The Kings made it through 39 regular-season games, dating to last season, without pulling their starting goaltender from the game. It has now happened twice in the last two games. First, Jonathan Quick was pulled in the second period of Wednesday’s loss to Phoenix, after he allowed six goals on 24 shots. Then, Jonathan Bernier was pulled in the second period of Thursday’s loss to Philadelphia, after he allowed six goals on 22 shots.
Depending on the coach, and the feel of the game, the pulling-the-goalie act can be read two different ways. It’s either a direct repudiation of the goalie, based on his play, or it’s symbolic of the coach’s dissatisfaction with the entire team. Often, it’s intended to shame the goalie’s teammates by displaying how they let the goalie down. After practice today, Terry Murray was asked how much of the blame he put on the goalies for the last two efforts…
MURRAY: “Everybody has got to take on their share of the load, the responsibility. It is a team thing. It just comes down to giving good players an opportunity to make plays. Our spacing was not very good. Our reads were hesitant. I don’t know if they were in awe of some of those players that were on the Flyers team. They’ve got some good forwards, and if you get to standing around and looking and seeing what they’re going to do, it’s now too late. I think we fell into a little bit of those categories last night.”
Question: Do you have a general philosophy on that? Some coaches do it mostly to send a statement to the team…
MURRAY: “Usually, it’s more that, than (being) not happy with the goaltender. You’re just trying to get something changed up. That’s why you change lines and you change D pairs. Pucks are going in, and it’s guys standing in the shooting areas, wide open, and they’re picking top corners. Then you’re trying to get the attention of the team, rather than saying (to the goalie), `It’s your responsibility. You should be giving us grade-A saves, time after time.’ That’s the case in the last two games. We’ve just got to be more aware of our game in front of the goaltenders. Then, on the other side of it, the goaltenders take on their share of it too. There are times when they have to make great saves. Maybe that just didn’t happen in the last couple games.”’
Oh man, Quacks get Maxim “two-dives-one-night” LaPierre… life just gets better and better.
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We have had no “D” in the last coupleof games and I feel that our goalies were left alone for most of those goals.
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K-Dog Reply:
January 1st, 2011 at 12:24 am
@Dazed N Confused, High and Dry!!!
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I agree. Pretty much lifeless D by everyone in front of the goalie. I don’t see it as a goalie issue at this point.
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iam tired of hearing that the Kings are ” Young” Keep telling them(not in this thread but in others…and from coaches and fans)and its a built in excuse.Every player has been playing for years…..even our young players have been in this league for years….that is a lame excuse…..
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wavesinair Reply:
December 31st, 2010 at 4:58 pm
@neil, As an excuse, I agree with you it’s lame. But it isn’t an excuse at all. It’s a fact. Whether you like it or not, young teams take time to learn how to win consistently.
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neil Reply:
December 31st, 2010 at 5:47 pm
@wavesinair, i think that they are young in age but not experience….Iam a Giant fan in baseball and there pitching staff is young but it didnt matter…..Crosby is young…didnt matter…..
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SDGolfer Reply:
January 1st, 2011 at 3:47 am
@neil, Don’t use Crosby as an example
neil Reply:
December 31st, 2010 at 5:51 pm
@wavesinair, in your opinion……when is a team NOT consider young??? We are only going to get younger next year when we loss Smyth,Strum,Zeus and Mitchell…then what??? We could also lose Williams.
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Kingsrule Reply:
December 31st, 2010 at 6:30 pm
@neil, Mitchell has a 2 year contract
Quick cant always win games for us the D needs to wake up or Quick going to be burn out for sure cant believe they let the Flyers get to Bernier that is pathetic
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Historically, Kings goalies have been the saving of many of games. Hrudy was pounded with shots and only that Gretzky-Khuri offense made games.
It’s a team. The goalie is the last place for the puck to stop before the point is given. There’s supposed to be 5 other guys out there that should be playing keep away before it gets onto that blue ice. That’s been missing the last 2 games.
It’s going to come back, it’s just frustrating as fans to see such an awesome game in San Jose then to see the last 2 nights.
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Scarletcat Reply:
December 31st, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Sorry, Jari. Kurri too made those goals.
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“That’s why you change lines and you change D pairs.”
Speaking of Doughty and Johnson being paired together…it was fun for a few games, but it’s time for reliable defense again. Each needs to be paired with an experienced guy that has a stay-at-home attitude.
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