Jonathan Quick was the first goalie off the ice, so he’s the starter tonight. Davis Drewiske, Brad Richardson and Kevin Westgarth are the extra skaters this morning, so there don’t appear to be any lineup changes tonight. Simon Gagne and Scott Parse are still doing post-practice skating, but Gagne said he doesn’t know if/when he might be able to return to practice. He’s scheduled to be evaluated again tonight. More notes and quotes to come…
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I still don’t get why Fraser is playing instead of Richardson! Thanks for the update on Gagne. I was just thinking about him yesterday. Let’s get these two poins tonight! We need them!!! GO KINGS GO!!
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:45 am
@IwantTheCup, I think CF adds a little more bang for that line. same finishing qualities, but decent speed and more bang… I don’t see Richie getting out on the ice very much from now until the end, whenever that comes.
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wavesinair Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:48 am
@IwantTheCup,
Fraser is the best 4th line center the Kings have seen in a long time. I hope he re-signs. I love Richie, but he does not have nearly the grit necessary for such a role. That goes for season starter at 4th line center, Lewis, as well.
All hail the Frazz!
Nice feature on him too… http://kings.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=621843
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LA_1968 Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:01 am
@wavesinair, That line had a lot of important shifts at Chicago. I think our 4th line is doing it’s job. Kopi’s line needs to get hot and we’re good.
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brian spain Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:38 am
@LA_1968, Kopi’s line had been hot the last two weeks. they have scored most of the goals.
prosmar Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
@LA_1968, Brown has 5 goals and 7 assists during an eight-game points streak, Williams has 3 goals and 1 assist in his last four games and Kopi has 7 points in his last 7 games. I think all the other lines have to get hot and then we’re good.
LA_1968 Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
@prosmar, @brian spain, What about in the last 3 games?
Jim Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:55 am
@IwantTheCup, Fraser is better. Both have played 54 GP and Fraser has 1 more point. Richardson brings nothing.
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Tony Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
@Jim, so “Richardosn brings nothing” because Fraser has ONE MORE POINT? So by your logic, they both bring nothing.
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Ace Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 5:58 pm
@Tony, Fraser can win faceoffs. Will fight. Richardson is a “skill” player with only skating ability. He’s been a major disappointment this season.
Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:04 am
@IwantTheCup, Fraser is a lot more physical then Richie. Face it whatever Richie had the last 2 seasons has left him this season. He just isn’t the same player and Lewis has passed him as he is better defensively then Brad. That was Richie’s only problem against the Sharks last playoffs was his defense. Fraser is better in all aspects.
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Neil Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:09 am
@IwantTheCup, I am with you on this, but my thought is Richardson instead of king. King has a couple points but playing with those guys who wouldn’t? Richardson is more of a play maker. All King ever does is dump the puck. Notice that just about every time he touches the puck he dumps it in the corner. No pass for a break out play. I think I noticed Carter give him a look like “what the…. Why wouldn’t you have passed that”. Haha. Seriously though watch the guy, no play making capabilities. He seems nervous and out of place. Bring Richardson back in the lineup. Put Penner up on the Richards carter line. He will prove himself with guys like that.
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wavesinair Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:14 am
@Neil,
I guess you missed the really heads up pass to Carter for his 200th then.
http://video.kings.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20112012,2,1031&event=CHI433
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:29 am
@Neil, “Richardson is more of a play maker”??? for the opposition maybe…
All King ever does is dump the puck and retreive it. he’s a hound (with size) on the forecheck, and IIRC correctly he’s finished a few times from in front of the net, and as @wavesinair mentioned, he’s made a pretty pass or three since coming up. King is doing just fine.
I don’t doubt that Penns will be successful on that line either, but I would not sit King in favor of Ritchie…
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wes Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:27 pm
@Stuart, i’m going to agree with Stuart (beware of winged pigs skating on hell’s ice). Richardson is an obvious default scratch. King’s played well (very heads-up on afore mentioned feed to Carter– Richards hasn’t been passing as aptly as King has).
hockeynerd Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:30 am
@Neil, Nah King is doing a great job and before you start dismissing his accomplishments, Penner had no success on that line and he’s not “just any” player. King will end the seasons with more goals the Penner and a new contract with the Kings.
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nykingfan Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:31 am
@Neil,
I couldn’t disagree more.
King’s play has been excellent. His job is to be the 1st man in on the forecheck and recover the puck. I think he’s done an outstanding job of that since he’s been called up.
Just about every opportunity that the Richards line has gotten was because of King’s work on the dump-in.
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nykingfan Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:33 am
@Neil,
Also the problem with putting Penner up on that line is if Richards and Carter are not going well, you have perhaps the laziest line in all of hockey with Penner there.
3 very talented players, but when they don’t want to play, they make it extremely obvious.
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neil Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:38 am
@Neil, btw this is a different neil….iam the anti dl abd ds neil……but iam a King and Nolan fan.
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KC23 Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@Neil,
Richardson: 54 games 3 goals 2 assists and a plus/minus -7.
King: 14 games 3 goals 5 assists and a plus/minus +3.
Seems pretty clear to me who is better.
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Tony Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
@Neil, TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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kingeyes Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
@IwantTheCup, Penner should be sitting was at chicago game he didnt get invovled at all
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Forgot Westie was on this team, poor guy.
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KingsGuy Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:46 am
@Michael_DD8, I wonder what DD2 and Westgarth do on a regular basis… LOL
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Michael_DD8 Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:52 am
@KingsGuy,
Id think since Westgarth has a degree from Princeton he is working with that as well. Enforcer’s careers aren’t always the longest
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wavesinair Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:54 am
@KingsGuy,
Listen to NPR, duh!
http://video.kings.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=-6&id=164208
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370455VinSD Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:42 am
@wavesinair, I love the fact that Westy misused the word “panacea”. I think he meant “plethora”. Must have been magna cum laude.
Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:57 am
@wavesinair, This team needs to keep Matt Greene. The guy is fricken hilarious and if there is anyone that can lighten the mood on a most disappointing season it is Matt. He can really help the Kings keep loose.
MmmmYummy Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@370455VinSD, Anybody who takes fists in the face for a living has the right to misuse a few words now and then in my book.
Richards/Carter…..party alert/sighting………at the clipper game last night!
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Imagine if Gagne and Parse were healthy all year… I have to believe the offense would be far better than it is.
My prediction for tonight… of course, I hope I’m very, very wrong.
Rusty Jimmy Howard in net should give the Kings more than enough incentive to unload hell on ice, out-shooting the Red Wings by a wide margin… again. Which is why I’m taking Detroit, who has proven over and over again, they bend but don’t break. Having scored no less than 4 goals in each of the 3 previous games against the Kings, the Wings score at least 4 and win the season series 4 games to none. Kings fans freakout… again.
Red Wings 5, Kings 2
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KingsGuy Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:47 am
@wavesinair, It’s backwards day for you, right?
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wavesinair Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:49 am
@KingsGuy, Yep.
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KingsGuy Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
@wavesinair,
BluLiner Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:50 am
@KingsGuy, I agree with KingsGuy
Kings 5 Wings 2
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Trip Reply:
March 14th, 2012 at 9:04 am
@BluLiner, Nice call!!
Sean Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:47 am
@wavesinair, Kings 3-2.
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McCheese Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:43 am
@Sean, it is a 3-2 league after all.
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DoscactiKid Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:50 am
@Sean, Kings have started to move toward the goal with the puck, quickly. Take the over in this game: Kings 7 Redwings 3
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flex Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:14 am
@wavesinair, ..which means end of sesson…,but I hope you are wrong. 4-1 Kings
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I believe Fraser is stronger on his feet. He doesnt get knocked off the puck as easy as BR.
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Why would Gagne be evaluated tonight, rather than sometime this morning, or afternoon?
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luuc Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:53 am
@DanD,
That’s when the Dr. was available? What difference does it make, not as if he would be coming back tonight anyways. Once cleared for practice we would still be looking at weeks if not months before he would be ready for game play.
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brian spain Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:43 am
@luuc, he has been skating for a month. once cleared to practice he will play with in a week. he just needs a little contact and see how it goes. A few practices without symptoms and he is in there.
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KINGCANADA87 Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:56 am
@DanD, Because the team doctors are required to be at the game in the event that they are needed. Since the doctors are at the game, that would be the appropriate time to have Gagne reevaluated vs paying for a doctors time this morning/afternoon when they are already paying for one tonight. Hope this helps!
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CrownLA Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
@KINGCANADA87, Is anybody nervous that Rich said IF/when Gagne returns….I dont think we should get our hopes up to see him this season hes worried about his long term health, and rightfully so.
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gene Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
@DanD, Those Dr’s are at the games on emergency call.
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Good luck to Simon, i hope the diagnosis is good from a health standpoint. the ” return to play” standpoint would only be a bonus to KINGS fans! GOOD LUCK! GO KINGS GO! looks like Parse will be an afterthought for this season, Good luck on his recovery as well.
GO KINGS!
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And Richards continues with another good game at both ends of the ice (1 G, 1 A).
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wavesinair Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 10:51 am
@Sean,
Well, it can’t get much worse than his last game against Detroit, so at least he has that to fall back on.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:08 am
@wavesinair, That was very uncharacteristic of Mike. Someone that prides himself with not making mistakes and working hard. If anything that really woke him up from his doldrums the last few months as he played his best game in a long time against Chicago. Hope it continues through the next 3 weeks and playoffs.
[Reply]
wavesinair Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:11 am
@Jeff_R,
Me too! Very uncharacteristic is right. I’ll chalk it (and bad play by some other guys) to possible locker room sickness and/or playing 14 out of 18 on the road.
crashin'da net Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
@Jeff_R, I disagree. Richards has not been himself since the CC. I’ve witnessed bad decisions in previous games as well.
KingsFletch Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:05 am
@Sean, maybe i missed something… but Richards hasn’t had a good game at both ends of the ice in months. Dude is a bust/bum and i hope he works his arse off this offseason because he surely needs it. Needs to hit the weight room and work on the basics, like not passing deeper into the Dzone when we’re up by a goal with 4 minutes left. Huge disappointment, he better step up if we want to have a chance at the playoffs this year.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:17 am
@KingsFletch, I take offense to what you said. You can say he has had a bad year offensively but defensively he has been there all season. It is usually his line that goes up against the top line of our opponents and if you noticed we have one of the best defenses in the NHL. If guys are so bad as people think, like Drew and Mike, then how are we top 3 in the league defensively? Yes sometimes they have a bad game here or there but overall they been pretty damn good.
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Gagne is a huge addition to the second line. Than a decision comes for the third and fourth lines. The first line is playing extremely well together leave it alone. Doughty can sacrifice a few pounds, looked incredibilly slow the other night.
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a must win against Detroit is never a good thing.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:12 am
@California Royalty, Unless it ends up being a W and 2 points then it is a good thing. Think good thoughts. If there was ever a time to end all the negativity and only bring out the positive now is the time. Tonight it should be as loud as it gets during the playoffs. Let’s raise the roof and show all those Red Wings fans they better watch out for the Kings.
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We can get this one. 60 minutes of crashing the net and shooting from the slot, along with the hope that Kompon hs the flu. GKG!!!
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:49 am
@DesertKing, With the fact that our PP has made it to the top 15 and our goals for has risen have anything to do with Kompon? At least a tiny bit?
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:52 am
@Jeff_R, doubt it. any coinsidence that Nicholls has been “hanging around the team” lately too?
AND I hate when I see DS looking over his shoulder at the end of games…
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:59 am
@Stuart, I know. I am just getting tired of everybody blaming Kompon for every bad thing that happens. Yes he isn’t the greatest Coach but obviously the players like him or else they probably would of replaced him. Most likely will be replaced in the off season.
Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:15 pm
@Jeff_R, after watching him in that little video session during the NHL36, he seems kind of…ryhmes with trick-ish.
I don’t think he’s the problem to all the kings answers, but yes, I do feel he should be gone sooner rather than later.
Maybe the org is letting Nicholls get his feet wet to see if he might want the full time gig? I hope so, or maybe DS has someone in mind already…
Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
@Stuart, Knowing our luck and the Kings they will make the Playoffs and there PP will go en el fuego allowing us to advance throughout the playoffs and then Kompon will be back next season.
Either Doughty shines or the Kings lose.
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Kopi Bryant Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:50 am
@jonsey, He isn’t the only one who needs to shine if they’re gonna win.
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Jeff_R Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 11:51 am
@jonsey, Doughty didn’t actually shine against Chicago and we won. Does this team solely revolve around Drew? The other 22 players don’t matter?
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The Red Wings are 2 games under 500 on the road, the Kings need to take it to them, skate, hit, shoot, and for god’s sake, get the puck out of the zone, every time.
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Can someone explain to me why we STILL play dump and chase. I’ve been watching the Kings for a long time and looking at the lines I have never seen the kings so stacked on the top 2 lines.
Richards
Carter
Kopitar
Brown
Williams
(Gagne)
(Penner)
With all of these playmakers/snipers do we still need to be the “effort team” that fights in the corners, throws something at the net, and hopes for a rebound? Or the team that fights in the corners, passes to the point for a shot and hopes for the goalie to be blocked and/or a deflection?
Look at how the Red Wings scored goals: as soon as they had possession down low, with the Kings on their heals, they set up PLAYS. Two nifty passes, which lead to an open net one-timer (or something like that). We have the talent now to make great plays. Can’t we leave the dump and chase for the 3rd and 4th lines? I just don’t see how its beneficial to dump the puck at the blue line and hope for us to recover it with a haphazard shot at the net. Its not pretty and its not high percentage. It’s like “cheap” hockey. Instead of trying to be a better team, we hope for goals to somehow find their way in the net. And it hasn’t worked for the last 3 seasons. I understand the strategy when you have a bunch of young guys with few offensive threats but when we have lines full of all-star caliber players why not make PLAYS?
Also, since we have a great blue line full of players who can launch pucks in the net, why not actually set them up instead of this “get to the net” mentality. Why not a “make a play” mentality? It’s that extra pass that insures that the goal will go in. Those goals we gave up to in Detroit were all gems and I don’t blame JQ for ANY of them. We have the talent. Why not use it like they do?
This isn’t a complaint. I’m actually wondering this. I played hockey very briefly in high school so I don’t know all the details about strategy. Can someone enlighten me?
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FdoFmFull Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:37 pm
@Dump and Chase, The coaching staff actually did a study on this very topic and came to the following conclusion:
1) They’re not ready for that type of culture change, mid-season, and,
2) They’d have to exclude you from this log due to your name!
They evidently weighted #2 >>>>> #1 and decided to stand pat.
Sorry!
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FdoFmFull Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
@FdoFmFull, “…exclude you from this BLOG…”
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Hat trick Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
@Dump and Chase, Every team in the NHL plays dump and chase. All 30 of them. It’s something that is necessary at times. Tell me one team that carries in the puck 90-100% of the time? The difference is that these higher scoring teams are not afraid to go to the net or skate down the slot for a pass. Shining example of that is the Wings last game with their last two goals.
The Kings have an issue with that. They like to keep it around the perimeter or up top for a shot from the point. It’s changing slightly but wouldn’t hold your breath this season.
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
@Dump and Chase, it seems that the kings are still playing strictly d-n-c hockey but it has morphed a little… but I think the biggest reason for it is that it is a cromagnon style, not a lot of thinking to it. Dump the puck, see the puck, get the puck, wash, rinse, repeat.
We need smart, high hockey IQ players, because right now we don’t have the guns that will bring 4 players to the puck, and when we do, we don’t have the other players that are smart enough to get open, AND even when we have all the planets aligned and we do suck the opposition in, and we do have a player open, we don’t have the hands to make or take the pass, AND we can even take this little exercise a step further and say that win I won the lottery and all these things come together on the same play, we don’t have the finishers to put a one-time into a yawning net…so we d-n-c instead. tire ourselves to DEATH and try to pound the opposition.
I wish oe of the plenty of bird watchers would dig up the percentage of times that we actually RECOVER the puck on a dump. That would be an interesting stat/fact.
sad but true.
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Hat trick Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
@Stuart, 4 players to the puck. It’s good you’re not the coach. If I knew the opposing team liked to dump the puck in and have 4 guys rush it I would be ecstatic. I would Want them to dump it in because now I’d have my Dman wait just until they get there and then ring it around the boards for the open winger for the 3 on 1 the whole game.
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
@Hat trick, brilliant!!!gong!!! at that point I was talking to dumps 3rd paragraph, where he was mentioning DET’s passing of the puck…
What are this defeatist comments that people make before the game. The same people are happy at Staples cheering inside when Detroit scores because they were “right”. Instead they should cheer louder for our Kings team to silence those red shirts in the stands. At the last Detroit game I was at the game with my kids and was ashamed of beeng a Kings fan. It was like we were in away building. Very disgusting feeling. Something has to be done during the game to silence these Los Angeles trators: messages on video screen, audio anoyance like coyote howling used in Phenex. I am not advocating what happened to Giants fan in LA but we need to change the Kings fans attitute during these games. Detroit is just another team we can beat. Respect their team but no need to get mesmerized.
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King-C Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
@DrA, Hey, all those red shirts will STFU when the boys put up 4 or 5 goals. Worked against the hawks last month. It was the most fun I’ve had at a game this year. To see all these morons sitting there quietly thinking about the 100 bux they wasted to come see their team get their butts handed to them.
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Hoping for the best, but the way we played I am expecting the worse.
No more breakdowns. We need to control the neutral zone and between the circles. I think each of their goals came from the slot?
I hate detroit.
Kings 4-0
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DrA Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
@Lake Forest, I am expecting W and 4 0 sounds good.
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
@Lake Forest, the Kings need to come out playing the body tonight… too many stick-check attempts in the last game. forget the puck, take the man!
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DrA Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
@Stuart, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9uu75t7Uko&feature=player_embedded
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trytodethroneus Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
@Stuart,
I thought they took the body quite often early in the game, but got away from it when det was scoring on the few chances they had.
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Stuart Reply:
March 13th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@trytodethroneus, they probably did, but on the 1-5 play that Filpula made for the score had my jumping out of my head screaming at the TV “take the f’n body”!!!! no player shouldbe able to dance through an entire team like that, I know it happens, but it shouldn’t.
What’s the point of reporting about Gagne and Parse if they’re not coming back anytime soon??? I think Gagne’s career is over anyways and Parse…I don’t know why he’s even still here.
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I think this is a good game to have the Kings start imposing their home-ice dominance.
They need to start fast and hard, make the Wings back off and put them on their heels.
Attack Howard from the start like in Chicago and lay the body often and legally.
Also, on the very first shift, I’d like to see Richards take the faceoff with an octopus in his mouth! That should get the message across!
GkG!
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