Los Angeles Kings

Who: Flyers (32-17-9) vs. Los Angeles Kings (26-24-9) When: 7 o'clock Where: Wachovia Center TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WYSP (94.1-FM)  

Who: Flyers (22-9-5) at Los Angeles Kings (22-12-1) When: 10:30 p.m. Where: Staples Center TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WIP (610-AM)

Los Angeles Kings coach Pat Quinn was expelled from the National Hockey League yesterday pending an investigation of a report that he had signed a contract and accepted money to become general manager of the Vancouver Canucks next season. Kings officials, who met with Quinn last night, said they had no immediate comment. "We would like to be informative," said general manager Rogie Vachon. "However, since this matter is under investigation, we are obliged to make no comment.

The National Hockey League is investgating the strange case of former Flyers coach Pat Quinn, whom it expelled yesterday for reportedly signing a contract to become general manager and president of the Vancouver Canucks while still serving as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. According to a broadcast report out of Calgary, Quinn, who is under contract to the Kings until after this season, when his three-year agreement expires is the first coach every to be expelled. Quinn "is expelled from the National Hockey League and may not be employed by any member club of the league or involved in any further activities on behalf of the league or its member clubs," the league said in a statement issued in the name of president John Ziegler.

Former Flyers center Mike Richards, now with the Los Angeles Kings, commented Tuesday about a recent story that said he and former teammate Jeff Carter were traded because of excessive partying. A report written in the Philadelphia Daily News by gossip columnist Dan Gross said that in December 2009, head coach Peter Laviolette asked his players to commit to not drinking for a month, and each player was to write his number on a locker-room board as a pledge. According to two unnamed players, Richards' No. 18 and Carter's No. 17 were not on the board for the "Dry Island" experiment.

Right winger Wayne Simmonds has agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Flyers, the team announced on Thursday morning. The deal is believed to be worth $4 million per season, according to a TSN.ca report. Simmonds, 23, scored a career-high 28 goals and added 21 assists while playing all 82 games in his first season with the Flyers. He came from the Los Angeles Kings with Brayden Schenn in June 2011 as part of the Mike Richards trade. The Scarborough, Ontario, native has 67 goals and 75 assists in 322 NHL games with the Flyers and Kings.

The Los Angeles Kings have given multiyear contract extensions to coach Darryl Sutter, general manager Dean Lombardi, and president of business operations Luc Robitaille. The Stanley Cup champions announced the deals Friday. Sutter took over for the fired Terry Murray in December 2011 and immediately led the Kings to the franchise's first championship. The veteran coach went 25-13-11 in the regular season before eighth-seeded Los Angeles' 16-4 rampage through the playoffs. Last-minute moves The Washington Capitals have recalled defenseman Tom Poti from Hershey of the AHL, bringing back someone who hasn't played in an NHL game in two years because of injuries.

Penguins star Sidney Crosby practiced Monday but his status remains uncertain for Wednesday's playoff opener against the New York Islanders. Crosby hasn't played since suffering a broken jaw a month ago. He said he'll see doctors again Tuesday and will not play until he is given clearance.   Another chance The St. Louis Blues are getting yet another shot at the Los Angeles Kings, starting Tuesday. Los Angeles beat the Blues during its run to the Stanley Cup championship last season and swept St. Louis this season.

Dustin Penner could have simply dumped the puck and allowed the clock to run out on the second period of yet another dead-even game. Instead, he ripped a long slap shot at the net, and it ramped off a St. Louis stick and flew past Brian Elliott right before the buzzer sounded. "You might as well try," Penner said with a shrug. "You never know if you don't throw it on net. " That's the type of positive thinking that made the Los Angeles Kings into champions, and that's why they finally got rid of the Blues after a bruising first round of their title defense.

He may not have any more major statistical achievements to aim for in his 17th NHL season, but Wayne Gretzky is enjoying hockey as much now as he ever has. "When you're winning, it's amazing how much fun it is. I can't wait to get to the rink," Gretzky said last night after his goal and two assists led the visiting Los Angeles Kings to a 4-2 victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Hockey's career scoring leader is back among the league's top 10 scorers. His production is reflected in the Western Conference standings, where the Kings own the second-best record behind the Colorado Avalanche.

Dustin Penner could have simply dumped the puck and allowed the clock to run out on the second period of yet another dead-even game. Instead, he ripped a long slap shot at the net, and it ramped off a St. Louis stick and flew past Brian Elliott right before the buzzer sounded. "You might as well try," Penner said with a shrug. "You never know if you don't throw it on net. " That's the type of positive thinking that made the Los Angeles Kings into champions, and that's why they finally got rid of the Blues after a bruising first round of their title defense.

ALEX STEEN stole the puck from goalie Jonathan Quick behind the net and scored a shorthanded goal to give the Blues a 2-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night in St. Louis in the opening game of their Western Conference playoff series. Steen scored unassisted on a backhander at 13:26 of overtime less than a minute after Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was whistled for double-minor high sticking when he cut Dustin Penner. Steen also scored on a power play in the first period for the Blues, who ended an eight-game losing streak against the team that swept them in the second round last spring.

Penguins star Sidney Crosby practiced Monday but his status remains uncertain for Wednesday's playoff opener against the New York Islanders. Crosby hasn't played since suffering a broken jaw a month ago. He said he'll see doctors again Tuesday and will not play until he is given clearance.   Another chance The St. Louis Blues are getting yet another shot at the Los Angeles Kings, starting Tuesday. Los Angeles beat the Blues during its run to the Stanley Cup championship last season and swept St. Louis this season.

Bryan Bickell scored in overtime on a two-on-one rush, and the Chicago Blackhawks started the playoffs on a winning note after dominating the regular season, beating the visiting Minnesota Wild, 2-1, on Tuesday night. Corey Crawford settled down after allowing a weak goal in the opening minutes. Marian Hossa also scored, and the Blackhawks took the early lead in this first-round series. Game 2 is Friday at the United Center. Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom was a late scratch because of a leg injury.

The Flyers' 31-32-11 record certainly wasn't one for the ages. But it was good enough to make the Orange-and-Black the NHL's 1967-68 Western Division champs - a title they clinched on April 2, 1968. The team finished with 73 points, one more than the Los Angeles Kings. They also finished ahead of the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins and two franchises that no longer extist: The Oakland Seals and the Minnesota North Stars (the Seals subsequently became the Cleveland Barons, which ultimately merged with the Minnesota North Stars, who today play in Dallas)

JEFF CARTER scored twice for the first time since the Stanley Cup clincher, helping the visiting Los Angeles Kings keep the slumping St. Louis Blues down with a 4-1 victory on Monday night. Brian Elliott has been in net the last four games of the Blues' five-game losing streak, during which they've allowed 26 goals. Elliott made 19 saves in a surprise start a day after Jaroslav Halak was activated from injured reserve, led the team onto the ice for the pregame skate and was listed on the game sheet.

The Los Angeles Kings have given multiyear contract extensions to coach Darryl Sutter, general manager Dean Lombardi, and president of business operations Luc Robitaille. The Stanley Cup champions announced the deals Friday. Sutter took over for the fired Terry Murray in December 2011 and immediately led the Kings to the franchise's first championship. The veteran coach went 25-13-11 in the regular season before eighth-seeded Los Angeles' 16-4 rampage through the playoffs. Last-minute moves The Washington Capitals have recalled defenseman Tom Poti from Hershey of the AHL, bringing back someone who hasn't played in an NHL game in two years because of injuries.

Right winger Wayne Simmonds has agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Flyers, the team announced on Thursday morning. The deal is believed to be worth $4 million per season, according to a TSN.ca report. Simmonds, 23, scored a career-high 28 goals and added 21 assists while playing all 82 games in his first season with the Flyers. He came from the Los Angeles Kings with Brayden Schenn in June 2011 as part of the Mike Richards trade. The Scarborough, Ontario, native has 67 goals and 75 assists in 322 NHL games with the Flyers and Kings.

NOT LONG AGO, Philadelphia seemed to have struck gold with coaches. We had a World Series-winning manager, a Stanley Cup-winning hockey coach, a football coach who kept coming thisclose and Doug Collins, whose enthusiasm and energy level can make even Pat Croce look like a lollygagger. Those four are still at their respective helms, but like everything else today, there's been significant depreciation. Andy Reid went 8-8 last season and nearly got fired. Another favored Charlie Manuel team failed to deliver on its promise in 2011, and now finds itself in last place.

It was kind of fitting. On the day the real Goodfellas wiseguy, Henry Hill, passed on to the big tiki bar in the sky, Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper broke out his best Joe Pesci "Do I amuse you?" impersonation in response to a Canadian TV reporter on Tuesday. The Toronto talker asked the 19-year-old slugger if he planned to take advantage of Ontario's lower drinking age (19, not 21 as in the United States) after he belted a long home run off the restaurant windows in the Rogers Centre in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jays.