LOS ANGELES -- Those two Stanley Cup title banners in the Staples Center rafters dont have dust on them just yet.The Los Angeles Kings think theyre too good to go without a playoff series victory over the last two years, and theyre determined to find new ways to have the same success that made them champions.After blowing the Pacific Division title in their final game of their 102-point regular season and then getting routed in the first round by San Jose, the Kings went back to work this fall with a new captain and a renewed belief they can contend for NHL titles with essentially the same core that won it all in 2012 and 2014.Training camp has been lively in Los Angeles, where coach Darryl Sutter has returned with the same deliberate mentality about building a championship team around a tough two-way style of play. Its not an easy way to play, but their 2012 playoff rampage is the only thing the Kings ever made look easy.I dont think its any secret that the theme is competition, veteran defenseman Rob Scuderi said. This team has had tremendous success in the past. Missing the playoffs (in 2015), and then having a first-round exit and maybe not playing the way we would have liked to, I think its a fresh start. Youve got to earn your spot. No matter what your position was or what you hope it to be, youve got to earn your time.Anze Kopitar is the Kings new captain after the club stripped the C from underachieving forward Dustin Brown, who didnt exactly like the way it was all handled. Browns meager production and massive contract have kept him tethered to Los Angeles, but general manager Dean Lombardi hopes fewer responsibilities will rekindle Browns skills.The Kings will be led by Kopitar and Drew Doughty, who added his first Norris Trophy to his overflowing awards case this summer. After long stretches at the World Cup of Hockey, Kopitar and Doughty are expected to play in preseason games this week in Las Vegas, and theyll be ready to roll for the season opener in San Jose next week.Here are more things to know about the Kings:GABORIK DOWN: Oft-injured forward Marian Gaborik will be out until late November with a broken foot suffered at the World Cup, depriving the goal-hungry Kings of another offensive playmaker after Milan Lucic left for Edmonton as a free agent. At least the 34-year-old will be fresh when he returns to the lineup. Until then, the Kings hope Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli -- who is heading into a contract year -- and others will pick up the pace in an already top-heavy lineup.MUZZINS MOVE: Sure, Jake Muzzin watched most of the World Cup from the press box. Just making Canadas roster was an honor for the late-blooming Kings defenseman who averaged 40 points over the past two seasons. He could be ready to take another step forward in prominence on the Kings defensive corps, which still hasnt fully recovered from Slava Voynovs NHL flameout and Robyn Regehrs retirement. Muzzin will likely have to anchor a defensive pairing with newcomer Tom Gilbert or the winner of a camp competition for a final roster spot.AINT THAT A QUICK IN THE HEAD: Jonathan Quick returned from his World Cup stint with Team USA to post a shutout in his Kings preseason debut. He finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting last season, and the unorthodox veteran appears ready for another year of heavy workload. Few teams success is as tied to its goalie as the Kings with Quick -- and few goalies create as many conflicting opinions as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.TEDDY THERE: The cap-strapped Kings closest thing to an impact addition is Teddy Purcell, the 31-year-old left wing who played 91 games for the Kings over three seasons more than a half-decade ago. He scored a career-high 43 points last season between Edmonton and Florida, and he could fit in nicely on Kopitars left wing with Brown on the other side.TANNERS TURN: The Kings would desperately love a step forward by Tanner Pearson, the 24-year-old forward who has appeared ready for stardom at times. He scored 36 points in 79 games last season, but didnt score a goal in January during an inconsistent campaign. With few blue-chip prospects ready to help the Kings, its a good time for Pearson to reach his potential. Nike Air Zoom Outlet . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Nike Zoom Wholesale . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. http://www.nikezoomclearance.com/ . The 25-year-old Japanese star has officially been posted by his club team, the Rakuten Golden Eagles. Nike Zoom Clearance Sale .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Nike Zoom Sale .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Peter Jok scored 20 of his 27 points in the first half and Iowa cruised to a 95-67 win over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Sunday.Tyler Cook scored 15 points and Isaiah Moss had a career-high 14 for the Hawkeyes (3-1), who shot 51 percent from the field and scored 41 points off 26 Vaqueros turnovers.Iowa went on a 26-7 run in the middle of the game to pull away from UTRGV -- including a faster start to the second half that coach Fran McCaffery has wanted from his young team.McCaffery watched his Hawkeyes turn a two-point halftime lead into a 53-47 deficit in Thursdays loss against Seton Hall -- an eight-point swing in 4 1/2 minutes. On Sunday, Iowa pushed a 46-33 lead at the break to 20 points in just a few minutes.Im really proud of how aggressively our team came out during the second half and executed, said forward Nicholas Baer, who had eight points and seven rebounds. I think thats something weve been struggling with.Jok, Iowas top scorer and lone returning starter from last season, left a few minutes into the second half after a knee-to-knee collision with a defender during a drive to the rim.Jok -- who 9-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-8 3-pointers, in 19 minutes -- stayed in to shoot his two free throws, but didnt play after that as a precaution. Jok wanted to go back in the game to test his knee, but McCaffery wasnt having it.The last thing I wanted to do was put him back in there and have something happen to him, McCaffery said.Antonio Green scored 17 points to lead UTRGV (0-4), which out-rebounded Iowa 43-38.Iowas Brady Ellingson scored 11 points.BIG PICTUREIowa:: The Hawkeyes needed this pick-me-up after Thursdays tough loss to Seton Hall.dddddddddddd Iowa still struggled from the foul line, hitting 20 of 30 attempts. Its an area the Hawkeyes need to clean up as the competition stiffens.UTRGV: The winless Vaqueros have struggled to find consistent offense this season. Turnovers are a big reason why. UTRGV has averaged 24.3 turnovers in its last three games, including a season-high tying 26 against the Hawkeyes.HIGHLIGHT REELCook, a freshman, continues to show off his athleticism and leaping ability, finishing four big dunks in the first half.During one stretch late in the half, Dom Uhl drove the lane and tossed an alley-oop to Cook for the two-handed slam. Less than a minute later, Christian Williams passed back to Cook in transition for an easy, wide-open dunk.INJURIESIowas Dale Jones did not play after suffering a fractured wrist in Thursdays game against Seton Hall. The backup forward is expected to miss 8-9 weeks.Jones, a senior co-captain who transferred to Iowa from junior college in 2015, played in only six games last year before a knee injury ended his season. He was expected to add depth to the teams frontcourt rotation this season.UP NEXTIowa faces a huge challenge in No. 8 Virginia on Friday in the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida. The Hawkeyes will play either Providence or Memphis on Saturday to wrap up the tournament.UTRGV goes for its first win of the season against Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday. Cheap Throwback Baseball Detroit Tigers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Colorado Rockies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Houston Astros Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Kansas City Royals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Angels Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Miami Marlins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Minnesota Twins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Mets Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Yankees Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Oakland Athletics Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Diego Padres Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Francisco Giants Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Seattle Mariners Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Texas Rangers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Washington Nationals Jerseys ' ' '