After today’s morning skate, Darryl Sutter confirmed that Kevin Westgarth would go into the lineup in place of Trent Hunter, on the fourth line with Kyle Clifford and Colin Fraser. In explaining the swap, Sutter said, “The fourth line has been sort of off on the energy part of it here, so we’ll see if we can get a different look.’’ Westgarth, a healthy scratch from the previous seven games, will be back in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 7. Tonight’s game is notable for the Kings for a couple reasons. First, it’s their last game before an eight-day break, and it’s also the 50th game of the season, a (somewhat arbitrary) point at which a team can measure where is stands. Sutter was asked today what message he would send to the team today, about finishing strong before the lengthy break…
SUTTER: “It’s not necessarily that. We’re finishing (a stretch of) lots of games in a short period of time. I sort of use the last game (for motivation), in terms of, guys can play better. We know they can play better and they know they can play better. That’s more of the message.
“I look at it as tonight is Game 50, not that there’s a break. Tomorrow will be a harder day for the players than today is. Tonight is Game 50, and where are you? How does that mathematically equate to, say, where you were last year at this point? Or what it’s going to take it set it up for those last 32, what you’re going to have to have. Whatever that number is going to be, in terms of being a playoff team, we’re a team that’s going to finish 50 (games) tonight. Then you should be able to sort of figure what you have to have.’’
If Westie didn’t make it in against the tough Ottawa lineup, I wouldn’t expect to see him in against any lineup! Go Westie!
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nickdoh Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:17 pm
@Belexes, Yup! This game just got 10x better.
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Eric Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:27 pm
@Belexes,
Agreed. Westy will have his hands full against a very tough Ottawa lineup!
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Sam Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:46 pm
@Eric, I’d say Ottawa has their hands full with a pretty tough Kings’ lineup. Westy + Cliffy can handle business.
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nickdoh Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@Sam, Konopka, Neil, Carkner is a lot tougher than Clifford and Westgarth. Then you can go down each lineup further and the gap only gets bigger. Regardless, it’s the right move to have Westgarth in to at least get close.
Kings just need to keep the hits going and out PLAY them physically, and in the hit department. Then let the fights sort themselves out.
Eric Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:53 pm
@Sam,
Clifford can’t tough Neil, Carkner, Konopka, and Smith. Neither can Fraser. The only guy capable and willing is Westy. Why hasn’t Lombardi addressed this after all these years as GM of the team?
I hope DS actually plays Westy around 7-8 minutes tonight to show all the haters that he can actually play. I know he can play, and he’s a much more effective player than Hunter….
mask0425x Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:24 pm
@Belexes,
Aren’t you forgetting about the last game in Dallas, 02/12 I believe. Id love to see Westie go after Souray at the first chance and pound the crap out of him. May even scratch Loktionov, play Richie at center and dress DD2 to play wing. Got some scores to settle there!
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EasyBob Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 4:49 pm
@mask0425x, Yea, baby !!!
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Duckbasher Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:06 pm
@Belexes,
Yea… this will fix their scoring drought.
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Let’s get it done tonight. The Ducks are making us look bad.
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AZ King Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:17 pm
@terry crisps tie,
We’re making ourselves look bad.
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DesertKing Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:38 pm
@AZ King,
Agreed!!
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:58 pm
@terry crisps tie, Yea, who cares that they spent most of the season at 29th in the league, and can only afford to lose 7 more games before their seasons over.
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mask0425x Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:29 pm
@terry crisps tie,
The quacks are actually helping us out by beating the opposition. I Wish them lots of luck going forward in their quest to finish ninth in the west
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KC23 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:51 pm
@terry crisps tie, I’d say the King’s forwards are making us look bad.
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“Tomorrow will be a harder day for the players than today is.”
What do you think he means by this?
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outsider Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:20 pm
@wavesinair, hmmmmmmm…, interesting!
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@wavesinair, I was wondering the same thing!
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scvking Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@wavesinair,
I take it to mean the reality of the situation comes to the forefront, where the players are smacked with the fact that 50 games in, they are barely a playoff team, and they are not a contender up to this point. That is my take on it anyway.
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Stuart Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@wavesinair, my first thought was that after tonight, the players will have several days to do nothing but look themselves in the mirror and ask themselves those questions that DS postured after that statement… ultimately, the responsibility for this season rests on their shoulders.
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wavesinair Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:53 pm
@Stuart,
I was thinking along similar lines…that the break will be ‘harder’ on them, presumably mentally.
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terry crisps tie Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@wavesinair, Hopefully for Westie it means it will be harder because his fists are sore.
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variable Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
@wavesinair,
i’m not sure…but maybe he’s making a reference to the amount of games left, meaning that with each game played without scoring more goals, the kings make it harder for themselves to turn their offense around…it sounds like an incomplete thought on sutter’s part…
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Helvetica Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:02 pm
@variable, This is what i was thinking. They will be on break and they will realize they have less time ahead of them than behind to get things done. They still face the same issues and they have less time to remedy the situation.
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kngfan004 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:04 pm
@wavesinair,
Sounds like they will be working harder regardless of the outcome of tonights game as well as probably working with a new team member….ooops did that slip out DS?
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Choralone Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:30 pm
@wavesinair, He means that they will be more aroused…to play better.
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The Ducks will make the payoffs. I am not sure about the Kings. They do not score enough and look like at times they do not care
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Eric Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:31 pm
@gene,
If the Ducks continue to go on a tear, which they are quite capable of, they will definitely make the playoffs. They’re only ten or so points out.
Its funny though. Dean Lombardi has been here for over five years and the team is still lackadaisical and soft. How much longer do we have to wait for this whole culture/identity thing Lombardi has been talking about since day one?? It all starts with the GM and his decisions…
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Alan Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:18 pm
@Eric, I agree with Eric 100% It’s put up or shut up time for Dean. The team plays well against good teams and bad against team they should beat
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scvking Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:34 pm
@gene,
No way do the Ducks make it. The hole is/was too deep. The Ducks have to win about 8 out of every 10 the rest of the way to make it. That is too steep a climb. One slump (even a brief one)finishes them at this point.
I know the Ducks tend to have an unbelievable winning percentage (at least the last few years) in the second half, but the Ducks getting in seems far-fetched at best.
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Perro Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:35 pm
@gene, Too litel too late. With all the three point games the Ducks will not be able to leap frog all of the teams they would need to to make it into the top 8th.
Should be a fun end to the season.
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Alexb20 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:45 pm
@gene, The Ducks will not make the playoffs. I was surprised at their success last year, honestly, and I knew out of the gate that they would struggle this season. Anaheim is as good as its first (and sometimes second) line is playing. Their D-Corps is somewhat weak with a few bright spots, and their offense depth is sorely lacking. I admire their spirit, though I do not think it will be enough.
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gene Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:24 pm
@Alexb20, Everyone has valid points, but just remember who said on 01-23-12 the DUCKS will make the playoffs. And I will say it again; if the kings continue to play like they are now, can not score, they dont hit, they dont have a Boston Bruins mean attitude and most of the time they play like they really don’t care; then I truly believe they will not make the playoffs. DL and DS haved no one to blame but themselves.
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Helvetica Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:36 pm
@gene, Not that i disagree per se, but the Ducks have looked like crap for virtually the entire season thus far (recent run excluded). For them to go on a short run, still sitting in a deep hole, and people now say they are in and the Kings are out is pretty funny. I don’t think you can count them out, but lets be realistic. They have a LOT of work ahead of them. And while the Kings haven’t looked spectacular, they haven’t looked bad under Sutter. The Kings are just as likely to go 8-1-1 after the break as the Ducks were to do that just prior. The Ducks could have their entire momentum killed by the break. The Kings might find a way to break through with the extended time off to regroup and shake off this funk that’s been hovering over the team since the start of the year.
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KC23 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:53 pm
@gene, No way in heck the Ducks make the playoffs. No way, no how.
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gene Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:58 pm
@KC23, Ok sir, time will tell for both teams
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Devils cannot make payroll time to swoop in DL.
Devils have to dump payroll this is the time DL should go for it.
We need scoring
From devils
Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise
From Kings expiring contracts
Simon Gagne, Jarret Stoll, Dustin Penner
Player to give up
Jonathan Bernier, Alec Martinez
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DesertKing Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:41 pm
@kingsfan,
What does Kopi and Richards see in their dreams? Parise, Parise, Parise, Parise, Pari……
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kngfan004 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:02 pm
@kingsfan, No they see Stafford or Roy…They wont be able to afford Parise… even with Gange and Stoll and Penner gone… See AMart going to Walmart and Bernier traded after they sign Quick to a long tem deal…
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DesertKing Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:19 pm
@kngfan004,
Not sure of the numbers but:
Gagne – $1.2
Stoll- $3.2
Penner – $4.2
AMart – $.5
Bernier – $1
Thats almost $10 with a current cap space of about $2 which puts us at $12. Give Parise $7.5 leaving Quick $4.5 on top of the $1.5 he already has, then structure his deal for more down the road as other large cap hits come off. I think it was said in the last thread – if we couldn’t afford it before the start of the season, even after DD signed, how could we have gone after Richards? Maybe the Kings make a decision to roll two solid lines and just get by with the bottom two lines (which is what they are kind of doing now), so players like that are easier to obtain when you have cap difficulties. Of course, we could always trade IHOP to the Referees for 5 good calls and a whistle without a pea in it
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kingsfan Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:43 pm
@DesertKing,
this is the amount from cap geek
we should have 15.5 and what ever goes up this gear
Gagne – $3.5
Stoll- $3.6
Penner – $4.2
AMart – $.7
Bernier – $1.2
Quick has this and next on a contract
Helvetica Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 3:38 pm
@kingsfan, So you want them to give up their best 2 forwards for a bunch of expiring contracts and a couple prospects? Get real. Do you know how many teams have the cap space and the assets to trade for these guys? They won’t be had for nothing.
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kingsfan Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 4:13 pm
@Helvetica, it was announce today that the devils cannot make there payroll and the NHL will have to loan them money for the rest of the season. They have to dump players. There are asking for draft picks for Zach Parise and no body wants Kovalchuk. To offer then away to dump 12 mil from there payroll and get a two starting young players may do it. The Kings may have to add a draft picks. but I do not want the Red wings to get him they have the cap space and draft picks to give
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helvetica Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:55 pm
@kingsfan, yeah i know they have money issues and the league is loaning money, but they aren’t going to get rid of their top players for nothing. Many teams will want, and have the cap space and assets, to acquire Parise. If you think NJ will give the Kings Parise for Penner and prospects you’re dreaming. If, according to you NJ needs to lower their cap, why would they even take Penner? They’d be doing the Kings a favor taking him in the first place. There are other teams that can offer the same or more and don’t need to take on Penner’s contract to do so.
Right now, the Kings couldn’t score if they were a bunch of pre-med students at Lake Havasu on Spring Break with the last bottle of alcohol in the world… Where do they stand? Knee-deep in quicksand and rising. What’s the 50-game assessment? We’ve got trouble on the wing like William Shatner did in that episode of “The Twilight Zone.” Sutter, as it turns out, was the right move, now the Kings desperately need to address the situation with the on-ice personnel.
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Alan Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:21 pm
@Nick, I agree with Nick. They are not up for every game beat the bad teams already not just the good ones. Fell sorry for Quick if he allows more then 2 goals he will loose 90% of the time. How sad Hello Dean you still alive?
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jess Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:39 pm
@Nick, great post
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Sutter doesnt really say much does he? i mean there are words there, but its like reading the response of a politician..he doesnt have to reveal any state secrets, but he could do better..
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I’m still bothered by the perceived excuses that he seems to be building in.
“finishing lots of games in a short stretch”
Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us…You play the schedule and play hard every night.
Maybe I’m knit-picking here…I just don’t like coaches giving excuses for things.
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jack Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:46 pm
@nykingfan, i am a bit taken aback at the lack of urgency in his words…I dont get it at all…he doesnt seem to be very fiery to me…like someone who has 30 games left to right the ship…Isnt the laid back, patient, protetct the player’s egos time long past??
If they have to scold someone even publicly, might as well do it…We do it all the time here and no one has died as a result!!..:-)
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neil Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 12:51 pm
T@nykingfan, thinking the same. he is just as bad as tm with all the excuses….
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Lake Forest Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:07 pm
@nykingfan, Keep in mind that his relationship towards the media isn’t the same towards the players.
I would be willing to bet he isn’t this laid back when speaking with the players. If he is, well I can’t really complain with what he has done.
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nykingfan Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:09 pm
@Lake Forest,
I used to say the same thing about TM..
The public persona may be a lot different than whats said behind the locker room walls.
I just don’t know anymore.
I like the job Sutter has done and the team seemed to be playing with a ton of energy most nights, but in a recent stretch, we’ve played 3 of the worst games this team has played in a long time.
Columbus, Edmonton, Colorado.
I don’t want to be comparing him with TM because that’s not fair to either, but the effort was always there under TM with few exceptions..and never 3 ugly games in a short period of time with limited work ethic like we’ve seen recently.
again, maybe it’s me and the fact that it’s Monday and only one game left to watch the Kings for a while, but I have some real concerns with this team. I haven’t had that in a long time with them.
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number 6 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:57 pm
@nykingfan,
As for me I’m honestly getting to the point where excuses and DL’s Yankees comparisons are wearing out their welcome. My question is….. why is this team so weak at forward. There are four….. count em, four forwards (out of twelve) that would play on effectively any team in the league. After that?
A team like Chicago or Detroit or San Jose …. their top Nine could pretty much play on any team in the league. So by process of elimination thats not gonna get them to another level. And my question would be, ‘what does Dean Lombardi’ intend on doing to strengthen the forwards? There is no one in the AHL turning heads, and although there are some good juniors, A) no one knows how they will translate to the NHL – big jump and B) even if they do, are we talking about three years from now?
Players like Kopi at that point will want to win something rather than struggling every year to get into the eighth spot to make the playoffs.
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DL also needs to hire the young lady who was wearing the Kopi jersey in the suites the other night. That young lady was a lesson in how to run it on the refs. DL should hire her as a consultant and then have her run it on the team between intermissions when they play poorly. I still think Wavesinair’s hearing is impaired from her professional verbal assault on the refs towards the end of the 3rd.
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Has Hunter even been playing? I can’t say that I’ve noticed him. Maybe he got on the ice when I fell asleep watching that boring game against Colorado Saturday night.
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brymaster1 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:29 pm
@yetiman_oc, You probably haven’t been watching the games of late(not that I blame you) but he has been playing better, still not scoring like he should but he’s taking the body and crashing the net for the first time since coming to the kings
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Blah….blah….blah….how about saying how we are going to come out and play 60 minutes of hockey and whoever isnt with us will be scratched next game..Ds talks stupid at times….
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:02 pm
@neil, Guess the honeymoons over.
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neil Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:08 pm
8@Dominick, 8 wins…8….losses….and two weak
home games in a row and Westy is the big move…..sorry but not sold on the new softer DS….
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@neil, Understandable. Just found it funny that your comment was the first to show any signs that the “parties over, get me some wins or else”.
Who knows, maybe he’s a psychic! lol
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Ottawa needed someone to beat up and Westie is a good candidate for Carker and Neil…Cliffie will destroy Kenoka and Frazer the beast will cleam up the rest.
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I’m cool with Westy in but Stoll should be demoted or even benched.
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Lake Forest Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@goldielocks, Agreed. He needs to sit out a game or two to have him sharpen his shooting skills.
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Steve C Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:42 pm
@goldielocks, Exactly what I was thinking since he took a high stick penalty late in the last game which ended Kings’chances to tie.
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helvetica Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:01 pm
@goldielocks, who goes in for him? You’re basically benching Stoll for Westgarth.
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Kings will win tonight and we will feel good for a few more games…
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:08 pm
@neil, If they win tonight, it would be huge. Then there won’t be an entire week of complaining till they play again.
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neil Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:13 pm
O@Dominick, only about quick being used in the all
star game…..
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:15 pm
@neil, Does it matter what Quick wants?
neil Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:19 pm
I@neil, iam happy for quick…..and look forward to rooting for him….he deserves it!
goldielocks Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:14 pm
@Dominick,
I don’t know if I can handle the all star break when there is nothing to complain about … hehe.
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17 – 11 – 4 should do it. After a win tonight.
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Play up-tempo and we’ll be fine; we have a world class goalie to cover up mistakes. No more circling back into out zone from the neutral zone to set up an attack, usually with a D stationary in our end, looking up ice into the opponent’s wall of players across the neutral zone. Dont regroup every time, counter!
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:21 pm
@bbb7, Awsome post, and my thoughts exactly!
Kings aren’t getting behind the other teams backcheck, their staying in front of it. If their constantly circling behind their backcheck, and getting the puck behind them, then they’ll have to drop back more often to cover, and open up the ice north/south.
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DesertKing Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:21 pm
@bbb7,
GO TO THE NET!! That has been our bread and butter (what little there is of it) all year, except for Greene Greene the Offensive Machine!
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Duncanz Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:43 pm
@DesertKing, the Greene, Greene grass of ‘Home’! …
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IceGuy Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 5:10 pm
@bbb7,
The dropping back when recovering the puck drives me nuts. I’ve said here a lot, get the puck, and your first pass is up ice on an ATTACK. We actually did that for a couple of games. What happened?
If you can count to two with the puck on your stick, it’s too long.
Stick to stick passes.
One touch passes (this is directed at DD & JJ).
East/West passes.
Crash the net.
Don’t have the puck? Move through the slot.
Too many notes? Yeah, maybe. But all should be addressed.
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How about this trade:
Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson for Rick Nash and Jeff Carter
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AZ King Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:25 pm
@jackboy,
How about NO
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:31 pm
@AZ King, LOL
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mask0425x Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:52 pm
@AZ King,
How about HECK NO!
You were onto something there though wanting Nash. DD8 for Nash plus some other minor comp from us, maybe Hunters expiring contract? Nash makes just a little more than Drew, so the Kings will still be able to go after another big name in the of season i.e. Parise and have a killer top six. Let the D worry about shutting down, the bottom six provide energy and hits, and the top six should do what they do best. Terry Murray, eat your heart out!
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fsd1 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:17 pm
@mask0425x, DD8 is NOT going anywhere!
goldielocks Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:31 pm
@jackyboy,
Phhhh …
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Amazing hit by Schenn, but my question to the league is why didn’t Kelly of Boston get an extra two and a game misconduct for instigating while wearing shield, as Richards did?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1Eh8xo3Uqc&feature=player_embedded
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Lake Forest Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:29 pm
@bbb7, They are both wearing a shield, so no misconduct. if schenn WASN’T wearing one, then he would have
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bbb7 Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:56 pm
@Lake Forest, I dont read the rule that way but perhaps I’m wrong?
46.6 Face Protection – If a player penalized as an instigator of an altercation is wearing a face shield (including a goalkeeper), he shall be assessed an additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Should the player (including a goalkeeper) who instigates the fight be wearing a face shield, but removes it before instigating the altercation, the additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty shall not apply.
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Sutter’s a cool dude, however I’m very worried about the team. Every opposing goaltender comes off like the reincarnation of Patrick Roy. Also, I hope Quick is not going into his usual second half slump. He was off during the shootout the other night and allowed three goals in the previous game. If he does well tonight, let me have it. If he doesn’t do well, the team needs to put in Bernier. Please remember I was not a popular voice when suggesting TM be replaced as much as a year ago.
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Dominick Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:52 pm
@Poorman, What if Bernier starts tonight, and gives up 3? Remember, this ain’t baseball.
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neil Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:54 pm
@atPoorman, what scares me….. if you are right and whenever i agree with you!!!!
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wavesinair Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 1:57 pm
@Poorman,
I still don’t understand the desire poorman. Quick’s playing exceptionally well, as you know. How again will changing goaltenders help the offense? Is it just a hope that Bernier’s coolness will rub off on the rest of the guys?
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Deke'r Reply:
January 23rd, 2012 at 2:39 pm
@Poorman, ….there’s a reason opponents goalies look good against us……we don’t hinder the goalie enough plain and simple…
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the boys are gonna go out to either kick arse… or chew bubble gum…. and i got a feeling they are all out of bubble gum…………
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