Kings' Bernier dazzles in win over Ducks

[Habsfan84]

LONDON - The Los Angeles Kings were the forgotten team here this week, shunted to the background as their Southern California rivals paraded the Stanley Cup around London.
Maybe they got tired of playing second fiddle.
Mike Cammalleri scored twice and rookie Jonathan Bernier sparkled in his first-ever NHL start as the Kings dumped the defending champion Anaheim Ducks 4-1 in the opening game of the 2007-08 season.
The two clubs meet again Sunday at the new 02 Arena.
Captain Rob Blake and Michal Handzus also scored for the Kings, who used three power-play goals to beat a Ducks squad missing several key faces from last year's Cup side.

Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne remain undecided on their playing futures while goalie J.S. Giguere and key checking forward Samuel Pahlsson continue to recover from sport hernia surgeries.
Bobby Ryan scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game for Anaheim, who outshot the Kings 27-21.
The first-ever regular-season game played in Europe was 16 minutes delayed because of a lights malfunction. It didn't seem to bother the fans, who got the wave going during the delay, dancing and singing while the music blared.
It was a mixed crowd - clearly some ex-pats from Canada on hand as well as some curious locals. The NHL's 30 teams were well-represented in the crowd with jerseys from almost every club worn.
The sellout crowd didn't get treated to a classic, however, the hockey at times raggedy and sloppy, more representative of a pre-season game than the real thing.
Bernier was the surprise starter over Jason LaBarbera, Kings coach Marc Crawford acknowledging the 19-year-old's terrific training camp. He was solid in the first period during a 5-on-3 power play for the Ducks and made his best save early in the third period, denying Corey Perry on a breakaway.
Bernier's return to junior, which seemed certain before camp, will be at the very least delayed a few weeks. And if he keeps playing like he did in his opener, the Kings will keep him all year.
The Kings scored the first goal of the 2007-08 season on a 5-on-3 power play, Cammalleri's one-timer from the point beating a screened Bryzgalov at 8:35 of the first period.
Blake made it 2-0 on another Kings power play at 10:15 of the second period, shovelling a loose back behind Bryzgalov after the Ducks goalie stopped a one-time blast from Anze Kopitar.
Cammalleri's second goal gave the Kings an insurmountable 3-0 lead, deflecting Tom Preissing's point shot on another Kings power play.
Ryan finally put the Ducks on the board at 13:09 of the third period, backhanding a rebound from Chris Pronger's point shot behind Bernier.
Handzus added a short-handed goal into an empty net with 26 seconds left.
Notes: Apparently the folks at 02 Arena forgot which country supplies the majority of NHL players. Only the British and American national anthems were sung before the game. Oops. .. Bernier wasn't the only King making his NHL debut. Forward Brady Murray, son of St. Louis head coach Andy Murray, was also skating in his first NHL game. He played in Switzerland the last two years .. Ducks blue-liner Mathieu Schneider (ankle) didn't make the trip .. The first hint that Kings owner Philip F. Anschutz built the 02 Arena comes in the colour of the seats - purplish blue, same as the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In fact, the Staples Center and 02 Arena look very similar on the inside. The P.A. announcer, David Courtney, was also from the same from Kings games at the Staples Center .. IIHF president Rene Fasel was in attendance, watching the game with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.