Lincoln Riley emphatically challenges public criticism of USC’s defense

• October 11, 2023

LOS ANGELES — The kettle has been boiling for two weeks now, small hints bubbling that these USC Trojans are not only well aware of public criticism of their polarizing defensive unit – and the man leading it – but a bit ticked off by it.

You had safety Bryson Shaw, after the Colorado game, vehemently defending defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. You had quarterback Caleb Williams, as head coach Lincoln Riley was asked Saturday about his trust in Grinch, shaking his head and smirking slightly in disdain at the question. And you had Williams, after Saturday’s 43-41 barnburner over Arizona, lean into the postgame mic to follow up a defensive question to Riley and say “we wouldn’t have won that game without defense.”

“This, this whole,” Williams said then, sighing for a moment, “defense thing.”

This whole defense thing, indeed, is peanut gallery fodder week after week, the public seeing ugly results (back-to-back 40-point games surrendered! 109th out of 130 FBS teams in yards allowed per game!) and teeing off not-so-hot-takes on this USC unit. After exiting last year on the hot seat, comments calling for Grinch’s job have reached a fervor. Some of the public’s ire has started to turn on Riley for his continued support of Grinch.

On Tuesday, when asked if he felt there were defensive improvements that people weren’t quite understanding, Riley turned the ire right back, the most impassioned he’s been in front of reporters all season.

“Oh, there’s, how long do you got?” he said, making the point that if USC hadn’t missed an end-of-regulation kick to put Arizona away, the game’s narrative would have revolved around the defense’s second-half strides.

“Here’s the deal, everybody in the media had their mind made up – I won’t generalize, a lot of people in the media had their mind made up, that the first second there was any adversity this year it was, like,” Riley said, widening his eyes and throwing his hands in the air, “‘Oh my God, they should have done this, and they should have made this change,’ and blah blah blah.”

“And it’s not true … that’s going to be continued to be written throughout the entire year, but there’s a lot of great things happening here,” Riley continued, “and we’ll own the things we need to get better, but people need to make sure they’re seeing the other side of it as well. And that’s what we’ve been trying to say for a long time, and I think both myself and Caleb and some other players were venting a little bit of frustration with that, to be completely honest.”

“Y’all didn’t think y’all were getting all that,” Riley eventually finished, to laughs.

Indeed, probably not. But Riley’s comments Tuesday – accompanied by a great deal more vocal heft and hand-waving – were a direct continuation of comments last week, when he disagreed with an assessment that defensive issues looked the same as last season. Not “to the trained eye,” he said then.

The question, rapidly, has become what is Riley seeing in this defense that the layman doesn’t. What is Grinch seeing, to keep expressing the same percentage-tilted-positive optimism of the defense’s play. And in truth, the positives are aplenty – a much-improved defensive front, fearsome sack numbers and enough timely plays made to seal victories over Arizona State, Colorado and Arizona.

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“I mean, this is a unit that, I think, when you talk about the top-end potential, has a chance to really grow and get better fast … there are a lot of good things happening on this defense, man,” said Riley, whose 10th-ranked team is 6-0 overall and 4-0 in Pac-12 play.

There are a lot of things, too, though, that simply don’t measure as results. Failing to stop Colorado’s passing game in that second half. Folding to Arizona’s offense in the first 20 minutes, as Grinch mentioned the defense’s lack of execution in clogging up yardage to start. Making only marginal improvements from last year in points allowed per game (27 to 29.2).

And that’s before the Trojans face Notre Dame, Washington, and Oregon.

“I can promise you, inside these walls, there is no expectation other than to play high-level in the second half of this year,” Riley said.

His stance Tuesday, rooted in a clear belief in Grinch and his players, was a gamble of sorts: a gamble on that improvement, that this stone-castle public defense against a pitchforked mob will hold true come December.

​ Orange County Register 

‘Simple answer’ to Dodgers’ stalled offense – get Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman going

• October 11, 2023

PHOENIX — They were the twin engines that propelled the Dodgers’ offense all season.

Two games into their National League Division Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have been grounded, a combined 1 for 13 (with three walks). Not coincidentally, the Dodgers have hit .159 (10 for 63) as a team with just four runs in the two losses.

“All of us gotta get going,” Betts said following the Game 1 loss. “For me and Freddie, that’s kind of our role and we’re not doing it. I take ownership in that. We just have to figure out a way, man. There are no excuses.”

Betts soared to the front of the NL MVP race with a torrid August – he hit .455 with a 1.355 OPS, 11 home runs and 30 RBIs in 28 games. A cooldown was inevitable and Betts hit just .244 in September with only one home run and nine RBIs in his final 25 games.

Two games into the postseason, he is still looking for his first hit.

“I’m not even thinking about me, man,” Betts said Monday night. “So the ‘Me’ questions are no bueno. No bueno. I’m just focused on the Dodgers right now. We’re down 2-0 and we have to figure out a way to come back on Wednesday.”

Freeman hit well enough down the stretch (.296 in his final 28 games), but he was not happy with his swing. That remains true after going 1 for 6 in the first two games against the Diamondbacks.

“That’s what happens when you have a terrible swing. You foul balls off yourself,” Freeman said of a foul off the inside of his right knee in the seventh inning of Game 2.

“Same way I’ve been feeling for about six weeks, cutting my swing off. So, I’ve got a couple days to figure it out.”

In the aftermath of the Game 2 loss, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he didn’t want to overemphasize the need for Betts and Freeman to get going. But he acknowledged Tuesday that “the simple answer (to waking the offense) is getting Mookie and Freddie going” but the responsibility belongs to “everybody” if the Dodgers are going to extend their lives in this best-of-five series.

“I think it’s just one of those things where it’s two games and I understand that things are more magnified, but one game, one at-bat could change things,” Roberts said. “That’s what my expectation is.

“I was joking with Freddie, I think it was in ’21 (when the Atlanta Braves beat the Dodgers in the NLCS), where he had two really bad games against us. Then he came back in that third game with a base hit to left field and another one. And then he took off. So for me, it can change with one at-bat. And I expect the same thing with Mookie.”

CHANGE UP

Roberts said he is considering some changes to the “structure” of the Dodgers’ lineup in response to the poor performances in the first two games.

“I think it’s something that I’m going to think about tonight. I’ve thought about it today,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “There is that balance of looking at it, it’s only two games, but the other part of it is that sense of urgency because this is do or die now.”

The Dodgers will face a third consecutive right-handed starting pitcher, rookie Brandon Pfaadt. But Kiké Hernandez or Chris Taylor could be in the starting lineup regardless.

“It’s something I’m certainly contemplating,” Roberts said.

EMPTY THE TANK

In the final weeks of the regular season, the Dodgers talked to veteran right-hander Lance Lynn about pitching more aggressively early in games and not saving anything for later in the game. With Ryan Pepiot lined up to share the bulk of Game 3, Lynn has taken that to heart.

“During the regular season there’s different things that are needed, different starts,” Lynn said. “In the postseason, when they give you the ball you go get as many outs for as long as you can. That’s the only thing that matters. Obviously, there’s no saving anything. So you’re just trying to make pitches, make quality pitches and not let them score. It’s that simple.”

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Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior acknowledged that “it’s probably an adjustment” for Lynn who has been known as an ‘innings-eater’ throughout his career.

“I think the thing that we’ve been harping on, as with all our guys, just worry about the hitter that’s in front of you right now,” Prior said. “Let’s not worry about four innings, six innings, something. I think that’s … definitely from a past era. But at the end of this, we just talked about, just keep making pitches, quality pitches, one after another.

“I think he was coming from a different place where things were run a little bit different and there was a little bit more expected of him. But I think right now, we’re in a position where we just want you to chew up outs until we feel like you’re good. I think he understands that.”

UP NEXT

NLDS Game 3 – Dodgers (RHP Lance Lynn, 13-11, 5.73 ERA) at Diamondbacks (RHP Brandon Pfaadt, 3-9, 5.72 ERA), Wednesday, 6:07 p.m., TBS, 570 AM, 830 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Roof open or closed, Dodgers pitcher Lance Lynn likes Arizona’s Chase Field

• October 11, 2023

The last time Lance Lynn started a game at Chase Field, he was wearing a Team USA uniform in the World Baseball Classic. It was March, and his opponent was a Canadian team featuring Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman and few other major league hitters.

The last time Lynn pitched at Chase Field in a major league setting, he wore a Texas Rangers uniform. It was April 2019 and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lineup featured exactly two players still active for them in the National League Division Series, Christian Walker and Ketel Marte.

The game was notable in one regard: the roof was open, a peculiar quirk for a park that historically plays in a pitcher’s favor when the roof is closed. On this day, Lynn allowed only one run over six innings in a 5-2 Rangers victory.

Excluding the WBC, Lynn has pitched in Phoenix three times with the roof open (15 innings, five earned runs allowed) and three times with the roof closed (18 innings, seven earned runs allowed). He is unusually averse to the historical effects of Chase Field’s roof.

“It’s a good ballpark,” Lynn said Tuesday. “The fans, they’re always into the game. For me, the mound’s got a good feel to it. So when you get on the mound you feel comfortable with, you’ve got to make pitches, execute. Out here, I’ve done that for the most part.”

The Dodgers expect the roof to be open when Lynn starts Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday. The forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s – only a shade cooler than it was on Sept. 29, the last time the roof was open in Phoenix for a game between the D-backs and Houston Astros.

Historically, the roof has mattered a lot. In 2002, then-Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling was convinced that fly balls were carrying farther to left field. So he asked the team owner, Jerry Colangelo, to close the roof for each of his starts.

Schilling got his wish “until the club was flooded with e-mails and phone calls from angry fans,” the AP reported at the time. From then on, the weather – not the starting pitcher – would dictate whether or not the roof would be closed at game time.

One study of Chase Field’s roof effects looked at every Diamondbacks plate appearance from 1998-2015 and determined that on-base plus slugging percentage (.802 to .761) and runs per game (5.08 to 4.56) were higher with the roof open than closed.

Then, prior to the 2018 season, the Diamondbacks installed a humidor at their home park in an effort to normalize the run-scoring environment. The effect has been dramatic.

With the roof closed in 2023, Chase Field was the third-hardest domed stadium (out of MLB’s eight enclosed ballparks) to score in, according to Statcast. Only T-Mobile Park in Seattle was less homer-friendly with a closed roof.

In theory, that’s a big deal. No pitcher allowed more home runs in 2023 than Lynn (44 homers in 32 starts). The Dodgers have yet to see a starting pitcher complete even two innings in the NLDS, and now face elimination in Game 3 down two games to none. Anything to help Lynn keep the ball in the ballpark should be a blessing. So, close the roof, right?

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With the roof open in 2023, Chase Field was still the fourth-stingiest park for allowing home runs, according to Statcast. Only Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, Cleveland’s Progressive Field, and Houston’s Minute Maid Park were stingier. The overall scoring environment was boosted by a higher-than-expected number of triples and doubles, so Chase ranked ninth out of the 29 open-air facilities in hitter-friendliness, according to Statcast.

But for a pitcher burned often by home runs, there is perhaps no better park to start in.

“As part of the math, yeah, Arizona doesn’t play as homer-friendly as it used to,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday, on the eve of the NLDS. “We’ve got some guys, some fly-ball guys, so to know the longball is suppressed a little in that ballpark doesn’t hurt certain guys’ cases.”

Ordinarily, Lynn’s 4-0 career record and 3.27 ERA at Chase Field might matter little, considering how long it’s been since he pitched there. But for a Dodgers team desperate for innings from their starter – and desperate for Lynn to keep the ball in the park – they can only hope what’s past is prologue.

Dodgers pitcher Lance Lynn looks on from the dugout during a simulated game last week at Dodger Stadium. Lynn will be on the mound to start Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night in Phoenix as the Dodgers try to avoid being eliminated. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

​ Orange County Register 

Recipe: Fried Onion Burgers, an Oklahoma specialty, make an irresistible meal

• October 11, 2023

Fried Onion Burgers feature sliced onions mixed in with the ground beef. (Photo courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)

Fried Onion Burgers are an Oklahoma specialty, a version that boasts a crisp crust of caramelized onions on the meat patty. It’s a technique that can turn burgers into an irresistible meal.

The raw onion isn’t layered on top of the meat. Instead, the 1/8-inch thick onion slices are salted and wrung out in a clean towel to remove excess water. Ground beef is formed into balls and pressed against a mound of onions to form a patty and in the process the onions stick.

Traditionally these burgers are topped with slices of American cheese. That’s fine, but I prefer sliced cheddar or provolone. If you like, you can butter and grill the buns, and then top with lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

Fried Onion Burgers

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large yellow onion, halved, placed cut side down, cut into 1/8-inch thick crosswise slices

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divide use

3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided use

1 pound (85 percent lean) ground beef

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

4 slices American cheese (4 ounces)

4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Toss onions with 1 teaspoon salt in colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Transfer onion to clean dish towel, gather edges, and squeeze onion dry. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Divide onion mixture into 4 equal mounds on rimmed baking sheet. Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions, then gently shape into balls. Place beef balls on top of onion mounds and flatten beef firmly so onions adhere and patties measure 1/4-inch thick.

3. Season patties with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Melt butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using spatula, transfer patties to skillet onion side down and cook until onion is deep golden brown and beginning to crisp around edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip patties, increase heat to high, and continue to cook until well browned on second side, about 2 minutes. Transfer burgers to platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Place 1 slice American cheese on each bun bottom. Serve burgers on buns.

Source: “The Modern Pantry” from America’s Test Kitchen

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.

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​ Orange County Register 

NLDS: Phillies look to put stunning Game 2 meltdown behind them

• October 11, 2023

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA — Take the results at face value and maybe there’s enough reason for the Phillies to believe they’re in the same encouraging spot as a year ago. They won an opener in Atlanta, then lost a second game.

Philadelphia returned home tied 1-1 in the 2022 National League Division Series – just like this season – then won two at home behind a thunderous Philly crowd.

But if you are a believer in momentum heading into Game 3 on Wednesday, then the Braves just might be the team to beat.

A day removed from Game 2’s meltdown, when just a few Phillies stragglers worked out at Citizens Bank Park, the inconceivable series of events that turned the team from the brink of a series sweep was still being unraveled.

• How did ace Zack Wheeler take a no-hit bid and a 4-0 lead into the sixth, only to start the collapse when he gave up Travis d’Arnaud’s two-run homer in the seventh?

• How could the Phillies have left 11 runners on base?

• And what about Bryce Harper’s baserunning? The two-time NL MVP committed a baserunning blunder when he rounded second base and was doubled up. A great catch by Michael Harris II and an alert backup and throw by Austin Riley sealed the Braves’ 5-4 win that evened the best-of-five series at one each.

Those were just the main talking points.

Trea Turner’s defense, Manager Rob Thomson’s handling of his pitchers and more were all packed inside the postseason powder keg that went off in the late innings in Atlanta.

Philadelphia said all the right things in the clubhouse after Game 2. Nick Castellanos said the Phillies “thrive after we get punched in the face, man.” Thomson and Game 3 starter Aaron Nola said vibes were good in Philly, especially with a needed day off to regroup.

“This is a tough team, resilient team,” Thomson said Tuesday. “I expect nothing less than these guys coming in here tomorrow and getting after it.”

With good reason, of course.

The Phillies are 24-11 in the postseason at Citizens Bank, the top postseason winning percentage for any team in any park with a minimum of 20 games. The Phillies lost 3-0 at Atlanta in Game 2 last season, then won Games 3 and 4 of the NLDS at home in front of a raucous home crowd that rattled the Braves.

“It’s as nuts of place as I’ve ever been, that’s for sure,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “There may be a few guys that have not experienced that until they get there. I’m sure these guys are talking about it. But I think for the most part, when you’ve been through what these guys have been through, you know what, it kind of jacks them up, too.”

Last season’s results are a nice memory for the Phillies

The Braves – who did not announce a Game 3 starter – are coming to Philly this week to finish the job.

“I think the momentum came back onto our side,” Braves reliever A.J. Minter said. “But with that being said, I mean, we have to continue to play really good baseball. And I don’t think we’ve, we came in obviously slow the past two games, and we can’t afford to keep doing that and relying on coming back in the later innings. So there’s definitely some stuff we need to clean up, on both sides, pitching and hitting, because this team is not going to give in, and they’re at home in Philly. You know they’re going to be excited.”

Nola, eligible for free agency after the World Series, tossed seven shutout innings against the Miami Marlins in a Game 2 win of their NL Wild Card Series. Nola gave up five hits, walked two and struck out six in six-plus innings against the Braves in a Game 3 NLDS win last season.

Nola pitched six shutout innings against the Braves in June in his only start this season.

“It’s just good to be back home with our home crowd,” Nola said. “We got three games left to do something. So we just got to take it game by game. It’s going to be a tough one, but it starts tomorrow.”

Not like the Phillies need any motivation to squash Atlanta’s good will as it boarded a plane, but stories that Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia cackled in the clubhouse over Harper’s baserunning blunder quickly surfaced after Game 2. Arcia cracked, “ha-ha, atta-boy, Harper” in the celebratory moments after the win, Fox reported.

Just what Harper needs, a little extra poke to stir the usually sensational postseason star.

“I don’t think anybody needs any motivation right now,” Thomson said. “But if that adds to our motivation, that’s great.”

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Tuesday, Oct. 10

• October 11, 2023

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Tuesday, Oct. 10

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

TUESDAY’S SCORES

BOYS WATER POLO

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

Rancho Alamitos 20, Bolsa Grande 5

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Irvine 15, Woodbridge 6

Beckman 11, Laguna Hills 6

NONLEAGUE

Fullerton 11, Valencia 8

GIRLS GOLF

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Westminster 265, Orange 309

GIRLS TENNIS

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Portola 14, Northwood 4

WAVE LEAGUE

Laguna Beach 17, Marina 1

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Valencia 16, Kennedy 2

605 LEAGUE

Oxford Academy 18, Pioneer 0

​ Orange County Register 

WNBA Finals: Jackie Young’s all-around game is key for Aces

• October 11, 2023

By W.G. RAMIREZ The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young has made tremendous strides in her five years as a pro since going No. 1 in the 2019 draft.

As a rookie out of Notre Dame, she was a dynamic and predictable drive-to-her-right, mid-range specialist. She averaged 9.7 points per game over her first three seasons and improved progressively each year under then-Coach Bill Laimbeer.

But when Becky Hammon arrived, and assistant Tyler Marsh was added to the coaching staff, little did Young know her game was about to take a long-range turn.

She went from being a 28.6% shooter from 3-point range to 44.3% the past two seasons.

“A lot of hard work, just trying to get better each offseason,” Young said after scoring 26 points in a Game 1 victory over the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals on Sunday. “Spent a lot of time in the gym working on my game, but I have to give a lot of credit to Tyler. I mean, whenever he came here that really changed my game – my career really.

“The most obvious one was shooting 3s. I was able to tweak my shot a little bit last year and it’s made the biggest difference.”

In Las Vegas’ 99-82 series-opening win, Young shot 9 for 15 (60%) from the field, including 5 for 8 (62.5%) from behind the arc. It marked the 15th time she’s shot 60% or better from the floor in a game, and the 11th time from 3-point range.

After Hammon told Marsh what she envisioned, Young became his first project.

With physical attributes, athleticism and a strong work ethic already in place, he immediately went to work on her shooting.

“From a skills standpoint, that’s more of the realm we paid attention to,” Marsh said. “With her mentality and mindset in place, we wanted to make her as efficient as possible. We spent countless hours in the gym, created a plan, worked on her form shooting, getting her shot off quicker and doing it so she didn’t feel uncomfortable.

“She just trusted me, Becky’s vision, and the work we put in, all of which helped establish a relationship moving forward.”

It goes beyond her offense, though, as Hammon and star A’ja Wilson pointed out. Young held New York sharpshooter and reigning 3-point champion Sabrina Ionescu to just seven points on 2-of-7 shooting, including 1 for 5 from behind the arc in Game 1.

“Jackie is just scratching the surface of how great she can be,” Hammon said. “She does so many things that help you win the game. She’s just one of those people that just keeps her nose to the ground. She’s a great decision-maker. She’s a big strong guard that has defense first … if you go back and you look at our games, go see what cuffs she put on, I can only remember maybe four or five times where a perimeter player got off on her. Out of 40 games, I’ll take that.”

Young’s growth in her five years as a professional has garnered a reputation of being a relentless two-way player, while also earning her a pair of All-Star nominations and the WNBA 2022 Most Improved Player award.

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Her opponents know what she’s capable of.

“Obviously she’s scoring on different levels, being able to shoot (from 3-point range), being able to get downhill … a player that can affect the game in different ways and she plays aggressively and is able to score on multiple levels,” Liberty forward and former league MVP Jonquel Jones said.

As for the shy demeanor that is generally exemplified by a quick smirk when her teammates are fired up in her face after she’s electrified 10,000-plus frenzied Aces fans, Wilson said she’s working on it.

“I’m going to make sure that I am pulling that confidence out of her,” Wilson said. “Because Jackie is a little shy. She likes to beat around bushes, but I’m like, ‘Absolutely not. That’s not you. I know you have it in you.’

“And I love pulling it out of her because when you see that, you get the best Jackie.”

WNBA FINALS, Game 2

Who: New York Liberty at Las Vegas Aces

Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas

When: Wednesday, 6 p.m.

TV: ESPN

​ Orange County Register 

Season preview: Kings look to take bigger strides

• October 11, 2023

EL SEGUNDO –– The glistening silver in the Kings’ uniform may be a perfect match for the gleaming chalice that every hockey player covets, but if they want to quaff the bubbly from Lord Stanley’s Cup, they’ll have to do more than just look the part this season.

Todd McLellan returns to his position behind the bench along with lead assistants Trent Yawney and Jim Hiller. Together they led the Kings to a 104-point campaign in 2022-23, the second-highest total in franchise history, but also a second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs. In the front office, former Kings defenseman Rob Blake remains at the helm as general manager, with each of his past three offseasons growing more ambitious and more audacious.

Here are four keys to the Kings’ season, which gets underway against the Colorado Avalanche at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena:

Age remaining a number

Anze Kopitar is in the final year of his current contract but signed a two-year extension that’ll keep him with the only organization he’s ever known through 2026. Doughty’s contract, which will carry the seventh-highest cap hit in the NHL this season, runs a year longer.

The two players, ages 36 and 33, respectively, have remained the Kings’ leaders not only in name but in on time on ice, with captain Kopitar centering their top line and alternate captain Doughty persisting as the club’s No. 1 defenseman. Last season, a late-season injury to newcomer Kevin Fiala gave Kopitar the team scoring lead for the 15th time in 17 opportunities and Doughty’s 52 points represented his strongest production since 2017-18, the last time the Kings had anything resembling a shot at a championship. Though both players might see a slight reduction in average ice time, their contributions should remain paramount to the Kings’ success.

Previously, both men were integral pieces of both titles, the franchise’s first in 2012 and its follow-up in 2014, and now are rejoined by two-time champion Trevor Lewis, who returned to the Kings over the summer. When McLellan took control of the team, most of the rest of the cast might have been aptly summarized as “with special guests,” but now there are many more names rolling in the Kings’ credits.

“When I look at Kopi, Drew and Trevor Lewis – those are the three players that are left from that era – they all have to take on a mentorship role,” McLellan said. “But we now have the ability to hand some of that off to others.”

All about shot suppression

Under McLellan, the Kings have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons after missing them by wide margins in his first two seasons at the helm, yet shot suppression has been a consistent current beneath both high and low seas.

McLellan’s Kings have finished in the top five in terms of fewest shots allowed in three of his four seasons, and, even including their brutal 2020-2021 campaign, the Kings have allowed the fourth-fewest shots of any team cumulatively across the past four seasons.

That’ll remain vital as the Kings went from having a painfully overpriced and woefully underperforming goaltending tandem a year ago to relying on a closeout-bin trio of reclamation projects this season. Pheonix Copley and David Rittich (who was waived to be reassigned Tuesday) will compete behind Cam Talbot, 36, who hopes to assert himself after a season derailed by injuries for a team in transition, the Ottawa Senators, last season.

“In practice, when you come down on him there’s not much net to shoot at,” said another newcomer, center Pierre-Luc Dubois. “He’s going to be a great goalie for us this year. As long as we play well in front of him and limit the chances, we’re going to be all set back there.”

Higher dividends from big investments

Often when a franchise accelerates its turnaround, a can’t-miss draft pick (or two) has his foot slamming on its gas pedal. But there is no Mario Lemieux or Connor McDavid-like figure for the Kings, who have reconstructed their roster using a pair of trusty old building blocks and a multitude of resourceful strategies.

It isn’t that the Kings haven’t had premium draft capital as a result of their struggles between 2018 and 2021. In 2019, they owned three of the first 33 selections, taking Turcotte and Tobias Bjornfot in the first round before snagging Arthur Kaliyev early in the second. To varying degrees, they’re all at an impasse this season, and 2020’s No. 2 overall pick, Quinton Byfield, will be counted on to produce more consistently as he begins the year on the top line. Since 2018, the Kings have made five picks in the first round, and those prospects have compiled just 79 points in 366 total NHL appearances.

“We’re not missing much to go further in the playoffs, and those guys could have a really big impact,” said center Phillip Danault, acknowledging that each fledgling player improved conditioning and gained experience. “I can’t wait to see the year they have.”

Roster crunching

While the Kings’ strategy of carrying 21 players instead of the typical 23 to accommodate some salary-cap exigencies posed a threat to disrupt long midseason road trips when the injuries had piled up and frequent flier miles had accumulated, the Kings are already facing an unwieldy situation before Game 1 at home.

Poised to carry one extra player, the suspension of winger Arthur Kaliyev and a lower-body injury sustained in practice Monday by Viktor Arvidsson may leave the Kings short one player right out of the gate. Additionally, waiver eligibility concerns dictated that Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence both began the season in the minors, with an unbalanced group of four left shots and two right shots on the blue line.

“I don’t even think we’ll be able to start with 21 players, so, the answer’s no, it’s not sustainable for 82 games,” said Blake Tuesday, perhaps generously describing Arvidsson, who did not practice, as “questionable.”

“We chose to put the money on the players that would have been the 12 and six playing and not so much in the three extra players you’re able to carry,” he added. “If you look at rosters, I think there’s a lot in similar situations. We’ll see how it goes.”

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PROJECTED LINEUP

Quinton Byfield — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe

Kevin Fiala — Pierre-Luc Dubois — Alex Laferriere

Trevor Moore — Phillip Danault — Viktor Arvidsson*

Carl Grundstrom — Blake Lizotte —- Trevor Lewis

Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty

Vladislav Gavrikov — Matt Roy

Andreas Englund — Tobias Bjornfot

Cam Talbot/Pheonix Copley

*=questionable

SEASON OPENER: COLORADO AT KINGS

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Crypto.com Arena

How to watch: TNT, Max

​ Orange County Register