L.A.

NHL lockout update: Kings begin title defense vs. Blackhawks

Posted on January 13, 2013

The NHL lockout officially ended on Saturday night when the league and the players union agreed to a required memorandum of understanding (MOU) on their new labor deal, Ira Podell of the Associated Press reported.

With the lockout over, the Los Angeles Kings released their 2012-13 regular season schedule. The defending Stanley Cup champions will open up at home against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, January 19 at 12:00 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live on NBC.

The condensed 48-game schedule features two five-game road trips and two five-game homestands in an effort to minimize travel between cities. The first of the five-game road trips will commence on Saturday, February 2, when the Kings face their cross-town rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. This season’s slate also features only inter-conference matchups, which means the Kings will travel no farther east than Columbus, Ohio, unless they reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

You can follow Derek Ciapala on Facebook or on Twitter @dciapala.

Bio
Latest Posts

Derek Ciapala

Derek Ciapala is an award-winning journalist who brings expertise and passion to West Coast sports. He has years of experience and has been published on many notable sites, such as Yahoo! Sports. Never afraid to explore a controversial issue, Derek’s insight and thought-provoking content consistently generate substantial buzz and plenty of of sound discussion.