Wake-up call: Kings, NHL, Dick Vitale, USC, UCLA

First things first: The Kings may be for real this season. Just when you thought Anze Kopitar was thinking too much when he had the puck, he let loose last night and scored, albeit an empty net. But he was on the attack every time he was on the ice. All the Kings seemed to come alive, taking down the high-flying Washington Capitals 5-2. The Kings are now a respectable 8-8-2, though the 16-3-1 San Jose Sharks lead the entire league, not only the Pacific Division. Chris Foster's take on last night's game is that the Kings kids are growing up fast. Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown and Patrick (at last he scores!) O'Sullivan all collected goals. All are part of the youth movement. Michal Handzus (age 31) also scored a goal and had an assist on the Kopitar goal. As ex-Ducks and now Kings defenseman Sean O'Donnell told Chris: "It doesn't happen in one night, where it's, 'OK, you've got it,' " he said. "You have to work to become that organization that everyone knows is going to show up and be there every night." (And nothing personal, but somebody should tell Fox Sports' Danyelle Sargent that I believe Drew's last name is pronounced DOW-TEE not DOE-TEE.)

Add hockey: To answer those of you who wondered why the game stories are sometimes deep inside the Sports section, I don't decide those things, but remember: Hockey has gotten plenty of D1 presence this season, especially with Hall of Fame writer Helene Elliott covering more games. Besides, D5 is better than D10, wouldn't you agree? And Randy Harvey, the Sports editor, has decided to bring back the NHL standings and game summaries to a position of prominence (like the NBA standings) beginning Dec. 1, now that we have a little more space with college football winding down.

Vote, vote, vote: Dick Vitale is the kind of guy you either love or hate. But if you see his list of the 50 best college basketball players in the last 30 years, the love or hate might grow. So Diane Pucin, our media writer, decided to let you help decide which player from the Western U.S. most deserved to be on that Vitale list but wasn't. Click here to see his list and vote.

Surprise, surprise: No. 4 UCLA going down to defeat was a shocker. Then so was No. 19 USC. Here is the painful (for Bruins fans) final minute of the UCLA game. The last shot was blocked, and the officials ruled it a clean block. The analyst is, of course, Dick Vitale. And here are the highlights of the USC game. Diane Pucin weighed in on these two games last night on the Fab Forum.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: Goalie Erik Ersberg blocks a shot by Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin. At left is defenseman Drew Doughty, whose eye is on the puck. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Comments

[Davis]

As usual, the Times misses the boat when it comes to your hockey coverage. You take the NHL standings and game summaries away and then expect us to kiss your toes when you return it to where it should have stayed to being with.

You remove Helene's weekly NHL column but have her cover more games and we should be pleased with the end result which is actually less coverage than before.

If the play of the team is a big part of the placement equation, the Kings' vast improvement should put them on page 1 and the Clippers by default should never see the front of the section.

How do you apologize for yesterday's page 5 Ducks' story and then do the exact same thing with the Kings' story today? Washington and superstar Alexander Ovechkin visits the Southland for the first time in 3 years and it is not newsworthy? I think your priorities are a bit skewed.

Debbie, if you do not decide placement than don't make excuses for Editor Randy Harvey. We should be happy with page 5 because at least it is not page 10? What kind of lame justification is that? The truth is there are more hockey fans out here than you guys care to believe and we will take our support elsewhere if the Times fails to deliver the coverage we expect and deserve.

[mike]

Maybe Danyelle Sargent prefers to pronounce it the way canadians do!

In Canada, it's pronounced Dow-tee. Think of 'About' and 'Aboot'

[Cynthia Davidson]

I agree 100% with Davis' truthful comments.... Care to respond, Debbie or Randy???

[callmemo]

Don't try to patronize the hockey fans by saying we get an occassional "bone" tossed to us. Getting D1 "once in a while" is not acceptable, particularly if its hockey season. The Dodger and Angels gets D1 when they stink, and even when its not even baseball season! Right now it IS hockey season, and to get page D5 is not better than D10... to me, buried is still buried.

[Belinda Weathers]

So do I take the lack of a response from the Times staffers to your readers' questions to mean you agree with the stances expressed here? You have apparently unintentionally insulted hockey fans by telling them they should be grateful for whatever puck mentions they get. In these days of declining circulation, is that the best tact to be taking toward the paying customers?