Terry Murray’s postgame thoughts…
(on the lack of a shot on goal in the third period…)
MURRAY: “Not happy with it at all, not when you lose the game in the third period like we did. We took a couple penalties that cost us the opportunity to get back into the game.”
(on the game…)
MURRAY: “The start was good. The game was good. There was good intensity, there was good atmosphere, with Vancouver coming back after a road trip and clinching first overall, there was a lot of emotion in the building with the fans. I thought we matched that and were ready to go. We played well and got that first goal, which is important, and things were going along pretty well.”
(on Drew Doughty’s play on Vancouver’s second goal…)
MURRAY: “You can’t ask a defenseman not to make that kind of play. I mean, my God, you’ve got to give him an opportunity to try to be the player that he is. The issue, for me in the second period, would have been the first goal. We got a little too cute up top, with the rotation of three guys trying to make a little saucer pass. Whenever you have one of the premier players in the game on the ice — and they have three up high also — that was a little too much to ask at that time.”
(on Kyle Clifford’s hit…)
MURRAY: “Well, in the environment that we have today, it’s a play where you’ve got to let up. There’s no question the Vancouver defenseman saw him from the top of the hash mark in, above the dot in the circle. But you do have to let up. That’s just the way the environment is. There was an evasive move. It looked like he was going to try to go behind the net, then he cut in. He saw him, but at the same time you do have to be aware of it as the player that is coming in second. But on the other side of it, with Handzus, that is interference. The puck is in the corner. He is going to retrieve the puck. Tambellini cuts him underneath and Rome comes and blindsides him. That is interference.”
(on the game…)
MURRAY: “The play, I thought we tried to do a little too much with the puck in the first period. We settled that out in the second, and we had a better attitude with it, and what we wanted to do. The compete was great. The team play really picked up, I thought, as far as execution in the second period. We gave ourselves an opportunity to win a game, and unfortunately we were the ones that gave them the opportunity to win the game.”
well nicely said
But a lost is a lost what cna u do about it
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Man I hate the Canucks. I hate them more than I hate the ducks…not by much. We still have a good team and lets not forget the youngest in the NHL, while VAN’s window to win a cup is getting ready to close ours is only opening now. We will be great for years. GKG!
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ronso Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:57 pm
@LuckyNumber20, AGREED!
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39scars Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 6:58 am
@LuckyNumber20, Vancr has one player over 30. This will be are rival for many years.
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OneTimer Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:25 am
@39scars,
… and looking forward to it.
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Derek Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 8:19 am
@LuckyNumber20, I’ve hated them since the 92-93 playoffs (i think i was 7 at the time), tolerated them when they had Bure, then REAALLY hated them after last year. Their fans are idiots.
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2hitniks Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 8:43 am
@Derek, Ahhh ’93, the glory year. Schuchuck!!!!
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Mike Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 12:23 pm
@LuckyNumber20, I would be hard pressed to say that I hate any team more than the ducks. Vancouver has been around longer – I think at one time, they were the team that the Kings had played against more than any other in the league – not sure if that’s still true.
By the way, what is the historical record of President’s trophy winners in the playoffs?
GO KINGS GO!!!
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look on the bright side, as long as we don’t finish 8th and Van is eliminated in the 1st round, this could have been the last meeting between the two teams…and the last time we have to hear “Louu”!
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KingsFanFTW Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:31 pm
@friarking, lol still i dont think they going to get eliminated i believe they have a great chance on winning the cup dont get me wrong i dont like them but they dont look like they going to get the boot
u dont know into the Playoff starts
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rogiesbackup Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:50 pm
@KingsFanFTW, Considering they have the most points in the NHL, best power play, best this and that. I really don’t see them ever dominating the Kings. Foxy says, they “controlled the tempo,” and YES they did, but seems like it WAS the kings that gladly accepted. Kinda like Vancouver leading the dance but the Kings followed step by step.
Just another game. Didn’t say anything other then yet another proof the Kings CAN play with THE BEST and therefor one of THE BEST in the NHL!!!
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KingsFanFTW Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:58 pm
@rogiesbackup, yup we have a shot but i dont think into we get rid of the slow people in our team then we will have a shoot i say when Kopi back in th eline up when Lokti witht he Kings and schenn we going to have a great chance on it
ronso Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:58 pm
@rogiesbackup, SEE LUU in the WCF
DesertKing Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:34 am
@KingsFanFTW,
The calls that they have been getting during the regular season will disappear in the playoffs. They will have to win games the old fashioned way – by playing straight up, which will make them even with everyone else.
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16-0 is a scary stat. Especially considering we had a breakaway in the 3rd period.
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KingMe20 Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:46 am
@DBking,
Yeah, and it should have been a penalty shot on that play. Luongo threw his stick.
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Derek Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 8:23 am
@KingMe20, i didn’t see the game bu tsaw the replay, did TM or anyone on the team say anything about that play?
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I agree with TM’s assesments of the game. I’m not happy about the loss, but I am glad that the effort was there. Vancouver has the capability to beat us even worse than St.Louis or Detroit did when we lost to them. 3-1 is a respectable loss against a team who has clearly beat more teams in the NHL this year than any team out there. No need to panic, just fix a few things and I think we’ll be fine.
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Kings could have won. They competed well.
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Toffoli’s junior team got eliminated from the playoffs, any chance he’ll get a call up? He can replace Westgarth, and might add some more scoring chances, as well as gain some good NHL experience. I wouldn’t be upset with getting the CHL point champ/goals in a season record holder up there personally….
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PP Anybody? Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:53 pm
@Blue Coconuts, Funny, I was just coming on here to point this out myself. I sincerely doubt they would call him up to the big club, but I hope he at least gets on a bus tomorrow and heads to Manchester. Would be valuable experience, even for him to play down there, rather than sitting around watching tv now.
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dMan Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:54 pm
@Blue Coconuts, Would be nice, but the defensive side of the puck would take a huge hit. I don’t see the Kings doing that.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 12:00 am
@Blue Coconuts, LOL….Westgarth has really impressed me with his level of play since Kopi’s injury. Not saying he is a perennial goal scorer, but man I like his hustle and seems he’s got some hockey skills too. Way to go, Westy!!! You’re NOT just another “goon.”
Can you imagine having two Kyle Cliffords in the Kings!!!! LMAO…that’d be awesome!!
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anonandonanon Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:35 am
@rogiesbackup, this-
You guys know Westgarth is essentially a rookie right? Have you compared him to the tough guys that other teams have? Is he better than, say, Raitus? Has his game improved?
Westy had at least one shot on goal last night. He was in the ice for the Clifford goal (THE only King goal), yeah? He really isn’t a plodder. He has taken few “stupid penalties”. If needs be he can throw bombs. Ain’t it better that Matt Greene can concentrate on D?
Sub-standard Right wing last night? Oscar. imo.
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KingMe20 Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:47 am
@anonandonanon,
Westgarth is a SIGNIFICANT upgrade from Ivanans.
anonandonanon Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 8:19 am
@anonandonanon, Just a note, no official SOG for Westy. I noted it during the game. The Canucks off-ice officials play kinda fast and loose. Maybe someone blocked it or I was wrong about “on goal”.
ronso Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 12:00 am
@Blue Coconuts, Wish it were 3 years from now,
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gcheng Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 1:25 am
@ronso,
yeah. i would love to see what toffoli can do. thats the exact reason why i asked a couple of days ago whether the kings will promote him up to manchester or the kings. i sure would love to see what he can bring to the table
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Y’know . . . these Canucks are a mighty good hockey club.
I don’t like the sunsabitches. But they’re really an outstanding team. Even without Malhotra and Hamhuis they’re fearsome.
We ain’t chopped liver. And maybe we got some bad calls tonight. And maybe if we hadn’t given up that late goal at the end of the second. And maybe this and maybe that.
But there’s little doubt in my mind which was the better team on the ice tonight.
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I have a lot of respect for Terry Murray, but not when it comes to his decision to ice Westgarth when the team is hurting for offense. Why on earth is he playing? No one I know that knows hockey can understand it. Harold can skate and at least would provide some extra team speed. Or call up a deserving forward from Manchester. There is hardly any reason to start Westgarth except maybe agains the Ducks.
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KingMe20 Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:50 am
@Thunderbird,
Westgarth wasn’t the issue last night. He had a shot on goal. Did Penner?
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bbb7 Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 10:55 am
@Thunderbird, Im usually all over Westy but last night he was fine; in fact his line was the only one that played well all game long.
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Ducks will take 2 from kings sorry to say ,To win you need a power play and snipers and we have neither,I said it this time last year and nothing has changed the Kings are a one line team.But i still love em!
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BigMikeonD Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 9:13 am
@MIKE, The simplest way I can say it is, Wrong!
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To blame Doughty for playing the type of game that
made him a Norris candidate and most likely a Norris
winner and best offensive/defensive player in the game
in the next few years is ridiculous..We didn’t pick him 3rd
overall for him to only take shots from the blue line…sure he
makes mistakes, but he was the biggest offensive threat we
had out there tonight…Blaming and hating is completely childish
and I was embarrassed at some of the blogs tonight..
I understand we all love the Kings and want them to win every game..
It’s just not gonna happen in the real world…
They win as a team and they lose as a team… Period..
Let’s all calm down and realize with our top scorers out, this is an
extremely hard battle in front of us..Any thing can transpire…
Ok I had my rant and all the experts and haters can now bash me
for being realistic.. Something that is fleeting on this thread at times..
GKG..
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uknojata Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 2:25 am
@Slim, so doughty can do no wrong because he was third runner up to the Norris? I personally think that’s ridiculas, but I guess terry agrees with you. that’s been the problem all year with doughtys game, Terry thinks the kid doesn’t need to be coached. that mistake has caused him to take a large step backward. doughty has been making bonehead mistakes all season, but I blame Terry. the kid needs some guidence. tell him when he makes a bad decision. he is one of the best d-men in the game, and this is not his rookie year. it’s ok to expect more from him.
ps. for god sakes take zues off the first line, please. any other center is going to be a better option. it’s painful to watch.
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OneTimer Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 7:30 am
@Slim,
Not gonna bash. Just gonna say in your own words of “being realistic” … um, we picked Doughty 2nd?
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DBking Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 12:34 pm
In a game against vanvouver where there is no margain for error and we have a 1 goal lead, there is no need to take the types of risks that Doughty took last night. If we were down a goal, two goals and that happened then oh well. But its unacceptable for him to take those risks on the road against the best team in the league when were holding onto a SLIM lead. @Slim,
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With Kopi & JW out DD & JJ will jump into the play more. For once I agree with TM, the 1st goal was a silly turnover. The 2nd was a special guy trying to create, I put it on one of the forwards to hang back.
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In the Net Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 10:29 am
@2hitniks, Exactly. It was a missed assignment (a forward should have fallen back–actually if you watch, Westgarth is really good at doing that) and it was caused by the team being aggressive. I’d rather have a goal against while pushing forward than just turtle because as we know so well, once you go totally defensive you might as well give them the goal, especially a team like Vancouver. We’ve seen that in a number of games this year. Actually, every year.
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bbb7 Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 10:57 am
@2hitniks, I dont think any of the forwards (who were all already inside the dots) expected DD to come into that space as well. If DD was ahead of any of them and they didnt stay back to cover when he jumped in, yes, they are to blame. In this case, DD didnt use good judgment – my take is he thought there wouldnt be enough time for a counter even if he got caught deep, and he was wrong.
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I wish Bylsma was our coach.
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Interesting posts. I happen to think the Kings have happened to be playing overall better hockey since Kopi went down. I’m not saying we’re a better team w/o him, but this team seems to have decided “its up to us” and have been playing better team hockey. I am a firm believer that the Kings got railed 2 out of 4 games against the Canucks this year and still can’t believe all of the penalties the twins and the rest of their team gets away with. It’s sad, and something should be done but won’t be. For my money, I’d like to see a Kings v Canucks Conference Final. It’s definitely a possibility.
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