There are a number of compelling stories in the NHL's Western Conference. Not only are the Colorado Avalanche off to a ridiculous start, but the Los Angeles Kings are playing great, San Jose is lurking, and Anaheim is still plagued by bad penalties and not enough offense.
FanHouse's Susan Slusser joins us from her West Coast perch this week, as we examine these issues and talk about her beloved Red Wings' slow start. Listen after the jump.
SAN JOSE -- Anze Kopitar of the Kings is leading the league in scoring and his linemate, Ryan Smyth, isn't far behind him, picking up loads of assists by getting Kopitar the puck.
"Kopitar and Ryan Smyth are as good a pair as there is in the league," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said before his team beat the Kings in overtime on Wednesday night.
It's a combo of experience, with the 33-year-old Smyth, and youth, with the 22-year-old Kopitar. And it worked "from the get-go," according to Smyth. Los Angeles coach Terry Murray placed the two on the same line pretty much from the start of training camp and things clicked.
There's a lot of action around the NHL tonight, and we'll break it all down in our weekly NHL FanHouse chat. There are surprise teams, surprise players, and injuries to discuss. Not only that, but the first major disciplinary decisions of the season have been made by the NHL. As usual, they come with some controversy. Join us at 2 p.m. ET as we break it down with you.
As talk of NHL discipline heats up early in the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets would like a little bit of love from the league office.
During a 6-2 pasting at the hands of Los Angeles Sunday night, Columbus forward Jason Chimera carried the puck across the Kings' blue line, and was met promptly by a low hit from defenseman Rob Scuderi. What appeared to be an attempt at a solid hip check was treated as anything but by the Blue Jackets.
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
Kings 4, Stars 1:Alexander Frolov is in Terry Murray's doghouse, as the Russian winger found himself out of the lineup on Monday night after a public tongue-lashing from his head coach earlier in the day. Following the morning skate, Murray told Rich Hammond of Kings Insider: "I haven't been happy with Fro's game for several games. The game the other night is the straw that broke the camel's back, in my opinion. The turnovers, the careless play... It has to be better, and you have to come out with that high level of intensity, with smart work, hard work, and you've got to love the game. You've got to love the game in order to be a player. The talent is there, but it always is the work that brings out talent. And I need more."
Also: Lucic out following finger surgery, video of the day, and more
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
Red Wings 5, Kings 2: Four Stanley Cups, six Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe Trophy, 10 All-Star games, and now ... 1,000 career points. With his assist on Henrik Zetterberg's goal at the 3:24 mark of the third period (his second assist of the game), Nicklas Lidstrom recorded the 1,000th point of his remarkable career, joining fellow rearguards Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque, Al MacInnis, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Larry Murphy, and Denis Potvin as the only defensemen to reach such a mark. As for the rest of the Wings, they pulled out a 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings, and did so in shorthanded fashion, playing without the services of not only injured forward Johan Franzen, but also Pavel Datsyuk.
After the jump: Video of Lidstrom's milestone, Ovechkin scores two, and more
Twenty years ago today, Wayne Gretzky became the NHL's All-Time leading scorer when he recorded point No. 1,851 in his amazing career. He did in the final minutes of a game in Edmonton against the team he won four Stanley Cups with.
Gretzky would finish his career with 894 goals, 1,963 assists and 2,857 points. Amazingly, if you take away all of his goals and just look at his assists, he would still be the NHL's All-Tme leading scorer.
His former Edmonton teammate, Mark Messier, is now the No. 2 player on the points list with 1,887.
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
Rangers 4, Kings 2: When the New York Rangers signed Marian Gaborik to a five-year contract this summer, it certainly raised some eyebrows. No one questions Gaborik's ability, as he's one of the most gifted players in the NHL. The concern with Gaborik is that he's a good bet to miss 20-or-so games per season, usually with a groin problem. Through the first seven games of the season, Gaborik has been incredible for the Rangers, and on Wednesday he logged over 21 minutes of ice-time, recorded three shots on goal and scored his sixth goal of the season in New York's 4-2 win.
After the jump: Vanek's Injury not serious, video of the day, and more.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- In May of 2005, Ryan Smyth was at the World Championships in Austria when he lined up for a faceoff in Team Canada's defensive zone against a teenager from Slovenia.
The kid won the faceoff and, from in front of the net, deflected in a goal before Smyth even knew what hit him. "Who the heck is this guy"? Smith asked himself.
Today, Smyth and his tormentor, budding NHL star center Anze Kopitar, are on the same line for the Los Angeles Kings.
Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.
Fighting will always be controversial. Many fans say that it's as much a part of hockey as the ice is. Others would rather it went away, even if they may secretly enjoy it. However, it seems that fighting is here to stay in the NHL. This week's card included a few heavyweight bouts, an unlikely matchup in Alberta, and a rather long, intense fight between division rivals.
NHL los angeles Kings 
SAN JOSE -- Anze Kopitar of the Kings is leading the league in scoring and his linemate, Ryan Smyth, isn't far behind him, picking up loads of assists by getting Kopitar the puck.
As talk of NHL discipline heats up early in the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets would like a little bit of love from the league office.
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- In May of 2005, Ryan Smyth was at the World Championships in Austria when he lined up for a faceoff in Team Canada's defensive zone against a teenager from Slovenia.
Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.
