EL SEGUNDO, CA — When the Los Angeles Kings practice at home, once their practice session ends, players trickle off the ice—Jeff Carter is usually the first—one here, two there, maybe three at a time.
But on February 5, after a lengthy practice session that lasted over an hour, those present at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California witnessed a very rare sight: all but five or six players streamed off the ice at once, heading into the dressing room.
The unusually rigorous skate was not punitive, even though the Kings dropped a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at Staples Center in Los Angeles the night before.