Here’s my game story for tonight, complete with stats and video. Thanks for reading!
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GO KINGS!
Make it 9 in a row on Saturday!
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And then 10 in a row on Monday….
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Thanks Rich, you’re doing a fantastic job!
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Carol, this is the guy you wanted Kovalchuk.
Atlanta GM Dave Waddell said.
Clearly, the company line here is that signing Kovalchuk at his demands would have crippled the team’s ability to build around him and to retain young players like Evander Kane(notes) and Zach Bogosian(notes) when they became free agents. “We haven’t won a playoff game yet,” said Waddell. “We need to build this team with that in mind. If you pay one player the cap amount, it really ties your hands.”
Put in names like Doughty, Richardson, Simmonds, JJ, and Parse and he could have been talking about the Kings who have way better young talent pool then Atlanta. Thank You DL for once again not panicing and protecting the best interests of the Kings organization.
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just got me a PAIR…of tix for saturdays game. Want to be there for the record setter!!! VIVA LOS KINGS!!!!
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Rich,
Is there a possiblity that if the Kings last longer in the playoffs then the Monarchs, that J. Bernier or J. Zatoff may be called up by the Kings, and what are the contract implications should either happen. I am worried that the way TM is riding Quick, that Ersberg may be too rusty to play well if needed.
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let Quick play until he drops a game, then give him rest. For all we know Ersberg is working his prick off in practice, just chomping at the bit…
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>Luc20Rules
Couldn’t have said it better myself. By not making the move, DL didn’t give up on the boys he promised to keep together, and showed them all what character really is. A trade for Kovy would have really changed this team, one with 35 wins in 57 games and a 8 game win streak, no matter how good Kovy is. (and he is REALLY GOOD!!)
DL rocks!!!
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I’m glad DL sticks to his game plan. this team is on fire and there is no need to bring Kovi anymore. he will probably go to the KHL next season cuz he has the mentality of a NY Yankee ($$$). and there is no need for that kind of mentality in the NHL.
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@Luc20: Did you catch something that Jim Fox mentioned on the broadcast? He said that when the Kings were in New Jersey, he heard Stan Fischler say that if he was DL, there’s no way he would break up this team to get Kovalchuk, not the way they’re playing now. I agree.
I also thought it was interesting, because some of the commenters here have complained about the Kings not getting any respect from the national hockey press (which is nothing new, of course). Fischler is a veteran East Coast hockey journalist who gets national exposure through cable TV gigs and syndication of his writing.
About the goalies, I also worry that Quick will burn out because he’s never been worked like this at this level before. But I also understand that TM wants to ride the hot hand and grab as many wins as possible while the team is playing so well. I’m trying to look at the bright side: At this rate, maybe the Kings will lock up a playoff spot early enough to give Quick some nights off at the end of the season.
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God I hope they move Harrold back to defense and sit Jones.
The fourth line isn’t working. Moller at center isn’t working.
Parse should be playing. He just doesnt fit with Handzus. Everyone wants to worship Zeus for proving he isn’t a bust. Fact is he is slow and contributes nothing on the rush. He is too slow to keep up and just stays back like a third defenseman in the offesnsive zone. Parse is a dynamic player that makes plays offensively. I agree that Parse has been making defensive mistakes lately. The problem is that anybody that plays with Handzus is bound to be playing defense because of his ultra-conservative approach in the offesnive zone.
If they’re going to continue playing Moller at center I’d rather see:
Richardson Kopitar Simmonds
Smyth Stoll Brown
Frolov Moller Parse*
Ivanans Handzus Segal
Scuderi Doughty
Johnson Harrold
O’Donnell Greene
*I think this line could click offensively and spend most of their shifts in the offensive zone.
When Murray wants to go to three forward lines to protect a lead he can go with Frolov Handzus and any one of Parse/Segal/Moller on RW.
Don’t get me wrong, Handzus is a valuable part of the team that does a lot if little things well. I just think Parse and Handzus don’t compliment each other very well.
In all, I’m loving life as a Kings fan right now!
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anybody who wants zus and fro separated is definitely just ‘some fan’
in other news. 8 in a row! go kings! chance to set a new record against the dreaded wings. saturday cant come soon enough!
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Im really at a loss of words right now. Happyy for the win and sad for not getting the box checked off. what happens when losses come? I believe in this team! No doubt, but when need to have a little more solid depth in the playoofs. I don’t like to hear about the offseason do this oe do that. I believe we can shock the hockey world this year! they are that close and everybody knows anything is possible, with hard work. With that said how bout these Kingz! Get’em boys Aloha guyz
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KOPI-STAR. Welcome back. When he gets to be Kovi’s age, 4 years from now, people will be saying “Kovi who? Oh, yeah, that overpaid dude that ditched the NHL for money in the KHL, right?” I’m glad we have Kopi locked up. That last goal was just pure talent.
And Doughty’s hit on Ryan was PRICELESS. It was the perfect move to let him know that they didn’t forget his run on Moller, without jeopardizing the game.
Jones is a liability. We now know why he was sent down and we got him coming up on waivers. Thank God Philly is picking up half of the $3M salary on that guy.
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>OahuKingsFan
So you assume the Kings won’t even make it out of the first round??? You assume they can’t win the Cup as they are presently configured???
Strange things happen in the playoffs, and a team that gets on a run can do wondrous things. These Kings haven’t been to the playoffs, so actually DL has nothing to go on as far as what they need or don’t need. What he does know is they have bought into TMs system, they have 35 wins in 57 games played, and are currently on an 8 game win streak. Who would have even predicted this happening right now???
Should DL find another piece for this team that won’t mortgage the future under the cap system like if they had gotten Kovy, he will get him. The Devils window for a Cup run is very narrow because Brodeur doesn’t have many years left, so they have to strike now while the iron is hot. The Kings remain the 3rd (I think) youngest team in the NHL, so there is a little more time to put all the pieces together while keeping all these guys here. In the meanwhile, your team stays very competitive for years, instead of shooting it’s wad and disappearing, much like what happened to the Kings after the 92-93 Cup run.
DL knows what he’s doing, we as fans just have to trust him.
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Loving this run at the moment, long may it continue.
Have to agree Jones is a liability on defence.
Go Kings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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If Quick isn’t tired, then let him play. He’s going to get a two week rest during the Olympic break anyways. Its most likely that Thomas will get back-up duties for Team Stars and Bars due to having more experience than Quick
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It was a close one tonight, but super stoked on the victory. Way to go boys!
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Hey Rich,
I have a hunch who the Kings are trying to trade for. Are you ready? Here goes people, this may sound crazy, but i ahve a feeling DL is going to pick up Edmontons top scorer Dustin Penner. He has a big contract, but DL wants to shore up the lower lines. By adding Penner (22g 23a) to the 3rd line with Handzus and Frolov, you have a rediculously big and strong puck possesion line.
ANYBODY DARE CALL ME CRAZY? Im telling you all…start spreading the word, Dustin Penner will be a King for the draft picks/prospects DL is willing to trade.
Richardson-Kopitar-Simmonds
Smyth-Stoll-Brown
Penner-Handzus-Frolov
4th line
think about the top 3 line depth.
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>Contreras79
Hmmmmmmmmmm…………..me like!!!
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Congrats to the Kings on setting a franchise record ‘in the shootout era’.
Remember, we are comparing apples to oranges here. If we go back to the pre-shootout era, we are comparing this streak to two separate 8 game streaks (1991-92 and 1972-73) where the Kings ‘won prior to the 65th minute’ of each game in each of those 8 game streaks. Unfortunately, the Kings did not accomplish this feat in the Buffalo and Boston games of the current streak. Therefore, it should be considered a separate record.
See, the Kings ‘could’ have had a 9+ game winning streak in a stretch in the pre-shootout era where they went say 8-0-1, 7-0-3, something of this nature. We will never know whether those past Kings stretches would have been all wins because, of course, there were no shootouts back then, and therefore recorded ties. They Kings had the benefit of the shootout in the Buffalo and Boston games. If this stretch is compared to the pre-shootout era (minus 4 on 4 in OT), the Kings would be 6-0-2.
It would also be nice if our commentators stopped using so-called facts such as ‘this is the 2nd highest points total after x many games in Kings history’. Again, this is compared to seasons where there were not shootout wins and 3 point games. Did the Kings ever get a point in the games they lost in OT during the 1992-93 season? No, they didn’t, but they do now. The point is, lets stop comparing records between different eras.
I hope these points are well taken. They are not meant in any way to diminish what the Kings are currently accomplishing.
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Contreras79-
I’d be on board with that.
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R.E.M. Murray-
If you want to go there, the game is much faster, the rules are different, the equipment is much better. Evolution has happened and the younger players are better, way earlier in their careers. Of course you can’t compare, but making history in a franchise is something that these current players will always be able to look back on with pride.
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kings4queens
Lets say hypothetically during the 1992-93 streak that on either the front or back end of that streak the Kings had a tie. Now, you would agree that the Kings therefore had a stretch of 8-0-1 that season.
Now lets say Kelly Hrudey was in goal for that tie game and he won a shootout, which would have then given the Kings 9 straight victories (as compared to current times). What in the hell does that have anything to do with evolution?
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i agree with REM Murray…the kings have 8 shootout wins this year plus 3 OT losses. thats 11 extra points they have now that they wouldn’t have had in 92-93. and if you dont think 11 points are huge, just look at the standings and see what a difference they make. same goes for quick’s record of closing in on the most wins by a goalie record in one season. if you dont count the shootout wins, he would only be at 25 now, not 33. not to take away any of the excitement around this team. i am enjoying as much as any of you are but, lets be fair…
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blahblah
I was so excited when Brown scored that ‘empty netter’ GWG tonight. It’s a new era of hockey and I’m sold.
Very good points on Quick too! I hate to see Mario Lessard get shortchanged here for his 35 wins. I’m sure he could have won a shootout or two, should we give him that?
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i propose we still count the new records (for bragging rights) except, lets place a size 1 font asterisk in front of them. everyone ok with that?
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R.E.M. Murray-
I understand your nostalgia, and I understand the comparison that you are trying to make. Times have changed though. It is 2010.
What I meant about evolution is that players are bigger and stronger than during 1992-93. Younger players are making their way earlier, because they have better skills earlier on. ie: Sid Crosby, Drew Doughty, John Tavares. Do you not think that has something to do with evolution?
Take Quick, for example. Were any of the goalies 20 years ago 6’2″ and 225? Did they have his atheleticism?
You can love Jim Fox and Daryl Evans, they were great players in their time, but they would get bounced around like Oscar Moller does if they played now. Evolution has created stronger, tougher, more resiliant athletes, with better reflexes, and more honed skills.
That is what I think evolution has to do with it.
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Don’t give 2 **its about any records other than our conference standings.
We are only 5 pts away from Chicago for the 2nd best in the conference.
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BTW, top seed in divisions only counts for the first round, correct? Starting in the 2nd round its only about pts, right? Not 100% sure.
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No, they re-seed
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Morning everyone. What a game, start off with a beat down on the porn stache. Drago looked bored and still thumped Parros good. I hate corey fairy. Doughty with the hipcheck on Ryan was classic. Simmons yapping at Ryan at every faceoff was great. I saw that anytime anyone had a chance to hit the kid, they did. Glad to see it. I think Oscar went out early and was trying to prove he wasn’t going to get pushed around, I think he was probably gripping to hard. Bummer of a letdown in the 3rd, but I agree with the last thread and TM, we calmed down and played our game. The way we were cycling at 3 minutes left, the sucks were just chasing around, and thats even before Mr. Ed got the penalty. I am 100% convinced that he should have gotten an unsportsmanlike, I missed the fact that he was spraying water on fans, must be taking lessons from corey fairy. I hate corey fairy. Did you see the way the little h*mo skated clear across the ice to complain to the ref that he had a hang-nail, or that he had an oww-ee, or that he MIGHT have gotten hit with a stick? what a baby, I hate corey fairy. All right, I feel better now. Great win by the Kings, Kopi is a stud, Brownie is a horse, Zues is a God, I have a man-crush on Oscar, and I hate the sucks. Oh, and the mad Russian in 304 makes every game I go to so much more entertaining, I almost, almost, felt bad for the sucks fan, until I remembered they were sucks fans. Go Kings, lets make it 9 tomorrow. Go Kings!
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A good team can get lackadaisical and squander leads. We’ve seen it many times in the past.
A GREAT team keeps its composure and comes back and wins the games they were destined to lose. Tonight was one of those efforts.
Kopitar was tremendous, Simmer was Simmer, and if Quick wanted a goal or two back, so be it. Ducks were hungry and he made some key saves too.
In some ways, I’m more impressed with this win than many others for the simple fact that we were poised to lose and yet ended up winning.
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Glad the Kings won, but that was a strange game. How many times will you see Quick give up 3 goals in the 3rd, off 5 shots and we still win? Or how many times will we see the Kings get 6 goals and DD not even get so much as an assist? It was an ugly win, but I’ll take it. Glad to see Kopitar back…
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Agreed with now impressed! As we watched this game with my father in law(a ducks fan) he was jumping around sayin the ducks where a third period team when they tied in the third!
Well, THE KINGS are a shoot out team!!!!!LOL!!! They made some mistakes letting the ducks score those goals in the third, but man are they resilient!!!!
Kopi looks relaxed and is playing his own game now. And simmonds is just flat out a hustler that can score. I only look for him to get better!
So, the “rubbin it in” took off to my father in law!!!!
The last phrases where: Kopi aint smokin no dopi
And……………………………………………………… OJ Simmonds!!!!!!LOL
That was a fun game! If the Kings are firing on all cylinders look the hell out!!!! Stanley Cup Finals here we come!!!!
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Stanley Cup Finals? LOL! We are a good young team but the playoffs are a completely different situation.
But THANK GOD we are headed for them after a long long break.
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(To Some fan)
In response to wanting Zus on the 4th line. Are you nuts? You complain that he plays too much defense when that’s actually his job on the checking line. The fourth line is for energy. The third is for defense. Besides that, your criticisms of Zus are wrong. He’s not always back with the D during offensive zone time. Do you even notice him screening the goalies constantly? That’s his specialty. Think of how many goals we wouldn’t have scored if Zus wasn’t there making it difficult for the goalie’s vision? That’s enough.
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Carol,
This team is young yes. But you want a young team. We have some exceptional players as well. And we have loads of depth!
Honestly, I will be happy if they can make the play offs.
HOWEVER, this team has put the spank on San Jose, Phoenix and………………..WAS IT PITTSBURG they left stunned????????
So, YOU KEEP BEING THE RAIN, I WILL KEEP BEING THE PARADE………………
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In regard to the idea that TM is “riding” Quick too much, just keep in mind that I am sure there are two other sets of eyes on Quick as well and they happen to belong to two pretty darn good former goalies. I have no doubt that Hextall and Ranford are keeping a close eye on him. They were both guys that used to play a huge number of games year in and year out and I am sure they would be able to tell if Quick was getting worn out.
Great win last night. Let’s keep the streak alive! GO KINGS!!!
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Mahalo’s Kingfanone, thanx for the perspective. I wouldn’t want to give those guyz up either. Not even JJ! I believe he’ll be a beast! Some take a little longer to develop than others. Thats why I believe D.L said what he said during that time about Michigan. Not to bur JJ but to tell everyone it’s not his fault and to be patient with him. I for 1 will be. Aloha and thanx again
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Question — If the Kings finish with home ice but lose in the first round, would you consider that an upset by the other team?
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PakiFro:
Great question/point. Playoff hockey is so much more intense than regular season hockey. The Kings need to experience the difference in order to grow.
I think it would depend upon the matchup. If pitted against a close-to-the-vest team such as Colorado and Phoenix, it would be an upset. If pitted against someone such as Detroit, a veteran team, I don’t think it would be an upset.
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PakiFro -
Yes. Whatever team has home ice advantage is considered the favorite usually.
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Hey guys, on to Saturdays game against the Dead Wings, what’s our record on 1 o’clock starts? Can we do it? Anyone?……..
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Tantrum — I agree, the higher seed is the favorite on paper, but given the lack of experience (as Bako pointed out), and the expecations of the team going into the season (and even now) of just getting to the playoffs, is it fair to say that they blew it if they lose in the first round, even if they’re the home seed? I dont think it would be. Not that I’ll be content with just a post season appearance and a sweep out, but I think the pressure to perform doesnt compare to what they’ve faced so far.
That said, Chicago went all the way to the WCF in their first post season experience in several years. So who knows? Also, I boldly predicted a Stanley Cup in 2010 for the Kings to my co-workers, so I’ll stick to that prediction.
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R.E.M. Murray -
Just to put this to bed, the 91-92 Kings eight game win streak was bookended by losses, and the 72-73 Kings had eight straight wins, a tie, then a loss. So Hrudey would not have had a chance to win in a shootout because they actually lost the games before and after the streak, not tie them…
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tantrum4
Did you miss the word ‘hypothetically’?
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9 in a row. It’s something they can do. They need to commit to it. Come out as prepared as they have for any game. It’s a day game, so there’s even more push to get it right. After that, win or lose, I think they should stay the night in an Anaheim hotel Sunday night and make Anaheim a “road” game in the truest sense, to keep the fire burning. These points they keep earning are valuable points, and they’ll pay off in the end–plus, there’s always a slim chance of eventually catching the fish who reside up north, if they stay really hot.
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The thing I didn’t notice until I read the game story is that the Kings scored most of their goals at the beginnings and ends of periods, where they really work to demoralize the opponent. There’s lots of ways this game could have gone, but the early comeback and the late settling down went a long way to put this game away.
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The streak currently should have an asterisk next to it–but what if the streak blows by the previous streaks? Just wishing.
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The Kings are 2-2-1 in 1PM games this season.
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