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Kings forward Justin Williams on Stanley Cup motivation

Kings forward Justin Williams takes a break during a team practice in El Segundo on Sept. 19.
Kings forward Justin Williams takes a break during a team practice in El Segundo on Sept. 19.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
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The Kings have used many creative ways to describe their winning Stanley Cup experiences in 2012 and 2014.

Serious. Funny. Candid.

But Kings right wing Justin Williams managed to run the gamut of emotion when he talked about motivation. In this case, it was losing the Stanley Cup in 2013. The Kings will open their regular season against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday at Staples Center, kicked off by the Stanley Cup banner-raising.

“One of the things that drives us is, sometimes, jealousy,” Williams said on Tuesday after practice. “I see someone with the Stanley Cup and it’s like a wife or someone. I see someone else holding it and I get jealous and upset. And I want it back.

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“That was kind of the feeling that we had after we lost to Chicago (in the Western Conference Final) and they won the Cup a couple of years ago.”

The players are eager for meaningful games. They are welcoming the prospect of a shorter pregame ceremony on Wednesday night to celebrate the Stanley Cup victory, and Kings Coach Darryl Sutter even said that some of the veterans told him a week ago that they were ready for the season.

“We’ve all kind of been there,” Kings captain Dustin Brown said. “We’re a pretty experienced team and been through it together. We kind of know what we need to do.”

“…We’re all prepared and ready to go. Our attitude is a little different this year. I think we’re more focused, more business-like this time around.”

He also addressed the point Williams made.

“You have a greater appreciation for winning,” Brown said. “I’ve said this in the past. You don’t really know what you’ve lost until you’ve actually done what you’ve set out to do. Prior to 2012, losing in the playoffs (stunk) but that was a whole new meaning now that we’ve won. We understand what winning is and how much fun it is.

“Now when you lose, it hurts that much more.”

Twitter: @reallisa

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