Not surprisingly, there hasn’t been a lot of wisdom to soak in from Kings players and coaches over the past couple days. Everyone was upset after the Game5 loss and there isn’t much to say, heading into a potential season-ending game, expect the usual cliches about staying focused and playing a 60-minute game. The proof will be on the ice tonight, but here’s what Matt Greene, Dustin Brown, Sean O’Donnell and Terry Murray had to say about the team’s mindset going into tonight’s game…
GREENE: “Everybody knows the situation. It’s just business as usual. We’ve got to go out and win a game. That’s it. We’ve got to win to keep it going, and that’s all that’s on our mind.”
BROWN: “It’s a brand new game. We’ve got to just get ready and prepare for this game like it’s our last, which it could be. It really just comes down to leaving it all on the ice. … In a game like this, we have to get off to a good start. We have to put them back on their heels if we can. We’re expecting them to be ready. They have a chance to clinch, and that’s an exciting prospect for them, so we have to be ready from start to finish and we have to have a full 60.”
O’DONNELL: “Obviously we want to get off to a good start, and kind of erase Game 5 as quickly as we can, but it is a 60-minute game. Vancouver has showed that they’re a high-powered offensive team when they want to be, so we want to get off to a good start and continue that and play a 60-minute game and go back up and play Tuesday night in Vancouver.”
MURRAY: “The players’ job is to get themselves ready. That’s the responsibility, as a pro athlete. You’ve got to get yourself emotionally ready to play, and rested, and get your nutrition and come to the rink at the right time to get yourself ready to start the game. Whenever you get to the Stanley Cup playoffs, and you’re coming into a game like this one here, where you’re facing elimination, I don’t think there’s any need for any `Rocky’ video. It’s time for the players to step up. There are plenty of veterans in that locker room who have been through the wars and won a Stanley Cup. That’s part of it. The coaching staff, yeah, absolutely we have a responsibility there, but in the grand scheme of things, as a pro athlete, that’s your job, to get yourself ready to play your best game at that time.”
lets kick some canuck azz.
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if you really think about it, tonight’s game will finally give the kings an identity…
tonight we find out who these kings of the 2009-2010 season are…
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Lets go boys! Make us feel good on a sunday!
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@variable….Exactly
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Mindset should be we are all paying extra to see the Kings play at Staples post season, so make it a game. If the Kings play as hard as they can and lose, they got nothing to be ashamed of, but don’t want to see another game 5, ever! GO KINGS!!
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I’ve followed and loved these guys (the entire organization) for 36 years!! From a hockey standpoint, I now live about 30 miles East of Vancouver, and it’s sickening to hear the local media and fans out here constantly talking about the ‘next couple of playoff rounds’ already. Let’s win this one, roll the dice in game seven, and quiet these Canucks snobs for another season!!
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I was at game 4 at Staples and those Vanloser Canuck fans were so g-damn annoying. I’d love nothing but a good thrashing by the Kings to shut them up, even if it’s for one game.
Just win baby. We still believe……
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Canucks will face a wounded bear tonight. Can’t wait to see them pissing in their pants. GO KINGS!
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Let’s go boys. Lets take this series to a game 7 and put the pressure on the Canucks. Can you imagine the excitement of that game and the anxiety the Canooks will feel to win it? Let’s rock Staples tonight no matter what and send the boys out of the building, whatever direction they’ll be heading, with our support and appreciation for a job well done. GKG GKG GKG
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C’MON KINGS.I’m not ready to start shaving again.GO KINGS GO
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Greene is too funny. “It’s just business as usual.”
No actually. It’s about as far from business as usual as it gets. It’s literally a must win situation. And the “full 60″ thing is beyond cliche at this point.
I get the feeling the Kings have already lost this game. I hope very much I’m wrong. I’d hate to have spent hard earned money on this game and see a similar performance as game 5, but I just get a sense they really don’t believe they can win this series.
Or is that sense just my own negativity?
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Wes Waselenchuk, I’ve kinda had that feeling from game 1, that the nuks fans were already looking ahead to the next series before this one even began. I sensed a lot of arrogance on the nuks fans even in our building. If you think about it though, except for a couple of inches in game 1, and a missed Frolov breakaway in game 4, this series could possibly have been a Kings sweep. I would say that if the Kings come out flying from the drop of the puck, to the last buzzer, we have a very good chance of winning tonight’s game. Plus we have the 7th man tonight: the fans.
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@ VARIABLE & TIRED…
Ditto!!!
I’d be very happy with a hard checking, smart game…even if they lose. If they play hard and keep it close it will go a long way in evaluating the heart and mental toughness of this team for the next few years…especially (and obviously) for the younger core players.
And if they win this one…man, I’d be worried if I were a Vancouver fan…of course it’s a big “IF”!
Now let’s friggin win this mofo game!
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Hoping that the Kings bring the kitchen sink tonite. But will they have anything left for game7?
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@Wes Waselenchuk
I agree cant stand those arrogant snobs. They have called all of our wins a result of luck and bounces. I hope we CRUSH them. I’ll be at the game screaming my lungs out.
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oh yeah and I want to see Brown pile drive H Sedin into the ground.
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TM getting ready for the game includes you as well.
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Too many Vanucks fans at Staples. Was in a lux box in game 3 and there were Vanuck fans in the box next to me…whats up (dramatic pause) with that?
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Bear with me, … this is very much unconfirmed- so we’ll see in a few hours if the rumor is true about Henrik Sedin being out for Game 6? (I doubt it, personally.) Saw this in the Comments section of the Vancouver Sun; a poster said it was announced on Vancouver’s Team 1040.
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Canucks+call+veteran+Nycholat/2947829/story.html#Comments
Bottomline Kings need to win, regardless of who’s on the ice. (Not looking to start a wildfire rumor, but this would sure be an interesting development!)
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@OneTimer
Not buyin it.
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Nice pep talk coach. Good thing Murray wasn’t coaching the 1980 US team.
With that said, I recognize the two achilles heals of this team – Murray and Jones. Tonight, I hope to see both of them irrelevant as this team’s youth becomes the storm that destroys the Canucks.
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When we were up 2 games to 1, I saw many comments complimenting TM for his line combos….now most have lost faith….THE PLAYERS HAVE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, TM PUTS EM ON THE ICE AND THEY HAVE TO BE PROFESSIONALS AND BATTLE HARD. Its not like TM is putting Fro on defense or sitting Kopitar or putting Ivanans on the powerplay. Its up to the players now.
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Come on Kings…..YOU can do it! Quick—prove everyone wrong and be a force out there tonight. Go KINGS!!!!
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…loved what Derek Morris just did.
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Rich–
I can’t refresh to the comments on this page…
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Throughout this season, the one thing that has separated this team from many Kings teams of the past has been its resiliency. We have fought back in the third period of many games and stolen victory from the jaws of defeat. It is my sincere hope that those games were preparation for tonight – That we come out hard and even this series up and then take it in Vancouver.
Its up to the players now. They have fought back from behind before. But never on such a level as this. Its up to them to elevate themselves and bring that tenacity to their game to push this thing back to Vancouver and get the win there.
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@LomitaKingsFan
Thats right….I was at game 4 against DET, the famous Frenzy At Figueroa, and we looked out-classed and finished. Then we came back…anything can happen.
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Ok F&$^ this boys, I am going to be there in section 207, screaming my freaking head off. I want some Canuck ass whooping, lets bring our A game.
ITS TIME TO ROCK THE STAPLES CENTER.
Game 1 at home was loud, we need to make this even louder. IF WE BRING OUR ENERGY, THE KINGS WILL BRING THEIRS. Just like game three and just like when we took over the pond and won in overtime.
WE ARE COUNTING ON THE KINGS, BUT THEY NEED US, THE FANS, TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT.
no matter what, I will be screaming for my boys to bring the pain, the goals, and the win.
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The Kings have seemed to play their best when their backs are against the wall. Right, now, there is no bigger wall than the one they’re up against now! Let’s get out there and do this! I want to leave Staples tonight with no voice and not have to think about shaving tomorrow!
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@shades…Agree
@thrustable….I still have that game on VHS…WOW….you are right, ANYTHING can happen
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OMG…Frenzy at the JOE?
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Never mind
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Last time I’ll mention this guys name, but JONES better lay it down to block shots tonight…not stand there with his legs squeezed together protecting his LADY PARTS!!!
All we can ask is that EVERY player leave it on the ice….I promise to do the same in the stands!!!
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We aint the Lakers, we need to show heart and teamwork. (oops…cheapshot).
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Ah, 2nd guessing the coach. Not here. I trust in TM and the King’s.
Not only have the King’s done what is necessary before, they have done it IN THIS SERIES. Two games in a row is far from impossible.
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Another tech FYI…
I can’t see any of the comments on my computer, but I can see them all on my iPhone. Odd.
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We can take this game. We should take this game. “Leave it all on the ice.” That’s all that can be said. Win or lose, the Kings will establish their reputation in the league tonight. Our colors are Black and Blue. Every Canuck on the ice should be reminded of that fact in a most personal way. All I ask of this team today is the guts to give your all. If they’re going down, go down fighting and I’ll be satisfied. Go Kings Go!
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As Gary Shuchuk once said, “Our backs are behind the eight ball.”
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What we need is for Tommy Lasorda to give the Kings another one of his pep-talks!
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Just happy the got to playoffs. So what ever happens, happens all i know the futrue is bright!!!!!
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All they have to do is play with some passion and be willing to get in the corners and fight for the puck…yes or no…will you lay down or fight…if you fight I have no doubt you will win this game…the only thing I worry about is whether you feel like fighting or not.
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He might not want a “Rocky” video, but maybe a Bobby Knight rant would help.
Seriously though, I just read his comments again and it really sounds like he’s saying that it’s all on the players…IMO, it’s not! He’s got to coach, set the lines (a big problem with him in my estimation) and make sure they don’t take any “too many men” penalties and get the right guys in there on face-offs, get the 4th line in their at the right times, etc. He gets the last line change so he should be able to have a positive effect on this game if he’s a decent coach, which I’m not too sure about!
It just seems like he’s saying that he’s got nothing to do with it, it’s all on the players…almost like he’s setting it up to say (if they lose) “they weren’t prepared”! How can he seriously be talking about nutrition now? Is he saying that the guys aren’t ready to play because they didn’t take their vitamins?
He may be good with teaching young players a bit about the game, but overall he’s really starting to sound and act a little goofy, IMO!
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Still cannot see the comments on-line; can see them on my I-phone Both are set to lakingsinsider.com.
Help!
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