Time to change

As posted earlier, the Kings will make changes to three of their four forward lines tonight. The top line (Smyth-Kopitar-Simmonds) remains intact, while the second line gets a new center (Brad Richardson), the third line gets a new winger (Justin Williams) and Jarret Stoll moves down to the fourth-line center spot. Scott Parse comes out of the lineup. After today’s skate, Terry Murray talked about making the mid-series changes…

MURRAY: “I changed things a little bit here, to get some different looks. We’ll get Williams back in the lineup tonight. He’s a player that’s been to the playoffs and has won the Stanley Cup and, at this time, in Game 5, I need the experience and I also know that he’s very capable of putting the puck in the net. He’s a creative guy, he can score goals, he can fit with different lines. We can use him on special-teams situations, and I’m looking for a big game from him.”

Question: Richardson is a player who can transition pretty easily to playing center, right?

MURRAY: “He’s been great for us, quite honestly, from the start of this year, from the training camp he has moved up from the fourth line to different positions and different lines. He has no problem making any kind of adjustment. I think he’s really had a positive effect on our hockey club, probably our most improved hockey player over the course of the year. He will take on the challenge. He’s a creative guy. He’s got good speed. He can carry the puck out of the zone, through the middle of the ice, make things happen. He’s good on the forecheck, quick on the forecheck, so it’s a good challenge for him tonight.”

Question: What prompted you to make the change on that second line?

MURRAY: “The line with Fro and Stolly and Brownie, I just need more on the puck-possession, offensive part of the game. Put more pucks to the net, create more offense, whether it be getting offensive-zone play, cycling the puck, holding on to it a little bit longer to make good things happen or getting the result and putting pucks in the net. I’m looking at the group, and it went through a period this season of the same, not a lot happening, just getting their time on the ice, and I hope that this change gives us a good look on that possession side of it.”

Finally, here’s what Dustin Brown said today about the line changes…

BROWN: “That’s kind of to be expected, I guess, with a loss. We played a good game, but it seems like when we lose we shuffle the lines up a little bit, and at this point of the year it really doesn’t matter who you’re playing with. It’s a matter of playing your game, and that’s what we want to do tonight.”

/

51 Comments

  1. Dan H. says:

    Brown is a man who knows how the lines change this year. Sounds like the boys just look at the lineup card to see who they’re with that night.

    [Reply]

  2. Dan H. says:

    I think Rich is taunting us with the \ at the bottom now. That’s just eerie.

    [Reply]

  3. Cynic says:

    Ok, the slash at the bottom of the article is priceless. LOL!

    Now you will be required to do this for EVERY article or it will be considered counterfeit. This is your signature now Rich. It now defines you.

    ALL HAIL THE SLASH!

    [Reply]

  4. Jester's Dead says:

    \\\\\\\\\\\\!!!!!!

    [Reply]

  5. Cynic says:

    Another problem Rich:

    You used the wrong slash! LOL!

    [Reply]

  6. Cynic says:

    OK wise guy….YOU SWITCHED IT!

    No fair!

    [Reply]

  7. pr0cess says:

    Me and the slash are one, ive known about it for months now. And you can lie all you want, but i know you all just thought it was a smuge on your screens.

    pr0cess King of the /

    [Reply]

  8. variable says:

    what number would the “/” jersey get…?

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  9. Kingsfanone says:

    excessive slashing on Rich.

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  10. Kingsfanone says:

    Any number on the “/” jersey will work, except Bailey’s number. Can’t mess with Bailey.

    [Reply]

  11. variable says:

    i was thinking that the “/” was somehow related to tm’s constant line changes…y’know…when you type in the line combos…smyth/kopi/simmer…

    we made the comments before on how it could be like the wangers (isles) slashes on their jersey – one for each cup…

    oh…the endless possibilities…

    we could start a co-op clothing company centered around “/”…

    [Reply]

  12. ducksuck says:

    Hoping for JW and Frolov to have a big game. GO KINGS!!

    [Reply]

  13. pr0cess says:

    the / Get 47 as its number. IF you question why hold down the left ALT key and hit 4 then 7 on the keypad then let go of the left ALT key and tell me what you get.

    /

    [Reply]

  14. JPKelly says:

    first “The Hammer”

    now “The Slash”

    This dude is unstoppable.

    [Reply]

  15. Kingsfanone says:

    I hope Vigneault’s comment got posted on the blackboard in the Kings locker room, and the kings show him how big they play tonite.

    [Reply]

  16. pr0cess says:

    OMG it was captin canada!!

    [Reply]

  17. mrbrett7 says:

    Rich gets a 5 minute and game misconduct for slashing an intent to injure…our minds.

    [Reply]

  18. Kingsfanone says:

    @pr0cess

    You have WAY too much time on your hands!

    That’s CLASSIC!!! The scary thing is you are correct!!!

    [Reply]

  19. variable says:

    re:…WEIS-GUY post…:

    notice the name of the first suspect…granted, spelled differently…some irony there…

    “The men facing charges, Ryan Smith, 25, of Bermuda Dunes and Matt Siefert, 26, of Palm Desert could not immediately be reached for comment.”

    it’s a strange world…!

    [Reply]

  20. variable says:

    PROCESS…:

    lol…i think that wins…!

    [Reply]

  21. pr0cess says:

    computers are my life… it happens when your in IT

    [Reply]

  22. pr0cess says:

    thank you thank you

    i told you me and the / are one

    [Reply]

  23. Dan H. says:

    If you’re still in IT and still have a job after all the job compression the past couple of years…congrats to you pr0ces!

    [Reply]

  24. Cynic says:

    That’s SCARY Pr0cess.

    Do you know what keys I need to press to turn my computer into an ATM? I have a business I’m trying to finance.

    [Reply]

  25. VanKingsFan says:

    Post not about the ‘slash’:

    I dont like it…. Richie will not be able to win a single face off all night vs. Kesler. We need Stoll to be taking those draws. The face off advantage has been huge this series and I am worried with Richie at centre and no one else on that line to take draws.

    [Reply]

  26. Kingsfanone says:

    “Ryan Smith couldn’t immediately be reached for comment”…………cuz he’s in Vancouver!

    DUH……………don’t they know that???

    [Reply]

  27. Cynic says:

    Van-

    Good point about Richie on the 2nd line. Let’s just hope that line doesn’t take too many draws in D-zone.

    [Reply]

  28. Dan H. says:

    I’m sure on anything other than an icing, TM will still have two centermen out there like he has all series.

    [Reply]

  29. variable says:

    that’s when i think you’ll see a two-center formation in the d-zone early and throughout the game…

    either that or stoll takes the faceoff and then leaves the ice…

    we don’t have the last change, so i imagine it will be a “take it as it comes” approach like it always is…

    [Reply]

  30. Kingsfanone says:

    @pr0cess

    Can you help put maybe 50 zeros on the end of my bank balance? I’m not starting a business, I just want many more zeros on the end of my balance.

    Thanks much!

    [Reply]

  31. variable says:

    DAN H…

    yeah…we’re thinking alike…:)

    [Reply]

  32. Dan H. says:

    We tend to do that on several Kings issues Variable.

    [Reply]

  33. Kingsfanone says:

    Was it game 4 TM used Halpern on a lot of the faceoffs then he’d go off the ice? I don’t think that worked, probably cuz Halpern didn’t win many faceoffs.

    [Reply]

  34. lead feet says:

    @ pr0cess

    I dont know if this is a big joke that ALL of you are playing on me, and if so maybe I should change to lead for brains…but, uh, nothing happens.

    [Reply]

  35. 5-Hole says:

    I think somehow the / is related to Juraj Mikus. Isn’t everything?

    [Reply]

  36. King John says:

    OK, all you guys talking about the slash (/)….
    You’re slashing all over the place.

    You all get two minutes for SLASHING!

    lol

    Now think about that in the penalty box.

    [Reply]

  37. VanKingsFan says:

    lead feet… use the number keys on the right hand side of your keyboard

    [Reply]

  38. rontheking says:

    I agree with giving williams a chance but I don’t know that clune is better than parse (although clune does seem to be improving). I think parse brings more to the table on both sides of the puck. clune might be tougher, but I haven’t seen him rock anybody’s world.

    [Reply]

  39. Cynic says:

    5-Hole

    You are correct. Infact, the only thing not related to Juraj Mikus is Juraj Mikus, and the only reason for that is because he is Juraj Mikus. Only Juraj Mikus can be related and not related to himself at the same time. Believe me, like pr0cess knows the slash, I know Juraj Mikus.

    Maybe you shouldn’t have asked.

    [Reply]

  40. variable says:

    so, if i got this straight…:

    - both / and mikus can be simultaneously in the same room…and outside of it…at the same time…?

    [Reply]

  41. Cynic says:

    @ron

    I was thinking the same thing. Both Clune and Parse played pretty well last game. Both we’re solid on the forecheck and pretty aggressive. I wonder what TM’s reasoning was. I guess he wants more intensity on the 4th line than dexterity. That’s all I can figure.

    [Reply]

  42. Cynic says:

    No variable-

    Only Juraj Mikus can be inside the room and outside of it at the same time. The slash is only a byproduct of the legend of Juraj Mikus and therefore can never equal or supercede it, meaning it can only be in one place or the other. It CAN however accurately represent the ability of Juraj Mikus to simultaneously be in 2 places at once. It’s all a matter of the space time continuum in relation to velocity, comparative to the speed of light, factoring in the gravitational pull which can slow the passing of time and how Juraj Mikus implies the proper quantum mechanics in his physiology to achieve this dual status.

    Euclidian Geometry & Space perception have NOTHING on Quantum Mikus Physics.

    [Reply]

  43. Kingsfanone says:

    @Cynic

    Damn, dude, I gotta write that down!!!

    [Reply]

  44. variable says:

    C…

    oh…okay…i understand now…of course…how foolish of me…

    i have soooo much to learn about the powers of both…!

    [Reply]

  45. Cynic says:

    I’m kinda hoping that explanation gets to Kevin Westgarth and translated into Slovakian for Juraj.

    Kevin will understand it and Juraj can expand on it. ;-)

    C’mon Variable, don’t be so coy, you knew this…

    KF1 – That had me laughing HARD!

    [Reply]

  46. Lepper says:

    What is “/” ?

    [Reply]

  47. OneTimer says:

    Just move along here, Lepper. Rich warned me not to ask about the / when I was the first one to ever bring it up (back in a Dec Forum Ask). Just move along now people.

    [Reply]

  48. Lepper says:

    So it’s just for the ppl who visit the site often? Because then there is no reason to even put it, right?

    [Reply]

  49. Hubie says:

    Not sure I agree with Parse being out, when he has been given the opportunity to play more than 5 min he has been a solid contributor. That being said, given the lack of respect his coach has shown him this season, Parse still finished the season in the top 4-5 in terms of stats and who knows where he could have been with a little support from his head coach.

    Bottom line is this, it won’t matter who is in the line up if the Kings can’t roll 4 solid lines…..if not the same will happen as the other night…….over play your top 3 lines and get 4 goals scored on you in the 3rd period. Unless they can find a way to keep their top guys semi fresh, they will lose every battle in the 3rd, especially in overtime, and let’s keep in mind that this is only round one!

    [Reply]

  50. neil says:

    SLASH is Rich’s favorite guitar player!!!

    [Reply]

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