Jonathan Quick

This now seems like some sort of payback for once-struggling Kings forward Justin Williams. At least that was the verdict after Thursday night. Williams went game after game - weeks, actually - without a goal in this lockout-shortened season and dutifully kept at it. Now the goals are coming, one after another, and he had his first multi-goal performance of the season, scoring twice in the Kings' 3-0 win against the Minnesota Wild as goalie Jonathan Bernier had his first shutout of the season.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - There was no anguish in the Kings' locker room after their 3-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday, no gnashing of their remaining teeth as they ended a five-game trip with a commendable 3-1-1 record. "We could have won every game. We played well enough to win every game," Coach Darryl Sutter said. "That's the way it goes. " The difference on Tuesday was a 39-save performance in goal from ex-King Jason LaBarbera, who was beaten only by a shot by Justin Williams that deflected off Phoenix defenseman Michael Stone at 12:12 of the second period.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Road rage, indeed. The losing goalie, Jonathan Quick, went straight to red hot anger without even stopping for a second at plain-old ire after the Kings blew a two-goal lead, losing to the Minnesota Wild, 4-3, in a shootout on Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center. Quick blew up in a big way after allowing all three Wild shooters — Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Matt Cullen — to score. After Cullen sealed it with a wrist shot, Quick swung and smashed his stick hard against the post, breaking it and tossing away the remnant.

At one point Wednesday night, according to Canada's TSN network and other media outlets eager to appear to be experts, Jarome Iginla had been traded from Calgary to Boston for two prospects and a first-round draft pick. A few scrupulous souls like Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe were cautious and said the trade hadn't been confirmed, but most followed TSN's report like lemmings to the sea. Um, not so fast. Iginla, the valiant right wing who will be 36 this summer, was traded to Pittsburgh, not to Boston, a true stunner.

ST. LOUIS — Jake Allen , Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott … How about the Kings countering with Jonathan Quick , Jonathan Bernier … and Bill Ranford ? "Hey, St. Louis is carrying three goalies. We are too," Kings Coach Darryl Sutter said, joking. Ranford, the 46-year-old Kings assistant coach, was pressed into goalie duty during the Kings' practice at Scottrade Center on Wednesday because of backup goalie Bernier's absence. Bernier has been home in Canada following the death of his grandmother.

The Kings shouldn't write off their 1-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday as the consequence of facing a sharp goaltender for the second straight game. Cory Schneider gave a fine performance in earning a 20-save shutout in front of a restless crowd at Staples Center. He was agile and patient on the rare opportunities he needed to be, though he wasn't as spectacular as Dallas' Kari Lehtonen was on Thursday in a 40-save masterpiece that was behind the Stars' 2-0 victory over the Kings.

A little bit déjà vu, a little bit Groundhog Day, the Kings' 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes at Staples Center on Tuesday had a distinctly familiar feel. And with good reason: Until the final minutes, it resembled the 4-0 rout the Kings had inflicted Monday against the hard-working but offensively inept Coyotes on the same ice. A few key details changed Tuesday as the Kings won their third straight game and 12th in the last 16 while improving to 12-2-1 at home. BOX SCORE: KINGS VS. COYOTES The physicality picked up and erupted in several scrums.

Forget the Gordie Howe hat trick of last season. In many ways, what forward Kyle Clifford did against the San Jose Sharks in Saturday's 5-2 win by the Kings was more impressive than his homage to Howe nearly 14 months ago against Ottawa. Then? Goal, assist and fight, a clear Howe hat trick. Now? Two goals, an exhausting scrap against behemoth defenseman Douglas Murray and a superb defensive play against Joe Pavleski at Staples Center. That play to help shut down Pavelski came shortly before Clifford's second goal of the game to make it 4-1 at 13 minutes 45 seconds of the second period.

SAN JOSE - The coach, direct as always, said he hated himself for having to pull goalies during a game, knowing that such a move could be viewed as a bright, shining light of indictment. Unfortunately, Kings Coach Darryl Sutter has had to hate himself two more times since he talked about the care and handling of goalies six weeks ago. Sutter yanked starter Jonathan Quick at 8:34 of the second period after the Sharks broke out and established a 3-0 lead. He replaced him with Jonathan Bernier.

Counting the ways to best remember this two-game, three-day portion of the wildly compressed NHL schedule, officially and unofficially. Officially? The Kings swept Calgary in back-to-back games, finishing off the mini-series by suffocating and then subduing the struggling Flames, winning, 3-1, on Monday night at Staples Center. CaptainDustin Brown scored twice, once on the power play in the first period, and with 26.4 seconds left, on an empty-netter. The other goal came from center Jarret Stoll in the first period and defenseman Jake Muzzin added two assists.