Anze Kopitar’s postgame thoughts…
(on his game thoughts…)
KOPITAR: “I thought it was a good effort from both teams. Unfortunately we dropped it in the shootout, but I thought the effort was there, and the composure and compete level and energy level was there. It’s just two good teams going at it. It’s too bad that we lost, but the shootout is really a lottery.”
(on Nabokov’s game…)
KOPITAR: “He was good. He made some good saves right off the bad, too. We had our chances and, to be honest, he didn’t have a whole lot of work in the shootout. Four out of six were kind of bobbled pucks or something. That’s a little unlucky, but he’s a great goaltender and you have to make a great shot to beat him.”
(on being on equal footing with the Sharks, overall…)
KOPITAR: “No question. Even the record says it too. I think we have the same record right now. But like I said, I thought that in the first period we were better than them. The second period, obviously they came back a little more. Everything was going fine. We scored a goal, we took the lead, and they scored a goal but it was back and forth. We had enough chances, so we can say at the end of the day that we did play an equal game against them. We can compare ourselves to them.”
I enjoyed hearing your comments on TV, Rich…
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(on the shootout order)
KOPITAR: Well yah I got to see the list before it was handed in. It was interesting to see Stoll, and then Purcell was penciled in after him, followed by Richardson, Parse, Drewiskie, Odi, Harrold, Scuds, Green, Ivanans, then Doughty, Smyth, Ersberg and finally Fro. I heard Murray calling up the coach in Manchester to see if he could send a few players to the shark tank on time for the shootout so he can squeeze them in before Fro, but no dice.
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WWAMD,
Ok the fake quotes aren’t funny anymore. With that said i was watching NHL on the fly on NHL network just now and they said “Its obvious that Terry murray got the message through to frolov who has 7 points in his last 4 games. Yet we didn’t see him in the shootout maybe he isn’t in the goodbook as of yet” We may not of won, but it was a good effort from the boys to be displayed nationally. Let’s get those Nucks tomorrow. We need to attack raycroft since Luongo is out and so is the other sedin.
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Mike
I’ll say this again
FRO’S recent numbers is NOT do to being sat out, its due to his NEW LINEMATES…geeeeeez
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WWAMD: Fro’s recent number’s due to “new” linemates? He’s been playing with Zeus forever now, so that’s ONE new linemate. I don’t think that Brown should get all the credit for Fro’s recent play. He’s helping. But Fro is a special player when he’s on.
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Mike,
I wonder when the fact that Frolov led this team in goals last season is going to sink in with Murray and he’ll give Fro the chance to play with our other two best offensive players.
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i might be missing something, but didn’t Fro only get 1 new line mate? if so, then if Simmonds was such a drag on Fro, Murray must really have it in for the team by putting Simmonds on the 1st line and letting Fro get hot with DB.
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You’re not missing anything Kingston…the only difference is Brownie.
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I would have liked to see Fro take a shot…but if he missed it still wouldn’t have gotten all of you Fro defenders to understand the concept that is making the team work.
Look, these guys have the skill just like everyone else. But it’s the drive to be a winner that Dean has been talking about.
I love Dean’s idea that character is the thing that will separate the men from the boys.
Kopi and Scuds have character. As well as Green, Brown, the whole team for that matter. In a time when that is missing from not only sports, but the world that I live in, I’m grateful.
The only thing I’m going to miss is rooting for the underdog:)
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I found it interesting that during the second period Fox made a comment about Simmonds play. He stated that when Simmonds was playing on his old line with Fro and Zeus, they were instructed to dump the puck in and go after it. Now that he is playing on the “top” line, he is expected to make plays.
Unless Fox was wrong, what I gathered is that Frolov was expected to play a dump and chase game. Not what I would consider Frolov’s strong suit.
Taking a player and forcing them to play a style that doesn’t suit them is one thing (bad coaching?), getting mad because that player doesn’t excel in that role makes no sense.
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No matter what the facts are regarding dump and chase or what have you………………Fro has definately upted it a notch or two. No question about it. He is taking the puck to the net and making plays, not waiting for the open net chances like before. Not due to his linemates. He has picked up his game. Maybe Brownie is barking in his ear on the bench (who knows).
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Idk I’d any of you have watched this team in shootouts over the years, but Fro is horrendous in the shootout historically
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WWAMD…pray tell…when was the last time Frolov converted on a breakaway and/or a shootout opportunity.
I’ll answer that for you…2 years ago. The man cannot score on a breakaway to save his life.
If you don’t think the benching has anything to do with his play since then, well my friend, I suggest you watch a tad closer. Frolov actually checked a guy last night. You know what that means? The messege got through…you either show up and play hard, or you don’t play period.
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Cristobal…this is hockey 101. You don’t put your best offensive players all on 1 line. Why? They are easier to stop that way.
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Richard, I believe you are wrong…maybe I’m wrong, but what I heard was that on Simmond’s old line “they like to dump the puck in while the top line is carrying the puck and making plays”.
I never heard the word INSTRUCTED.
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I do believe you are right Jeff. The term instructed was not used. If Frolov would’ve taken the puck up the ice with speed and taken in to the net with authority like he has lately, that line doesnt have to play the dump and chase game as much. You have a skill player, you used his skills to the best of the team’s ability and structure. Murray is not an idiot, and is not going to tell Fro, No Fro, dont go hard to the net! I dont want that at all! C’mon, really?
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cristobla -
Frolov had a TON of time playing with Kopitar last year and did nothing. He doesn’t deserve another chance on the top line when they are already playing great together. I don’t understand why you would want to break up our best line just to give Frolov another chance there. It doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever.
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