Do the Kings feel at home on the road? Including the two games in Europe — officially listed as home games, but in reality, neutral-site games at best — the Kings are 2-2-0 at home and 3-1-1 away from Staples Center. Last season, the Kings were only slightly better at home (53 points) than they were on the road (45). Terry Murray was asked, after today’s morning skate, about his team’s comfort level on the road…
MURRAY: “I think the fact that we were a young hockey club the last couple years, going on the road there’s a comfort, where you just need to go out and play the game the right way, structurally, defensively. It’s a big focus. To me, it always is the case where you come back home and you feel there needs to be more put into the creativity, the offensive side of the game. You try to do something extra-special as a player, and that sometimes can hurt, when you do get away from the game that’s been going very well for you. The bottom line is, we’re a comfortable team on the road. We feel we can play well in any building in the league. We just rely on our structure and our system, and guys go out and roll four lines and six D and they’re playing well.’’
I don’t know about the 4 lines playing well, but the six D and JQ are playing well.
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Dominick Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
@CB14, The only time JQ isn’t playing well these days, is when he isn’t playing.
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Lake Forest Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
@Dominick, Agreed I blame JQ for JB’s loss
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Dominick Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
@Lake Forest, LOL!
OMG, NOOOOOOOO! not structure and system, it just doesnt work! LOL
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CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
@fsd1, No it doesn’t.
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fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
@CB14, yes, it does.
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Stuart Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
@fsd1 & @CB14, does not – does too – does not – does too – rinse, repeat…
so far it’s working to the tune of 5-2-1…
BrokeKingsFan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
@Stuart, hmmmmm, very interesting…
CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
@Stuart, Just wait and see what happens when Quick comes back to Earth.
Stuart Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, touche! LMAO!!! people get all bent out of shape when a say something about DB’s game, so when others say something that’s my vanilla post!!! HILARIOUS!
fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
@Stuart I know, soon I might have to go to the corner for a time out.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
@fsd1, dont forget your dunce hat
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fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, got it! still looking for my brain tho, its around here somewhere
CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
@fsd1, I never said you didn’t have a brain. Don’t know where you got that from. All I did was disagree with your comment.
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fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
@CB14, dude, we spar quite a bit, but that comment was not directed at you at all, from an old post.
CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
@fsd1, Gotcha, just making sure you didn’t think I was insulting you.
Old Man Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
@fsd1, Amen
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Another thing is, when you travel a lot, coming home involves facing life- and administrative-problems that you have license to avoid thinking about when on the road. That’s certainly the case the first game back, but I think any time you’re at home. I went through this when I travelled a lot–seemed I could never concentrate when I was home, because I had to worry about getting all the things done I needed to.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Hopefully, however, their salary and the unique situation of their job enables them to off-load all the reasonable “regular life concerns” to someone else (like wives and business managers.)
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I’ve been cracking up reading the blog the last couple of days, you would think we were the Columbus Blue Jackets blog. We are not even 10 games into the season, what are people so upset about? If you project our current record 5-2-1 out over 82 games, we would finish with over 110 points, I believe that will be good enough to make the playoffs. Now gonna sit back and watch TM worry about the team, it’s my job to watch and root them on. GKG!
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KingsFanFTW Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
@NMKingsFan, yea true but everyone has the right opinion to say what their own opinions…
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Happy Lappy Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
@NMKingsFan, It’s my job to criticize things I don’t about, and secondly, learn how to spell criticize!
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fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
@Happy Lappy, lol, ae you “happy” lappy?
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Stuart Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
@fsd1, I think he’s mentioned somewhere that he has a 20something year old gf, I’d say he’s as happy as a clam…well at least some of the time.
fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
@Stuart God I am OLD…..sniffle
Capt Jam Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
@NMKingsFan,
I wonder how many fans on the Canucks boards are poo-pooing their uneven start with ‘it’s not even 10 games in.’
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KC23 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
@NMKingsFan, Funny isn’t it. You’d think it was a Leaf or Haps blog. The critics have gone way over the top, especially on this Quick streak thing.
Only thing I’ve been all that upset at is Stoll on the point in the PP, but I keep it in perspective unless it is the heat of the moment in a game. Seeing him on the PP just infuriates me.
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fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
@KC23, Have to agree with you on that one, he tries but he needs to be replaced on his unit.
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bringbackbutchgoring Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:07 pm
@fsd1, I would like to see him down low on the powerplay. He’s got an unbelievable wrist shot but his slap shot is pretty weak and inaccurate. Not sure why he always has to play the point on the pp
PP Anybody? Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
@NMKingsFan, Personally, I see it as a good thing. People in those hockey cities EXPECT their team to win the Cup. I think more people around here expect to see more out of this team the last couple of years. We can all agree that this is actually a GOOD team. With that being said, there is a difference between being a good team, and a GREAT team. I think the only thing happening here the last couple days is that some of us don’t see a great team every night. A great team is more than one dimensional, and can beat most any team, any way, on any given night. That is what some of us hope this team can get itself to be.
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Thought you all would like this quote on NHL Live! About the Oilers riding Khabibulin right now. One of the guys said how they will keep playing him while he’s out then the other said “Terry Murray wouldn’t ride him.”
Made me chuckle
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CastaicKingsFan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
@CastaicKingsFan, hot* now out
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Okay I give up with this auto-correct
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Dominick Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
@CastaicKingsFan, Try pushing the clutch in when you shift gears.
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Stuart Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
@Dominick, bada-boom bada-bing we’re smoking cigarettes – ayyyyyy!
sorry, just had a diceman attack.
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CastaicKingsFan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
@Dominick, Ohhhh I see what you did there
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I want to hear more about JQ’s shutout streak! I know wining games is what’s important, but rallying around intangibles is wins games! This is what sux about not playing JQ last game.. it feels like we have to manufacture the excitement and mojo. I’ll bet Bob & Jim will get us all excited again, otherwise TM took something away from us.
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CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
@MB Kings Fan, +1
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MB Kings Fan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@CB14, Hooray!! …we’ve got some coverage on ESPN: http://espn.go.com/nhl/gameoftheweek
We’re sending you the happy juju’s Quicky!!!
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CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
@MB Kings Fan, Glad to see Quick’s streak is getting some nice pub, but you would think a guy who works at ESPN would have access to some stats. Quick has given up 5 goals this season, not 3 Mr. Burnside. Someone needs to get himself a fact checker.
I hope that the 2 extra days off won’t hurt Quick’s sharpness, but I fear that it will.
Dominick Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
@MB Kings Fan, Quicky’s streak is winning. Hope he can keep it goin tonight.
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EJ on NHL Live stop short of predicting Quick’s streak. He chickened out having been burned already. hehee
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What is the over/under on crowd size tonight? I’ll go 5000 since it’s Dallas and the world series is on
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fsd1 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
@Ryan oliver, baseball is still going? Go Cards!
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Lake Forest Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
@Ryan oliver, 3,800…is your 5K counting staff?? haha
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KingsFan in OC Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:49 pm
@Ryan oliver, Are you setting the over/under at 5000 or is that your prediction for the crowd size? If that is the over/under, I will definitely go with under.
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Ryan oliver Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
@KingsFan in OC, I think it’s a good over under. I don’t know what they average though. I expect to see alot of empty seats on tv rhough
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Clifford is ready to move up to an offensive position, you can see it the way he is moving, chasing pucks. Murray has to see it?
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MB Kings Fan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
@Rik8020, He can take Penner’s spot …at least you would notice him!
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We have two of the best offensive defensemen in the league, and Voynov seems to fall into that mold as well. I think you have to activate those boys from time to time, especially when you have very good defensive forwards to back you up. Take the pressure off Quick and take a chance one in a while, I have never seen such boring hockey offensively in my life. Ok, I’m ready to get blasted by those who will say, hey, at least we’re winning now. To them I say this, mechanical, structured and robotic weren’t exactly what hockey was ever meant to be, it’s too great of a sport to be turned into this crap, just my opinion folks.
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CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
@Happy Lappy, AGREE! I love that last line.
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kinginsaltlake Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
@Happy Lappy, Can I buy you a beer and watch you do your moonwalk. LOL!!! I agree you player!!
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Happy Lappy Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
@kinginsaltlake, did you say BEER! Hell yes, heading to Salt Lake right now!
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Happy Lappy Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
@kinginsaltlake, Actually, today is National Beer Day, no joke, of course you already knew that, right?
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
@Happy Lappy, Shut the front door! Is it really national Beer day? i was gonna watch the game at home tonight but since its a holiday(of sorts)ill go watch it at my local watering hole… and to think i almost missed out on this oh so important day!
PP Anybody? Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@Happy Lappy, That just made me happy.
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C’Mon people! We {The Kings} are only a few games in. As soon as we lose all we seem to write about is how bad we stink. Every now and then you get the ” We lost, we’ll gettem next time” rant, but mostly it’s “Fire the Coaching”. Now, I like the most of you would love to coach the Kings. Hell, I’d be happy with just being a water junkie, but the last I looked the club isn’t looking for a coach or a water-boy. What the club needs is a solid fan base that knows that the club will not win every game and that every now and then the club is going to play some lame games. When this happens it’s good knowing the fan base will have our clubs back. We are fans and we have a right to express our views {thanks to Rich} but first and for most we are fans. We want this club to win every game. I hate seeing the Kings lose. It makes for a bad evening and next day. After a loss I already know whats being said on this blog site. Maybe we should try something new for a change, like understanding that in team sports we are not always going to get it done. We will win some and lose some. Hockey is the most exciting game on earth, there is nothing like watching the puck go to the back of the net, or watching a goalie make a great save. Enjoy our hockey club, as a team. Why? Because we are part of the team. Each and everyone of us have a small part to play. It’s up to you to find it. We should learn to take our defeats as men and ladies and instead of trying to play I KNOW IT ALL. Accept defeat and move on. The Kings are a good club are they Cup ready yet, Hmmmmmmmm We just don’t know. Guess we will have to watch and find out. Keep your opinions coming, because without them we as a fan base would be boring. One thing about the Kings fan bases is, we are definitely not boring.
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Actions speak louder than words. Murry enforces his defensive precepts by denying ice time among other measures, to those that don’t meet his expectations. Until he also actually benches players or takes other punitive action for not producing at the offensive end, we will not have balance between offense and defense.
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Hopefully the lesson learned for TM is when we have some momentum for a few games, don’t mess with the chemistry (i.e. if it aint broke don’t fix it etc..) Tonight should be interesting. GKG
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Dominick Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
@jess, I just hope he doesn’t give up 3 goals on 23 shots. Then it really wouldn’t of mattered who was in goal.
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Deke'r Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
@Dominick, If the boys put out the same effort as last game look for more than 3GA.
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Dominick Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
@Deke’r, That is the general consensus.
Deke'r Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
@Dominick, HAHAHA, no….what I was saying is the last Dallas game was a fortunate win in that there were a couple of instances when JQ was out of position with the puck near the crease but some good hustle beat the opponents to the loose puck. That hustle was not there last game.
CB14 Reply:
October 27th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
@Dominick, Yes it would’ve, he’s probably rusty by now. He wouldn’t have been rusty in Tuesday’s game. Plus, as someone else said, the team lost all their momentum. We had a 4 game winning streak, and even though Quick still has his streak going, it doesn’t feel the same.
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