(Trying to push this through with the blog problems…going to lump the quotes together tonight, hoping we make it!)
RYAN SMYTH
(on the game…)
SMYTH: “We thought we got off to a good start in the first period, but the second periods, we’ve had some troubles, for whatever reason it is. We’ve just got to stick to our gameplan, get the puck in deep. Everybody has got to do the little things right, and it’s going to make a difference in the long run.”
(on the “real” Kings team, the one that started the season 12-3 or this one…)
SMYTH: “Obviously we’d like to say the 12-3, but it’s a matter of collectively finding it in this locker room. Everybody has got to look themselves in the mirror, and be prepared to come to play, bring their assets to the table for the hockey club and for the team. We’re not getting a full 60 from that part. We’ve got to find ways to keep the momentum, that we have usually gained from the first period, into the second. We seem to play a little desperate in the third, but if we can play desperate all the way through, we’re a tough team to beat.”
(on breaking out of this skid…)
SMYTH: “We’ll find a way through this together, but not one or two guys is going to do it. Yes, guys have got to step up and raise their level of play, for sure, but it’s going to be with everybody in this locker room. … Everybody wants to win. There’s a sense of urgency and a winning attitude, but it’s finding it and playing with confidence and building one period or one shift at a time to carry forth into the next and then into the game situations when you’re winning.”
—–
JARRET STOLL
(on the game…)
STOLL: “There’s a lot of positives from today’s game, but the big negative is that we lost. We were positive on the bench, we were positive in the room. We had a good, hard work game, I think, but we just never got rewarded. I don’t think they outplayed us. I just think they capitalized on more of their chances than we did. It’s not going to be easy to turn this ship around. We have to understand it’s going to take everybody. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and effort and concentration by 24, 25 guys in here. We just aren’t find that right now.”
—–
TERRY MURRAY
(on the game…)
MURRAY: “There were a couple of goals there that I just don’t like. It makes it very hard. We’re a team that’s trying to battle through to get something going, and we give up that first one on a wrist shot from the boards, from the outside of the dots. I know it went off a stick, but it goes short-side. I think that’s a play that we’ve either got to step in front of, as a D group, or we’ve got to get a stop on those. The other one was a puck laying around after a shot off the side boards, and we got beat to the net. That’s where you’ve got to get body position.”
(on whether the team got derailed by the Phoenix and Philadelphia losses…)
MURRAY: “Well, you can go two games back and we played Anaheim and San Jose and we played our best games of the year. We shut down San Jose down in San Jose, and then we played two nights later in Phoenix and lost the game. So you can pick your spots in the schedule, wherever you want, to start the negative side of things. Or you can go back to the positive and say, `How did that work?’ We just need to be better. I thought we played pretty good here tonight. We’re starting to get a little bit of confidence. We had some flow to our game. We had some skating going. After the first period, I thought we were picking it up on that side of it. We just had too many turnovers, coming through the neutral zone. They’re a team that, when they get a one-goal lead, two-goal lead, they’re going to shut it down. They’re going to have five guys above it, so you have to make sure the puck is in deep. I thought we made some good decisions, but the few bad decisions, they end up coming back at you and they have scoring chances off of them. So we just have to get on board with everybody doing the right thing for the 60 minutes. It looks like that’s the only way we’re going to break through on this thing right now. We’re making one mistake, and it ends up being the difference in the game.”
MURRAY: “I think it comes down to having confidence in all situations. We got the good start. I know we were down by one. You come back and tie it, and there were some real good shifts after that. The confidence is good, and then you end up giving up another goal. It’s hard on a team, when you’re a group of guys that’s in the state that we’re in. It’s very difficult to push through and come back with, `It’s OK, guys. Let’s just come back and keep going.’ You say it, but it’s hard. Then they capitalize on the next goal, and that really made it very, very difficult.”
Save it, we have all heard it before… And thanks for sticking it out rich! i hope the blog gets fixed soon.
[Reply]
Well, I hate to say it, but it seems the only way out of this; is to let Mr. Murray go. The team don’t seem to be responding to him anymore. Times like this, you either need to make a head shaking trade, which we all know Dl won’t do or let go of the coach. Having brought Stevens here last year, who Dl knows from his Philly days, I don’t think we have to look far for TM replacement.Oh well, but something has to give and this time is TM’s job.
[Reply]
David R Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:13 pm
@Leo4kings, thats what ive been saying, none of the players respect/fear him. He needs to send someone to the minors, or a couple people, but he wont. BUT… if someone can convince him he has gone through all the possible line combos and the only way he can get new ones is by sending someone down and calling someone up, he might go for it, he loves new combos.
[Reply]
Leo4kings Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@David R, You are right in regards to sending someone down or at least benched like he did with Frolov. But, I think at this point is too late for that and we can’t afford to have new lessons in the middle of exam, if you know what I mean! A new coach and idiology and a minor trade should do the trick and give the jolt that we need badly.. I would not be sitting so comfortably if I was Stoll,Sturn or even williams. Would be fun next couple of days. Hey, one could hope. Right? lol…
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
@Leo4kings, Stevens is not the answer. Hardy had DD competing for a Norris trophy. JJ and DD were deadly on the powerplay during the playoffs. Our D could actually score. We upgraded during the summer. Now? I think the D has scored less goals, DD isn’t playing at the same level, and our D is underacheiving.
tantrum4 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
@David R,
Why dont you guys quit blaming the damn coach and put some of the responsability on the players that are ACTUALLY PLAYING THE GAME!!! I have never seen so many excuses by fans in my entire life. Stop taking the easy road and blaming the coach, it’s old and tired.
[Reply]
Leo4kings Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
@tantrum4, Is not putting the blame on TM.You are right is the players who play the game.But, you seem to miss the point.
This is about fixing this as quickly as possible and in professional sports is easier to replace one guy rather than the whole team. Might be unfortunate or even unfair, but that’s the way it goes.
bbb7 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
@tantrum4, My take has been that I cant really blame the players cause, for most of them, they dont have the skill to play much better. Smyth and Zeus are too slow now, Simmonds is still too raw, and players like Richardson, Lewis, Clifford.. they are role players, and we have too many of those.
The players that HAVENT played as well as they should are Doughty, Stoll, Greene and Bernier, among others and yes, they should be called out.
BUT… attempting to play a dump-and-chase game nowadays is too easy to counter, especially by teams with speed, and for that strategy I DO blame the coaching staff.
Mark Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:49 pm
@tantrum4, it is becasue the players are not listening to the coach anymore you cant trade the team away the coach is the easiest way. look what flyers did a year ago fired their coach and made the finals. Not saying we would get similar results but it will help
longbeachyo Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
@tantrum4, Ok, I can honestly see the reasoning for wanting to fire TM, but how many more coaches do we need to fire before we become actual contenders again??? Say we fire TM, is there someone else out there (maybe Tommy Lasorda) that can get this team back to the finals??? I’m beginning to think that it’s impossible. Los Angeles has too many other things going on… The players all live over by the beach and probably never even see a puck or skates in the off season. I’m fully convinced it’s the culture of this team that is to blame. Look at Detroit… why does it seem ANYONE that goes over there suddenly plays WAY better??? Like Mathieu Schneider… he was a bum for us but a stud for them. Why is that? Why do you think JJ was so eager to sign an extension? He probably has a bomb pad over in Manhattan beach and wants to keep it, even though he probably could’ve got more money. -CULTURE
In my opinion firing the coach or GM (again) isn’t going to change that.
Leo4kings Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:15 am
@tantrum4, One more reason why we have no other choice at this point of the season, but to let Murray go. As a fan, I can see which player gives it all every night and who doesn’t. Brown, since his Hot December has gone to a comma. I love the way, Green, Scudery,Mitchell, Martinez & Johnson play On D. I love the way lewis puts his nose on every puck and love the way Handzus finds his way in front of the net every time. But, I am tired of Stoll going 100 miles an hour and come back empty handed every time, tired of Ryan on his ass 50% of the time when he is on the ice. Tired of seeing westgarth not being able to find a dance partner when we need it badly. If I can see this as a fan and can make few adjustments to fix it, why can’t TM see and do that? Now, is not all on Tm; but it is on him when his only way of adjusting seems to be line shuffling every other game. It is on him when he does not take a stand and bench DD or Stoll or whoever when they lay an egg. Why that style was good for Frolov, but not anyone else? Have the balls and do what you have to do and live with the consequences. Go out fighting like you expect your team to do rather than keep shuufling & shuffling and shuffling….
RLane420 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:33 am
@tantrum4, There are 2 choices trade a core player or two or fire the coach. Which would you prefer? This team needs a shakeup they are no longer responding to the coach. I would prefer to lose TM rather than trade away any of our core players and get less than value for them. Wake up Kings.
jmsalsa Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:06 am
@tantrum4, i’ll second this. you can’t coach players with no drive/desire.
Skooma Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 6:21 am
@David R, sacking a manager who was doing quite well for us only a few weeks ago is not the answer.
The players just aren’t gelling well. I don’t know what it is.
[Reply]
David R Reply:
January 17th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
@Skooma, ugh, its the coach, i said it in another post, im not complaining about the coach when the team sucks, im complaining about him all the time, even when they do good. he is not the coach for this team, winning or losing.
kasey9 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:56 am
@Leo4kings, Honestly u gotta look at it like this you can agree or not i know some will and some wont but this is not TM fault if he was not trying different things and just leaving it the same way like line combos and trying Bernie here and there and so on then I would say let him go but seriously what more can he do besides find people in the stands to play lol I cant fault him for everything he has tried to do i think if he got fired it would not be deserved. The PLAYERS need to step up and do something about it before there season is completely done there lucky as it is that there still in it because everyone behind them in points has been losing to. And ask yourself this to who else coach wise is out there right now that kings could get that can deal with this team and be a good coach?
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:41 am
@kasey9, There are other coaches out there TM was a pretty much unknown when we hired him. Many people questioned his hireing. There are more than the hanfull of regulars out there.
[Reply]
pitty Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 11:20 am
@RLane420, Dude TM was and is a know commodity. He has been around the league for a long long time and nobody who knows anything about hockey questioned this hire in fact the kings were praised and most analysts said it was a great fit. Everyone here reminds me of parents watching their kids play sports, it’s never my kid who sucks it must be the coach.People it is the players who play not the coaches.
It’s like the too many men penalties and people blame the coach it is never the coaches fault it is always, always the player. The coach tells a player he is up next then it is up to the player to sub with the player coming off the ice at the right time. The coach does not tell a player ok jump on the ice NOW it does not work that way.
Recipe for success
1 new head coach
2 new veteran players acquired through trade
10 straight road games so they can bunk together until they figure it out
[Reply]
DetroitSons1952 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:00 am
@DBking, The only thing about firing the coach is, you still have the non-talent pieces, you could bring Scotty Bowman in and it wouldn’t change a thing. What TM needs is some good forwards with talent, They need to shed Westgarth, Zeus, Williams, Poni, and maybe a D-man.But then the next question is, who would want them and what could DL get? Junk begets junk in return.
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:43 am
@DetroitSons1952, TM isnt half the coach Bowman is. If you dont think Scotty could right this ship you dont know Jack.
[Reply]
xeropoint Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 11:36 am
@DetroitSons1952, Then explain the Nashville Predators.
[Reply]
jmsalsa Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:09 am
@DBking, only thins i agree with here is the road trip. i really think getting away from their comfort zone and focusing solely on hockey will be good for them.
[Reply]
I enjoyed watching the game tonight. Go get them on Saturday. Go Kings Go! Still plenty of season left to turn it around. We are in go hands with AEG, DL and TM.
[Reply]
Leo4kings Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
@Hockey101, What game where you watching tonight and more importantly what have been smoking?I want some of that too. Lol…
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
@Hockey101, Nick Nickson, is that you ?
[Reply]
NoDoughty Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:36 pm
@puck73, LOL
[Reply]
Garrett Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
sarcasm, right?
[Reply]
NoDoughty Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
@Hockey101, ROFLMAO…. thanks for that
[Reply]
These quotes from TM and Stoll are unbelievable.
The Blues had call-up players and we didn’t really even challenge Halak.
Plus, Stoll stayed on nearly the entire 2nd PP.
We are an offensively challenged team playing a system where there cannot be defensive errors.
Credit to Crombeen on a good deflection for their 1st, but the second and 3rd goals cannot happen that way.
Veterans are involved in these mistakes. Mitchell was no where near his position on the 3rd, and, well, Zus blew it.
It was a closer game than 2goals, but we didn’t set the barn on fire with scoring opportunities.
TM won’t get fired, so maybe the road will turn this around.
[Reply]
Wow!!
[Reply]
tantrum4 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:19 pm
@lady gaga,
Hey you’re a Kings fan? Cool!
[Reply]
this all i hear from this team i like to loose and watching all the fans booing us its totally awesome way to play to loose
[Reply]
Nick mentioned how many games in so few nights could be a reason the Kings problem…well isnt thats why we need a 4th line that is going to play more then 10 minutes a game and maybe the coach needs to cut down on DD’s minutes…..
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:41 am
@neil,
The weird thing is that our last slump started when we had too few games over a 2-3 week span (if I’m not mistaken)
[Reply]
When I saw Murray’s face tonight with 13 minutes left to go, it seemed like he was thinking, “how many different line combinations can I have in the next 13 minutes?” HAHAHA, how about, how can we win the game.
[Reply]
bbb7 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:16 pm
@David R, And they’re down 2 with 10 minutes to go and Westgarth is out there trying to start a fight instead of trying to score and I guess TM thought he did such a great job he sends him out again with 6 min to go. Your team is 2 behind with 10 minutes to go. If they arent fired up enough to scratch and claw for a comeback, one fight isnt going to make any difference, anyways! Sheesh.
[Reply]
Smyth thought that the Kings didnt play well in the second period…the coach thought that they did…..I thought the Kings didnt play well at all except for a few minutes in each period…maybe that is one of the problems…
[Reply]
anonandonanon Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:06 am
@neil, It isn’t “doing the little things”, which Ryan mentions, it’s doing the big things this team isn’t connecting with. Inconsistency of winning attitude. Overcompensation in many aspects of the game, but mainly bad position on the ice.
We also got pushed around a little too much for my liking.
But in the end it’s goal scoring. Big thing.
[Reply]
60 MINS!!! maybe it’s time to start getting some players that are willing to play the full game.
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:42 am
@dave,
We should tell players that it’s a 90 minute game (like soccer). Then if they only play 2/3rd of the game well that would give us the 60 minutes we’re looking for.
[Reply]
Kopi…Smyth..Williams lasted all of two periods!!!!!
[Reply]
Sparman Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:09 am
@neil,
I actually thought the line did better when Brown was moved back, and Williams provided some speed/skill that was lacking on the 2nd. I liked the change.
[Reply]
Sebastian Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:09 am
@neil, which is all they deserved to last…Smyth and Williams were not playing very well. I think Williams ended up on the 3rd or 4th line in the 3rd…he didnt play well. Smith is just not strong enough along the boards.
[Reply]
oh yeah, and great job brining in Westgarth for Poni, that was awesome
[Reply]
jmsalsa Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:13 am
@David R, LOL
[Reply]
“were not getting a full 60 minutes..”
id have settled for 16 minutes tonight. I’m literally, physically ill (although that might be the mountain dew addiction).
I said it in the other thread and i’ll say it here too.. Murray needs to go; or they need to make some arrangement in which he gets a bonus for every time he yells at someone, argues with a ref, or shows any kind of game-related emotion. Guy is a friggin gargoyle.. get mad FFS.
[Reply]
ColoKingFan Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
@ColoKingFan, Pride – Passion – Power
what a joke.
[Reply]
David R Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
@ColoKingFan, NEW SLOGAN… Murray gets, No Fear – No Respect – No Power
[Reply]
And here’s my quote:
Team isn’t good enough. I know fans will call for Murray’s head but he’s doing everything he can. I know the system lacks creativity, but thats the GM’s fault. We need a new player to help and we need him now. Terry Murray has been referencing Pavel Bure all season, hey Dean, take the hint. We need an offensive player, be it pure sniper or creative playmaker.
Jack Johnson has been outplaying that sack of donuts, Drew Fatty. Eating too many happy meals out there? You never deserved a Norris nomination. Johnson was the real star in the playoffs. Good luck in negotiations soon.
end of quote.
[Reply]
Leo4kings Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
@Chris P. Bacon, Who is this? Jack Johnson on his own B-Day? lol… I agree that Jack Johnson has been the more consistant and hard worker of the two and that includes last year. But, calling Drew fatty and all the other stuff might be a little unfair. His biggest problem in my opinion is that he got too much attention too early and is having a problem
to adjust to that as the other teams have a target on his head every night. Jack is a work horse and from his body and conditioning you can tell he stays in a great shape. drew needs to hand out with him little more often. But, don’t kid yourself, he will come around soon enough and he will get that fat contract, because he is that good.
[Reply]
David R Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:17 pm
@Chris P. Bacon, the team is good enough, arent we better than last year’s montreal, i think so. if murray stays the team needs to realize it is up to them to win and not rely on Murray, they will have to find a tactful way to tell him how they want the lines, or pretend they get hurt or a stick breaks to create the changes they want on the ice.
[Reply]
ColoKingFan Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:19 pm
@Chris P. Bacon,
Murray enables this kind of BS effort with his “we played well but..” excuses and lack of emotion… this isn’t about a bad homestand.. this is about a talented team embarrassing itself – REPEATEDLY. Sick of reading the post game quotes… but, but, but.. but what? If I’m managing a staff of employees who aren’t performing that is my fault, and I guarantee its my head in the guillotine when push comes to shove. If they were just losing it’d be one thing.. this is unwatchable.
[Reply]
lady gaga Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
@Chris P. Bacon, DREWWWWWWWWW FATTTTTY THAT ISSS CLASSSSSIC
[Reply]
OneTimer Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 7:51 am
@Chris P. Bacon,
Wow. How quickly they turn. I’m guessing 3 straight wins from now – and you’re back to sleeping in your #8 jersey? lol
[Reply]
I'm Just Saying" Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:52 am
@OneTimer, Yes because that jersey is the size of a California King Bed Sheet
[Reply]
OneTimer Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:59 am
@I’m Just Saying”,
Good one. And hey- at 6’3″ tall (and my wife is 5’10″) we LOVE our CA King bed.
Go Kings Go. End this horrid dreadful slump. End it NOW.
Enough of home stinkers, the fans deserve better!
Fire TM now. Call up Moller and play him in first line.
If Murray is not fired than sell off the UFAs and play youth.
[Reply]
I am personally going to come down there and break that mirror they have all been looking in to these past 2 weeks, cause it cant be any worse luck broken than it has been in one piece.
And seriously, TM: “I thought we played pretty good here tonight. We’re starting to get a little bit of confidence. We had some flow to our game. We had some skating going.” REALLY? Flow? Maybe what he needs is an optometrist, not a sniper LW.
[Reply]
neil Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
@bbb7, maybe that is the problem….the coach actually thought we played pretty well…..
[Reply]
oahukingzfan Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
@bbb7, I got ur back on that one. Classic post. Aloha
[Reply]
ColoKingFan Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
@bbb7, “we had some skating going”
I know thats hockey jargon for something more, but still… isn’t “skating” kinda basic.. its really bad when the coach of a professional hockey team starts complimenting his teams “skating;” kinda reaching there Murray… just sayin..
[Reply]
Dave's a Killer Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:35 am
@bbb7, No shots on goal for 14 and 1/2 minutes what game was he watching?! Even Bob Miller, who has seen it all, said this is totally unacceptable
[Reply]
did our billionaire owner make it to the game tonite?
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:28 pm
@nofreight, No, but the Governor of the Team, Tim Leiweike (Deans Boss) did, he is a season ticket holder and you can be sure he is pissed off like the rest of us.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 1:26 am
@nofreight, you can count the number of games our dead-beat owner has made it to since he bought the team on ONE hand… pathetic ownership. But that’s what you get when you’re owner cares more about the land and the building then what goes on inside of it.
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:50 am
@nofreight,
Honestly i don’t understand why the ownership is an issue that we should be critical of.
All along DM has said that they’re willing to spend the money if there is someone worth spending the money on. In fact I think it was Leiweike who wanted Kovi more than Deano… and from my rough understanding, what held us back wasn’t the actual cash outlay (which would be the sign of an ownership that didn’t care), but rather managing the salary cap given future salaries to be signed (i.e. DM’s job)
[Reply]
if the coach really thought that the Kings played pretty well tonight…then he is clueless…..Fans dont boo if the Kings played pretty well….We dont get this many angry bloggers….Was the coach watching the same game as the rest of us??
[Reply]
Anyone else tired of Murray saying “I think we played well” after a loss?
[Reply]
bbb7 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
@CanadianKing, I am comatose from it.
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:58 am
@bbb7, so is the team.
[Reply]
ColoKingFan Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
@CanadianKing, My stomach turns every time i read it… what i want to hear him say: “this is on me. The team stinks, we played awful, and I’m at least partially to blame.” Excuses are like as– okay. ill stop now.
[Reply]
Stoll can’t be serious.
[Reply]
FIRE MURRAY?
I’m sick of this. One shot in 14 minutes in the second period of a tied ‘must win’ game at home – against a team that played the night before. Something is terribly wrong with this team, and they seem to have tuned the coaching staff out completely.
[Reply]
kasey9 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:59 am
@ForumFan, lol so how is that Murrays fault that the team has tuned him out maybe the players need to not tune him out and start playing there the ones on the ice. Obviously Murray did something right at the beginning of the season and last season so in this case this is all on the players not the coaches
[Reply]
ForumFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 3:21 am
@kasey9,
I agree that the players should be responsible for their performance, but in professional sports it simply isn’t possible to fire a whole team. The King’s season is in real danger of imploding right now, and I think some kind of drastic action needs to take place.
Coaching is about motivating, teaching and inspiring at this level, and putting players in a position to succeed. None of those things apply to the team at the moment. That’s why I think the flat performances are such a cause for concern. Again, one shot in 14 minutes of a tied game at home simply isn’t acceptable.
[Reply]
EternalOptimist Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 11:00 am
@ForumFan,
TM has to hold the players accountable when there not performing up to par. Giving excuses about how they played well(when they didn’t) doesn’t cut it. I know he was hired as a teacher for these young kids. But I think now is the time to expect more from them and treat them like men. He’ll probably get better results and more respect from the players if he does.
[Reply]
TM is way too optimistic. Show some fury! Read what sj coach said after they dropped their 6th straigh to lowly edm at home!
[Reply]
DetroitSons1952 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:08 am
@Carol vadnais, Him and his brother are just alike when it comes to hockey, they’re both complacent and drink their own koolaid. Take a look at Ottawa and you see the mirror image of the Kings.
[Reply]
Has anyone else noticed the alarming trend of playing horribly against teams on the second game of a back to back? If the opponent played the night before, just put a L down on the schedule and move on – how ridiculous is that?
[Reply]
We should have kept the Phoenix coach when we had em.
Two Murrays later and here we are.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
@johnjuan, Now that was pretty funny.
[Reply]
I feel sick.
thank you Kings for that.
[Reply]
I was watching the feed from St Louis (Jim Fox talks to much)They said how good DD is and he will be a great one.Everyone praises this donut kid but when will he prove it? Firing the coach isnt the answer,its LaLa land. They dont sleep and eat hockey like the fans do.They show up and think they can turn it on,no can do!Now you know why star players dont want to play in LA
[Reply]
Joe Dirt Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:31 am
@mike, kid’s in his 3rd season. He was a Norris runner up last year and even Stevie Y was singing praises for him. His problem is that this year started off bad with the concussion he suffered. On top of that our coach runs this garbage stagnant offense that lacks any kind of creativity. Give him time he WILL pick it up again eventually.
[Reply]
RLane420 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:03 am
@mike, There is a team right up the freeway that proves you wrong
[Reply]
I got it, i got it….The boys are all playing like they don’t want to get injured. They get pushed around and only Brownie pushes back. They will cough up the puc or make poor judgment passes to avoid getting hit. They attack from the perimeter because they don’t want to get laid-out going to the middle….but you want to know what? Championship teams do.
Get pissed boys, get real pissed. Earn some respect. You have the talent and now you need to do all the things that you are capable of doing, your just a little afraid right now. Your fans are aware that you are young and still learning…..here’s a hint……….throw caution to the wind and beat the tar out of someone………….soon !!
[Reply]
KFII Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 7:52 am
@SplattDaddy, By George I think you’ve got it!
[Reply]
I saw on an espn insider that the rangers were in need of a d man. I know his name has been thrown around but maybe trade some d prospects and stoll or handzus for gaborik?
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:53 am
@KH,
I’d never say never, but I don’t think the Rangers would ever trade Gaborik… I feel like he’s their only reliable offense (besides the juggernaut known as Brian Boyle…sadly no sarcasm here)
Plus if you look in the crowd at a game in MSG, he’s the only one who really gets people excited besides Lundqvist
[Reply]
I guess the loss of Mark Hardy, and Sean Odonnell have hurt a lot more then I would have thought. And I guess I cant say that Willie Mitchell was the reason anymore…oh well, I am out of answers.
[Reply]
dan Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:44 pm
@puck73,
odonnell is terrible, hes the reason why we didnt make it out of the first round. too slow, too old. those game losing goals where his fault.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:49 pm
@dan, Funny that Philly doesn’t feel that way about O.D. Come to think of it, neither did I.
[Reply]
gmo Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:13 am
@Dominick, agree with you O.D was a good player and reliable whe should have kept him
puck73 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:53 pm
@dan, Funny, I dont here Philly fan complaining about him being a plus 14. BTW, Sean has now gone 10 straight seasons being a plus player and you can be sure that it is not a coincidence because he does not score a lot of points himself and never has. Also, many believe it was Sean that set the tone for last season when he beat the living hell out of an Islander player in that exhibition game in Kansas City for roughing up one of our younger players after the whistle blew. We could have used his leadership when Mitchell was hurt thats for sure.
[Reply]
dan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:01 am
@puck73,
its not funny, its a shame. thats because philly has an amazingly well rounded team. maybe he wanted to get traded. maybe he hated TM. it doesnt matter, i dont look at what hes doing now, i look at what he did for us. he was a disgrace last year. i dont care if he happenend to beat someone up (in preseason?) he played like a drone all last year. it seems every losing game this year you can pick a different kings player that missed assignments. most of last year, it was either sean or jones. if we had mitchell last year we would have had a better run. thats all. im a kings fan, not a philly.
Dominick Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:02 am
@puck73, O.D. I think O.D. is in the top 5 in combined +/- over the last 9 years.
DLB Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:52 am
@puck73, OD still wanted to play. DL didn’t want him back, so Philly got him on day one of free agency. Maybe the idea was to give our young defensemen more time, but I for one wish we still had him.
Its simple. Shoot the calm puck.everyone should be given an expectation of a number of shots expected.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
@Sy, shoot the calm puck ?
[Reply]
I think DD is still scared out there, he isn’t hitting anyone anymore? And trying his best to no get hit… guess the demon is not out of his head yet
[Reply]
This was won of the most boring games of the season. Westgarth needs to sit if he’s not going to punish some people for taking liberties with the rest of the players. I’d like to see Poni and Harrold play in the next game.
[Reply]
wow. everything i thought while watching the last few games is already written here, above me. at least i know the fans are on the same page even if TM and the players arent. the only other thing that peeves me is- why does ryan smyth think its okay to fall down on every single shift ever? hes great in front of the net but is tooooo slow to play with kopi. he holds him down.
[Reply]
Columbus has fallen behind. Looks like we’re next along with San Jose Sharks. The latter being Dean Lombardi’s former team. Makes you think..
[Reply]
DLB Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:53 am
@Chris P. Bacon, so when the Sharks were challenging for the President’s Trophy, was DL responsible for that too? I don’t understand.
[Reply]
Friggin “Man-Up” and start playing like professional hockey players ! Or better yet, give up the hockey career, get a 40 hour a week job, pay $250 bucks for two tickets and watch an uninspired bunch of men paid really well to play a game they should love like they don’t care ! See how you like it !!!!!!!!
Yoa all need a reality check !
[Reply]
CalgarianKingsFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:00 am
@StankBloat, I paid 380 for two seats to the last game in Calgary, and having my little brother up from the states to see it. Getting booed off the ice is an embarassment and Im not sure it even happened when they were bottom of the league. Man Up couldnt be more appropriate as not only this season but the future of the LA kings looks bleak at this effort. I am by no means trying to get into the nhl, nor am I even a hockey player, but the oppourtunity to throw on a Kings Jersey, play for fans, and play in a ‘brotherhood’ of team mates seems too wonderful to describe. The players need to see this as more than a job, more than a team, and more than just a must win game. Every game is must win. I would skate my ass off and hit people and fight anyone and everyone, with no hockey skill necessary. It doesnt take a bunch of talent to punch someones face in, but it sure has results. There is no Pride, there is no Passion, therefore there can be no Power
[Reply]
OK, first off….the word is LOSE not LOOSE! F’n annoying!!!!!! Grammar challenged jackwagons…
Anyway…
As a team, we played about 30 minutes. Not enough. I don’t like the calm TM at this point of a losing streak. He can say F@#K a dozen times yelling at the refs from the bench, yet he can’t show any emotion during the presser? It’s time to show some emotion. Maybe if the coach does it, the players will follow? Just a thought.
1st goal should have never counted. Clifford was clearly interfered with from getting to his defensive position on the ice to get in front of the shooter. plain as day, right in front of the ref. The offensive player has no right to that space and has a responsibility not to (basically) set a pick, which is interference. The O-Player did not make an effort to move out of Clifford’s path to defend. That shot never gets through if Clifford has a clear path to that puck. Pitiful.
Also, Smyth was clearly right about the goal being good. Puck was obviously under the pad and the ENTIRE pad was 6 inches BEHIND the goal line in the net. Yes, you cannot push a goalie into the net, but the rule refers to a goaltender with CONTROL of the puck. (If someone wants to search for it,please do, I’m too tired) Halak has no ‘control’ of the puck, it’s just under his pad and the whistle was not blown when the pad and the puck under it crossed the line. When he drags his leg back, the puck comes out from underneath it, proving the puck was under the pad. The ENTIRE pad crossed the goal line with room to spare. Another bad call.
Those blown calls are just what they are. Pitiful. Calls aside, that is not why we lost.
Terry Murray can coach this team to a Cup. If he coached like he did at San Jose, it’s a done deal. The bottom line to all this BS is that TM and this team have played almost perfect in one game this season, so we ALL know it can be done. The players are responsible for this mess….that is until it goes this long. The coach is the ringleader. He sets the course, the leaders start the charge.
There’s no course being set right now, and if there is, it’s constantly being changed.
All I’m hearing is that we can panic, just play with desperation. If that’s true, then why are the lines changing EVERY SINGLE GAME and the coach saying publicly ‘We’re just looking for a spark, just need a win’. That SCREAMS panic! Telling the players to ‘Stay the course’ and ‘Stick to the system’, yet giving them all new line partners every game to do it with is downright hypocritical and frustrating for the players. It tells them that you don’t trust them to work it out and that you’ll do it by changing things up every game until something clicks. THAT’S PANIC!
Terry, if you believe in the system, then please believe in the players to work through this without the constant changes! The players have enough to worry about, trying to dig themselves out of this without having to think twice as hard about the tendencies of their new line mate that night.
This team needs some chemistry and they need it stat!
We, the fans, need some wins. I swear I’m going to break my couch by pounding the crap out of it!
[Reply]
CalgarianKingsFan Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:05 am
@Cynic, way too true. The Pride=Passion=Power is fundamentally broken as no pride or passion is seen anywhere in this team right now. I love your optimism about the cup, and thats what it needs to be about from now on. All for the cup, all for the city, all for the fans and team. Its very three-muskateerish, but when was the last time someone blocked a shot for quick, when was the last time a King beat the crap out of a pestering player. Panic is not acceptable, and persistance and passion will bring the pride and power back to this club.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 12:20 am
@Cynic,
Excellent post! I think System has everything to do with it also. TM has retreated into a Puckmanagement shell. The more teams clamp down, the more he stresses to play the right way (which is basically play his system better). He doesn’t seem interested in adjusting the system during games to counter what other teams do, but to address their play with more of his system.
Also I fully agree with the reffs blowing it tonight on both of those goals.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 1:33 am
@Cynic, chemistry is key! I was at the game, killer seats and one play hi-lites our lack of chem (but surprisingly it was two players who have been playing together for awhile) but JW has the puck up by the blue line in our O-zone and Stoll is breaking out at the blue line, Willy wants to make the pass and he can go up the boards to Stoll or towards the middle. But what happens? Stoll cuts to the boards, Willy passes to the middle, neutral zone TO and the Blues are back in our zone with numbers becuase oour forwards are moving up thinking its an easy clear and out D were about to change…
I don’t know what needs to happen, and I know we’re not going to lose every game from here on out, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t feel that way…
*whispering* GKG
[Reply]
Player-X Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 6:51 am
@Cynic,
Terry Murray was never the coach at San Jose. To say we would win the Cup if he coached like he did at S.J. is to say we would win the Cup without him. Wrong on #1 and maybe right on #2 may well balance out…
[Reply]
Jack the Lad Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:38 am
@Player-X, I think what Cynic meant was T.M. coaching the Kings to the 5-0 win in S.J. a few weeks back.
@ Cynic, I’m glad someone finally said it, It also drives me crazy seeing everyone spell loose instead of lose. The American education system is broken.
[Reply]
Cynic Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 10:02 am
@Jack the Lad, Thanks Jack on both items. Yes, exactly what I meant.
Constantly juggling the lines has not worked. Stay with the same lines for an extended period to see if that does! its not rocket science here!
[Reply]
Just make a trade…This town can’t wait for our youngster to develop…We have to many of them…Businesswise, we need to find a legit scorer who doesn’t hesitate to shoot…D’s pass to much, shoot the damn puck…We have guys like Zeus, Brown, and Smyth who crashes the crease a lot; one, two, three, or even four may make it in…I remember last game when we had a 6-4 PP and all we did is pass; how pathetic to end a game…
[Reply]
I wish we got stamkos
[Reply]
Chris P. Bacon Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 1:41 am
@Randell,
me too. Drew Doughty is a joke. Not a serious competitor like Steve Stamkos. I was impressed when Stamkos went to Gary Roberts for conditioning over the summer. It’s been revealed he runs a very strict clinic. Stamkos comes into shape this season and is a scorinf machine. What about Drew? This guy would rather have a pot belly watching infomercials.
[Reply]
klee Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 2:29 am
@Chris P. Bacon, yeah DD the biggest disappointment of the season in the whole league.
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:58 am
@klee,
Um, not that i think this requires a response…but exactly how many non-King games do you watch a year to say DD is the biggest disappointment in the whole league? I’m pretty sure there is a Blue Jacket fan who has felt that way about Chris Mason in goal (or Nash at times), there’s an Islanders fan who feels that way about their entire first line, or Flames fan who felt that way about Theo Fleury or a Caps fan who feels that way about a non-scoring Ovechkin.
Hyperboles are helpful to make points, but become dangerous if you actually believe it.
Well good consistently at least….. another poor 2nd period. Every single game on the homestand. Is there a bit of a pattern here? As for the 60 mins stuff I have to honestly say that I think a Lot of people are getting fed up with hearing this. Maybe they should give the fans prorated ticket prices?
[Reply]
Call up Manchester players there doing something right there winning a lot lol
[Reply]
1 Fire Murray
2 New Captains = guys who actually speak up
3 just because ur small doesn’t mean u can’t score…LA needs to get that through their minds and call up Loktionov and Moller…bench Stoll and Sturm for a while
[Reply]
Paul G Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 5:20 am
@Paul G, footnote: don’t resign Sturm Handzus Harold after this year…call up the boys who r gonna raise Lord Stanley
[Reply]
they reminded me of that electric football game where you set your players and they go like hell from the vibration, out of place, out of synch………….. i’m lost anymore. maybe this road trip is what they need
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 1:34 am
@lvkingaholic, LOL I used to love that game!!!
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:55 am
@lvkingaholic, I’ve been stating that I’m looking forward to the roadtrip.
When I was 5 I had the best Christmas ever. I got an electric football game and a Rock’em Sock’em Robots game.
[Reply]
No joke, lets get Manchester players up here and Murray, here’s a clue START BERNIER vs EDMONTON, change up the flow here!
[Reply]
You lose the Maple leafs of all teams, and come back and lose to a conference team who we need to beat to keep the playoff hopes alive like the Blues??? Murray, I blame you, I’m getting sick of this system talk as well. The system play isn’t working. Everyone has figured it out, that you’re cycling the puck and the key is to get it to the point (d-men) for a shot and deflection. They’re playing defense on us to the T. We need some new blood in here, for some much needed scoring punch and creatitity, forgt this dam system play, and you need to stop changing the lines. Bring up some boys from Manchester for a boost. Toronto did it and it won them 4 straight.
[Reply]
Previous game they had 6 on 4 for 1:42 and passed the puck around like they had all the time in the world and lost the game. Night before they almost blow a 4-0 lead. Last night another loss. The best thing on the ice is the Ice Crew girls! It’s depressing.
Time to make some changes or they can give away all the t-shirts and hot dogs they can and they’re not going to get fans in the seats. Who wants to spend a couple hundred on seats, $25 for parking plus another $20 or more on food to watch a floundering team?
They have blown a chance to get 12 points at home. Now not only do they need to win but other teams need to lose for them to get into the playoffs. They no longer control their own destiny.
If they don’t it around now then I say shake things up starting with the coaching staff!
[Reply]
Does no one know how to take a SNAP SHOT???
Stop winding up and just shoot a quick SNAP SHOT
[Reply]
Sebastian Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:31 am
@OC HipCheck, when ryan smyth came down the LW with the puck and he takes a huge wind up and just gets taken out by the blues D, all I could do was laugh out loud. Its just such an innocent play. you do not have that much time in this league.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:47 am
@OC HipCheck, I think the phraze your looking for is SLAP SHOT.
[Reply]
bbb7 Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:11 am
@Dominick, No, what HipCheck doesnt want them to do is every time try a slapshot. Just use the wrister/snaopshot more often..and he’s right.
[Reply]
hockeyfan B4 Gretzky Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:39 am
@Dominick, Nope its a snapshot they are much harder than a slap shot for a goalie to read.
[Reply]
Not playing for 60 min?! Ones, twice,third time-fired! Open up a space for someone who wants to play full 60 min. You don’t deserve your fat paychecks. Shame on you!
[Reply]
When the whole team goes most of a period without a shot (after scoring their first goal), I put it on the coach. It’s not one player failing to execute. When that same team has several bad defensive shifts, giving up goals in clumps, unless it’s one player, I put that on the coach. When it happens repeatedly, I put that on the coach.
Coaches and players shouldn’t be able to get away with saying “I thought we played a pretty good game” or “I thought we played as well as they did” under such circumstances without being challenged.
If anything, the vitriol here and in the stands last night that got to the level of offensive probably shows that the repeated poor play is downright offensive.
[Reply]
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 8:46 am
Oh and “we just had too many turnovers” doesn’t cut it. The turnovers were bad, but you can’t win many games 1-0 or 2-1 by shootout, or whatever. The offense and defense are rarely good on this team at the same time. Again, inconsistency goes to the coach, in my opinion.
[Reply]
For those of you suggesting the Kings should bring up players from Manchester, you need to understand how the NHL rosters work. You are allowed to have 23 players on your roster, 20 dress for games, 3 are health scratches. When a player gets injured and is put on Injured Reserve, he no longer counts towards the 23 player roster (Scott Parse for example). The Kings currently have 23 players on their roster…SO…in order to bring a player up from Manchester, either someone needs to get injured, traded, waived, or sent back to Manchester. The Kings have NO players that are eligible to go down to Manchester without having to clear waivers. In other words, you are putting that player at risk of being picked up by another team. This only changes AFTER the trade deadline where teams are allowed to have an unlimited amount of players on their active roster provided they dont exceed the salary cap.
[Reply]
I don’t understand how each player talks about playing with despiration and needing to play for 60 minutes and then they come out with that effort? Makes no sense, this type is far too inconsistent to be considered a threat to even make the playoffs let along go far.
[Reply]
Whatever the reason, half the team is just mailing it in. Offensively, they’re predictable. You’d think they were playing a game of hot potato along the boards. Opposing teams are collapsing down and we still try to get it in front of the net from a sharp angle. It won’t work. DD and JJ and the other D man can’t shoot from the blue line because they’re taking passes from guys who are less than ten feet away which means their shooting and passing lanes are easily blocked. No one is spreading out the defense with cross ice passes. Someone in the locker room needs to call you guys out for your sloppy play instead of just eluding to it in general terms.
For example, how many times every game do we turn over control of the puck because RS runs out of gas entering the offensive zone, and rather than holding on to the puck, he takes a shot on goal when there’s no one else around to screen it or pick up a rebound. Those are shots, by the way, that a blind goalie could stop. It’s a total waste. And Zeus gets slower and slower each game JW doesn’t seem to want to hit anyone because all he does is watch the opposition after they beat him to the puck along the boards. WM is a total bust and should be ashamed to collect his paycheck. DB has made little or no effort to get in front of the net, and of late, his passes entering the zone keep meeting resistance from the oppositions legs and sticks. JQ seems to be losing his focus, and AK doesn’t shoot enough.
And by the way, isn’t anyone upset about the way other teams are taking liberties with Kopi and our other skilled players? Kopi has been clobbered in all three of our last losses. Simmer and Clifford can’t be expected to do it all.
And our coach….. Oh, buy. TM keeps switching lines in a futile attempt to generate a spark. It’s a waste of time. Guys need to work together, to know what their line mates are going to do. You break them up all the time and it gets to be like a rink pick up game. No wonder we can’t get anything going.
Not everyone is a flaking out, but those who are just going through the motions know full well who they are.
So how about less talk about what needs to be done and instead, lets see more effort from everyone involved. You need to go back to the basic structure that worked at the beginning of the year. Defense first! Yeah, we didn’t score that many goals, but we managed to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. By activating the D to increase the goals, we’ve allowed the entire dynamic of the team to change, and not for the better. The only way to get more goals is to have the offense step up, and if they can’t do it with the talent we’ve got, then we need to make a trade and pick up someone who really can make the difference.
We pay a lot of to these guys to give us their very best, so if you’re reading this, how about a 100% effort every time you step out on the ice? Where’s your pride? There’s more than enough leadership in that locker room, so how about some of you veterans stepping up and leading by example. Where’s your pride?
[Reply]
Couple of things confuse me. Constant line juggling and Westgarth. Why?
[Reply]
Sorry Kings players, say what you want but I new it was a loss 8 minutes into the 1st.
I sent my sick girlfriend to bed, and I watched the rest of that loss.
And I’m getting used to the loosing this season.
I had a little hope at the start of the 2nd thinking that there would be some adjustment, but no.
[Reply]