Terry Murray’s postgame thoughts…)
(on the game…)
MURRAY: “The first power play we get, we make a real soft, easy pass, and they jump on it. That’s kind of the way the whole thing went, all night long. I don’t think we completed three passes in a row tonight. We had a lot of plays end after that second pass. Even on the attacks, when we had possession, we failed to do the right thing through the middle of the ice to give us an opportunity to get an offensive-zone play going. Even though I think we tried to get it going in the second period — there were better decisions that were made, and we did start to do things — when it came to continuing the play with another pass or holding on to the puck a little bit longer, to open up some ice to make a play, it ended. So it was one of those nights.”
(on the Islanders’ speed…)
MURRAY: “The Islanders, right now, are in a very relaxed state. Their players are just playing. They’re stretching guys out. They’re leaving the zone early, to look for those long opportunities. There’s no pressure, there’s no consequence for anything that’s happening out there right now. So that’s the easiest time in your life to play hockey, is when you’re just having fun. Give them credit for doing that. They came at us and won the game. They beat us 3-0.”
(on the road trip…)
MURRAY: “It was a great road trip. It could have been a great road trip, with a win tonight. It was a very good road trip. We played some very hard teams, in big buildings, and had to come through with the right kind of attitude and the right kind of intensity. There was good spirit throughout the whole road trip. I was happy about that. Now we’ve got to bring it back home. We’ve got a couple days, one more game on the road before we’ve got some games back home.”
It was a great road trip. It could have been a great road trip, with a win tonight. It was a very good road trip…..
Oh Terry, you Shakespeare reincarnate……LOL
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BringBackTheShieldJersey Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
@NoDoughty, More like Dickens: “The road trip was the best of times, it could have been the best of times; it was the worst of times.”
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NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
@BringBackTheShieldJersey, LOL
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DesertKing Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
@NoDoughty,
Alas poor powerplay, I knew you well.
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NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
@DesertKing, a great road trip by any other name is still a great road trip….
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DesertKing Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
@NoDoughty,
Oh powerplay, my powerplay, wherefore art thou.
BringBackTheShieldJersey Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
@NoDoughty,
The road trip was such sweet sorrow.
Out damned Westgarth!
Kings fans die many times before their death.
A plague on both our coaches.
How now? A power play? Dead for a ducat, dead.
The fans doth protest too much.
Et tu, Moulson?
NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
@DesertKing, All I’m saying is, he had me a GREAT. LOL
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DesertKing Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
@NoDoughty,
Outstanding. FYI, I was out of Shakespeare quotes.
NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
@NoDoughty, yep, so was I
In the Net Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
@DesertKing, “Et tu, Moulson?”
Now THAT’S funny!
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NoDoughty Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 12:16 am
@NoDoughty, cheers guys for joining in on the fun
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Player-X Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 7:56 am
@NoDoughty, A power play, a power play, my kingdom for a power play!
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DL can you hire an independant anylasis coach to look at the power play, because TM, and Kompon just don’t see what the problem is, and if they can’t see the problem, how can they fix the prblem?
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NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
@Dominick, I don’t think Jamie knows what PP stand for – here’s a hint: It’s neither Piss Poor nor Play Pathetic
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uknojata Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
@Dominick, Maybe I’m crazy, but it looks pretty simple to me. We are way too predictable and get caught not moving our feet. The first unit with Kopi is the worst, so static! That’s one thing that I really appreciate about what Lokti brings to the second unit, movement and creativity. I guess that wasn’t enough for Terry.
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tornado12 Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
@uknojata, TM wants ONLY defensivelly responsible first players on the team. Problem is thats does not promote creativity which is the main problem with the offense and more so the PP.
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
@Dominick,
Guys, I don’t know Kompon from Lombardi (Vince), but it was not him mishandling the puck on the PP, nor was it him telegraphing soft passes, nor he one of the four skaters back on the blue line, nor was it he standing still.
C’mon, if Jim Fox can see what’s wrong with the PP, you bet that all three King’s coaches can.
Lets stop blaming the coaches. Maybe the Kings just aren’t that good yet? Yes, I was as excited as the next guy in October, but my senses have returned and I will stick with what I said after last years playoffs – The Kings will contend for the cup in the 2012-2013 season – no sooner. We have to wait for Schenn, Lokti, Voynov, and Oscar.
Our day is coming!
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DesertKing Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
@Michael_J,
The Kings players are good. See the last 4-5 months of posts reference the PP and its problems.
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
@DesertKing,
Good? Yes. Great? I don’t know. But, I don’t know how many players they have that can be effective on the PP. Kopi, JJ, DD JW, Lokti, Stoll(?), AM(?)-that’s about it. Handzus does a good job screening, and Smyth is the best at deflections, but if you do not have the talent to make tape to tape passes, nor do you keep your feet moving you will never cause the PK to get out of position-which leads to scoring chances.
I have read most of the posts, and the same coach who led the Kings PP to 8th(?) last year, and 1st in the playoffs is the guy “in charge” of the PP now. The players have to score the goals. The coaches make sure that they know what each other is doing.
Bkrs-Bud Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
@Michael_J, At least 2 top notch wingers for Kopi’s line and replacements for Zues,Smyth.These 2 are to slow and get exposed defensively by fast skating teams.
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pitty Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 9:16 am
@Michael_J, Amen brother, Someone finally gets it. Quit blaming the coaches and start holding the players accountable. Again it’s like parents watching there kids play no matter how bad the kid plays they blame the coach.
Go Kings!!!!
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Jason4Kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
@Dominick, I can’t help but think Kopi, Doughty, and Johnson are much more skilled then this power play shows. Maybe they’re being over coached? I don’t know, but it’s ugly.
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TM you blew this one as much as anyone. Westgarth in Loktionov out and embarrassed in the press. You’re the one that is the embarrassement after this one.
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Token Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
@Mike J., I agree with KC23. Murray was out-coached.
Are you that much of a novice that you have never seen a coach perform poorly and get out-coached?
Seriously?
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
@Mike J.,
Maybe 99 or 66 could have made the difference tonight, not Lokti.
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BOXTIME17 Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 9:02 am
@KC23,
agreed…..AND where was Westgarth after Kopi took that cheap shot? I thought that was why he was out there? Should have played Lokti …maybe there would have been some creativity?
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It is true, we had a great road trip, even with tonight’s poor performance. The fact that we got as many points as we did with our horrible PP and poor offense is a tribute to our team. Can anyone tell us how many PP goals we scored during this road trip so far? That would be an interesting number that TM and DL should look at.
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Dominick Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
@DesertKing, 3
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Dominick Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
@DesertKing, 2 in 1 game.
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DesertKing Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
@Dominick,
3 in 10 games, thanks!
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Coach Morray…” Iam going to review the tape of the game and see what young player didnt play heavy and hard tonight and scratch him for the next game….Iam also going to change the lines again and put centers on the wing..and also play Westy more cause Anaheim is going to come at us heavy and hard”
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puck73 Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 12:53 am
@neil, Thats pretty much what he will say and do.
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The players s___ the bed tonight.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 4:21 am
@Chris P. Bacon, and not in the fun Frank pooped the bed way.
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@Murray,
“Even on the attacks, when we had possession, we failed to do the right thing through the middle of the ice to give us an opportunity to get an offensive-zone play going”.
Right now, on the current roster, we have two forwards that have the skills to consistently take the puck up the middle and open the use up. One of them was sitting in the press box.
The line shuffle and benching of Lokti hurt this team tonight.
Duck roast next.
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Jason4Kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:03 pm
@Token, Didn’t you hear the game was too “heavy” for Loktionov?
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Leo4kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
@Jason4Kings, I take Brown trade over Simmonds, because in my opinion; Simms has more upside than Brown. We already have seen the best of Brown in past 5 or whatever long he has been with us. But, Simms; still has room to improve. Plus, Simms is lot stronger on the puck and around the boards, better passer and oh yes, knows how to drop the gloves once in a while. In my book, that’s what makes him more valuable than Brown at this junction. But, as u said; is just a rumor.
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Jason4Kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:35 pm
@Leo4kings, I know what you’re responding too but it showed up under the wrong post, interesting. I’d keep Brown over Simmer, but I’d rather keep both.
Playing the ducks might be just what we need.
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macknight777 Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
@Ryan, aaaaaagreeed.
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“The easiest time in your life to play hockey, is when you’re just having fun.”–TM
Similar comments by Jim Fox.
I don’t think the Kings players are having fun…—how about it, TM?
Is that why offensive players like Moulson and Boyle etc do better elsewhere? Do we suffocate them to much? Is the same thing going to happen now to Loktionov?
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Kenny44 Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
@King John, Mark Messier always said that you play better loose than you do gripping sawdust out of your stick. And if that’s his attitude, as intense as he was, maybe it’s worth remembering that hockey is a sport. It’s supposed to be played with passion. Looking at the players this season, I see that only very sporadically. Not enough snarl, not enough joy. And you never see it from the coaches.
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You Guys seen this Rumor:
“A deal which could happen late tonight/tomorrow that would send Dustin Brown/or Wayne Simmonds to Montreal for a prospect and draft pick which would be used by the Kings to make another trade. A trade which would land them a star.”
In DL we beleive in. God help us.
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Ryan Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
@Leo4kings, Interesting…but again, a rumor.
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Leo4kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
@Ryan, I know and I know I have been asking to trade Brown while has some trading value, but if this goes down; better not be simmonds and in return they better get a real star.
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Ryan Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
@Leo4kings, Do you think maybe removing the “c” from would help? I seemed to work for Luongo.
Leo4kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
@Leo4kings, All I know buddy is that this guy does not look comfortable out there on a regular basis. Is not for lack of trying or lack of talent; we all know that. But, I really think if we can’t take the pressure off him, we should trade him for an equal or better value which would be benefit to both parties. Just my take.
Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
@Leo4kings,
I prefer that the Kings get “better value’!
Jason4Kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
@Leo4kings, It blows my mind that you’d trade Brown over Simmonds, with the return being equal. I don’t believe this trade anyway.
NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
@Leo4kings, where did you find this gem?
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LW Anybody? Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
@Leo4kings, Won’t happen.
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LA KING BOBchi Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
@Leo4kings, YA WHERE???
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kenny denton Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:14 pm
@Leo4kings, i read the same thing
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Kenny44 Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
@Leo4kings, Looks like the Blues got some energy from the GM working to improve the team. 9 goals on the Ducks, the new power forward Stewart got 2. Hmmm . . .
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
@Leo4kings,
Where???
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Leo4kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
@Michael_J, huckeybuzz.com
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
@Leo4kings, reliable???
Loskingpride Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
@Leo4kings, Who was it on hockeybuzz? If it was Eklund then I suggest you go to the nearest elementary school and ask a 1st grader to write whatever they can think of and it would be more reliable.
Leo4kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
@Michael_J, Not really, I have been following this site along with few others for a while now andI give it 50% which is actually not to bad for a rumor site! But, one can atill hope,right? Lol..
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
@Leo4kings,
So it would be a 3 team deal? Somehow I don’t think DL would move Simmer or Brown at this point. Trading the captain mid-season is a pretty major move for any team. A move like that would be like throwing in the towel.
xeropoint Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
@Leo4kings, 50% from hockeybuzz???? It’s not even in single digits, as far as accuracy.
Leo4kings Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
@Michael_J, You are right and I agree, specially when it comes to Simmer. But, just the idea of a Star player is exciting. But, u r right; DL is too conservative for this kind of moves.
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Michael_J Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
@Leo4kings, and maybe too smart!
Have John Stevens coach the PP…proved his ability as PK coach. Kings now play a predictable North-South game …….everyone knows puck will come back to the blue line for a shot. Williams seems to be only player going down the middle
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NoDoughty Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
@The Zamboni mechanic, for the LOVE of god NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! At least our PK works! Keep it out of Incompetons hands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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The Zamboni mechanic Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
@NoDoughty
have Stevens coach both …. PK and PP,
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NoDoughty Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 12:22 am
@The Zamboni mechanic, I’d give that a try
Bottom line is we have gone 6-1-3 on the trip. We were due for this. Thank god it was with the Islanders. Remember, We cannot win them all . Lets get on the plane come home, re group and go to the pond!!!
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Dominick Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 9:26 pm
@LA KING BOBchi, I agree. If it was the Flyers it would have been a statement to some posters that we’re not good enough.
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gene Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
@LA KING BOBchi, 5-1-3 so far
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I get the overall sense that TM’s general philosophy in life is to play to not lose, instead of playing to win.
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kINGS ARE JUST READY TO TAKE OFF N.Y. See ya ya in about 6 hours, hell of a trip so far, bring it home wed with the Ducks!!! Lets all stay possative!!!!
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Having my breakfast this morning, I noticed a picture of Peter Harrold on my milk bottle. Got me to thinking – a quick defensive-minded wing for the 4th line against a fast, wide open team. Then my coffee kicked in and I realized we have Westgarth in that role.
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Looked like a team effort at scrooing the pooch tonight…
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The good news: we did not just hand 2 points to any team of consequence; far less tragic than loosing to a Conference rival. That being said, they’re all 4 point games from here out. We hope for decent calls (Can’t stand Dennis LaRue), our team not choking, our GM getting us a healthy LW, one of our recovering LWs to have a miraculous recovery, Westy to develop mad skills, our PP to show up, Brownie to get some coffee, Jamie Kompon to get a job with Vancouver, and we have a really good shot at getting deep in the post season!
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Ryan Reply:
February 19th, 2011 at 10:30 pm
@mcsorleyfan, Specifically Vancouver??? Lol how about Detroit? We can the figure out their pp. Lol
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We can’t blame on boys’effort tonight. They seemed to be really gassed. A half step slower in every situation, and that had to be expected after the long road trip.
But I’m not taking back about the pathetic power play cause they should have had an advantage with outnumbered attack. They changed the PP unit but that’s about it. No change for the strategy or the puck movement or interchanging positions. Just too predictable and stationary. I don’t give a s*** about the data that shows 90% of PP goals are coming from the blue line, screen the goalie and get rebound crap. What about Stamkos, Kovalchuk, Sedins? Do they need a juicy rebound to score the PP goal? No. They find the open space to shoot at and the whole unit is supporting their movement in harmony.
Stoll and Kopi have real nice quick hands to put it in if they got open space in front of them. Using Stoll at the point was a big mistake in the first place cause he can score more around the hash marks or between them. Even if they don’t put it in, there would be a better chance that the goalie gives up the rebound than attempting the long shot from the blue line and hoping for the rebound.
And about the 5-on-5 offensive drought. I think the current system requires lots of energy and movement, almost too much. It’s hard to keep the same energy level up for 60 minutes. We just saw the economical move by Isles and it was pretty damn effective too. What we don’t do is building up the speed in the neutral zone and create the confusion among the defenders. All the other teams already know our dump and chase strategy and are defending well behind the net or along the board. We are winning because of a good defense and goaltending but we can’t win more than the other teams if we don’t score some goals. And I’m really worried whether our boys can keep the energy level up for the rest of the season or worn out at some point. Don’t Kopi, Smyth, and some others look really tired already? Just imagine what’s gonna happen when some of our guys going down with injuries.
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The Zamboni mechanic Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 3:53 am
Nice analysis…..and what percentage of shots are blocked and rebound to an opposing player? Isles offense was enjoyable to watch and effective…..Kings 5 on 5 dump and chase has become dull.predictable and ineffective.
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Player-X Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 8:24 am
@goldielocks, Watching the better teams on their Power Plays, the difference is amazing.
In ours, we try to regain the puck from a dump-in, so we can establish clear possession and force the defenders into the box. Once we do that, our players stop moving, close in on their spacing, and make slow passes trying for one-timers. Even that is poorly executed, with little crossing traffic, little net-front presence, almost zero effectiveness at tips or shot-passes, and tons of shots missing the net if they get through at all. Out guys stand still, and when they do get a pass they settle the puck and look up before shooting.
Other teams usually carry it in and stop up near the half-boards, with a triangle setup for passing options, one guy at close point and one guy very high slot. Once they get clear possession, their players without the puck immediately begin to move, in rotations and/or trading positions. They skate by with stick raised asking for the quick pass to one-time it, or they skate through the box, or they put two guys in front with the other three in umbrella, or they play a 3 on 2 game with a cycling triangle from corner/face-off dot/half-wall until a seam opens, or they drop a weak side guy for the back-door shot, or they go high slot for the shot-pass with high tip, or they just flip the puck into people’s feet in the crease and cause a scramble when they can outnumber the sticks whacking at a loose puck.
It’s like the Kings are trying to write something using half the alphabet.
Watch the Detroit Power Play, or Vancouver. Detroit especially, has a method. They carry it in as much as possible and flood an area on the half-board for possession. Their point men go the extreme corners of the zone, I mean they stand at the wall with even their feet barely in the zone until possession is established. The forwards know one thing; flood one side, draw the defenders to that side, and first chance ring that puck around as hard as possible to the far point, or else do a bank pass off the boards to a near point. Then, the point men do a long pass to their partner. The defenders have now tried to cover 85 feet of ice twice, and meanwhile the Detroit forwards are setting up. Once Detroit has possession, the point men dictate the formation. If they go umbrella, the two forwards go to the net because they know the puck is coming, at whatever rate of speed, even slow shots work if because they get it through quickly, the defenders have to be spread out because the point men are, and then they have a tip, a loose puck in the crease, or a rebound from a double screen. If the point men stay spread, the three forwards do their own cycles, switching positions, crossing in front of the goalie, weaving from high slot to boards to net-front, and all the while the guy with the puck is moving, too, changing shot angles, threatening to skate through a seam, or looking to be high slot for shot-passes or one-timers.
I can’t believe the coaches don’t know this; if I can figure it out it is obviously not all that complicated. So, the players have seen it, must have been told to do it, and just don’t have the chemistry or confidence to execute it. Instead, they stand still where it’s safe, revert to cycles down low where possession is gonna be contested, don’t move for a pass that won’t come, don’t go to the net for shots that won’t come, stand still too close together and don’t move to change passing angles or create seams.
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DesertKing Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 9:52 am
@Player-X,
Player-X for PP coach! I am sure he would work for free and we could apply the current PP coachs salary to a new LW!
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Player-X Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
@DesertKing, Free? You must be joking. I would PAY them to let me do it.
Dominick Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
@Player-X, Very good breakdown of an obvious broblem that will never be corrected.
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The Zamboni mechanic Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
@Dominick,
Excellent. Please cc Jamie K ….ASAP.
The Zamboni mechanic Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
last reply should have been sent to Player X. And while you’re at it please do a 5 0n 5 analysis of how the Kings should enter the opposing zone.
TM is stupid. Thats all there is to it – he doesn’t get it. Lokti was scoring and we had a team that looked dangerous offensively.
This dumb lineup again is pathetic. Westgarth in, Lokti out – thats whet he went with. Isles didn’t score more goals then a good offensive team can’t get back.
My prediction is Lokti will find himself on another team before TM ever goes with him for real.
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Same players get a pass every game no matter what. Call em out once in a while coach!
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has anyone kept track of when the last time the Kings lost and TM didn’t shake up the lines? maybe that’s why this team ends up on long losing streaks. if they win he stays with them but with a loss (even shootout loss) he changes everything. hard to find any chemistry in 1-2 games, no? handzus-kopitar-simmonds was looking good and then Bernier can’t stop anyone in the shootout so TM breaks them up. really?
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