The Los Angeles Kings held off Austrian Erste Bank Liga club EC Red Bull Salzburg by a 7-6 score at the
Red Bulls Salute tournament in Salzburg, Austria.
From the Kings perspective, the team got out of the game without any injuries, but they had to work a little harder than they thought they would to get the win-- the Red Bulls refused to roll over.
Tomorrow, the Kings will take Färjestads BK Karlstad (Elitserien) for first place while the Red Bulls play HC Davos (Swiss Nationalliga A)for third place.
The Kings, who will head to London after tomorrow's game for the regular season opening set of two games against the Anaheim Ducks, started most of their opening night roster in the game, including Anze Kopitar, Mike Cammalleri, Rob Blake, Jack Johnson, Kyle Calder and Patrick O'Sullivan. Jason LaBarbera was in goal. As expected, Kopitar got the loudest reception of any player on either team.
The Red Bulls, who have become of the deepest pocket teams in Europe, feature a pair of players (Josh Green and Richard Jackman) who played in the NHL last season.
Coached by Pierre Page, the Red Bulls also feature Austrian native and former St. Louis Blues goalie Reinhard Divis, native Austrian former Chicago Blackhawks forward prospect Mattias Trattnig, ex-Anaheim and Phoenix right wing Frank Banham, former New Jersey Devils winger Jiri Bicek one-time Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brad Fast and former Edmonton Oilers defenseman Doug Lynch.
Salzburg grabbed a quick 3-0 lead early in the first period. 37-year-old defenseman Martin Ulrich, a longtime veteran of the Austrian national team, dialed up a slapper on the powerplay. On the next shift, Fast hammered a one-time past LaBarbera. Less than a minute later, Banham ripped a shot past LaBarbera.
At that point, the Kings made a goaltending switch, with Jean-Sebastien Aubin talking over for LaBabera, who finished without making a single save.
The Kings realized that they stood to be embarassed if they kept playing with no intensity or concentration. LA flipped the "on" switch and promptly took over the game. It took barely five minutes to tie the game, as Kopitar set up Cammalleri for a goal,Ladislav Nagy got another one back and Cammalleri returned the favor to his linemate by setting up Kopitar to make it a 3-3 game.
Late in the first period, Kopitar soloed to give the Kings their first lead of the game.
In the middle of the second period, the Kings got caught flat footed on the powerplay and Bicek went in shorthanded and scored to re-tie the game at 4-4.
Several minutes later, with the Kings killing off a four-minute penalty to Cammalleri, Austrian veteran Daniel Welser (formerly with Swedish club Skellefteå AIK)regained the lead for the Red Bulls.
Late in the second period, Derek Armstrong was awarded a penalty shot after getting taken down on a clean breakaway. He beat Divis to make it a 5-5 game.
In the final stanza, Cammalleri and Kopitar took over again, with Kopitar completing a hat trick and the Kings forging a 7-5 lead. Former USHL player Phillip Pinter got one back late for the Red Bulls to make it a 7-6 final.
***
In the other tilt, Färjestad came from behind in the third period to tie the game 2-2 before winning in a shootout. Esa Pirnes scored the winner for FBK.
Marc and Dino Weiser each have a goal and an assist for Davos.
Per Jonsson scored the first Färjestad goal with Fabian Brunnström tying the game on the powerplay in the third period.
FBK starter Christopher Heino-Lindberg got the win in goal.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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