Kings' Williams has added motivation

Justin Williams was injured. And then hurt.

As the March trading deadline approached last season, the forward was recovering from a broken hand. He hoped to soon to jump back into the Carolina Hurricanes' lineup and help in the push to make the playoffs.

And then he was traded. In a complex three-team deal, Williams wound up with the LA Kings as Erik Cole returned to the Canes from Edmonton.

"My emotions were obviously just that I was caught off-guard," Williams said today. "Obviously upset, because I had the best years of my career here and reached the top with this team and this city.

"There were a lot of emotions going through my head. There was anger. There was the excitement of going to a new team. A lot of emotions. And knowing at that time that you're going to have to move across country and start fresh.  

"But I think things happen for a reason and there's a reason I'm in L.A. We have an awesome team, a young team, with the ability to do something special. I'm glad to be a part of that." 

Williams, 28, missed a big chunk of the Canes' 2007-2008 season with a torn ACL. He then tore an Achilles tendon before training camp last season and was out the first 25 games. He returned to the lineup, then suffered the broken hand Feb. 15.

"The last two years I'd like to basically throw 'em back and forget all about them," he said.

Cole, who was traded to Edmonton for Joni Pitkanen after the 2008 season, returned to the RBC Center early last season with the Oilers and seemed out of sorts. His emotions were running high.

And Williams, in tonight's game against the Canes at the RBC Center?

"It's going to be almost exactly the same thing," he said. "It's weird making a left turn in the arena (to the visitors' locker room) instead of a right down to the Canes' dressing room.

"It's just a game but it just has a different aura to it, for me personally. It's special for me to play well and show them what they gave away. I'll work as hard as I do every other night, but there will be a little added incentive to do well tonight."

Williams has four goals and nine assists, and is plus-5, in 13 games for the Kings, who are 10-6-2 but coming off losses to Nashville and Chicago. The Kings are in the second game of a five-game road trip. 

"We're a team that's really, really close to getting it," Williams said. "We've had games where we've taken periods off, just like every team. The parts where we've lost it, we've lost it big time. We just haven't found exactly the way to stay in games when we're not at our best and that's what we need to do."

Williams, like many in the league, is surprised by the Canes' 12-game winless streak. He also hopes the end of that streak doesn't come tonight. 

"We know Carolina will come out with guns ablazing," he said. "They don't want to lose their season too early. At the same time, we've lost two in a row and we're not taking anything for granted.

"I wouldn't wish that (streak) on anybody, losing that many, and I know that's extremely frustrating for all the guys over there. It's still really early in the season. But we'll let them try and get a win another night. Definitely not tonight."