting out eight games because of an eye injury. "Obviously, we've got some decisions to make," Coach Andy Murray said before the game. "You'd like to play with as set a lineup as you could and that's our plan.

Left wing Craig Johnson, who has been sidelined most of the season because of an abdominal injury, will be examined today in Boston by University of Massachusetts surgeon Bill Meyers. Johnson, who had abdominal surgery earlier this season, may be lost for the season. * On Monday, the Kings announced a $1-million, six-year commitment to all of the YMCAs in Los Angeles County to help fund roller hockey programs.

Although they lost for the first time in four games, the day wasn't a total disaster for the Kings. One of the bright spots was enforcer Matt Johnson's willingness in the second period to take on Blackhawk left wing Bob Probert, who was once considered the league's best fighter. Johnson did this despite suffering from a sore and very swollen right hand, which he hurt when he hit the helmet of the Flyers' Daniel Lacroix in a scrap last week. "It's a good test," said Johnson, who fought to a draw.

Craig Johnson was expecting major upheaval. With one telephone call from the Mighty Ducks, order was restored. Johnson, who spent the last eight seasons with the Kings, was cut free after a difficult season and was preparing to move his family to Atlanta, where the Thrashers had agreed to give him a tryout. Then the Ducks, looking for a veteran forward, came calling with a contract two days before training camp started. "We were all set to leave town," Johnson said.

Any day now the Kings will make official what has been suspected for weeks: Jason Allison and Adam Deadmarsh won't play again this season. Suffering from post-concussion symptoms, the top-line forwards are not close to returning to the lineup and after the Kings are mathematically eliminated from the playoff chase the club will announce that their seasons have ended. "There's no sense taking a risk," Coach Andy Murray said. For the same reason, No.

He is the least discussed of the five Kings eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, perhaps because he has flown so far below the radar this season. Craig Johnson has scored three goals in 57 games. The 30-year-old forward is still valued by the Kings for his speed and versatility, but they'd like more offense.

Craig Johnson went more than two months without a goal to start the season, but he's on a roll with two goals in his last four games. "If you play any sport, whether it's golf, baseball or whatever, it's frustrating when you're in a slump," said Johnson, who has 72 goals in his nine-year career. "You feel like you're not playing that bad, but when things aren't going for you, you're missing those three-footers on the golf course and those line drives are being hit to the second baseman.

King left wing Craig Johnson may have been rooting against the Angels in the American League championship series against Minnesota, but he's pulling for them in the World Series against San Francisco. That's because Johnson grew up in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, but his wife, Brittany, is from Orange County and the couple lived near Anaheim Stadium for a couple years before moving to Manhattan Beach last season.

As affairs go, it was brief, a couple of hours at the Playboy Mansion, and I was back with the Kings Saturday. Regrets? Sure, I had some. I'm man enough to admit I was crying most of the afternoon on Miss March's shoulder, feeling a little guilty that I wasn't with the guys in Denver. Or it could have been Miss January--when their name tags come off it's really hard to tell the difference. I know I said I wouldn't shave until the guys won the Stanley Cup or were eliminated. But I thought a beard might identify me as a King fan, and doing my research on who might be Playmate of the Year, I noticed every Playmate had "King fans" listed under "turnoffs."

Craig Johnson could play a key role tonight when the Kings open the season against the Phoenix Coyotes at Staples Center. But even if he sees only spot duty, the versatile winger will be grateful for every shift. He suffered a nearly career-ending injury Dec. 26, when the blade of his left skate sliced into his right ankle as he crashed into the boards a split-second after scoring the Kings' only goal in a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks. "It was kind of a freak thing," he said this week.

For the first time this season, the Kings faced former teammate Wayne Gretzky when they played the New York Rangers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. It was only 10 months ago that the Kings traded the franchise's most famous player to the St. Louis Blues for three players (Craig Johnson, Roman Vopat and Patrice Tardif), a 1997 No. 1 draft choice and a fifth-round pick in 1996.

The Kings' injury list was blank. Nobody was under suspension. For the first time all season, everybody was available to play Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers, including left wing Craig Johnson, cleared to return after sitting out eight games because of an eye injury. "Obviously, we've got some decisions to make," Coach Andy Murray said before the game. "You'd like to play with as set a lineup as you could and that's our plan.

Left wing Craig Johnson, sidelined the last 21/2 weeks because of an eye injury, was cleared Thursday to return to practice this morning and is expected to return to the King lineup for Saturday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers. Johnson, sixth among the Kings with 13 goals, was injured in the first period of a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on March 18 when Shark captain Owen Nolan checked him face-first into the glass at San Jose.