THE Kiss were about to place on the ice in their training establishment in El Segundo when the first embers of what was going to become One of the most destructive forest fires In the United States, history has started to blow out in the Pacific palisades.
It was on the January 7. Less than 24 hours later, with eight other fires that burn in southern California, the team postponed a home game with the flames of Calgary And prepared to go to Winnipeg, where they stuck stickers at the back of their helmets and their plates on the left shoulder of their white road jerseys in tribute to the firefighters who fight against these flames.
In the locker room, however, there was a feeling that it was not enough. The community they play was literally in flames and everything they could offer to people who were trying to save it were thoughts, prayers and a helmet sticker?
“You need a special person to meet a building when everyone is exhausted,” said Dana Bryson, head of long -standing assistant equipment for the team.
So Bryson stretched out Matthew and Marty MullenLifetime buds which are also firefighters, and they have developed a plan. Matthew would give a donation of a City fire helmet marked by the battle and Bryson convince the Kings to present it to the exceptional player after each home victory.
It was not a difficult sale.
“We all kissed it”, Kings Captain Anze Kopitar said. “We just wanted to recognize these guys, which they do for the city of Los Angeles and I hope they take a kick.”
They do, say the Mullen brothers. But the Kings have much more in return.
Since his return from the trip that started in Winnipeg, the Kings have won a better 17 times at the NHL at home, jumping on the EDMONTON Oilers and second in the Pacific division. If the Kings beat the Oilers in Alberta on Monday, they will have a home advantage against Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs, which start this weekend.
And the fire helmet obtains part of the credit for this.
“Perhaps this helmet emphasizes home,” said Glen Murray, twice the NHL All-Star and currently Director of Player Development. “You are clearer and you are super concentrated. This may have brought.”
The Kings goalkeeper, Darcy Kuemper, carries the fire helmet while celebrating with teammates in the locker room after a match.
(Los Angeles Kings)
“It's amazing,” added the president of Kings Luc RobitailleA Stanley Cup champion and the fame of fame as a player. “I think it really increases team spirit.”
It would not be the first time that a team has rallied around an unconventional Talisman.
In 2011, for example, an squirrel ran on the field to interrupt two games from the series of the National League division in St. Louis. The cardinals returned to win the second match and led the rally squirrel to its last title of the World Series, climbing a stuffed rodent with champagne after the final victory. And the Angels had the rally monkey, which, according to them, played a key role in the triumph of the team series in 2002 by inspiring a return of a deficit of 5-0 in seventh round of match 6.
The difference is that the kings have summoned their lucky tragedy and have made it a strength for good while never forgetting the courage and commitment that the helmet symbolizes.
“This one has a slightly deeper meaning, right?” Said Kopitar. “With all the things that have happened in the city, all of this helps. This is something that we have really not done in the past.”
What really made it work, however, was the fact that it was not a cheap marketing ploy or something related to a sponsorship agreement. He was inspired by the sacrifice and therefore, in turn, he inspired the sacrifice.
“Let's be honest,” said Bryson. “These guys here get many people who consider them as heroes or other. It is their way of creating a hero from real heroes. ”
Matthew Mullen, on the left, and Marty Mullen pose for a photo with the former NHL attacker Paul Bissonnette before the Skate for Strong event in Crypto.com Arena on February 23.
(Bailey Holiver / NHLI via Getty Images)
And everything occurred organically by refining a custom that the team had adopted at the start of the season when defender Mikey Anderson began to bring a Formula 1 pilot helmet to games, presenting him to the exceptional player after the victories. Kopitar asked Zak BrownThe Director General of McLaren RacingIf he could have a real helmet and Brown gave the team a bright yellow a dedication by Lando NorrisThe finalist in the points ranking last year.
“Do not tell these guys that the thing is likely to be 10, 15 large if someone bored,” said Bryson.
The trip to Winnipeg, however, forced a reset, especially since the players could see the smoke of the fires while their charter flight took off from Lax.
“I thought it would be cool to attach everything. And these guys donated the helmet right away,” said Bryson about Mullen twins. “So I asked Mikey and Kop. I said, “I'm going to get this fire helmet. Would you be cool with that at home? “”
There was no debate. So, with the fires that still burn, the team returned from a lamentable five -game road swing to find that the Mullen helmet was waiting for them.
There have been other changes, with the Center Ice at Crypto.com Arena logo replaced by a LaFd shield. The team also donated more than $ 8 million to fire relief efforts and would go to Organize a charity game in which the Mullen brothersThe two hockey players and other firefighters participated alongside celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Steve Carrell and Matt Leinart.
But for the players, the largest was the beaten yellow fire helmet with the huge red shield surrounding an 80 black and gray number, meaning Lafd station in Lax where Matthew Mullen, now a fire inspector, has already worked. On the right side is a black shield with a gray number 63, for the fire house of Venice Beach to which Mullen was also allocated.
“It struck to go to different fires,” said Matthew Mullen about the helmet. “I didn't want to give them a brand new brilliant helmet.”
The Kings Phillip Danault striker wears the fire helmet while celebrating with teammates in the locker room after a match.
(Los Angeles Kings)
The Kings lost their first match with the helmet in the house's locker room and the Shield Lafd in Center Ice, but won four of the next five and have not lost regulation again for 15 games, a franchise record. After each home victory, the helmet caretaker delivered a short speech, then transmitted it to the exceptional player this night.
“I'm like” Omigod, they continue to win “,” said Matthew Mullen. “It's an incredible good luck charm.”
Fans also understood. When the team published a video of the newcomer Andrei Kuzmenko by accepting the Trevor Moore helmet after a match at the end of last month, he obtained more than 40,000 views. One of these viewers was Mullen, who got into the habit of sharing Instagram publications with other firefighters.
“Now the helmet is more famous than anyone,” said Bryson.
The F1 helmet is always presented to the best player after the victories on the road, but it has gathered dust lately; The Kings have only won six times in 18 games on the road since the start of fires.
At home, however, the same team is almost as unbeatable as the Los Angeles fire service, a sequence that supported the Kings and the firefighters.
“We are not paid for what we do. We are paid for what we are arranged To do, “said Mullen.” When people are exhausted, we run. We are very proud of the kings and that we have all become fans of Kings.
“Seeing our logo on the central ice is just there is a lot. I just hope they have a long race during the playoffs.”
Summons that could end with a beaten yellow fire helmet perched at the top of the Lord Stanley Cup.
