One thing new coach Darryl Sutter hasn’t had to worry about is goaltending. Scoring? Yes. Power play? Yes. Goaltending? No. In Sutter’s five games, the Kings have allowed seven goals. Jonathan Quick has stopped 118 of 124 shots and Jonathan Bernier stopped 26 of 27 last night in Winnipeg. Sutter said that, after last night’s game, his first message in the locker room was to praise Bernier’s effort.
SUTTER: “As the game went on, he was doing a better job around the net and all that. He was solid. We didn’t have any problem in our zone because of anything that he did. I wish we could have got him both points.’’
Sutter was also asked about the potential challenge in assessing two goalies he’s not familiar with, two goalies who have very different styles: the athletic, aggressive Quick and the calm, positional Bernier.
SUTTER: “Bernie told me two days, when I was talking to him about anything he needed help with. Basically he told me to leave him alone. `You haven’t seen me play yet.’ That’s exactly what he said. He said, `You haven’t seen me play yet.’ [laughs] That was pretty good. I trust our goaltending. You have to, as a coach, trust your goaltending always. At the end of the day, it’s your most important position.’’
Quick – Solid!
Bernier – Solid!
GkG!
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sloppy joe Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
@FdoFmFull, Jeff Zatkoff & Martin Jones are not bad either
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Dominick Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
@sloppy joe,
Zatkoff & Jones have a sv% of 0.933 & and 0.920 respectively.
Hickey is leading the team in +/- with a +14.
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sloppy joe Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
@Dominick, who?
Scott Reply:
January 1st, 2012 at 8:44 pm
@FdoFmFull, Quickie is putting together a solid case for the Hart Trophy.
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It’s a shame that the Kings have waited for years to have consistently good goaltending, and now that we have it, we can’t score. This team could be running away with the President’s Trophy if we just had a few more goals.
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We have two of the best goalies in the NHL and we can’t score with the Kings PP-Zombie system!!!!!!!
What good is that? If the O can’t get us goals?
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@Tony in Denver,
Yup, that’s for sure…
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Unless one or more of our key forwards get hurt, I see this team gradually improving scoring over the second half of the season.
The silver lining with the current scoring drought is that it should teach this group how to play under pressure situations in which any mistake gets amplified, such as now. After all, that is the definition of playoff hockey.
GkG!
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Kings x Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
@FdoFmFull, Can they really score any less?
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It will all come together and we will have a great season! Of all the drama that has gone on in this Kings season, look at where we are in the standings, right in the thick of things. We’ll be just fine! GKG!
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I’m just such a Sutter Fan. You guys know how negative I’ve been when TM was Coach. This dude is different. Bernier is going to get his chances, and I think perform as well as Quickie. I also believe the scoring will come around and the PP as well. Sutter is a perfect fit with this team. He obviously recognizes that the players are into it and play hard. Now they’re being directed. I also think it’s great he doesn’t have this set rigid system like TM, which ultimately led to his demise. As far as yesterday’s result in Winnipeg, getting a point was awesome. They shut out the best team in hockey less than 24 hours earlier in their building at Chicago. That made this an exceptionally grueling back to back. Sutter recognized that. The Kings are on their way bloggers.
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FdoFmFull Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
@Poorman, agree!
I see gradual improvement in all facets of the team’s game. Sutter is very astute. Already the effort and intensity by the team is better too.
Regarding the road trip, you’re right. Not only did they shutout the team with the best record in the NHL, but they actually also shutout Winnepeg for 60 minutes of regulation; it was only in OT that they allowed the goal!
GkG!
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rontheking Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
@Poorman,
I just hope you’re right for once! (just kidding p.m.)
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Poorman Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
@rontheking, So do I, but the signs so far are good. It also seems like the players are warming up to him. That says more than anything.
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KC23 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
@Poorman, I must admit I have been secretly enjoying watching all the crow munching regarding Sutter. Most of this blog’s regulars were dead set against Sutter coming. Glad I didn’t jump on that bandwagon.
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Poorman Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
@KC23, I am certainly a muncher KC. This guy cracks me up. He’s so unlike any other hockey coach I’ve seen. I think DD couldn’t stand TM personally. That is, in my opinion, maybe part of the reason he held out so long. Look how great he’s playing with Sutter there. Doughty is absolutely playing on a Norris level now.
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KC23 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:41 pm
@Poorman, I think the single most impressive thing he did in my book was how he played the forth line against Chicago. Fraser changed the entire flow of that game when he stuck up for Mitchel with Scott imho. It was that exact moment when Chicago went back on their heels for the rest of the game. Fraser has had more than a couple of moments like that for the Kings. I’m the one eating crow about Fraser. I never thought he’d play a single minute for us let alone all the time he’s gotten.
Gmo Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:49 pm
@Poorman,
I’m in love with SUTTER, I know is repulsive lol but he is a great coach. I really enjoy watching him coach the bench during games
Go Kings Go
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Poorman Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
@Gmo, I’m completely with you dude!!!!!
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Is DS setting the plate with these coments for the Kings to trade JB for some offensive help? Maybe not a bad idea. However don’t know where it fits in cap wise since they both cost us low $$$. Thoughts?
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Sammuch Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
@Kingsfansouth,
Quick will be a free agent after 13-2014 season!
JB WILL be restricted free agent!
So I say keep both or until we see if JQ will resign or will he go for the free agent market?
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CB14 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
@Sammuch, After the 12-13 season.
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Sammuch Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
@CB14,
That’s right! I’m already in the new year! Daaaa….
)
Sammuch Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
@CB14, Thanks for correcting my error!
CB14 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
@Kingsfansouth, We have virtually no cap room, and JB’s cap hit is only 1.2 million, so trading him straight up for some offensive help won’t work because teams don’t typically trade cheap, offensively talented forwards.
In terms of trading Bernier for offensive help, I would be against that unless we’re talking about getting a top notch player in return. Sort of like how DL treated Schenn last year. He wouldn’t trade him for a second tier guy like Penner, but he did trade him for a top tier guy in Mike Richards. I would think Dean would treat Bernier the same.
One reason why I don’t believe that JB will be traded this year is because JQ is a UFA after next season. Assuming DL would want to re-sign Quick, he would likely want to do so this off-season, and having leverage is key in negotiations. Without Bernier, DL would have no fall back option if Quick decided he wanted more money then the Kings offered him and thus would leave via free agency leaving the Kings without both JQ and JB. DL will wait until Quick is re-signed before he trades JB.
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DEH Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
@Kingsfansouth, the bigger question should be can we afford both goalies once their contracts expire on the same year? As it stands now at least Quick is due for a major raise. Is Bernier good enough to allow us to part ways with Quick when the time comes to free up cap space for a scorer? Or do we end up trading one for more scoring. I like having both, best combo next to Thomas/Rask. Could keep both and trade either Jones or Zatkoff to NJ for Petr Sykora. Sykora could be a scorer, follows DL’s trend of buying wingers who are past their prime and the cost is low.
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CB14 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
@DEH, I don’t see any way we could afford to keep both guys. Quick will want to be paid like the top 5 goalie he is. Which puts him in the neighborhood of Pekka Rinne’s 7 million dollar cap hit. Boston can keep both of their guys because Thomas only makes 5 million, and Rask is still only on his second contract. Once he hits ufa, he’ll get a BIG raise. Boston will probably lock Rask up long term in the off-season when he’s a rfa because Thomas only has 1 more year left on his deal and he’s getting up there in age.
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DEH Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
@CB14, very true, but does Quick go for the 7 mil? If he does do we give it to him or would Bernier be a better alternative at that point. It wasn’t long ago when Bernier was considered the future of this organization. The only reason Bernier isn’t a starter is because we have Quick. Maybe we get lucky and Quick only demands in the 4-5 mil range.
CB14 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
@DEH, It’s possible that might happen, but even if Quick only wants 5 million a year, I think Bernier would want to go someplace where he could be a starter, regardless of pay. Only time will tell.
Wondering if Sutter once again clothslined Bernier for this next little chat.
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DEH Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
@KC23, of course he did, this is not baseball… what? you expect him to talk to players in he office?
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Are the Kings practicing at TSC tomorrow or just getting ready for the game?
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CB14 Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
@Tyler, No practice on game days. Most of the time there’s an optional morning skate, but not all the time.
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Tyler Reply:
December 30th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
@CB14, Thank you
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Better, but still need some goals and wins, boys…so far we are on pace for only 90 points by season’s end!
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Wow Bernier feeling confident (specially after last game)… I like that. This will be good for both goalies.
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Regarding the future of goal tending in LA, I don’t think Lombardi looses much sleep these days worrying about whether Quick or Bernier will become the franchise goalie for years to come.
By the end of the of the season, both Penner and Stoll salaries will be gone totaling well over $7 mill in freed cap space to offer Quick a lucrative extension.
I also want to see Mitchell and Scuderi re-signed to a new contract. Neither DD, JJ nor Voynov can do without them while they’re still developing. I think these are priority moves before DL goes off on free agent safari next summer. History has shown he does not do well on the big hunt (Kovalchoke / B. Richards). So protect the structure of the defensive core first.
GKG!!!
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GO KINGS GO!!! kick some CANUCKS A** tonight!! Happy New Years Eve everyone!!
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All I wanted for my B Day today was a Lakers and a Kings win. I got the first one…
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