Before the season, I looked at two areas as being the most important in terms of whether the Kings would have success this season. One was goaltending, and after a somewhat wobbly start, Jonathan Quick has been very strong. The other was secondary scoring. How is that working out? Well, the Kings already have eight players with 10 or more goals this season. In all of last season, they only had six 10-plus goal scorers.
It seemed to me that the Kings, right now, are at their apex in terms of balanced scoring. At the start of the season, the Kopitar-Smyth-Williams line carried the team. Then, when Smyth got hurt and Kopitar slumped, the second and third lines picked it up. Now, it seems as though the Kings, most nights, are a three-line threat. I asked Kopitar if that was basically correct…
KOPITAR: “I think it’s a fair assessment. Obviously with the start that me, Smytty and Willy had, we were hot. Other guys were contributing too, but we were maybe getting all the goals and the fame, but the guys were playing hard. We can’t forget that for success, especially with this team, we need all the guys on board. Then, when I hit that slump there, we were still winning games. Simmer stepped up big time, throughout that stretch. I think Stolly had some really big goals too, so I think it just shows how deep we are. And that’s what you need, for being consistent and consistently winning games.”
Question: That ability to roll three lines that can score, that must be a huge positive for you guys…
KOPITAR: “Absolutely. Now, with the lines that are put together, it’s Stolly with Richie and Simmer. They can score. Obviously Zeus and Fro can score, and we can score too. I makes them think, for sure. It’s really something special that we have here, that maybe most teams don’t have. We have a checking line with Zeus, if you want to call it that, that is always a threat to score too, which is what most teams don’t have. We’re really fortunate to have that.”
RICH>>>>> THANK YOU… for all non superbowl watchers… THANK YOU for posting this precious content on our beloved team… you do a great job… one of these days i’ll thank you in person… i always see you outside section 318 where i sit
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Yes, these are probably my favorite types of entries, too. Thank you very much Rich for your hard work!
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I think that being a multi-threat team is an excellent way of putting it, as opposed to primary vs. secondary scoring.
Early in the season, when Kopitar and Smyth were scoring all the goals, I argued that “primary” v. “secondary” didn’t really matter as long as the Kings were winning. If Kopitar and Smyth were to get shut down and the Kings were losing, then it would become an issue.
However, if the point of the exercise is to have opponents understand that the Kings have three lines that are all capable of making the difference in a game, then, yes, that is important. It means that they have to spread their defensive efforts thin, meaning that someone should be able to break through and score on any given night. But this could still result in the same line scoring all the goals every night, if other teams persist in focusing on stopping one of the other two lines, and the stat sheet would show unbalanced scoring.
So I go back to my original thesis, which is that it doesn’t matter who scores the goals so much as whether the Kings are winning or not. The perception of multiple threats can work for the team in ways that don’t show up on a given player’s stat sheet.
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>RICH
Unless you missed it, we all appreciate you and what you do for us very, very much!!! (sniff, sniff!)
The important thing here is you sure don’t get a 9 game winning streak going without the ENTIRE organization doing it’s job well. I gotta praise DL especially, maybe just because it’s his job to not only put the players out there, but to bring TM in as well? And let’s not even forget the trainers, and just everyone from top to bottom for the Kings, for getting the job done right.
Don’t let me forget Luc as well, because isn’t he responsible for bringing in the On-Ice Video? That is just sick!!!
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I finally feel like I can die in peace now that the kings are actually a good team. I have been waiting and watching closely for 21 years…Which is why i have been suffering severe depression. The kings have got it right this year. This is an incredible run for this team especially compared to the Caps since we don’t have a huge superstar and modest payroll. I hope this is the year we win it all since 2012 is just around the corner… HA! Way to go kings!!!
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Put a solid 4th line together with salary cap left this year and we just don’t have to wait for two years to win the cup. You have to compensate for injuries & other factors ahead of time. Anyone thinks if we can make it to second or third round of playoff without key players like Kopi, brown or Doughtly? Let’s gear up for what is coming. I am just tired of not making it after 23 years of watching the Kings? I am sure some of you guys waited longer.
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Superbowl?
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How do we stack up against other teams in terms of scoring from defensemen? I feel like we’re in the top third, but I don’t know for sure.
Also, can we talk about how great it is to have defensemen who can fire it from the point? Doughty, Johnson and even Jones. The power play looks completely different out there now that those one-timers from the point are a threat.
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thanks Rich, an excuse not to watch the pig fly around
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Three huge players on our team….. JJ, Stoll and Greenie and DL traded for all three of them. That’s not bad if you ask me. Do I agree w every move he’s made? No I don’t, but when you look at the sum of his moves….. wow! I mean just those trades plus drafting Simmer and it’s a huge part of their core group already created.
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Nightman says:
thanks Rich, an excuse not to watch the pig fly around
Is Pink Floyd doing a concert then?
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Great job as usual Rich. Well done.
I agree, we have 3 strong lines, but I see us even having the potential of getting a good forth line with the prospects coming up in the system.
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What is going to be the make or break for the Kings for the rest of this season is oddly, in my estimation, how well Terry Murray plays chess with the opposing coach. This team has proven that it can play mix and match and still find success. How can teams prepare for the Kings when they can’t be sure which Kings they are going to face? It’s been said here earlier, we don’t have a true, classic First line or Second line or Third. We’ve got Kopitar’s line, Stoll’s line and Zeus’s line. And who plays on those lines can change in the time of a dump in. How do teams prepare for that? Everyone, it seems, has played with everyone else and seem to produce and contribute. If this is the “system” Lombardi has been building, I’m for it. But …
OD’s legs are getting heavy. You can see it. We need help there. And, we need to build a 4th line as flexible as the others. If Lombardi can address these issues, and avoid the temptations of another Kovi deal, this Kings team will be even harder to play against than they are right now.
It’s your move Deano.
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I keep hearing how OD is struggling, but then I look at his season long +/- being very positive and I’m not so sure.
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Sometimes I wonder if Murray is just two or three levels smarter than most people. Considering his line changes, I wonder if there is not some method to the madness; by switching players around, he’s getting players to play against adversity and even embrace it. The more he gets them to play under different circumstances (especially in game situations), the better equipped they will be to adjust and adapt to all types of pressure and situations. This also makes them learn to play as a team, follow a system and not allow certain distractions to take away from the system.
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As wonderful as it is now, i’m trying to temper my enthusiasm. I would hate for the Olympic break to interfere with the chemistry and momentum (then again that would be another test of adversity), but here’s to watching this team take it to another level.
This team has the ability, the desire and the will to go all the way. Playoffs sure will be interesting.
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multiple threats….ask the Wings about where theirs have gone, Hudler, Kopecky, Samulesson and the drop off in Fillpula this year and you see what happens when you don’t have balanced scoring.
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yep and who goes down 3-0 to the chicken wings and still makes a kung-fu comeback to win 4-3? If that isnt depth and determination…
Still trippin on my team right now..
It really helps to have guys like Smyth and Zues camped out in front of that net for the uglies…
Dont F-N wake me up, this is a killer dream:)
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rich u ROCK!!! Thank U =}
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What the Kings have going for them offensively is the reason I didn’t think getting Kovy was a necessity.
We don’t lack for scoring…
You can’t amtch lines with the Kings because as was said earlier, the Kings can get you with any of their 3 lines.
the Kings also don’t have to worry about matchups on the road either. Any of the Kings top 3 lines can play against the best lines of any other team defensively.
I understand we’re not there yet, but come playoff time, this is a nightmare for any coach to matchup with.
We might be one of the toughest opponenets anyone’s going to play come playoff time.
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‘We’re just a MULTI threat!’ -Sublime
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