Terry Murray’s postgame thoughts…
(on the game…)
MURRAY: “It was a very big win, coming into this building in Game 2 when we’re a little short, with key players out of the lineup. That requires a real competitive attitude by everyone that is playing. Guys have to really dig in and play hard for each other. I think that’s the competitive spirit that our team has shown many, many times over the last couple years here. They really play hard for each other. They dig in when they have to, and to me that’s probably defined as a gritty hockey club. The right guys stepped up and produced at the right time here tonight, with Doughty, Johnson and the back end. Ryan Smyth played a real big game for us here tonight. So the key guys that you need to step up played as hard as they could.”
(on the power-play success…)
MURRAY: “Ironically, the power play has been something that has been a concern in the last quarter of the season for us, and here it is, in a big game here tonight, and stepped up and really performed well. But there’s been a lot of time put in, to get this thing going and get it turned around, to have the right outcome in a critical point in the game, and it happened here tonight. It was a good job by guys just getting to the net. There was a lot of traffic. I thought we had a great net presence the whole game, and you get pucks from the back end, especially with Doughty and Johnson shooting. They’ve got powerful shots, heavy shots, and it paid off here tonight for us.”
(on the effort of the defensemen…)
MURRAY: “That’s a team. The defensemen, the six guys, did a real good job. I thought they were composed. They made some plays. They were blocking a lot of shots. They were hard and gritty in front of the crease. But overall it takes everybody. The forwards came back, they reloaded. There was a real good F3 (forward) throughout the game, I thought. They really worked hard with the defensemen in the low breakouts. Whenever Quick had the chances against, he was there for us.”
(on Drew Doughty’s game…)
MURRAY: “He’s playing the last quarter of the season here the way he played last year. He’s really skating. He’s confident with the puck. He’s a dominant player. I think he can take control of any shift that he wants to when he’s out there. That’s the kind of attitude he has played with in the last 20 games down the home stretch, and then again here tonight. That’s the important part of it. Whenever you need something big to happen, like we did tonight because of the adversity we faced, the key guys have to step up, and Doughty has always shown that ability to make the play at the right time, to step up, to try to be assertive and get things turned around if necessary. What’s his upside? His upside is unlimited, as far as I’m concerned. He’s got great ability, great skill. He’s the best young defenseman I’ve seen, maybe going back in the last 10 years. He’s really got incredible potential.”
(on getting a split in San Jose…)
MURRAY: “The old cliche of getting a split on the road at the start of the season, and bringing it back home, is what you talk about often. It was never more true than it was here tonight. We had to come out and show everything, pour it all in. We know there’s two days until the next game. Guys held nothing back. They did the right stuff. Hard along the boards, hard in front of the net. They really paid a price in this game to get the job done. I loved the way we cycled the puck. That was critical to our defensive part of the game. Get pucks behind them, be strong on the cycle. Lewis with Smyth and Williams, in particular, were really good. That takes time off the clock. That helps us play with confidence and get some pucks to the net in the right areas at the right time.”
(on the Kings’ defensive game…)
MURRAY: “Our m.o. is, we want to be a good defending hockey club. I think you’ve got to be a good defending team in order to win in the National Hockey League during the regular season, and it becomes highlighted even more in the playoffs. This was a game that we needed that back end to step up and really do a job for us. Quick, those seven guys back there, did a tremendous job, moving pucks whenever the opportunity was there, just getting out of trouble. At the other times, big penalty kills, blocking shots and just everybody dug in. Scuderi with his big stick. Mitchell, he’s got the same kind of stick, tremendous range, and I thought discouraged a lot of shots. They were able to break up a lot of passes through the seams.”
Defense wins championships! Strong goal tending and cycling the puck worked well today. Do you guys think it will work well against a team like Vancouver?
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Slim Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 10:59 pm
@BigSeeGas, Is the a trick question?
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anonandonanon Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 11:02 pm
@BigSeeGas, Baby Steps. Game 3 is all that matters. I want good ice and a loud crowd. Full unconditional support.
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BigSeeGas Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
@anonandonanon, True true.. I’ll be there screaming my lungs out for the boys! I feel that based on the kings attitude after the game one loss it just seemed like the kings were going to dominate. But totally 1 game at a time. No trick question just getting a little anxious.
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Christian T Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 7:56 am
@BigSeeGas, That type of play will work against any team. We can be upset about the lack of offense but what is really important this year(and future years), is defense. We have defense, goaltending and character in the locker room. The Kings are a dangerous team to any team they play this year.
If they can pull this off many will say SJ choked again. But that would be far from the truth. Anyone is strong enough to come out of the western conference this year.
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Fox said it best. Our forecheck left the Sharks w/tired players
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Do whatever it takes to keep this PP going because Clowe the cheap shot clown will be back.
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Still flying high!! Awesome D and if they were “playing the system” to a tee tonight than TM is a super genius because his system worked like a charm tonight!
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I don’t just want to match tonight’s effort on Tuesday. The Sharks will expect that. I want the Kings to match it and then some!
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Had to work tonight so just finished watching the game – wish I could have been along for the ride here in “real time.”
Outstanding effort by the entire team, let’s keep it going Tuesday night!
WOOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!!
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I wonder how sarcastic TM sounded when he said “Ironically, the power play has been something that has been a concern in the last quarter of the season for us…”
Yep, and it’s been causing all of us to lose our hair around here, too
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Brownkingsfan Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 11:13 pm
@ziggy, Is that what’s making me lose my hair? Can I blame The powerplay for my ever growing gut too?
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Good comments by Murray. I also have to hand it to the refs for picking up the calls tonight and keeping control of this game! Great game in all aspects! JQ, great job… Keep it up at home! I love this team! Go Kings!!!
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Just finished watching the game (DVR’d because of work). OH WOW THAT WAS AWESOME.
Also, put $200 on the Kings to win the series this morning; got them at +410. +410! Bettors really aren’t feeling the Kings this postseason.
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KingsFan1974 Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 11:22 pm
@Dwreck, well not that I couldnt use the extra cash I never bet on my team its a superstitious thing I have if I bet they lose so I am hoping you win big!!!!!
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WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
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What a game by Clifford and Doughty! We just beat the Sharks 4-0. LOL
I love how westgarth had a few words for Eager towards the end of the game and Eager still didn’t want any even though the score was 4-0.
Keep it going boys, we can win this serious!
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Around 4 min to go there was a shot of the SJS bench. Thornton didn’t look tired. HE LOOKED DEFEATED. Like the life had been sucked out of him. The Kings ground them to submission. Quick was solid. That was dominating. That was ALL CHARACTER. I’ll be at the game on Tue. I hope the Kings keep bringing hell.
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CB14 Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
@SaveByCechmanek, Thornton was just remeniscing about all the times he’s choked in the playoffs.
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friarking Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
@SaveByCechmanek, Jumbo Joe was like Penner in game 1, invisible. Glad he stepped it up. I wonder if Moller with be scratched next game.
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I was at the game…bottom line….any team plays any game like we played consistantly no one can beat them. We pretty much had an almost flawless game. Shark tank was silenced…seriously…we had to almost get up out of our seats their fans were so angry…..geez…it’s only a game! But yes….the Sharks were brutal…but our defense was amazing…..Zeus is just awesome. He was your unsung hero tonight with his defense.
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In what, for most ‘top six’ forwards in this league, might have been a breakaway opportunity, Dustin Penner awkwardly tries to carry the puck into the offensive zone in the 3rd period. Sharks color analyst Drew Remenda wryly observes: “What does this look like here? It looks like you’re skating your goaltender.”
I’d still like to think Penner could be something like LA hoped he would be, but it’s hard to be optimistic at this point. He played better in the first half of tonight’s game than he has in a couple of months, but he was still a blank spot in a crown shirt.
Clifford has had a solid two games in SJ. Willie Mitchell has been outstanding. Westgarth even looked like a real NHLer tonight, showed some awareness and discipline; that was a pleasant surprise. Terry Murray may be right after all, Westgarth might have some potential. Greene has been a D monster. Scudery rang one off the post tonight (could easily have been 4 goals from the D guys).
Except for Roenick’s praise of Quick and Doughty tonight, the Versus broadcast guys have NO respect for the LA Kings, especially Keith Jones, who apparently believes the Kings shouldn’t bother to show up for these games! And the NHL Network is _still_ piously campaigning against Jarret Stoll.
After the first period in game 1, the Kings have been the better team, and could easily be up 2 games to 0– Keith Jones is oblivious— self certain, but oblivious.
Kings are VERY often pretty run-of-the-mill at Staples, so the wheels could still come off, but if they can continue to impose themselves defensively, LA could add another chapter to SJ’s post season woes.
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Wow, just WOW!!!!!
Total team effort. Quick had the easist job of all because ALL the Kings in front of him played nearly perfect defensively. SJ just looked lost out there. Completley lost.
DD and JJ on our PP have the magic back from last year’s playoffs.
Lewis is so good at what he does.
I can’t pick a player who didn’t play very well for the Kings. Just an awesome game. I’ll be there for game 3. Can’t wait.
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Sparman Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 7:42 am
@KC23,
I really like Westgarth out there. He really is playing solid hockey and I find myself, now, noticing him for the great plays he’s a part of rather than his being a liability.
Also, I think his presence in the line up really is keeping the Sharks physical play in check.
In TM I trust.
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I am proud of our kinga tonight.
Everytime the kings play a 60 min game they win.
I am sick of hearing bad comments on Penner. He’s out there trying. Everyone nit picks everything he does now because everyones eyes on him. I don’t hear anyone talking down on other players not scoring. Just stop. Support our team.
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Drake Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 11:09 am
@Subby, He was brought in to score goals. He has not. He is slow. Unless he picks it up he will not be back next year.
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Slim Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
@Drake, Uh, he has another year with us!..
So give him away?
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At this point I don’t think TM is even asking Penner to score. He just wants him to bring some grit and determination to his game. If he ends up scoring then it’s a bonus.
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It would have been nice to see Smyth run Demers late in the 3rd.. he had his chance. Too much class in captain Canada.. So wanted Demers to get disciplined the old fashioned way.. But, we let him sleep with the burning question, “when will they come for me?” I really hope when we go on the PP at home our organ guy plays the Jaws theme just to get in SJ’s heads.. This was what we Kings fans have been waiting for a bunch of weeks it seems, a grade A effort top to bottom.. hell, even Penns was into it. But, just they always say, “never get too low after a loss and never get to high after a win.. stay with this system.. We all know the shark will eat their own, they’ll blame Clowe for gooning this game away early, but we totally choked them out tonight in front of their friends and family. That will hurt them much deeper than any physical pain. They will come for us Tuesday… They will come dirty and chippy and all that crappy after the whistle stuff the favorites always get away with.. NO EXPERT PICKED US… Let’s make them question all of their so called “expertise” Bring the effort tuesday, let Quicker see shots, come back to home plate and guard that hugh cross rink pass they killed us with in game one.. DD and JJ were nails on the PP tonight. Duplicate the effort! Great night to be a Kings fan, folks!
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The Kings played the defensive system to a T, clogging the passing lanes, stick in the way of the puck. Offensively, stick to stick passes and Ryan Clowe being an idiot worked well.
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As TM has said before, “That was a big dig-in here tonight”.
It’s very difficult to score when you’re running around in circles in your own zone because of the cycling. I hope that SJ gets more tastes of this frustration
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Terry mid season I was asking for your head! Sorry, your system does work and this is the fruits of your hard work and dedication. Keep it going and ensure we don’t have blueline turnovers, get pucks deep and pressure thier D they are terrible and slow with the exception of Boyle so dump it into his corner more often and make him pay.
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KFII Reply:
April 17th, 2011 at 9:26 am
@Harty, How did that taste? LOL Seriously though, the system has at times been very frustrating, but we are definitely witnessing it pay off. Love it.
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Finally, the cosmic wheel spins for Kings fans. Justice, the Yen to the Yang. Satisfaction.
Even if another win somehow fails to materialize I’ll go quietly into the summer satisfied.
Clowe Penalty…goal! Clowe Penalty…Goal! Big John Thornton…goal under his nose. Boyle…dragging his heine…
The “Hero” of game 1…disappeared after the 10 minute mark of the 1st.
The Sharks and their fans are thinking about the ghosts of playoffs past. Prevail or fail its a good feeling to know they’re squirming and dumping bricks.
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I loved the SJ fans booing the Sharts off the ice at the end of the second. I guess thats the second time Muray has seen it, it just wasnt at his team this time.
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Good confidence builder for the PP. They are 24th in the league for the PK but not to worry 2 PP goals is a great start!
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