It’s been much more than “Weekend at Bernie’s,’’ as Bernie Nicholls has been with the Kings for two and a half weeks now in a still-undefined role as a non-assistant assistant to Darryl Sutter. Nicholls has been on the ice for every practice, working with players in offensive drills, but — as suggested when he started — has stayed away from the more specific tasks such as video work.
SUTTER: “When he first called, I said, `Yeah, come on in, darn right.’ I think it’s important. More is better, as long as it’s all the same message. As long as it’s the same thing you’re working on, that’s good. You can’t have enough good experience or communication with guys, and I think that’s something you need with a young team. You need more individual stuff. I just need that.’’
Sutter said Nicholls is having an influence on the power play, which has shown a moderate improvement over the last couple weeks.
SUTTER: Darn right. Our power play, the last eight games, has been pretty good. When you think about it, it’s moved up about two percent, and our goals for at home has moved up. It’s moved up four-tenths. If we can get another half-goal a game, and maybe it’s just something you talk to one kid about. That’s all we’re trying to do. Originally, he wasn’t going to come on the last trip, but I said, `You’ve got to see some of these guys on the road, because it’s a big difference, home and away.’ So you just can’t say, `This guy is great at home, he’s a great player. Because you’ve only seen him at home.’ So I said, `You’ve got to come on the road,’ and then we’re going on the break. We’ve only had three games. Quite honestly, I enjoy having Bernie around. He’s a guy I coached. There’s lots of those guys out there. They just have to be wanting to do it. There’s lots of them. You hear from guys all the time now, who want to get back into it. It’s hard, once you’re out, to get in.’’
Sutter indicated that he hadn’t decided how long Nicholls would stay with the team…
SUTTER: “I’ll talk to him once the break starts. I get caught in the moment always, so I’ve got to use the days, the break, properly, to kind of reset where we’re at again.’’
Kompon out……Nicholls in
[Reply]
Shuchuk Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:13 pm
@Deadendcruiser, SECOND!
[Reply]
DrewStopCrossChecking Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:15 pm
@Deadendcruiser, Agreed, lets do it now. Stop messing around. Offer Nicholls a contract already. Do it during the All-star break if it makes for an easier transition.
[Reply]
stillkingly Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:17 pm
@DrewStopCrossChecking,
*3
[Reply]
Who Knows Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:16 pm
@Deadendcruiser, Darn right!
[Reply]
mcsorleyfan Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@Deadendcruiser,we’ll have to remember to Hiiissssssssssssssssss for Kompon, since “b” can only be followed by a single “o” now, per Hammer!
[Reply]
Ryan Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:21 pm
@Deadendcruiser, One can only hope.
[Reply]
goldielocks Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:29 pm
@Deadendcruiser,
If Bernie becomes the assistant coach, his voice will be available dring the game. That would be huge.
[Reply]
jason Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:44 pm
@Deadendcruiser, you know bernie, stevens and sutter is almost as good as it gets
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 4:03 pm
@Deadendcruiser,
Do I need to respond?
[Reply]
Fernando Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 6:15 pm
@Deadendcruiser,
I second that!
[Reply]
It was pretty cool to see Bernie taking penalty shots in practice with the boys yesterday. You can really see his passion and interest in helping the young guys when he’s out there.
[Reply]
Geez. Sharks just won’t die. Which sucks, because I keep having to hope Vancouver will score again.
[Reply]
stillkingly Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@FiG17, I know I was actually rooting for the VC and sharks just tied it right up.
ohhhh, sweet VC just went ahead 3-2 as I type (off Handzus)
Come on we take the division and we are in!!!
[Reply]
5 Points Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:20 pm
@FiG17, Hopefully that is the game winner!
[Reply]
Munchrat Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:23 pm
@FiG17, Done!
[Reply]
FiG17 Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:24 pm
@Munchrat,
Right? … that was a really weird minute and a half…
[Reply]
Jeff_R Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:32 pm
@FiG17, Would love for the Kings to have a game like that in a minute and a half, would mean they are scoring goals.
40YearKingsFan Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 5:10 pm
@FiG17, Glad SJ lost,,,,,,,, but I’m never happy about a Vancouver win! See that coward Ballard fight Pavelski? Pavelski? Really?
Ballard couldn’t have run away faster after cheap shotting Cliffie.
No points for Sharks.
[Reply]
We need these 2 points with SJ loss!
GKG!
[Reply]
Kings need to win in reg. Get 2 points closer to Sharks.. and 2 points ahead of the trailing teams. They can catch those Sharks. Sharks go back to back in Edmonton then Calgary. If they loose both in reg Kings can get ahead before the break.
[Reply]
Hated rooting for Vancouver, but we needed that regulation loss for the guppies. Great chance to move 2pts closer.
[Reply]
KingsFanFTW Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:41 pm
@KC23, u know if we win we be First in our division..
but yup forgot they have a back to back sooo we need to win this game and the next to be at least 1 point behind the Sharks…
but they have a game at the 31 against the crappiest team Blue jackets so yea they going to be running away with it ..
[Reply]
Jeff_R Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:43 pm
@KC23, It is tough to root for those teams you don’t like to win, when it best benefits the Kings. Which if you look at the schedule it would mean go DUCKS, as they are playing Colorado, Phoenix and Dallas twice in there next 4 games. As much as I hate saying that, it would help the Kings immensely if they win those 4 games.
[Reply]
We need to win tonight to jump ahead of San Jose. 2 pts and we are in 3rd. OT:Boy r the Ducks en fuego. Keep it up and they just might vault back into playoff picture. Ottawa isn’t going to be too happy on Monday.
[Reply]
stillkingly Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:38 pm
@Jeff_R,
Ducks are just too far behind just like NJ was last year, they can win all they want but they arent going to make it, no way.
[Reply]
Jeff_R Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:41 pm
@Jeff_R, Winning tonight in regulation would also put us 6 points in front of Colorado. Lose in regulation or OT and we are just 2 or 3 pts in front.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 3:49 pm
@Jeff_R, Pucks pretty high on the Ducks right now, but their playoff chances are bleak. Just to get to 95 points, they would have to go 25-7-4 over their last 36 games. Not impossible, but highly unlikely.
[Reply]
Jeff_R Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 4:02 pm
@Dominick, I agree it is a long shot, but you never know. We will see how they do during there long February road trip. Why is it that all 3 California teams have long a** road trips in February? Interesting quirk in the NHL schedule.
[Reply]
DesertKing Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 4:06 pm
@Dominick,
You going to be here at Staples tonight?
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 4:26 pm
@DesertKing,
No. I had a chance to go, but decided I was too frustrated, and that being there would just make me more frustrated.
I had a credit that was assured I could use for this game during the summer. I waited all season for this game, and got no confirmation. All week I tried to follow up on it. Called 7 different times to find out. Talked to 4 different people. Left 3 messages.
And not 1 single call back. The last guy I talked to connected me to another line to leave a message.
I had an offer from an extremely generous fellow Kingsfan (puck73), but I’m just disgusted with it right now, and frustrated it didn’t get me anywhere. Wouldn’t of been fair to him to buy me a ticket, and me be a sour puss.
DesertKing Reply:
January 21st, 2012 at 4:37 pm
@Dominick
That casucks! Gonna miss you here tonight!
The Sharks just lost to the Canucks 4-3. A Kings win tonight will put them in 3rd place in the Western Conference.Those who doubted Daryl Sutter should be second guessing themselves. Daryl Sutter is such an awesome coanch. Go Kings!
[Reply]
Interesting that the Rangers won with 3.6 seconds left in OT. I remember a while back (at the Forum), when the Rangers scored against the Kings in OT with 1.5(?) seconds left. I believe Messier scored. That was frustrating.
[Reply]
I love about seeing the Kings on the road……..You gotta see these guys on the road!!!! Is he talking about Hockey??? Tapes of the games are available….maybe DS is talking about how these guys can go out at night and still focus on playing…..maybe DS means that the scenery is so good with the Kings being a young team that you need to see it first hand!!!!
[Reply]
Man, the Sharks choke really makes this game uber important. Too bad I won’t be there tonight (Have to watch the kids), but I will be watching the UStream live link from the suite courtesy of Wavesinair to see all you guys. You can see it on his blog at http://www.deepinsidethekings.com.
I’m expecting the almost perfect game tonight. You gotta believe with all the stuff this team has been working on: Good first period starts, PP movement, Neutral zone breakouts, Aggressive forechecking, etc., and all the progress we’ve been seeing…combine that with a team who’s beaten us both times this year with a chance to move into 3rd place ahead of the Sharks on the line and put Colorado 6 points behind us if we get the full 2 points in regulation…
Man, if the boys can’t get up for this one and put on a stellar performance, those individuals who don’t will have to seriously question their love for the sport. These are the games you LIVE for! So much on the line, playing a team who seems to have your number. So many challenges for a professional team to conquer in this one. Can’t wait man!
[Reply]