Here’s my LAKings.com game story for tonight and, also, my recap of today’s earlier news, the Kings trade for Dustin Penner and their signing of Justin Williams to a contract extension. Thanks for reading…
Kings trade for Penner, re-sign Williams
The Kings have an off day tomorrow and are scheduled to be back on the ice for practice Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo. Penner is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles early tomorrow afternoon and should be on the ice for practice Wednesday.
If anyone can help, i enter my email when i post, and at first id get notifications sent to my email saying someone replied, now i never do, i got to scroll down and find out myself ! Any ideas? Gkg
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KH Reply:
February 28th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
@Guss, Same thing happens to me. I only get emails like 15% of time
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Guss Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 12:02 am
@KH, Ahh well that sucks , its not a big deal but i found it verry helpful, imm off to bed! Goodnite kh! kings fans! Rich!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 10:08 am
@KH, Yeah, I’ve bitched about this and never gotten any response.
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Jason4Kings Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:04 am
@Guss,
Funny, me too. I just randomly get an email now and then, probably 10-15% of the time like the other post said.
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Throw this game away and get ready to play a big division game against Phoenix on Thursday, that is a game we have to win! The defense has to step it up though, they have not been playing well as of late and it is indicative in the scores over the past 5 games. We have to buckle down and really make the defensive end a priority. Quick has to be better than he was tonight, but I think he will be we just have to start playing better in front of him as well and limit the neutral-zone turnovers and I think we will be fine. I think the offense will be fine and is playing their best so far this season, so I think if we can learn to play this well offensively and still get solid defensive efforts and goaltending we are going to be one tough team to beat!
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luc20rules Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 1:22 am
@OCKingsFan, Great Post, I posted that I wasn’t worried toward the end of the losing streak, because the D was improving drastically, and the no existent offense would come around eventually. I will say that in the playoffs its D that tends to win, the offenses seem to slow down and ever play is tighly contested. We were playing playoff hockey on the road, but seem to have lost focus. I know it will be addressed in practice, and it takes not just the D-men, but the fowards dropping back clogging traffic on break outs and dropping back to prevent passes across and into the slot. I think the Kings will get the D back in line, and as far as Quick goes he has had monster games/streaks after bad games he seems to be very good and looking at film and getting himself refocused. I am hoping this game is one the Kings look at and don’t forget that in the playoff position race, and the playoffs themselves the need to maintain focus and bring their A game or this could very easily be the result.
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number 6 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 5:50 am
@luc20rules,
Actually a very good point you bring up, and it leads me to ponder if and how much the end of the game vs. Avs might have had a carry over effect. They were very very sloppy at the end of that game, and obviously once they scored last night to start the game, although aspects of their game were good there were others that were still quite lax.
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OCKingsFan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 12:07 pm
@number 6, Ya I think the problem on defense is the neutral zone turnovers and mostly the breakdowns in coverage. It seems like every time we have a GA it is because of a blown assignment in coverage. If we can make it a priority to play defense and lock down in coverage without turning the puck over we will be really tough to beat. The offense will do its thing and the goaltending will be just fine!
Forget this game and move on. get some good practice and get ready for the next game. We r in a good position but there is alot of hockey to play. i think they were distracted by all the excitment of th day just like us fans. Back to business boys and thinking the right way!
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Token Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:33 am
@tornado12, Yep, Kings will likely lose another 7 games beyond this one.
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tornado12 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:12 am
@Token, 7 total? that would mean they won 12 which is 24 points putting them at 98 points, which guarentees a playoff berth. I can live with that, but would be nice to have home ice in first round.
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Games like this happen a few times every year to every team, not a big deal. Move on.
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Dang. I was hoping to head out to practice tomorrow to check out Penner with the team. I guess I get to sleep in!
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I agree with everyone that they need to move on and get ready for a big game against Phoenix..
I’m usually glass is completely full guy..but this loss didn’t sit well with me at all.
Quick was terrible. Saying anything less than that is silly. He gave that game away early. TM was right about thinking of pulling Quick after the 1st goal. I said it after the 2nd goal. His positioning was terrible and once again his puck handling was putrid. I can’t blame Murray because Bernier was just as bad when he got in there.
I didn’t like the way they competed after the 1st period. The one game the goalie doesn’t help them, they decide to lay down? wtf is that? They were getting some good opportunities on Howard and if they could have kept the score where it was after the 1st, they could have made a comeback, but the compete level wasn’t there. That’s a terrible sign.
I’m not sure if this was a carryover from the Colorado game on Saturday, but the D and goaltending need to et straightened out quickly. Our G/Def will be the key to how far we go in the playoffs…These types of efforts will certainly mean a quick exit if we get there.
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number 6 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:02 am
@nykingfan,
Good morning. Wanted to say that your point about a carryover from the Avs game is what I also mentioned above.
Thing is, I still sort of question whether….. let’s say ‘aspects’ of this team (rather than ‘this team’) lack the maturity to do what is needed in the season and the playoffs. Thing is, the more you have let downs as they have had this year A) more the end of season stress just to Make the playoffs and B) the lower your seed making the path far more difficult.
Only Edm as I recall made the finals as an 8th seed and obviously didn’t win.
John Wooden always talked about the Way you approach practice and how habits become ingrained. I thought it was a very disconcerting ending to the Colorado game. 2 pts. Fine, but at what price. You have a game absolutely put away against a poor team and they almost tie it up?!!
Yikes. It’s true what DD said. Good teams don’t do that……. and they don’t!
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:46 am
@number 6,
Good morning bro
I agree with everything you said.
DL talked about how the team bounced back after the last slump and showed that they deserve every opportunity to go as far as they can.
The lack of maturity that they’ve shown over the past 3 1/2 periods will not get them anything..including a playoff spot.
I’m really interested (and a little worried) about how they come out and play against Phoenix. Is this going to be the start of another losing streak? It better not happen because the next ugly losing streak will be the last as far as playoffs are concerned.
If they turn things around starting Wednesday and get back to the defensive play they have shown most of the season, they’ll be fine.
I can handle losing games 2-1, 1-0. The goals will come, but you need the effort in your D zone and goaltender to keep you in games. Giving up 7 goals, or 3 goals in 1/2 a period will not cut it.
I know people complain when we don’t score, but if your defensive play keeps you within a goal or 2, you can always get a bounce to get you back into the game. we score 4 last night and that got us what? Not even closoe to getting a point.
It just goes to show…Defense is the #1 thing you need in order to be successful.
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number 6 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:09 am
@nykingfan,
Hey man, so totally true what you say. You’ve gotta be able to score goals but at the end of it it’s D and goaltending that wins Stanley Cups.
By the way, I do feel that with the leadership group they have, that be it this year, next year or even the year after, they are gonna get it right. But it’s correct what you say…. a no brainer really; next bad losing streak, even if it’s only half of what the other two were, will be an aurevoir to the playoffs for this year.
Hey, did you notice that maybe spring is gonna come a bit early this year? (it looks like)
puck73 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:04 am
@nykingfan, I thought the Kings played well in the 1st even though they were down 3-1 and like you said, Quick was fighting the puck. However, when Detroit scored to make it 4-1, thats when I wanted Quick pulled and yet Murray waited until it was 6-1….waaaay too late by then…bad decision by Murray, and he should have apologized for it, and it wouldnt even be an issue today…Thats on you Coach.
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:10 am
@puck73,
that’s assuming Bernier would have kept them in the game at that point. When Murray put Bernier in, he was just as lousy. First 2 shots, 2 goals!
That’s a giant leap of faith that the outcome would have been any different. Besides, you should be able to count on your #1 goalie straightening himself out after the 1st. That’s not fair to blame the coach. that was strictly on the player.
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bbb7 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:15 am
@nykingfan, Bernier only allowed one goal
nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:34 am
@bbb7,
My apologies..you are correct..1 goal..but he faced 3 shots, He didn’t look like he would hahve made a difference. Hey, you never know, but I can’t blame the coach..not when your #1 plays the way he did.
Goring 19 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:42 am
@nykingfan, a lot of people on the blog are saying they would have pulled Quick after the 1st goal including coach Murray. However, pulling a goalie after giving up 1 goal wouldn’t do much for his confidence in my opinion. This game you certainly can’t put all on Quick. Lets face it, the Kings went what, on an 11-1-3 run? We were due for a bad one. Just hoping this won’t turn into an extended losing streak like after the Flyers beat us in December. The Kings should and will bounce back.
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Puck2DaHead Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:44 am
@Goring 19, Pulling Quick would have ruined his confidence; however, putting Bernier in at the start of the 2nd would have changed the team’s momentum for the better.
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:14 am
@Goring 19,
I thought it after the 2nd goal for sure.
I hope that he’s mature enough at this point in his career not to let that bother him. Goalies get pulled all the time. You could tell early, he was in trouble. I guess the hope was he would get himself straight. It didn’t happen.
as far as if it would have changed the outcome of the game? 20/20 hindsight at this point.
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deepwater Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 10:16 am
@nykingfan, IS it my imagination, or is the D corp playing much too soft. Although I think there are a few exceptions, last night not one D got credited with a hit. How is that possible? What message does this send to opposing forwards? Perhaps someone might xplain? No price to be paid….walk right in?
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 11:23 am
@deepwater,
The only guy I saw throw a check was Greener and he gets hit with a phantom penalty.
Not much hitting or anything else going on last night.
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I saw something interesting re the Penner trade on NHL Network.
They had camera in the NHL office when the Kings/Edm called the trade in to the office. I believe Jeff Solomon was the Kings rep that called in.
The NHL asks for a time frame as to when the deal will be completed. Penner has to pass a physical from the LA doctors. He also had some visa issues as well. The Kings figured they’d need 48 hours to get both things wrapped up before the trade would be completed. If they needed extra time, they could get an extension from the league. During this time, Penner’s not allowed to practice with the Kings. During the phone conversation they detailed the conditional pick. 3rd rd pick next year unlerss the Kings win the cup thsi year..then it becomes a 2nd rounder.
This is the one time I really hope we don’t get a 2nd rd pick next year. lol
Very interesting to watch and listen.
I was home sick yesterday so had nothing to do all day but watch the deadline coverage on NHL Network. Great job by TSN. It reminded me of how espn handles the NFL…soup to nuts. You have to love TSN’s passion for the sport. The only negative was the coverage was heavily weighted for the Canadian cities. Since TSN is a Canadian network, I shouldn’t have been too surprised. All in all still a great watch.
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puck73 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 7:59 am
@nykingfan, You were home sick? Did you have a note from your parents? lol
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:10 am
@puck73,
No..but the pooch promised to write me one lol
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I just got some photos up on my site from last night if anyone wants to check them out.
Just click my name if you’re unaware.
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Dominick Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 6:52 am
@Gary Livingston,
Colors and quality of the pics are brilliant. Would of expected nothing less from you. If some of you have never checked out Gary’s stuff it’s absolutely worth a look at. Great job Gary, keep up the good work.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 7:34 am
@Dominick, wow wow. thank you! that’s not at all what I expected to read haha. I appreaciate it. I was really thinking I did a bad job tonight. I felt as off as the Kings were. haha. I’m really happy to read that. =)
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Scot Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:00 am
@Gary Livingston,
Ditto, great work. I was never aware of you until last night, I found myself reading a thread of posts between you and someone else about you being at the game in a green hoodie and red shirt, snapping photos. Just checked out your work for the first time, and they look very professional. I don’t know the first thing there is to know about photography, or what separates a good photo from a bad photo, but those look good to me!
Gary Livingston Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 3:08 pm
@Scot,
Thank you. You thinking they look good is all that really matters =)
zdfun Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:16 am
@Gary Livingston, do they allow you to bring DSLR?
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Gary Livingston Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 3:05 pm
@zdfun, anyone can bring in a DSLR. The catch is they only allow lenses that are shorter than a credit card…I think it is officially 2-3 inches in length. But, they use a credit card/business card to check the length.
As for me, I’m shooting for The Fourth Period and I’m fortunate enough to have a photo pass arranged for me <3 Check their magazine out at Barnes and Noble. It's a great, young publication. The best part about it right now is witnessing the progression the magazine makes from issue to issue. I hope that doesn't count as advertising. haha.
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alma Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:35 am
@Gary Livingston, NICE photos! The color definition is superb!!
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Gary Livingston Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@alma, haha, speaking of the color…I had a scary moment last night after I got done uploading all the files.
I have this program installed that changes my monitor’s color temperature to match the ambient light based on the time of day. During the day the sun is usually the main source of light and it casts a blue color temperature. During night the main source of light are the lamps in the room and they cast a orange color temperature.
Anyhow, after editing for hours and uploading for hours I noticed the icon for the program in my tool bar and thought I had been working in a situation where the program was making all my images more orange and I had spent all that time color corrected and adding obscene amounts of blue to make them look “neutral” on my monitor. I had a heart attack thinking I had to redo everything.
But, I checked and realized the program was off while i was editing and I had reset my computer right before uploading and the program automatically came on at start up.
haha.
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Goring 19 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:50 am
@Gary Livingston, wow Gary, didn’t know that was your profession. Beautiful pics! I checked out the ones also of the Kings-Wild game. The Kings “Forum Blue and Gold” unis are sharp and crystal clear. Nice shot of Heidi interviewing Simmer too!
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Gary Livingston Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 3:02 pm
@Goring 19, I’ve only been shooting games since January. But, I’ve been a freelance photographer since 2000. Mainly shooting musicians and concerts.
Lots of work left to do learning how to best capture the action. Thanks for diggin the images =)
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I am in Phoenix for a spring training vacation and I am going to the Coyotes/Stars game tonight. Who do I cheer for? One is 2 points ahead of us & the other is 2 points behind us.
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Dominick Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 6:54 am
@Howe9,
Are you checking out the Angels, their out there right now? My sister and her husband are flying out there to check them out this weekend.
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Shakes Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 7:59 am
@Howe9, +
Just hope that someone wins or loses in regulation
No OT!
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zdfun Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:17 am
@Shakes, since you are there, please try to find a way to make both team lose, thank you.
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bbb7 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:03 am
@Howe9, Agree with Shakes, in the games between two close rivals. the main thing is NO THREE POINTS!
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alma Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:36 am
@Howe9, find a way to get the whole affair postponed!!
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Capt Jam Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 10:11 am
@Howe9,
cheer for dallas to win in regulation so we can catch PHX on Thursday.
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The Hockey gods didn’t screw us last night, they sent us a message. Detroit (MoTown) never let up. For those of you familiar with NASCAR, this was a restricter plate race/game. Pedal to the metal for 60 minutes.
The Kings got sloppy at the end of the Colorado game, and it looked like the team thought, “Hey, it’s only the Avs.” That attitude may well have carried over to last night, only the Wings handed the Kings their collective a$$es. Pay attention to the Hockey gods, Kings. Put this one behind us, and target the Coyotes for an “ol’ fashioned butt whuppin’.
NOTE TO JAMIE KAMPON:
Sit quietly in your office and watch replays of the last night’s Detroit power play over and over and over again. Do it in 3 second segments. Ignore the Kings players. Focus ONLY on the Wings. Chart the on ice location of every Wing at 3 second intervals then connect the dots indicating every player’s movement. That is exactly what a power play is supposed to look like. This is your lesson from the Hockey gods last night.
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Puck2DaHead Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:36 am
@IceGuy, Haha! Well written! Kompon really is the target of a lot of criticism, but really, he deserves it. When you see the Kings try the ‘dump and chase’ 5 times in a row **DURING A POWER PLAY** and are rejected every time, YOU KNOW YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING WRONGG!!!
…gets down from soap box.
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We should’ve traded for Datsyuk. That guy’s pretty good.
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bbb7 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:04 am
@Gerard, We would have but they wanted Westgarth.
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It was pretty evident early on that Quick was not on his game. He started mishandling the puck and showed some horrible footwork after the first goal and especially after the second goal.
But, I think that the way the Wings were playing and how they were in position to capitalize on each mistake, even JQ in his best game would have had a tough time holding them back. Plain and simple, that team is pretty darned good team and the Kings have to play almost flawlessly down to a man to keep up with them.
I’m definitely for throwing this one out and moving on to the next game, but it’s a bit concerning to see that the Kings played an overall good game, but it wasn’t anywhere near good enough.
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The Kings had a lot of jump early last night, then they had a couple of HORRIBLE calls against them, Quick gave up two early BAD goals and the route was on. Quick had a bad game, it happens, move on. I’d much rather have this game against Detroit than against Phx Thursday night. They’re not going to win them all, so put this one away and guard against a bad streak. They cannot afford that to happen at this time of the season.
I would like to see Murray, his coaching staff, and the team sit and watch video of the Red Wings PP, God that was impressive. I’m hoping that Penner brings a different attitude and skill to the PP.
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Part of the problem was the officiating. We started out strong but then had our momentum pulled by those early bad calls. Someone mentioned yesterday allowing the ref to strat the “penalty parade” and thats what happened. Quick is usually 99% outstanding, he just had one of his 1% games and the rest of the team just couldn’t get it done. The Wings are great at capitalizing on mistakes. Maybe them giving up those late 3 goals will start them on a down swing, sort of like us with Colorado?
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number 6 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:06 am
@DesertKing,
Yes, but you’ve gotta know that if the refs see a questionable call…… at this point in time they’re probably gonna give Detroit a PP whereas they might not give the same call Against the Wings if it was reversed. That’s just the way it goes. Is it fair? No! Life isn’t fair so A) you’ve gotta kill the penalties and/or B) not take them in the first place.
It clearly wasn’t the refs that lost this game for the Kings as you mention in your description of Quick’s play.
3-2….. maybe. 7-1 before the Kings score at the end? I don’t think so.
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Puck2DaHead Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:40 am
@number 6, I think this is a really dumb comment. To say that one team gets the rules bent by ALL refs in the NHL is absurd. I agree that some refs probably have ‘favorites’, but every ref does not say, “Oh! I’m scheduled for February 28th, Red Wings @ Kings…Good luck Queens!! Muwahahaha!”
Now, Gary Bettman on the other hand…
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number 6 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:15 am
@Puck2DaHead,
That’s Not what I said. It’s been pretty well observed that if you’re playing the good teams, the teams that have won Stanley Cups, if a call can go either way, it’s more likely to go against you rather than for you.
Terry Murray even made a similar comment. I believe it was a game vs. Chicago and he said ‘they earned that right to get the benefit of the doubt since they won the Cup’.
Now that may not have been the exact words he used, but it was absolutely the point that he was making.
Puck2DaHead Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:23 am
@Puck2DaHead, Are you sure it’s not just that the teams that generally win the Cup are good enough to draw the calls and the penalties, similar to what Kobe Bryant does in drawing the fouls? I just find it interesting that even if personel changes, that calls are favored to the team that has won more cups.
So you’re saying that when we play NJ, the referees say, “Since this team ripped it up in the 90′s, here is a random high sticking call. Congratulations Devils, and good luck!”
Idk, sounds like whiney fans, if you ask me. Calls will go either way any game. We got caught on the Greene call, but the Stoll call was justified. Oh well.
39scars Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:11 am
@DesertKing, the real problem is that the Kings were afraid to hit anyone after the Greene call. I understand not wanting to give the Wings a PP but you have to be agressive with that team.
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Im in agreement with most of the people here – the Kings played well for the first half, Detroit capitalized on their shots and some got lucky bounces and it snowballed. I for one dont think quick played that badly. Sure the first goal was bad but all goalies give up those at some point. The game-changing goals 2-4 were (2) a wicked deflection (3) a shot thru a maze off the post and off Quick’s skate, and (4) a word class shooter with time in the slot. At that point the game was pretty much over, despite the fact the Kings had matched the Wings play up to then.
Phoenix is in a bit of a slide and it didnt really matter to us that the Wings got points, but Phoenix matters a LOT welcome your new teammate and turn the page! Oh, and FIX THE PP!
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:15 am
@bbb7,
I love JQ, but I can’t cut him slack for last night.
The 2nd goal was a sick deflection, but did you see his footwork on that? If he was in position, he had a shot to make that save. It would have been a great save, but the positioning was as bad as I’ve seen an NHL goalie have. I wouldn’t expect to see a High School goalie look that way.
The 3rd goal was thru a maze of bodies, but nobody deflected the shot..again his positioning was poor.
After that, it was a lowlight reel of poor play..including the mishandling of the puck again.
Having said all that, he is our guy and I do expect him to start against Phoenix and I do expect a solid outing.
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jonsey Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:21 am
@nykingfan, It’s a team game and the team lost. Bernier let the first shot in. I don’t think they could have won this one. DET was on and the Kings were off.
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:37 am
@jonsey,
Who knows?
I thought we came out playing really well. The score after the 1st was not indicitive of the way we played in the first.
After that, it was really ugly..all the way around.
You’re right..it was a team loss. Quick was poor, but the way we failed to compete after the 1st was sad to see. They gave the “impression” of giving up.
puck73 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:38 am
@jonsey, I agree with you, it wasnt the Kings night, and they werent going to win this one. However, @nykingfan is right when he says Quicks footwork last night was terrible by his standards, ESPECIALLY the 2nd goal! True, its vey tough to stop a deflection, but go take a look at the replay and watch what Quick was doing on that goal…he looked AWFUL on that particular play. I also agree with alot of other people that Quick should have been pulled earlier. Look, Quick has saved this team many times this season, IMO he gets a pass, but TM doesnt, he should have pulled him after the 2nd period and at least try to change momentum.
Puck2DaHead Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 8:41 am
@jonsey, You’re right, we lost this game because of Bernier.
number 6 Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:10 am
@nykingfan,
Left message for you above……
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:20 am
@number 6,
The one about spring coming early?
Man, I sure hope so. somehow I still have snow/ice covering 3/4 of my backyard.
It’s suppsoed to get warmer (50′s) by the weekend. Time to hit the beach lol
My friends in LA..have pity on us Northeasterners. lol
The problem is…when Detroit is playing like that, not much you can do if you don’t bring your “A” game.
Kings didn’t play bad…the Wings are just that good…they make a lot of goaltenders and teams look bad. That is what a veteran team does down the stretch to get ready for the playoffs.
Kings should forget about last night and consider it a cheap lesson on what it is going to take to complete for the SC.
11 – 2 – 3 is a nice run, but the real race to the finish is just now starting!
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Does anyone think the Kings 5-0 win in D-town had something to do with last nights game?
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Scot Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:02 am
@Goring 19,
Yes, yes, yes.
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Scot Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:02 am
@Scot,
That’s what she said.
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Anyone care to debate Pavel Datsyuk AND Henrik Zetterberg both being in the top 5 players in the NHL?
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First of all, I want to remind everyone that the Kings only lost twice in regulation in the month of February. So, for that, my hat is off to them. Great month boys!
About last night: after the Wings scored the second goal, you could just see shoulders start to drop a little and they looked deflated. Quick was not there at all. I don’t think you pull him after the first goal, by any means, but I could see putting Bernier in to start the 2nd period. In the locker room between the first and second just tell Quick it’s not his night and to keep his head up, but we’re gonna sit you down.
The penalties to Stoll and Greene were attrocious, but there is nothing you can do about the officiating. It’s part of the game. Maybe the refs had dinner at the same place Quick did and they were all not feeling too well. It happens, move on.
I am looking for them to come out Thursday and really take it to the Yotes. It will be a physical game and the Kings need to take the body early and often. Looking forward to see how Penner fits in as well.
No need to panic. GO KINGS GO!!!
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Capt Jam Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 10:18 am
@KingsFan in OC,
What really irks me about last night is how the Kings (and particularly Quick) can be so mentally unfocused for a game (any game) at this time of the year. It’s cruch time, pure and simple, and Quick played as dopey as he sounds in the promos that are played in the arena during TV timeouts. There is no reason the Kings shouldn’t have extended their streak to 5 over DET and no reason we shouldn’t be tied with PHX this morning.
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KingsFan in OC Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 11:34 am
@Capt Jam, I agree and I can’t explain it either. I think anyone who has played organized sports at any level (but especially at the major college level and beyond) can comment on the fact that these games happen. You come out, you can’t do anything right, you don’t run the plays right, your feet feel like lead, your head is in a fog – whatever it may be. It just happens. Even to professionals. 82 regular season games is a long season. Tough to keep the focus all the time.
Quick looked about as bad as I have seen him look in 2+ years, but he will bounce back. Move forward, get focused on the Yotes.
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nykingfan Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 11:27 am
@KingsFan in OC,
that’s a good take you had on the game.
I thought he could have gotten pulled after the 2nd goal, but if TM was hoping Quick would rebound and get his game back in line, you can’t blame him for thinking that way.
Come playoff time, if your goalie has a bad period, he needs to get his head straight and recover by the time the 2nd period begins. You can’t count on using your #2 goalie in a playoff game and expect to win.
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KingsFan in OC Reply:
March 1st, 2011 at 11:49 am
@nykingfan, I remember last April when we played the Canucks at home and the Kings hung 8 goals on Luongo. Thought sure the coach would have pulled Luongo, but left him in there to get embarrassed. Who is to say why coaches leave goalies in or not?
Last night, you could tell Quick was in shambles really early in the game. Gripping his stick to tight every time he played the puck, he wasn’t moving his feet, his arms flailing everywhere. I would have pulled him before the 2nd period, but Terry Murray doesn’t buzz up to my seat to ask my opinion.
Totally agree you can’t count on your #2 in a playoff game. Quick will get right. I doubt he has another game like this from here on out.
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