No changes or surprises coming out of the Kings’ morning skate. Jonathan Bernier gets the start in goal opposite Edmonton’s Nikolai Khabibulin. The Kings will use the same lines they practiced with yesterday. As expected, a large group of Edmonton media met Dustin Penner after the skate, and Penner seemed to handle it with good spirit. More notes and quotes from the skate to come…
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I’m really looking forward to the game tonight. I want to watch our Kings rise to the occasion.
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Hah! I get a kick out of Hammer reporting on the media reporting on Dustin Penner–particularly the comment that he “seemed to handle it in good spirit.”
Becoming a fan, Hammer?
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i’m excited for this as well.
the Flames can finish with a MAX of 97pts, Dallas with a max of 102pts.
our max is 104 with 2 games at hand on PHX and 1 on SJ.
so if we can beat EDM and Dallas can beat PHX i’ll be a very happy man going to bed tonight.
to be honest i’m very excited for the ANA/CGY game tomorrow…with the way ANA (mainly Teemu) is playing lately, if ANA wins, CGY is all but out (save for CHI and DAL completely faltering). then i’m VERY VERY happy. i hate having to cheer for the Ducks, but anything that involves the Flames demise is a priority to me.
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Token Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 11:48 am
@Newf, We have 7 games left. If we sweep, that’s 14 points and our 92 = 106 maximum.
Unlikely but dreams are cool. If we continue to play .700+ hockey as we have since late January we will be ~ 101 points.
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Newf Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 11:54 am
@Token, haha oops my bad. my bad edumacayshun.
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If you put the won-loss numbers aside, this is probably a closer matchup on paper than you might think:
The Kings have won all three games in this year’s series; however, both teams go into this game scoring less than they concede.
Last 5 (average):
Offense
LA – 1.8
EDM – 1.6
Defense
LA – 2.2
EDM – 3.2
The teams starting heading in opposite directions on special teams.
PK (last 5):
LA – 94%
EDM – 68%
PP (last 5)
LA – 16%
EDM – 13%
EDM goes into this game having lost 9 in a row. I don’t see any reason why the Kings won’t make it an even 10.
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Token Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
@Capt Jam, The Oklahoma City Barons … Err … Edmonton Oilers are pretty beat up.
The Oilers are without forwards Taylor Hall (ankle), Ales Hemsky (shoulder), Sam Gagner (hand), Shawn Horcoff (ankle) and defenseman Ryan Whitney (ankle). Left wing Magnus Paajarvi is day-to-day.
I’m sure we will donfine against the Barons.
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HockeyNerd Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
@Token, Unfortuntaely, so are we!
But I think we will win….
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Just do it
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I agree this will be a big game for us to see where we stand. Ether way it will be tough to keep up with the big boys teams in terms of offense. TM style of play actually bodes well for playoff hockey and coping with injuries such as our two top scorers being out. We’ll see how it shakes out. GO KINGS!
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Just a couple of thoughts……….
-not sure about this 1st line, we have left much speed and size off the line (Penner isn’t good enough to carry a line)
-not sure about our giveaways by our D again, its starting to creep back into our game
….yes we have had success lately however the above two items can really grab us quickly and throw this season into a tail spin.
Watch out Kings don’t let the Oilers out work you, they are a lunch bucket team and you will need to do fight.
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KC23 Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
@Harty, Best Donald Southernland “Kelly’s Heroes” voice … what’s with the negative vibes man, whats with the negative vibes.
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DesertKing Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
@KC23,
If we only had Odd Job on our team!
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Harty Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
@DesertKing, I’m very concerned being done our best player and our 2nd best player, now we will see everyone else fits into place.
I’m concerned with our overall team speed, I’ve been saying this since September, now it will come to haunt I’m afraid, not sure who is slower, Penner, Handzus, Smyth….
Not sure who gives it away more, Doughty, Johnson, Martinez, all will cost us……
I think we beat a much less Oiler team however the next 5 games will set the tone for the playoffs, elevate, elevate, elevate boys, that’s where the negative thoughts comes from…..
I am a kings fan, through thick and thin. Even when we lose, we still win. Kopi’s out, ankles broken, so now we can’t win? You must be jokin ! We will fight til we raise that cup, cause this is L.A. baby, and that’s what’s up! GO KINGS
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Went to the Sharts game last Thursday for my b-day, and what a finish! Now that today is my Actual b-day, I expect nothing less than spectacular. The Kings WILL step up. No more relying on the big boys to get the job done. Time for all of Simmer, Moller, Penner, Smyth, Zeus, Lewis and Stoll to elevate their game. Brownie, keep doing what you’ve been doing, lead by being a monster on the ice. Greener has been playing like a man possessed, would like to see that same intensity spread to the rest of the D corps. NO Mercy, NO prisoners, Each and every shift must count from here on out. I believe in these guys, there time is now!!!
GO KINGS GO
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I hope Penner has a huge game tonight!
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Gotta start playing faster,smarter. Get ready for that playoff hockey. We don’t have to be the fastest, but it sure helps to play smart. We can still go deep into the play offs. Check out how VCU, and Butler have done it. No body has out worked them! GO KINGS!
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Kopitar & Williams were overrated. We can do this without them. I was always yelling at Kopitar to get off the boards and shoot, go to the net. Willy was also a passer too and did not shoot. I think the power play will pick up now.
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CB14 Reply:
March 29th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
@KingsOfComedy, Now that’s funny! I saw your post and was going to disagree with everything you wrote, then I saw your name and realized it was all a joke!
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