The Kings went 0-for-4 on the power play Tuesday against Edmonton, but they did generate nine shots on goal. It’s a power-play unit that is now without Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams, but the Kings haven’t made significant personnel changes. In the previous game, Oscar Moller stepped into Williams’ power-play role, and last night Ryan Smyth moved into that five-man group as well, joining Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Dustin Penner. The Kings’ other five-man unit actually got the bulk of the time, with Jarret Stoll and Alec Martinez at the points and Michal Handzus, Dustin Brown and Alexei Ponikarovsky up front. Terry Murray said the absence of Kopitar and Williams didn’t lead to much shifting, by design.
MURRAY: “We didn’t change too much on it, quite honestly. The one group, with Handzus and with Martinez on the back end and Stoll on the back end, that’s the same. That’s a group that has been playing very well on the power play, and moving the puck extremely well. Martinez, to me, has got the shot mentality that you want from all of your defensemen. On the other group, you’re just looking to give your players an opportunity. The guy that’s getting the opportunity is Ryan Smyth, who has been on the power play pretty much his whole career. He’s just going to get back in there on a regular basis and do the things he’s been doing. You’re just going through your structure, your system play, moving the puck, letting it do a lot of the work with a shot mentality.”
Oh man i read that thinking Kompon is suddenly gone.
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408KingsFan Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
@GkingsG99, Me Too my heart started racing for a second
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Off topic, but I just saw Heidi Androl hosting NHL’s On The Fly. OMG!
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Newf Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
@rontheking, Heidi is NEVER off topic…she is always relevant.
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rontheking Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
@Newf,
Well, speaking of bringing up some scoring talent from the farm, she may be in the big show now, and lost to us. Damn! I was just about to make my move on her too….
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Kings Fan Vancouver,WA Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
@Newf, Always relevant indeed!
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Rob Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:57 am
@rontheking, Absolute gorgeousness aside, Heidi has a lot on the ball. She looks to be in complete control of her career, and although I would hate to see her leave the LA Kings family, it wouldn’t match the happiness I would feel for her making the big time.
Now if she’d only marry me….
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Off topic as well, but when is the proper time to start growing my playoff beard? Last day of the regular season? the day we clinch? the first day of playoffs?
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Newf Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
@McSqueeze, day of the first game or so.
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Dominick Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
@McSqueeze,
As soon as the playoffs start. That’s why it’s a playoff beard. If you start it early then it’s not during the playoffs.
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Cynic Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
@McSqueeze, I’ve always heard it’s the day you clinch a spot. That way, it has some life for puck drop of the first game.
I think the truth varies depending on who you talk to.
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Martinez and Lewis have both become a force down the stretch…Really nice to see from your rookies.
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Off topic here but whats with Detroit? Have given up eight goals so far (in two periods) at home vs. St. L. Ewwww. Maybe St. Louis is far far better than one would have thought. Anyone know how you spell ewww?
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KDinUT Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
@number 6, Thinking the same thing & posted at the same about the Blues/Wings game . . .
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DesertKing Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
@number 6,
From what I hear, both the starting and back-up goalies for DET are out with injuries and they called up someone from the AHL. Since they consistently finish high in the standings, I am sure that anyone that they have in their system is a pretty low draft pick aka, probably not ready for the NHL.
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Rob Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:59 am
@number 6, Let’s hope it’s Dead Wing suckiness….
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In other off-topic news, Blues are leading the Wings 8-3 after two. Wow.
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number 6 Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
@KDinUT,
Just out of curiosity where exactly is UT (Utah?)
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KDinUT Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 6:47 pm
@number 6, Yup, I’m in Utah (Bryce Canyon). Originally from Orange County, Kings fan since 74-75.
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number 6 Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@KDinUT,
Cool thanks. I’m from LA but live in NY now.
Wings should have traded Datsuk, Helm, and a #1 pick to the Kings for one of our great goalies, ha,ha!
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rontheking Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:14 pm
@Happy Lappy,
Yeah, we could have given them Ersberg or Fukufuji…but not another Legace.
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number 6 Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@Happy Lappy,
Ya think?
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number 6 Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
@Happy Lappy,
Good idea. Then next year we’d have at center Kopitar, Schenn, Datsyuk, Loktionov, Stoll, Lewis, and then maybe Zues if we keep him too. Then our nickname would be – I don’t know, what would it be? You can make up your own nickname. Something cute? Like maybe putting Bailey on the wing with Datsyuk? What would they call that?
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number 6 Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
@Happy Lappy,
But if you want a serious response, their no. 1 goalie didn’t play cause he’s hurt. So, maybe they can afford to carry on for the moment. He’ll be coming back far sooner than Kopi in any case.
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Wow, you guys are all over the place tonight. For the PP, i’d rather see Mitchell man the point than Stoll. Willie knows how to get shots through and on net, and having Stoll and a rookie on the blue line makes me worry about shorties, especially in the playoffs where teams really pick on little things like that.
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Dominick Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
@Kenny44, Stoll is rarely if ever caught out of position at the point. I love JJ and DD, but I trust Stoll more with a forward baring down, while they try to recover a bad pass in their skates. Stoll won’t even try, he’ll just back off and try to be in a position to defend till he gets help. Stoll will be fine.
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Dominick Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
@Kenny44, Mitchell does have a wicked shot though.
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KC23 Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
@Kenny44, Don’t know about Mitchell, but whoever got the idea that Stoll would be good on the point for the PP is nuts. Stoll has a great wrist shot, but his one timer and slap shot suck big time.
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Did TM say that the other unit, i.e. the DD and JJ unit, is just out their getting an opportunity???
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