A Russian, an American and a Canadian skate into a playoff series… Start of a bad joke? Perhaps, but also the Kings’ formula for success, as Slava Voynov, Matt Greene and Dustin Penner scored goals last night. Some parts of the game went pretty much as anticipated. The Blues looked brilliant early, and the Kings must have felt like table scraps going through the garbage disposal. They were sliced, diced and ground down for about 10 minutes, but oddly enough, after the Blues took the early lead, the game seemed to calm down and the Kings looked more composed.
Jonathan Quick was excellent throughout the game, Greene scored the shocking shorthanded goal and, on the other two goals, give big credit to Penner. On Voynov’s goal, Penner showed great poise and made an even better pass, and then in the final minute, he banked the puck off the side boards and it slid into the St. Louis goal to clinch the game. It certainly wasn’t a conventional playoff victory, but they all count the same. What was the key aspect of the Kings’ 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 1? I present three options at the link below, and you can vote for your choice…
—–
For those who enjoy the traditional game recap, it can be found by clicking here.
adjusting to S.L. was the key…Once the Kings found their legs and adjusted to a different team it was a different outcome.
[Reply]
Hey Rich, What is the schedule for today? Where are the Kings skating with the concert tonight? Oris there no ice today??
[Reply]
amazing game last night, went to Johnny;s on York to watch, had the whole big screen to myself. wow we have never really had this type of goallie to steal playoff games like that, our boys fed off of that, and came back in the second period strong on the puck, much better passes and puck control.
[Reply]
tothehaters Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:56 am
@Ravens, there is a jersey hanging in staples that stole plenty of games for the kings back in the day, but it is nice not having to worry about the goaltending
[Reply]
BTW there should be an assist for Kopi on second goal! Without his winning the faceoff there would be no Brown breakaway and by implication no goal. Just saying.
[Reply]
Hockey "G" Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:34 am
@kinginprague, Kopi did not win the faceoff…it was won by the Blues and took a Kings bounce and Brown was all over it and created the scoring chance for Greene.
[Reply]
kinginprague Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:42 am
@Hockey “G”, not exactly. Backes won the faceoff though but only halfway, he was able to push the puck behind him, but not altogether. Kopi managed to poke the puck on the right side so it came to Brown and not to the blues defenseman.
[Reply]
Steve Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:58 am
@Hockey “G”, That was my reading as well.
[Reply]
PK Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:09 am
@kinginprague,
What Kopitar did do very well on that play was to box out Backes on the backcheck. Watch replay and see him slow down in the lane between Backes and the puck allowing Greene to skate in for the shot. Smart play.
[Reply]
Big Rob in Dallas Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 11:21 am
@PK, I agree. Smart play and also smart to let Greener have in on the forehand versus Kopi taking it on the backhand.
[Reply]
PRMan Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
@PK, I didn’t notice that. I was wondering why Kopi was so slow getting to the net.
Anyway, for the question, I put other because I want to give credit to Penner for his playoff-caliber performance.
[Reply]
Quick was just unbelievable when the Blues were bringing it, early…and throughout the game. When he’s in the zone we’re going to always be in the game against any and all competition.
[Reply]
Jody Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:18 am
@Ron Reynolds, It would also be unbelievable if Quick doesn’t get the Conn Smythe and the Vezina.
[Reply]
It’s always Quick big if you aks me.
[Reply]
Had to work last night so I got home this morning and watched the 2nd and 3rd period (already had seen the first). My take on the game …
Quick is from another planet. NHL on the FLY dubbed the name “The Crab” for Quick because of that strange style he has while on his stomach moving side to side with his head and glove up. I have been stuborn about crowning Quick the best King’s goalie of all time, but I’m out of reasons why wouldn’t be. Vachon in his best day wasn’t ever this good as I recall. Quick is really something special.
The bad … Williams. What is up with him. Not playing well at all.
Penner, clearly playing confident which I’ve never really seen before in a King’s uniform. I like it … yep, I like it a lot!
Martinez. Playing extremely well … this guy is our worst defenseman? Holy cow! Love seeing Voynov get that first goal. You could see his confidence soar with that goal.
I am more proud of Doughty than I have ever been. Playing a very mature, in control game that makes things very difficult on the Blues.
King looks a bit out of place and a bit over his head. Clearly a confidence issue it seems because the skill is there.
Stoll and Lewis both playing their best hockey of the year.
The forth line still putting on pressure and not letting very many chances for the other team.
I like what I see. Kings looking very good
… now about that PP … ugh. I believe our PK has caught up to our PP in playoff goals?
[Reply]
vinny Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:08 am
@KC23, lol
[Reply]
JureEe Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:17 am
@KC23, 3:3 (SH, PP)
[Reply]
TeamJMFJ Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:19 am
@KC23, agree on all points. My only worry is our PP
[Reply]
Michael J. Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:04 am
@KC23,
Love your remark about Martinez. Give him another 100 or 150 games NHL experience and he will be solid.
[Reply]
Steve Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:05 am
@KC23, Pretty much agree:
I thought Williams played well. It was that line (and Quick) that kept us in the game early on.
PP is troubling, but they are moving the puck well. We spent one entire PP in their zone. We weren’t shooting though.
I’ve been saying Quick is the best King goalie ever since last regular season. He just hadn’t yet performed in the playoffs. Now he’s doing it in style! My picks for Kings top goalies of all time in order: Quick–>Potvin (short-timer)–>Vachon–>Storr
[Reply]
dMan Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:26 am
@Steve, Storr? Seriously? No love for Hrudey?
[Reply]
Steve Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
@dMan, I liked Hrudey. But he wasn’t great. Heck, Melrose benched him in the Calgary series.
PP Anybody? Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 11:07 am
@Steve, Quick actually played great last year against SJ. He only got burned cause the entire team decided to fall apart in front of him. Even for a super human, there was only so much he could do. This year, everything is coming together, and he is even better for it.
[Reply]
TA Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:06 am
@KC23, Good take KC, Our PP needs to improve if we are going deeper into the cup run.
Both Williams and Carter looked awful, we need them to contribute.
JQ is the MAN wow what a first 10 minutes.
I thought Mitchell was the best player on the ice besides Quickie!
[Reply]
Quick is essential, no doubt, words don’t do him justice.
However, there’s a very special chemistry developing in this team that is awesome to behold.
It’s in this transformation into a SC Contender that the Key lives.
I’ve read posts from “Eastern” fans that are now beginning to pay attention and recognize the type of quality hockey being practiced by the Kings, as wel as Quick, the phenomenon…
Kings need to stay humble and in the moment.
GkG
Cheers!
[Reply]
Kissmyblarneystones Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:13 am
@FdoFmFull,
That is the most astute post I’ve read on this blog. Quick is…. well whay can you say about him? I;ve run out of superlatives to describe him.
I was laughing at this teams futility all year, figuring them for a pack of underacheivers. I don’t know whether to be pissed off or not for all the frustration they caused me from October to March.
They appear to have found another gear!
[Reply]
How can another team create a strategy against us when they don’t know who’s going to score?
Hell, Quikie might even get one next.
[Reply]
Mars Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:15 am
@jess, We should use Quick in a shootout next year.
[Reply]
Jody Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:20 am
@Mars, We always do.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:13 am
@jess,
This much is true. WE least of all (!) know who in the heck is going to get the next goal, or be the next hero!
Could it be seredipidously then, that this is indeed the perfectly balanced hockey team???
In the playoff season so far, it has yet to be proven otherwise!!
[Reply]
Confidence!!!
Even while weathering a 1st period push, the guys never lose their Confidence. Staying in position with Confidence in each other at all times for the most part.
The Confidence they have in Quick makes them more Confident and it grows and grows!
I am starting to have more and more Confidence that the Kings can go all the way and WIN THE CUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO KINGS GO!!!! GO KINGS GO!!!! GO KINGS GO!!!!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:15 am
@King Cobra,
Cobrywood Confidential!
[Reply]
The second half of the first period – and both the 2nd and 3rd periods looked like a regular season game. The Blues looked content to grind out another 1 goal game and it cost then!
[Reply]
Penner’s toothless empty netter bank shot was friggin hilarious. Lol’s so hard I fell off my chair!
[Reply]
FdoFmFull Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:31 am
@jess, Here’s what Penner commented on his shot:
(on whether he was trying to bank in his empty-net goal…)
PENNER: “I wasn’t aiming for that part of the boards. I knew that both of the D had come over to my side, so I didn’t want to leave it in the neutral zone. We curl a lot in Manitoba, so I’ve practiced a bit. We just didn’t have the men sweeping.’’
This dude is a total riot!
Playing well and with his sense of humor, all part of what makes this mix of players click!
Go Pens! GkG!
Cheers!
[Reply]
FabKings Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:44 am
@FdoFmFull, He did have a great game AND he gives credit to us KINGS fans in his post game interview. He just seems to say the things we like hearing, the difference is now in the playoffs he’s putting up those words, and shutting up us Penner critics, I was as big a critic of him since he joined the team, now I hope he can be consistent and keep the pedal all the way down with the rest of the team.
Quick is just……WOW!!!! Maybe he was created in some lab or government facility to make the perfect goalie???
Go KINGS Go!!
[Reply]
Cry Baby Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:44 am
@FdoFmFull, Is there actually Pancake love from the Insiders? Pigs can fly!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:17 am
@Cry Baby,
Canadian Bakin’ !
jess Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 9:46 am
@FdoFmFull,
Thanks for posting that. What a gem!
[Reply]
I like all those things… but without Quick, we wouldn’t have been as strong on the PK and the second period reset wouldn’t have mattered.
[Reply]
It’s JQ but it’s so much more.
everything you dream of come playoff time..great goaltending, great PK, timely scoring, goals from anyone and everyone.
This team is playing the type of hockey we expected from them back in October. It may have taken a while to get to this point, but it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that the Kings have been playing playoff hockey since the new year. They’re built for the long haul of playoff hockey.
Go Kings!
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:22 am
@nykingfan,
These days, KINGS ‘PLAY OFF’ the MEN’S TEE !
[Reply]
Penner finally coming alive. It only took 2 playoffs and 1 regular season to get there. I think he will have to dominate the playoffs or take a pay cut next year.
[Reply]
Michael J. Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:06 am
@Steve,
More like getting out of 1 terrible relationship.
[Reply]
Remembering the game last night, reading the stories and comments today…I just can’t get enough!!
GKG!!!
[Reply]
As usual, I voted ‘Other’!
It cannot be strongly enough emphasized, the extreme contribution made by the Kings ’6th Man’, the famously flawless ‘Jamie ‘The Thriving Horse’ Kompon!
Nor the exceptional execution of the Kings ‘Other 6th Man’, the cushion-cueing, Dustin ‘Fly by the Seat of His Pancakes’ Penner!
Nor the incredibly impervious impartiality of the Kings ‘Other, Other 6th Man, the pristine-performing, Eric Furlats, and his equatorial equine furry partners, the Match Officials!
Please in future, Rich, have the wild anticipation to include these obvious options in the Key Three Polls, so that I may vote in good conscience!
Thank you.
Sincerely Yours,
DeadCertHorse, King of the King of All Sports Kingdom ~
[Reply]
I picked other. Penner was the difference.
[Reply]
Does anyone feel even though we won a series and first game of the next series, we still haven’t played our best game of the playoffs yet? That’s how I feel. I still want to see a full 60 minute complete game effort which I feel will make us unbeatable.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:33 am
@Goring 19, Agreed!
We are dominating the scoreboard without totally dominating games.
There are just enough willing participants or events falling into place at any given time, for games to be won for right now..
It’s actually quite amazing what Kings get away with at times.
As long as they don’t get away from the wonderfully effective system they’ve developed, they’re doing ok!
But is “OK” ok …. or not ok?
THAT is the Question!
[Reply]
King Cobra Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:46 am
@Goring 19, Agree with thee
[Reply]
PP Anybody? Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 11:17 am
@Goring 19, I do. I still feel like the Kings are reacting to the competition, worrying more about what they are going to do, instead of being the ones to worry about. They also seem to lack any real scoring plays down low. They seem content to play low to high, and don’t get many opportunities to score because of it. Except for the first 2 games against Vancouver, they have really gone into a scoring drought. But hey, it seems to be working for them regardless, and a win is a win, no matter how they do it, so I’ll take them any way they come!
[Reply]
First, when I was watching the first period, I stared to get really nervous. Then I realized St. Louis could not maintain that intensity the whole game. When we got out of the first period tied because of the God of Goalies and Pancakes, I knew we would win. Sure enough, St. Louis had blown their wad. It was just a matter of time at that point. In the playoffs, slow and steady wins the race.
It sounds like Hitchcock’s strategy was to overwhelm us with “reckless offense” and then close the door on the goal-starving Kings. Good idea … 2 months ago.
[Reply]
A couple more things:
Quick’s trio of saves on MacDonald in front of the net were the stuff of legend, not to mention the robbing of Crombeen. I loved it when Engblom kept saying that St. Louis had yet to face a good PK in the playoffs and that they should not rely on getting the boost on their PP that they got last series.
Finally, San Jose won the first one too. Got to keep it up.
[Reply]
pancakes for everyone
[Reply]
One thing left to say only
You want to win don’ t you?
Keep it going we have a cup to bring back to
LA!
Go Kings Go!
[Reply]
King Cobra Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 10:59 am
@Gailweb, Go Kings Go! Go Kings Go! Go Kings Go!
[Reply]
“Jonathan is really QUICK”
“He moves from side to side QUICKer than any goalie in the NHL”
“He has the QUICKest legs around”
“He is QUICKly becoming the best goalie in the playoffs”
…and that’s saying a lot!
–Paraphrased quotes from the announcers.
[Reply]
I had pancakes this morning for breakfast, thats right I said pancakes, you bet I did.
[Reply]
Duncanz Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
@TiredOfIt, Bingo!
Allthough my 3 day old, baby Dustin, choked on his!
Don’t worry, though.
He’s day by day, and expected to make a bisquick recovery.
[Reply]
Yeah Quick was HUGE but another key was just that the kings fan a way to win. they coulda had more follow through for the 6 minutes of power play time but the killer instinct is there and they found a way to win!
[Reply]