Home sweet home, indeed. At least season-opening ticket prices were very hospitable, ranging from $2.50 to $6 (that's $18-44 today). And Los Angeles doubled up Philadelphia 4-2.
The Flyers figured into another special season opener on October 10, 1974. The Kings staggered into the Spectrum, reeling from their first and only winless exhibition season ever. "They played like fat cats," bemoaned Los Angeles GM Jake Milford. "I know Mr. Cooke is very worried." (Larson, Al. "Lethargic Kings Open Season Tonight in Philly. The Independent, October 10, 1974.)
LA would knock down the defending Stanley Cup champs 5-3 and go on to score their finest regular season ever with 105 points.
Expectations were sky high the following year as the Kings added scoring ace Marcel Dionne to their attack formation. But as it would prove to be time after time, the Montreal Forum was a house of horrors for Los Angeles, as the Canadiens dropped them 9-0 on October 8, 1975.
This was LA's worst-ever season-opening loss and some way to welcome future franchise cornerstone Dionne. Even the opposing netminder sympathized. "That's enough errors by their team for three or four games," observed Ken Dryden. "I'm sure it feels bad to open the season like that." (Cole, Glenn. "Kings Come Up Flat Against Flying Habs." The Canadian Press, October 9, 1975.)
It went from bad to worse a couple nights later when Los Angeles lost 7-0 to the New York Islanders, tying the most lopsided two-game stretch in club history. (They were outscored 18-2 over consecutive contests in 1971-72.)
Speaking of franchise cornerstones, LA replaced one in Rogie Vachon, who had departed via free agency, just days before their October 11, 1978 season opener against the Washington Capitals. GM George Maguire sent a 1979 first-round draft pick to the Boston Bruins for Ron Grahame.
"It's no secret we've been looking for a front-line goaltender," declared Kings coach Bob Berry. "Ron Grahame fills the bill to perfection." (Merry, Don. "Kings Get Goalie Grahame from Bruins." Los Angeles Times, October 10, 1978.)
Some of the 8,318 who were there at the (Los Angeles) Forum to gaze at this new star might have been surprised to see a familiar No.30 shooting out of the tunnel. "Numbers weren't that big a deal to me. It was almost more what I was given," Grahame revealed almost three decades later. "I obviously knew Vachon wore 30 in LA, but that was the number I was given.
The Capitals topped the Kings 4-2, but Vachon was still on everybody's mind. Detroit Red Wings GM Ted Lindsay, mired in a contentious compensation battle with Maguire over the signing of Vachon, fumed, "The Kings
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Sheng Peng is a freelance hockey writer based out of Los Angeles, California. He covers the LA Kings and Ontario Reign for Today's Slapshot. His work has also appeared on VICE Sports, The Hockey News, and SB Nation's Jewels from the Crown.
