LOS ANGELES (AP/97.1 The Ticket) — The Los Angeles Kings brought a little change to the broadcast booth Saturday night against the Penguins, as hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg got behind the mic.
"Oh come on, nephew." - @SnoopDoggNothing will ever compare to Snoop Dogg doing play-by-play for the LA Kings on Hockey Night in LA. pic.twitter.com/SH527Vo2zr
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 13, 2019
The LA Kings had Snoop Dogg in the booth doing play-by-play tonight and it was amazing pic.twitter.com/SbyFc8U4LF
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) January 13, 2019Snoop Dogg -- a noted NHL fan who has cut promos for the league and made "Hockey 101" videos -- had some pretty solid calls in his broadcasting "debut."
"Drop the sticks, man, let's get crackin' to the middle of the ring," he said during a scrum between the two teams.
If his calls didn't provide much insight to the game, they at least provided some laughs and entertainment, though not everyone on social media was a fan of his.
For some reason @NHL thought it was a good idea to have Snoop Dogg do color commentary on tonight's Pens Kings game. My TV is currently muted ------ pic.twitter.com/NeoetNpPxE
— Brian Kunst (@BrianLeeStudios) January 13, 2019Snoop Dogg just dropped the puck for the Pens @ Kings game all decked out in L.A. gear.Pfft, sellout. pic.twitter.com/Rg4BWxcjQU
— Cravanicus (@Cravanicus) January 13, 2019Jonathan Quick got another memento to add to the plastic tub in his attic filled with pucks commemorating important achievements.
Quick stopped 38 shots to get his 301st win, leading the Kings to a 5-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night, snapping the Penguins' six-game road winning streak.
Quick tied Mike Richter for fourth place in career wins by an American goalie, reaching the mark in his 577th game and matching the former Rangers goalie's total in 666 games.
"Well, obviously, to get here means I've been lucky enough to play with some good players and on some really good hockey teams. Yeah, it means a lot. It's special," Quick said of tying Richter.
Jeff Carter had a goal and two assists and Anze Kopitar scored twice for the Kings, who had lost four of their past five.
The Kings were determined to respond after a 4-1 loss to Ottawa on Thursday they derided as perhaps the worst performance of a disappointing season. They followed through, taking a lead 2-1 lead at 8:47 of the second period when Alex Iafallo was credited with his 10th goal after a centering pass by Carter struck him in the chest and went in.
Kopitar made it 3-1 at with 3:55 left with a short-handed goal.
Brendan Leipsic pushed the lead to 4-1 at 49 seconds of the third.
Jake Guentzel scored short-handed and power-play goals and Casey DeSmith made 20 saves for the Penguins, who lost for the second time in their past 12 games.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was most concerned with allowing a league-worst 10th short-handed goal. Kris Letang made an off-balance backhand pass that led to a 2-on-1 break for Kopitar and Carter.
Sullivan isn't ready to abandon the four-forward, one-defenseman personnel grouping that has worked so well for Pittsburgh, but cautioned the team could not be so careless with the puck going forward.
"It's a lack of diligence in important parts of the rink," Sullivan said. "Even though we've on the power play we have to have some conscience defensively, and it starts with our own puck possession."
NOTES: Quick is 68 wins behind Tom Barrasso in third place. Ducks goalie Ryan Miller is tied with John Vanbiesbrouck for most wins by a U.S.-born goalie at 374. ... Guentzel has seven goals and three assists during a six-game point streak. ... Malkin got his eighth assist during a six-game streak.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Visit San Jose on Tuesday.
Kings: Visit Minnesota on Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
