Willie Mitchell has missed five of the past six games with a groin injury, but barring any last-minute setbacks, it appears as though Mitchell will return tomorrow against Toronto. Based on practice today, it would seem that Mitchell will replace Alec Martinez, with Slava Voynov as the other spare defenseman. Asked about Mitchell’s ability to play tomorrow, interim coach John Stevens said, “Indications are very positive. I’ll get a chance to talk to Kinger [trainer Chris Kingsley] here and make that final decision, but I would say he’s probable.’’ Mitchell was more forceful when asked if he was ready to play.
MITCHELL: “Absolutely. Real ready. I just want to get back in there. It’s never fun watching when the team is doing well. … It’s never fun being hurt. It’s a lot easier when things are going well around here. There’s been a lot of change and obviously a lot of losses, so you want to get in there. We’re all competitors and feel we can make a difference, so I just want to get in and hopefully help out in my own little way, and we’ll get going, hopefully get this on track.’’
In goal, Stevens will stay with Jonathan Quick, who was pulled from last night’s game in Detroit after the Red Wings scored three goals on their first seven shots, in less than nine minutes. Jonathan Bernier played the rest of the game and allowed five goals. Quick had not been pulled from a game this season.
STEVENS: “If things had gone well the other night (against Detroit), and we had either won the game or had a chance to win the game, he would have played the whole game and we would have considered Bernie for (tomorrow), but the fact that (Quick) got out of the game early, and the game ended up the way it did, Johnny is a leader on this team, he’s our No. 1 goalie and he’s going to go back in the net for tomorrow.’’
As for Mike Richards, he practiced for a second consecutive day and appeared to ramp up the intensity. Richards started practice doing line rushes with wingers, but then put on a no-contact jersey when battle drills started. Richards has been out since he took a hit to the head on Dec. 1 against Florida.
STEVENS: “Just progressing along. I don’t think anything has changed there. He looked a lot better physically. He had that first day back on the ice, getting his legs back under him in Detroit. It’s tough to push his conditioning a little bit, but I thought he looked really good today, from a conditioning standpoint. He had good jump, made a lot of plays. So it’s encouraging.’’
Kings need good mental coach… My wish for Christmas
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Hoping Richards is back for Thursday
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Richards needs to take his time. The only thing worse than a concussion is coming back too soon from one and receiving another.
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i like how Stevens calls it like it is..no beating around the bush like TM’s interviews
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Perro Reply:
December 19th, 2011 at 8:19 am
@DOUGHTYFAN_08, Living in Calgary trust me when I say Sutter is way worse than TM with talkign to the media.
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WHY IN THE WORLD ARE WE STARTING QUICK?! Three seasons of burning him out and wasting the talents of our number 2? Someone let quicker have a seat and watch through some of this struggle instead of sacrificing him to burn out!
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Bama Kings Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
@Post702, Our #2 looked like he was on the other team last night. You play your best goalie until you get out of this funk – hands down. He’s the only consistent part of this team right now.
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Räikkönen Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
@Bama Kings,
Quick has been below average for awhile now. Not including the Columbus game.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
@Räikkönen, I can’t anywhere close to agree with you on that. He hasn’t stood on his head every game, but he’s hardly “been below average for awhile now.”
Dominick Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
@Post702, He wasn’t burned out last season. 2 years ago he got burned out by starting 70 games, participating in the olympics, and having the distraction of his first child being born, all while we were at the final stretch heading into the playoffs. Starting 4 games in a row isn’t going to burn out any #1 goalie in the league. If they were that fragile, they don’t deserve to be a #1.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 4:18 pm
@Post702, Maybe if Bernier stopped one of the five goals he let in last night, he would’ve played tomorrow.
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40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 19th, 2011 at 9:06 am
@Post702, Don’t want to burn him out like you say, but I think after the other night, Quick needs to get back up on the horse and keep his confidence intact.
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Is this the end of the world. We have a lot of growing up to do. Some would suggest that our players don’t care and that they are only playing for paychecks. I think they want to win games, but that damn little rubber thing they chase around isn’t finding the back of the net. We all can agree we are got good defensive hockey club, but offensively not so much. We can analyze this problem until we are red in the face, but that won’t change a thing. We need some luck I do believe. Hockey is such a game of inches that a bounce here and a dig over there can change a game in a instant. We are not getting any lucky bounces and not many digs. This last game was just about as low as we can go, but I don;t know about that. No one knows if this is our bottom or has the hole only gotten bigger. Somehow our team will have to find a way to dig out of it. I’m amazed on how well the Blues are playing under their new coach, but some of the other teams are not fairing as well. We need a fast turn around. Like a win streak of 4 or 5 games. We are still in this thing. No team in our division has pulled away. A few good wins and things are right back on track. But let us not forget what all this losing has done to us. We need to not want to feel this again. We are a good team and what a story it will make us coming out of the ashes. time to raise up and start taking names. Opposing teams need to know that they have been in a fight when they play us. Who is going to step up as our masher? It can’t stay this way. Things are changing and there changing for the good. Go Kings!!!
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40YearKingsFan Reply:
December 19th, 2011 at 9:15 am
@kinginsaltlake, If we can steal one in Toronto and win at home against the Ducks (which we’re supposed to) as you say, we’re really not in bad shape considering the adversity we’ve face. I’m with you and I’m not ready to give up on this team yet. Not by a long stretch.
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I’m going to call it right here – we beat Toronto tomorrow. We get a 2-2 out of the four game road trip and then we come home to a wake up call.
These guys want to win. This crap about them not caring is non-sense.
I also think Sutter is the right guy for now.
And if Brownie were to give up the C – it’s Scud’s or Mitchell.
BTW – it’s been a while, but how awful is DD. We officially couldn’t get crud for him now. Ughhhhh…..
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Dominick Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:20 pm
@Bama Kings, We’re due a goal explosion. 1, 3 goal game in the last 13 and 12 with 2 goals or less. Law of averages says even a broken watch is right 2 times a day.
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number 6 Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
@Bama Kings,
Sutter is the right guy ‘for now’? TM was the ‘right guy’ for ‘then’? How many coaches does it take before you’re actually ready to compete with the good teams?
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Dominick Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
@number 6, How many coaches does it take before you start looking at the styles that generate offense, while being responsible defensively?
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One off game and Voynov gets scratched for three games? It’s not like other defensemen haven’t been bad, and more than one game. He shouldn’t be the only one held accountable. This is like Murray with Frolov.
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Michael J. Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
@justmyopinion,
Who do you sit? Whiskey? He’s the Kings leading scorer this road trip.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
@Michael J., Good point.
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freezer flatten Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
@justmyopinion, is it just me, or are greene and scuderi just as bad as the rest of the defense.
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….. and since I seem to be in a somewhat critical mood since the decision to select Sutter, I’ll add this. Not a very good job at all in my opinion of maximizing your assets. First round pick Jonathan Bernier hardly playsl, when he does he sometimes has problems resulting from rust, and/or poor teaem play…. so they have an asset that if they’re lucky they can trade for a second round draft choice. No point harping on about getting a super skilled forward for Bernier.
Poor developmentn of an asset as I see it.
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number 6 Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
@number 6,
sorry, my mom’s computer and hard to work with these lively keys
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Dominick Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
@number 6, Quite alright. I do the same thing when I’m not typing on an erganomic keyboard.
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neil Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
@number 6, Agree..A asset that only plays 15 games a year is a waste when you need another forward badly.Holding on to Bernier,Hickey,Martinez,Muzzin is playing not to lose. Play to win…trade for something we need now…..
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
@number 6, …and Monday night, when Quick pulls his groin…you aren’t going to be glad we’ve got Bernier?
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Bernier is really bad. He looked lost last night and really has not capitalized on ANY of his opportunities this year.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
@BJ, I don’t think ether goaltender was bad. The defense gave prime chances to the Redwings, and unlike the Kings, the Redwings know how to convert prime chances.
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freezer flatten Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, i agree.
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It’ll be great to have Willie back in the lineup, he’s sorely missed. He and Scuds are the cement back there, vets you can count on and Mitchells leaderhip was missed.
HOping that they button it down defensevily, no more coughing up the puck in their own zone. Play a solid D game and eek out a win I don’t care if it’s 2-1, we need the 2 points.
Until Richards come back, the offense will sputter.
The Kings need to stay close to the others in the Division. MR comes up , hopefully the coach can light a fire under the team and they put toge4ther a good winning streak and get those points and climb back up.
This team, from what is shown in interviews and such, really do like each other and that’s good. To have a losing streak and the other issues this year can lead a weaker room to start pointing fingers and that ruins a team
They appear to be ready to battle thru together.
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Mitchell: “It’s never fun watching when the team is doing well”. Are we sure Willie doesnt have a concussion?
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kingszzz Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
@fuzzerson, HAHA! I read that thinking the same thing!!
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@fuzzerson, Yeah, where’d that come from?
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Panama City King Reply:
December 19th, 2011 at 9:19 am
@fuzzerson, I think that was a type-o by Rich. Pretty sure he actually said “isn’t”…
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So fire Kompon and hire Richards an an interim PP coach until he’s healthy enough to play.
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freezer flatten Reply:
December 18th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
@DEH, now thats good.
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