Darryl Sutter’s postgame thoughts…
(on Williams’ two goals…)
SUTTER: “For us to make the playoffs, it’s pretty simple. Your best players have to be your best players. It’s not that hard to figure out. It’s not about singling anybody out, or anything like that. That’s a fact.’’
(on the difference from last week’s game at Nashville…)
SUTTER: “Not much. One thing that’s consistent is, they’re a fast team. You have to manage it. I’m not sure how well we managed it, but we took advantage of going to the net really well.’’
(on his message during the second intermission…)
SUTTER: “Play 60 minutes. If (before the game) we could have taken 0-0 after two periods, we would have taken it. That’s what it was.’’
(on his concern over Quick’s play in the second period…)
SUTTER: “Well, not concerned. You need your goalies. I’m sure they’re the same way. Two good goalies tonight, and both were fighting it.’’
(on getting traffic in front of Rinne…)
SUTTER: “We’ve tried to concentrate on that, since I came here, to shoot the puck more and go to the net more, all those things. Really, tonight was about our defensemen. We scored two goals by getting shots through, getting it past the first guy. That really was the difference. That was basically the difference in our game, is that our defensemen were involving offensively.’’
(on momentum from winning four of the last five…)
SUTTER: “Not really. Park and… We play Columbus and get ready again. I don’t think it’s about momentum. There’s lots of teams in the race, and that’s what you’re trying to do. It has nothing to do with anything. You’re just trying to get your best players to play well.’’
SJ’s next 2 games are against Dallas and Phoenix, things start to get goo here!
No 3 point games!
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furrylats Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:01 pm
HA! If we put 7 up on Columbus, we can catch NYI for third worst offense in the league. CMON! We’re number three! We’re number three! We’re number three!
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brian spain Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:58 am
@furrylats, it would be 29 not 3. haha. Good time to start the scoring. Good game Kings. The Blue Jackets have been playing better and are spoilers, BIG game. Get 2 points, that makes the Detroit game less pressure packed.
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Peter90210 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 10:56 am
@furrylats, Our secret, hidden strategy all season long has been to lie in the weeds, downplay our goal scoring capability, change coaches, obscure the strategy with Sutterisms, and then burst out in the final twenty games to peak for the playoffs, thus becoming the most feared and dangerous team in the cup run.
I smell a Disney movie in the making….
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Bernier in CBus, please!
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FdoFmFull Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 9:28 pm
@FdoFmFull, Quick is the MVP, but he needs a break…
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Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
@FdoFmFull, Why? Going into tonight Quick was like 8th in the league for goalies games played. That sounds about average and there are a lot of bad goalies in this league. Why does he need a break? Goalie is the least physical position on the ice. Should we sit Kopi, Carter, and Richards? If he is a number one goalie he should be ridden. We have back to backs so I am sure they will split the games but everyone over blows this overwork thing too much. Quick’s demeanor is pretty laid back, the only thing a goalie needs to do is stay mentally sharp. Physically a goalie doesn’t get worn out.
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FdoFmFull Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
@Osaka, Only because he looks mentally exhausted and is not ono his game.
TiredOfIt Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:57 pm
@Osaka, If he is mentally exhausted at this point in the season then he’ll never be a championship goaltender, and think he will be
KingMe20 Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:20 pm
@Osaka,
I think Sharks fans and Flames fans will disagree with this. Many Sharks fans that I know believe that Nabakov was over used during the regular season, and that’s why they were never able to get over the hump even when they had stacked teams. Same goes for Calgary with Kipper, though they got closer. I think it’s good for a number 1 to get rest.
You have two great goalies on this team… use them.
SSE6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:18 am
@Osaka, wow really?? Please see last 2 seasons.
rogiesbackup Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:23 am
@Osaka, You hit it right on the button; goalies got to be mentally sharp; which Quick was not in both the Ducks game and now this game. Two really bad goals tonight and one the other night against Devon Smith-Kelly. Very obvious he is mentally exhausted.
Better play Bernier against Columbus rather then have to force Bernier against a power house like the Redwings!!!!
number 6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 5:09 am
@Osaka,
“Why does he need a break?” — Because the quality of his game is trending down – Because unlike other goalies he plays for the team that has one of the two most difficult travel schedules in the entire nhl – Because he also has a very good backup who they can depend on.
vicarious Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:36 am
@Osaka, IMO, I agree with NFl great’s Lombardi’s quote that “fatigue makes cowards of us all.” These guys aren’t robots. Just to know that you don’t have to carry the entire load, that someone else is there to help, seems to me should be a big plus for any player. Aside from mental fatigue, which is hard to measure, What about assorted bumps and bruises? Or the physical needs associated with losing ten lbs of water weight every game? Here’s an article discussing the issue with one Stanley Cup winning goalies opinion.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/opinion/2011/10/how-many-games-should-a-no-1-goalie-play.html
“Colorado Avalanche goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks four years ago and won the Conn Smythe Trophy despite losing in the 2003 final. When asked this week what his ideal games-played ratio for the starter and his backup should be, he didn’t hesitate.
“I like a 50-30 split,” Giguere said. “If you can manage to do that you’ll give your No. 1 goalie a rest and he’ll be ready for the playoffs. If you want to go all the way, the playoffs is a long two months.
“The playoffs are both mentally and physically draining. You play every two days. Every game, every day you go you have to find that high level. I find if you get a bit of rest during the season you a better chance to be successful in the playoffs.
“Also if something happens to your No. 1 guy, your No. 2 is ready to go. If the backup never plays and the No. 1 guy gets hurt you’re in trouble.”
Top6Blogger Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 6:53 am
@FdoFmFull,
An argument can be made that THIS is a break right now…before when we were not scoring it was all on him with a lot of pressure…i think now he is enjoying the fact we are scoring some goals for him so the weight is not totally on his shoulders…lets just hope we can keep this scoring trend up
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Pumpernicholl Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:09 pm
@FdoFmFull, Quick does not look “exhausted” to me. That’s just hyperbole. He battled through a couple of rough patches in this game and got the win. All goalies, no matter how good they are or how well-rested they might be, must battle through games like this from time to time. Quick did appear to be fighting the puck a little tonight but that also doesn’t necessarily translate to “exhaustion”. With the way he’s played this season, there’s no reason to think he won’t be fine for upcoming games.
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Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
@Pumpernicholl, I like the fact Quick was fighting the puck a little but still battled for the win.
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PP Anybody? Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:30 pm
@Osaka, Agreed. Still got the job done. If anything, it shows that even when things aren’t going your way, at least there is still a way to win.
SSE6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:22 am
@Osaka, I agree with you on this point…it is good to see quick win a game when he has to battle through some tough goals. He made some nice saves after it was 5-4. Mental toughness is needed in the playoffs.
JD Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:05 pm
@Pumpernicholl, They won in spite of quick
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JackKentCooke Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:20 am
@FdoFmFull,
Should FSW rest Bob Miller and let Fox do the PBP?
Quick gives us the best chance to win.
Let ‘s see. The last time we won 4 out of 5 in a playoff race race was I forget; was it never?
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SSE6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:22 am
@JackKentCooke, Your hottest goalie gives you the best chance to win.
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JackKentCooke Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:47 am
@SSE6,
The hottest is the best in everything…take tonight’s Carl’ Jr. Ad for example…
Andrew: The second coming Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:16 am
@SSE6, one win or three wins which is hotter?
Pili Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:41 am
@JackKentCooke, +1 on the Carl’s Jr Ad….I was careful about fast forwarding the commercials for once.
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DC Kings fan Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:16 am
Agreed….he’ letting in bad goals. Give him a rest
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carol vadnais Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
@DC Kings fan,
It’s not like we have Ensberg in backup. Bernier pitched a shutout in last and Quick has not looked sharp of late and why not give him a rest before Detroit. It’s a no-brainer!
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Do they have In-N-Out Burger in Columbus?
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TiredOfIt Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:27 pm
@JPKelly, White Castle
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“… Ride”, Darryl!
You forgot your own quote!
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Great game, good win. 3 wins in a row. The team is playing with confidence. Gonna be interesting the rest of the season if they stay hot.
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Dang Canucks couldn’t help us out. Let’s hope the Oil can do better.
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Jay GoLAKings Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
@Jeff_R, Yeah the Oilers are due for a win.
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(on Quick being the obvious choice to start in net tonight vs Nashville …)
SUTTER: “Not really. He hasn’t beaten them since Christ was a child … right?”
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I guess no one asks Sutter if he thinks he made the correct goalie choice?
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Jay GoLAKings Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:06 pm
@Jay, The answer would be yes! we got the 2 points…
Sutter fought it earlier stating Quikier is our #1 & when you are going into game 7, which the Kings are in now, who are you going to put in net?
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CB14 Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
@Jay GoLAKings, So going by what Sutter said about the Kings being in a game 7 situation right now, does that mean Quick is going to start all of the remaining games? If they’re all game 7′s, Quick should start each one, right?
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Jay GoLAKings Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
@CB14, That’s how I understand it, but don’t agree with it. I would of started Bernier tonight.
Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:18 pm
@CB14, Why not?
MmmmYummy Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
@Jay GoLAKings, So who’s Sutter going to play in game #1? Game #7…puuuulease – does he believe in the tooth fairy too?
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Did you see JJ post game interview? He’s Mr. Happy Columbus Man.
The Blue Jackets are on a 3 game winning streak like the Kings.
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Sharks are now tied with the Kings, as they are in OT. Hopefully they don’t get the extra point even though they still knock the Kings back into 9th.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:14 pm
@Jeff_R, Well at least the Oil win the SO so now the Kings and Sharks are tied but Kings are in 9th.
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SO time in SJ.
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Edmonton wins. We are tied with SJ for 8th, but sit in 9th.
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InTheCrease Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
@bmova, But the upside is that we are no longer ranked #30 in goals scored…
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Oilers win it
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Oilers win..
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Woooot!!!! SJ chokes again at home!
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Alright, Sharks lost in OT. Way to go Oil.
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And we’re out of the playoffs again! Hope we enjoyed our hour in the playoffs tonight!!!
Hate being in the West lol.
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FiG17 Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
@Bama Kings,
Yeah, but SJ looks horrible. And Phoenix is sliding too. If we keep up our game and one or both of those teams can’t pick it up, we’ll be okay.
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Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:30 pm
@FiG17, SJ next plays Dal then Phoenix, they all can’t win.
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FiG17 Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:33 pm
@Osaka,
True. Too bad they all can’t lose, too. lol
We’re back to over 50/50 on getting into the playoffs.
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“Your best players have to be your best players.”
“It’s not about singling anybody out…”
I’m figuring this guy out; an enigma inside of a riddle inside of…
The brilliance of Darryl Sutter – listening to him is like trying to figure out INCEPTION. Cue the MUSIC…BAOUM…
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InTheCrease Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
@dMan, Brilliance? Or bafflement?
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dMan Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:33 pm
@InTheCrease, yes, exactly.
I know I’m baffled by his “brilliance.”
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jess Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:07 pm
@dMan,
Inception, those who think it’s brilliant don’t seem to be very smart.
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dMan Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:36 am
@jess, the movie may not have been, but the marketing sure was!
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Kings x Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:25 am
@jess, Maybe thats because you didn’t understand it
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Who would have thought, with as bad a funk as the Kings went thru a little while back, that at this point we’d be tied with the Sharks, with most of those endless games-in-hand gone? Things can turn on a dime, so the boys better be taking Columbus seriously, nobody is laying down (except maybe Minnesota).
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Bottom line: Quick got the win. I’ll take 5-4 wins everyday of the week, to make up for all the 1-0 losses I’ve had to sit through this season.
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TiredOfIt Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:09 pm
@PP Anybody?, Well said and true, very true
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This is going to be one heck of a finish.
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I liked the game tonight from the stand point that the Kings really battled. This season the Kings haven’t done very well when facing adversity. When we lead after 2 periods or when we score 3 or more goals (which we did tonight) we are lights out, but playing from behind…… We never trailed in this game but it was a back and forth battle. Things don’t always go your way in a game, I liked how the Kings responded. I can feel the team slowly growing in confidence.
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Cry Baby Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
@Osaka, YES! If the boys can play the season out like this they make the playoffs. If that happens then who knows?
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Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:38 pm
@Cry Baby, Oh the Kings have a good team, they were underachieving most of the season, but are a good team. It is a very fine line between winning and losing, in the playoffs I like our chances. If we could win our division (3points out) it would be a huge boost for a first round matchup.
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jess Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:09 pm
@Osaka,
You mean kings were heavy on scoring, instead of heavy on the stick with muck and grind in the corners -and carried our # 1 goaltender for once?
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Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:26 pm
@jess, I prefer a 1-0 or 2-1 win but will take any kind they serve.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:03 am
@Osaka, One thing I like is that the team now doesn’t seem to crumble when they face adversity. Before it seamed like they would fall apart at the first sign of adversity, whether it was the other team scoring first or whatnot. Before this I firmly believe the Kings would of lost this type of game but now I go through games knowing the Kings will score, versus before when I hoped they would score. Like the one time where Nashville tied up the game, they came right back seconds later and scored. This is the team i expected all season. Better late then never and if they keep this up, they will become the team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs.
Osaka Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:16 am
@Jeff_R I agree with everything you said. Remember that meltdown against Dallas?!?! This was the opposite response.
Those last two games against SJ are looking crazier and crazier…
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:05 am
@FiG17, Imagine those last 2 games being the Kings already have wrapped up the Pacific Division title and the Sharks need to win one or both just to make the playoffs. That would be an awesome scenario.
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Hockey G Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:34 am
@Jeff_R, I was thinking along the same line. What if the last two games was to determine who was in first in the division. Now that would be fun. A playoff series before the playoffs begin. Regardless, I hope for a lot more Kings victories and a first place finish in the division. A division win would also mean home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs. I can not remember the last time we had home ice for a playoff round. Had to be back in the late 80′s or early 90′s.
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KingsGRT Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:30 am
@Hockey G, Imagine if those two games are the difference only in who has home ice
Kings clearly playing much much better. If Quick’s game comes back we’ll be extremely difficult to beat.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:07 am
@KC23, I think tonight showed that no matter what type of game it is, the Kings can play and win. This is going to help them and Quick come playoff time. Whether it was wrong or right to start Quick I am really happy that Sutter did. I think this game will help Quick come playoff time more then we ever thought.
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Great win! Just like DS said, great goalies win high scoring games. Every time Nashville got back into the game, our Kings answered the challenge. I’m very proud of the Kings tonight. No one King has to carry our team anymore. We have the skill & talent on this team now where all we need is just one guy to lead the way & the rest of the team follows. We just put up 5 goals against Nashville on their home ice and we did not get goals from Kopi, Brown, Carter or Richards. We are becoming a dangerous team to play right now & the team confidence is growing. The division title is within reach & I believe we are going to take it. Looking forward to laying the smack down against Columbus & Detroit! It’s been a crazy season for us but we are playing our best hockey right now & I think we are only going to get better closing out this season. I have no doubt Gagne will lace em up & be a great addition to our top six for the final playoff push as well as the playoffs. He did it with Tampa last year & he will do it again or DL would have already put him on long term IR. It’s going to be a wild ride the rest of the way & I for one am looking forward to it!
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dMan Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:37 pm
@King Alex, “great goalies win high scoring games” – did he really say that? Seems like an oxymoron.
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King Alex Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
@dMan, I believe he said it after the loss to Colorado if my memory serves me. I know he did say it. It does make sense if you think about it. No goalie is going to be spot on every game. Everyone gives up soft goals but the great goalies never dwell on it & when you have a team in front of you that battles back, it restores confidence that you can make the big saves when needed instead of losing confidence & folding under pressure. IMO this game gives Quick more confidence in himself & the team more than a 1 – 0 shutout.
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Osaka Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:30 pm
@King Alex, Makes perfect sense. You let in a couple of bad goals but are able to refocus, hang on, and still make some big saves. A goalie can steal a game with a few big saves in the 3rd of a 5-4 game, Doesn’t have to be 1-0.
JackKentCooke Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:33 pm
@King Alex,
Additionally, it’s human nature to relax a bit and lose intensity with a lead. It not only happens to Quick but to our D and O guys. Do all employed bloggers work the same when the boss is in the office as when he is away?
St Louis Blues are now 1st in the West, and tied for 1st in the NHL League. Ken for coach of the year?
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SSE6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:30 am
@Harry, for sure. No question in my mind. And my second favorite team is the Rangers.
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KC23 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:21 am
@Harry, Yeah, Hitchcock is a lock. Might as well give him coach of the year right now.
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Richard’s line stepped up a couple nights ago…and Kopi’s line stepped up tonight. Doughty & Greener score…4th line contributing. Much better balanced scoring.
Cant get cocky though going into Columbus though…hope they come out with the emotion they had tonight.
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Kings x Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:28 am
@Cruiznblue, 4th line is looking consistently solid too.
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Watching the game after the matter. We all know how that is. Good stuff on the Nashville feed. Kings all the way.
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“We’ve tried to concentrate on that, since I came here, to shoot the puck more and go to the net more, all those things”
At least it not “shot mentality” and “get pucks deep.” The “go to the net more” thing is new and in the right direction. Shooting the puck more is like so TM and that turned out friggen awesome! Kings have shown the ability to cycle too much – so maybe one way of saying it is shoot the puck more? Is that the proactive way of saying “stop cycling” so much? I don’t know – just trying to give the benefit of the doubt. More shots for shots sake do not equal more goals (especially against better goalies) – that’s been proven under TM.
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JackKentCooke Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:20 pm
@MmmmYummy,
DS is talking about driving to the net more and shooting from in close rather from the perimeter; exactly what Dionne was saying about Kopi and what we saw the first evidence of particularly in the first period from both Kopi and DW.
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KingMe20 Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
@MmmmYummy,
A lot of that depends on where the shots are taken. Low shots tend to produce rebounds in front. I’ve noticed over the last five or six games there seems to be an emphasis on using the bottom of the net more.
Hitting the net at all is key. If you look at Nashville’s third goal, it came right after a 4-on-2 rush by the Kings. Brown dropped to Kopitar, who passed to Williams in the right circle. Williams missed wide, and the puck came rocketing out of the zone, springing Nashville on a 2-on-1 where Kostitsyn scored. While Quick probably should have had that one, it was the result of missing the net because of trying to be too fine on the shot. A low shot into the pads of the goalie would have produced a rebound in the slot, where both Kopitar and Brown were headed. At the very least, the 2-on-1 probably doesn’t happen.
Not saying that this won’t happen from time-to-time, but it’s one of the reasons that Jack Johnson drove me nuts, as well as Stoll and Williams (to a lesser extent). They seem to be convinced that a shot just isn’t a shot without some air under it, and that often goes around the boards where your teammates aren’t in position to handle it. A little thing, sure, but easily fixed.
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JackKentCooke Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 12:13 am
@KingMe20,
The kings have had many rebounds only to shoot into the goalies pads. Since Carter arrived people are beginning to lift the puck and the results are obvious. When a Trevor Lewis lifts a backhand shot and scores you know something is up. Coming soon to a rink near you, a Richardson hat trick…
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KingMe20 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 6:54 am
@JackKentCooke,
Lewis lifted a backhander over a goalie who was sprawling *because* of a rebound. The initial shot that Rinne didn’t handle well was low. It’s different than when the initial shot is high and either stopped with a glove, or it misses completely. Low shots yield rebounds, and often close to the net.
Duncanz Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:57 am
@KingMe20, I had the impression that JW was overdoing it and selfishly intent on getting his hatrick. I remember him doing that at least one other time also.
Now depending on the situation, selfishness is not always a bad thing and you get the impression that the coaches are encouraging more non-Grade ‘A’ shooting on goal (as opposed to deliberate rebounding), as was perhaps evidenced by JW’s 1st goal.
It seems that, because he already had two goals, he got a ‘free pass’ from everybody on that one.
I was actually pretty annoyed with him.
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Duncanz Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:15 am
@Duncanz, It’s late. I didn’t compose that very well. Hope the gist comes over anyway …….. CLUMP
KC23 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:24 am
@MmmmYummy, I’ve noticed on the cycle there the F3 forward does not go to the boards unless one of the other forwards has moved away from the boards.
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Off topic…but pretty funny watching Heidi Androl interview this Strikeforce female fighter who was kinda staring her down. Bet she wishes she was still interviewing the Kings.
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So many games that Quick has stolen for his team. Now the team bails him out after a couple of softies. Rarely do you see a winger skate down with speed and beat a goalie with a shot these days but JQ has given up a few in a row starting with Anaheim’s 2nd goal in the last game..
I hope he tightens up his game bec the team is starting to score..
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ToughD Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:09 am
@SaveByCechmanek, Agreed, great to see the team overcome the last two games for Quickie.
I must say though I don’t understand why everyone feels sorry for Quickie for the lack of goal support. While (nearly) every goalie place team wins #1 on the list, #2 would be a low GAA.
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KC23 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:26 am
@ToughD, Everyone feels sorry because the Kings gave the absolutely worst goal support in the entire league … 29 other teams were better. Now 28 teams have better goal support.
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Kings x Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:30 am
@SaveByCechmanek, Paging dr. Ranford, dr. Ranford
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rogiesbackup Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:26 am
@SaveByCechmanek, Quickie NEEDS a rest!!! ASAP
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DS is hockey’s version of Dr. Irwin Corey. Apologies to the young bloggers for an old school reference.
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Duncanz Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:11 am
@JackKentCooke, ‘The World’s Farmerest Authority’ ..
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Gotta get out of pass to the point mindset as our first option, that’s what defenses are trying to give to you. Though lately we have been better at taking the puck strong to the net and making plays with our forwards which might allow the dmen to jump in from time to time.
Near end of first period Lewis got the puck along the sideboards, knew he had a step and a half on the defender, but instead of taking the clear path to front of net with dman stationed in front, he was solely looking to point for pass. When leaders such as Kopi and Brown are forcing the action, there’s really no excuse not to follow.
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vinny Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:29 am
@ToughD, i was soooooooo mad on that play!! he had a clear lane to the front, on his forehand no less!!
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Feels good to see the boys scoring!
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JackKentCooke Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 1:08 am
@Dominick,
Glad to know someone else is still bringing it at 1am
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rick Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:03 am
@JackKentCooke, Not to mention 2:00am…
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JackKentCooke Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:07 am
@rick,
Let’s pull an all nighter.
Shakes Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 5:42 am
@rick, ooh la la
Gmo Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 5:28 am
@Dominick,
I’m happy for them
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Shakes Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 6:33 am
@Gmo,
the two times “I’m happy for them” is appropriate to use after an initial comment about “boys scoring” is made
1) referring to the Kings offense coming alive
2) being the ex-boyfriend at a wedding as your former gf marries another guy who unfortunately seems quite normal, stable, and pleasant
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SSE6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:49 am
@Shakes, TMI
Dominick Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 11:05 am
@Shakes,
No joke, I went to an ex’s wedding once, and found out just the night before the guy was sleeping with his neighbor. I thought “what a douche, and Laurie doesn’t even know”. I said nothing.
It couldn’t have happened to a more deserving girl, and they devorced after 3 years. Mwahaahaahaa!
MmmmYummy Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 11:43 am
@Dominick, nice. There’s a certain ex out there I could definitely wish that upon. lol
Duncanz Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
@Dominick, That wasn’t a very nice thing for your ex to do to her!
Duncanz Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
@Dominick, – which brings the conversation full circle, I suppose….
Toughd Reply:
March 8th, 2012 at 10:34 am
@Shakes, yeah i just had to kick his overweight *ss…u all didn’t buy that healthy pancake story did u?
Getting all of the lines going, getting scoring help from the D and putting a streak together when it is needed most. DL is looking like a genius with the Carter trade. The old 180. Sure is a nice feeling to know we can put up a bunch of goals as opposed to thinking just 10 games ago that if we get scored on once we were in for a long night and twice the game is over. Amazing!
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King Cobra Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:49 am
@Kings x, Yes, we just need Quick to tighten up and we are solid!
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Real solid game last night by the whole team. The oonly weak spot was JQ letting in a couple of goals that he would not normally allow. DS needs to let JB start the next 2 and give Quick a rest, but seeing how we face Det on friday, we know that won’t happen. SV is starting to show more positive signs that he is mentally tough, playing the smart game. Time to kick it up a notch now against the BluJacks….
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Does anyone know the powerplay and penalty kill lines?
Is there a website that shows the most recent lines and defensive pairs. I found that my yahoo iphone app will give team updates that includes the 5-on-5 lines and defensive pairs but I would also like to see the pp and pk lines.
On another note: does anyone find it weird that we have Dwight King on our second line with Richards and Carter? I know he’s been playing well but I just wonder about squandered talent with King playing with Richards and Carter. I think back to the LAPD (Allison, Pallfy, Deadmarsh) and how deadly that was (for the brief period it existed until we got the injury bug).
Part of me thinks that it might make sense to move Penner to second line. He’s already playing LW on the third line and the biggest complaint about him is that he’s lazy, which is not good for a “stopper” line. Maybe if he was playing with the likes of Carter and Richards and given mainly scoring responsibilities we would see him making plays like he did for the ducks. As of recent, we’ve seen him get to the net pretty well. I think its hard for offensive players to gather the strength to push for a scoring chance knowing their line-mates probably won’t be there to put in the loose puck. I say move him up to the second line and stick his pancake eating ass in front of the goalie.
Any thoughts?
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puck73 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:38 am
@The Core, If a healthy Gagne and Parse were playing right now under Sutter and Nichols, this team would be awfully tough to stop with the balance it would have, no question.
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Seals 2 Kings Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:51 am
@The Core, You are so right about the look of Penner. Every game it appears he is skating in wet concrete, slow moving legs, arms and hands. I won’t want to mess up the chemistry of Carter/Richards/King by placing Penner up a line though…wait until June then place the For Sale sign around his neck….JMT
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King Cobra Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 7:53 am
@The Core, Penner was pretty useless playing with Richards before. I would like to see Nolan play with them.
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Deirdre Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:15 am
@King Cobra, I agree. I think NOlan has a bit more offensive upside. But Sutter hasn’t moved him there yet. Once Gagne is put with Richards and Carter, that will be an awesome line. SPeaking of Gagne, the Mayor (from mayors manor) said that he interviewed Gagne and that wlll be in an upcoming article nad Gagne expects to be back by the end of the year.
All 4 lines played well. And it’s no coincidence that since Carter went on Richards line, the team is scoring more. Opponents have to make a decision who to put their best defenders against. Last night, they put them out on the Richards line, who still played well , and backchecked well. But the fisrt line had a bit more freedom.
That’s a good thing now that we’re in the playoff hunt.
I think if this team continues to play as well as they have, those points will come and the Kings could take the divison.
I wish Bernier got more games tho…
Hoping Carter wreaks havoc or tne Bluejackets.
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King Cobra Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:55 am
@Deirdre, I am so glad to hear Gagne is feeling better. With all the concussions he has taken I worry about the guys well being beyond hockey? He seems like a really good person. I know he makes our team better and the FANaddict part of me wants him to come back and play, but the human side of me thinks he should retire before his poor brain gets more messed up.
Speaking of concussions – Our guy Big Mike is still dealing with his in some way I am afraid to say. Since he got Carts back he is playing better and for sure helping the team, but something is just not right. He just is not himself out there. Seems like it is gradually getting better. Do you agree?
I just think back how he was playing before Dec. just going off with amazing set ups and goal scoring. He just seems a half a step behind him self now a little. He is my favorite player and I know we are not seeing the true Mike Richards right now
Getting Carts was one of the best things ever for our team!!
Thanks for your reply
MmmmYummy Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 11:56 am
@King Cobra, Why mess with a good thing? Kings are getting goals and winning (but not quite the the Charlie Sheen level). Penner needs less minutes to get the most from him. I think Penner is behind King in aggression, speed and likely endurance. Penner on the other hand is probably more a finisher with good hands when he gets his pancake in front of the net. But Carter and Richards need someone aggressively working the corners and digging puck out.
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KC23 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:33 am
@The Core, Penner was on the Richards line right before he got benched. Someone mentioned that Penner got a nasty stare down by Richards on that last game before he watched the games from the locker room 5 out of 6 games.
I love the way the lines look atm. There is balance. Each line is dangerous. Even Lewis got a dirty goal last night, the kind he has screwed up a thousand times this year.
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FdoFmFull Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
@The Core, To me, Penner should play LW w Kopi and Willie. I’d place Brown on the Richards-Carter line.
The only time Penner played well was w Kopi. The reason is that Penner’s best move is throwing the puck into the crease. So if your line mates can finish good passes, your line will get many chances. I think Kopi and Willie would benefit from Penner’s passes. So would Penner from Kopi.
Brown is a potentially good fit because w his speed, he can open the ice for Richards and Carter. Also, I think Brown will get many pucks around the net that he can finish better than King.
Finally, these two top lines are made up of genuine top 6res not rookies. This becomes really important come the playoffs.
Do it Sutter!
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Everybody was either ok, good or very good last night, ….except Martinez. He needs to shake himself and start playing better or for sure he won’t have a job next season.
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Didn’t get to see the game but did watch the highlights:
The Good -
1. Pucks on net
2. Players coming down the slot
3. Shots from the slot
4. Some real nice passing
5. Defensively, the Kings kept the Preds outside the dots
The Bad -
1. JQ is reverting back to his bad habits from last year, specifically, misjudging shots from the wing.
Can’t wait to watch the replay tonight. I cannot criticize Quick for his performance last night, since he is our MVP and won so many games for us, and everyone is going to have a bad game once in awhile. It was nice to see the offense step up and bail Quick out, since he has been bailing them out all year by himself. That said, I would start JB for the Columbus game and let Quick come back against Detroit. For some reason, Quick raises his game to a different level when he plays against the Wings and he will be the difference in that game. JB has been playing great and will do a good job against Columbus.
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number 6 Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 8:53 am
@DesertKing,
You’re spot on. Quick is reverting back to some bad habits. I can’t do the post justice, but I read an excellent break down on another blog, that essentially said that because he’s being overplayed (i.e. overused, and that not everyone is Mikka Kiprasov), this is leading to a breakdown of his technique, he’s overplaying situations and while I did not see the game, there is clearly a good reason why he was almost never giving up more that a goal or two a game, and now that’s changing.
Not a genius move imo by Darryl Sutter. And I’m far from the only person to comment on it.
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