Terry Murray’s postgame thoughts…
(on the win…)
MURRAY: I’m pleased with the win. That’s the most important things out of any hockey game, is getting the two points. Better game for us. Better game. I thought we showed some of that mentality that you have to have this time of the year on a pretty consistent basis. The heavy play still needs to get improved. There were some plays that they were making in second period, pulling pucks off the boards, that you have to make sure you’re going to eliminate those, and just play with much more desperation. Overall, you know, the first one goes in off our own player’s stick, on a goal-mouth pass, and that tying goal, we’d like to have that one to redo also, but you find a way to do it. We had great penalty kills tonight. Power play came through obviously, and you get the win.”
(on the penalty kill…)
MURRAY: “The guys have really worked hard. There’s been great attention to the detail part of the power plays that we’re facing. The penalty killers are playing with desperation, blocking shots. The goaltending has been very good, and a lot of communication. There’s been good talk on the ice, and that’s a critical part of killing penalties, that everybody kind of lets each other know where they are and what’s available. We’ll just keep building on it.”
(on getting the second point tonight…)
MURRAY: “Real important. Certainly if they get it, it doesn’t go very well, so the extra point is real important. Two points, at this time, is what you’ve got to do when you’re trying to get yourself into the playoffs. There’s so many big games in front of us. You just want to try to get some seperation if you can.”
(on Brown’s play…)
MURRAY: “He was on the shift there, with Handzus and Modin, when the puck was down in the corner in the offensive zone, and they must have had that thing stopped along the boards for 40, 50 seconds. That is tremendous. That’s the kind of stuff you need to do at this time of the year, when you’re looking for those big points, and playoff games. That’s what you’ve got to be able to do, is kill the clock, get the right attitude, the right positioning. Brownie was a part of that shift, and had a big game. He was very involved in the physical part of the game.”
(on Smyth’s play…)
MURRAY: “Smytty had a good game. He bounced back here and had a solid game against his old teammates. And Williams. I’ve got to mention Williams. This is probably his better game since he’s come back from the injury. He was more involved emotionally. He had his legs going, skating very well, trying to make plays. He almost scored on a little play from deep in the corner, and that’s the kind of thing he’s going to add to our team.”
(on Doughty’s overtime goal…)
MURRAY: “If I actually told you how the play was drawn up on the board, you’d be upset at him shooting the puck. [laughs] But he read the play. That was not the designed play that we talked about, but it was a great read on his part, because their forward took away Stoll. They were looking for him to get the puck back for the one-timer, and he’s got a reputation for being able to score from that side. They cheated on it, they stayed in front of Stolly, and that’s a good read by Doughty.”
The force is strong in the young Doughty it is.
Did anyone get the free star wars give away puck?
Well I will take the win. I remember someone blogging we always lose when they give away free stuff.
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Qmungous Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:42 pm
@luc20rules, you had to buy the star wars ticket package for that so it technically wasn’t free. On that note, I was disappointed that they didn’t dress the ice girls in the slave outfit.
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It doesn’t matter too much, because we got the win and our focus should be max king points, but Scuds should have taken the body so Col doesn’t tie it and earn a OTL point. We will see in 3 weeks if it mattered.
On another note I like the idea of playing SJ slumping in the first round, and Phoenix taking the top seed.
That would allow us to have short travel in the first round and may cause other teams too have longer travels.
Phx
Chi
Van
SJ
LA
Nash
Col
Det
would be nice.
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DougS Reply:
March 22nd, 2010 at 11:49 pm
@luc20rules,
Yup, it would have been nice to deny Colorado that extra point, but the bottom line is that if the Kings keep getting 2 points/game, they’re good to go no matter what happens to anyone else. I prefer to dwell on the positives from this game.
Speaking of San Jose, I looked at the SB Nation Sharks blog today, and there seems to be consensus that they’ve been playing poorly since before the Olympic break. And it’s not just a slump, but fundamental weakness in the defense and Nabokov playing badly. Unless they really shake themselves up in the next 10 games, they might well be the opponent of choice in Round 1.
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KC23 Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:03 am
@DougS, I was shocked that the Oilers beat them so badly. That was one weak effort. SJ is a regular season team. When the heat is on, they fold.
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src Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:24 am
@luc20rules,
My thoughts exactly about Skuds. Kopi tried to go inside 3-4 times and got cleaned out. When in doubt slam the body.
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Player-X Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:07 am
@luc20rules,
Hey Luc, Scuderi had his man and did what he could to limit his scoring ability to a weak shove along the ice. The play broke down outside the blue line, Kopi was up ice and got beat by the breakout pass then Handzus was late with back-pressure to the middle of the ice, so two Av’s had the blue line right down the middle all alone. Zus tried to catch up but couldn’t control the stick because he was on the right side of the player that shoots left, and the puck came to the shooter’s left. Just a bad break on the goal itself, but the coverage gave up the middle of the ice with speed, and that is always gonna result in a chance.
You can’t blame Scuderi for that one, he took his guy then layered offense scored on a short rebound.
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scv king Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 9:15 am
@Player-X,
winner, winner, chicken dinner for that reply. your analysis is correct on all accounts.
on a side note, fro is a broken player, from what it appeared last night. sad. and never should have gotten to this point.
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Player-X Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 9:20 am
@scv king,
Lookout cookout, Fro is on the Bar-B-Q but he gonna come off the spit fired up.
I am thinking that Murray is pushing buttons with Frolov, that he is gonna unleash him just before the playoffs and Fro will then become a BEAST. Hope so, anyway, Fro is not done yet.
Forum67 Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 11:13 am
@Player-X,
Your analysis of the situation is accurate EXCEPT for the Scuderi part. Scuderi played the puck, not the man. Had he forgotten the puck and concentrated on taking out Stasny the Avs probably don’t score.
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lets put Fro on Waivers and call up Moller.
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luc20rules Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:02 am
@GG,
I hope your being sarcastic, because that makes no sense.
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Dominick Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:17 am
Hey Garden Grove! Lets put you on wavers and bring up a Ducksfan.
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David Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 1:10 am
@Dominick, what would the difference be?
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GG Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 9:47 am
@David, Dominick,luc20rules then why is he in 4th line and less time and less powerpley
TM
My Easter wish in advance.
rich-kopi-simmonds
smyth-stoll-JW
Fro-zues-DB
Modin-Halpern-Clune(Parse)
Skuds-DD
OD-JJ
DD2-Greene
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mrbrett7 Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:47 am
@src, Not with how badly Fro is playing and how well Modin is playing…sorry bub.
Until Drewiske plays like he is 6’3″ and 215lbs., he won’t see the lineup (or if someone gets smart, and goes Tonya Harding on Jones).
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I never saw the free puck at all. As far as I could tell, nobody got one.
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Why TM keeps Jones in the line up??? TM this is not flyers, Lombardi should tell TM that we need better D like Drewiske. We need to call Bernier to play when we have back to back game, every point is crucial and there’s no need to let go another game.
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fridgemagnet57 Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 7:49 am
@erwin,
The only good reason I see is that Jones is a veteran who has been in these situations. Seems like all the vets are out and they know what they have to do. I wouldnt’ mind seeing Harrold to be honest. Drewiske seems to allow the same kind of space Jones does and w/o the offensive part of the game.
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poe Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 8:54 am
@erwin, And he gets paid 3 million for his “stellar” pla!!!
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haha i love how doughty just totally ignored the drawn up play and blasted the puck in the net… sweet shot… Also on the 3rd goal johnson was kinda sitting back and coulda helped out a little more on the goal… And Jones got caught up high on the second goal.. I like Jones offensive talent and hes definitely improving his D… Drewiske is one of my favorites but when he came back after injury he didnt look good..
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I’d like to hear TM explain why numerous poor decisions by Jones gets rewarded with more shifts while Frolov gets benches.
Or why the non-clears by players like Modin, Zus, OD, and Jones are not scrutinized and decried as when Fro does it (during a shutout).
Or why a player like Harrold is as dedicated to “team” and “compete” as they come but he can’t get a game while Jones is busy getting caught up ice for a goal against, and then again only minutes later.
Expectations have been lowered so far that making the playoffs excuses TM’s inconsistencies and anti-team decisions.
If I’m wrong about Fro then why does TM go back to him in the 3rd period and rely on his possession ability (which directly preceded our 3rd goal) yet he takes the time to praise others for offensive One possession and is sure not to praise Fro for what he brings to the table.
Make sure you pat your ex-flyers and Lombardi guys on the back, but single out Fro and disrespect his commitment to the club he’s toiled for almost 8 years with no playoffs without ever complaining. Leave a deserving Taylor guy like Harrold in the press box every night when he helped this team defeat the bogey-team (detroit) and helped instigate a 9 game winning streak in favor of Jones-who constantly gets involved in giving up scoring chances to the other team.
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threepwood Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 3:46 pm
@Cristobal,
Do you really believe that there is an active conspiracy against Taylor guys and pro (former) Flyer players that starts at the highest levels of the organization — that is executed by the head coach during actual games?
…and that this conspiracy is being run contrary to the efforts of the players who are fighting every night to make — and succeed in — the playoffs?
Amazing that we’ve never heard a current or former player publicly come out and say that this conspiracy exists — yet some people know it exists.
Put a tent over this circus…
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GG Reply:
March 23rd, 2010 at 9:53 pm
@Cristobal, i completely agree with you
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