Slava Voynov made his coach grimace, then grin. In the final two minutes last night, with the Kings nursing a one-goal lead and the Phoenix Coyotes trying to get goalie Mike Smith out of the net for an extra attacker, Voynov was a one-man gang. He went behind the net to get the puck and kept it behind the goal line for approximately 30 seconds, with the Coyotes ferociously trying to get the puck away from him. In a way, it was startling to see a defenseman in that deep, rather than back at the blue line guarding against a counter-attack, but it worked. Darryl Sutter today talked about the shift, and what he was thinking as he watched from the bench.
SUTTER: “Well, when he first did it, I didn’t think it was a very wise decision. We were protecting a one-goal lead with two minutes left, and your defenseman is — not joining the rush, he is the rush. And then he’s the forecheck, too. When he first did it, I was going, `OK, coaching tool.”’
Question: But it worked out OK…
SUTTER: “Yeah.”
i was rootin the whole time
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Pili Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
Kings Fan In Temecula, It was basically orgasmic. One of the greatest efforts I’ve ever seen. He’s mentioned in the SI article about Russian players, bue context there doesn’t start to explain the effect this kid, along with Alec Martinez, has had on this team.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
@Kings Fan In Temecula,
I thought it must have created immense frustration with the Coyotes and Smith in particular to see VOYNOV all alone and being chased by four/five Coyotes around the ice. Haha.
If my team was letting one player handle the puck all alone all over the ice I would have wanted to kill my guys for not knocking him off the puck and taking over.
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JQ is better than you Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 4:06 am
@Gary Livingston, I swear I could hear him sayin “neener neener neener!” on the tv broadcast while they were chasin him around! Hilarious!
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JQ is better than you Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 4:07 am
@Gary Livingston, Btw your Not related to Steve Livingston are u?
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Gary Livingston Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
@JQ is better than you,
haha, nah, no relation.
JOEK Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
@Kings Fan In Temecula, Slava Voynov’s ability to play at this level at his young age is fantastic and he deserves a bunch of credit for the Kings success. After all, because of Voynov, we were able to get rid of/ trade Jack Johnson and get Jeff Carter. These changes created new dynamics for this team. Bringing in Nolan and King made this Kings team scouting report obsolete to all of the other teams in the league. Those old scouting reports are STALE information. This is it. We will be playing for THE STANLEY CUP. We will win.
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Have a feeling Sutter gave him a little hell…but all’s well that ends well
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Staples was going nuts when Slava played Keep-Away. One of best moments of the playoffs for us!
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Duckbasher Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
@Serenity Now,
Coaching tool or not… I loved it.
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If Rich can post a video of that, it would be great since it was critical and the Yotes were trying desperately to get the puck from Voynov. Gutsy move by the young defenseman.
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viceless Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 10:01 pm
Someone please post a video! Please? I don’t get NBC Sports and it’s not in the highlights. :’(
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Shuchuk Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
@viceless, I accidentally deleted the game from my DVR, so the only memory I have of Slava is fuzzy due to beer consumption & being caught up in the euphoria of the STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS!
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Lavamantis Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 1:53 am
@Shuchuk, When I got home from the game, I watched almost the whole thing again off the TiVo. After all the years of suffering, I can’t get enough of this. GKG!
I raise my glass in a toast. Slava!
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Shuchuk Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
@HeyChief, who owns the Chiefs? OWWNNNSSSS!
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At first i was like “what the hell is he doing, do something with the puck”…then after about 15 sec is said “wow… wonder how long hes going to keep this up”…then finally when all over i said “good job Slava…bravo”. even though it worked out i wouldnt endorse that he try it again.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:10 pm
I could only imagine how damn frusterated that made the Coyotes! This guy is a rookie…right?
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bbb7 Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, and not nearly the biggest guy who somehow is keeping it away from the entire state of Arizona by his lonesome. De4finitely frustrating, and more than a little embarrassing.
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rtana Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
@BrokeKingsFan, Indeed good job to him for keeping it in their zone. Im sure sutter probably said something to him afterwards.
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
@BrokeKingsFan,
His keep-away reminded me of Frolov
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Was it a case of recognizing that the ‘yotes expected him to pass or dump, so he did the unexpected? I’d love to see it again too.
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I thought that Voynov was trying to make up for some of the poor passes and give aways he made earlier in the game. Boy was that an exciting rush when he had 4 guys on him!
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The best defense is to play “Slava’s Puck” 200 ft. from your goal.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 9:06 pm
@Kenny44, The puck was a slave to Slava’s stickhandling!
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Anyone has the footage of Voynov play, can anyone post here?
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Totally unrelated, but have you guys seen this video? Not sure who it’s by, but it’s awesome even though it makes me fear The Kings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-rpWSeGgxE&feature=player_embedded
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vinny Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
@paige, love this video!!
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TripleNickel Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:20 pm
@vinny, Nice!
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These is just about nothing related to the Kings these days that doesn’t put a smile on my face…Slava killin’ it behind the net, and Coach (Genius) Bitter Beerface grumbling behind the bench…priceless!
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Shades of Frolov and how he could be a one-man cycle down low.
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FKA PakiFro Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
@LomitaKingsFan,
<3
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This was a great example of a player using his skill and creativity to make a play outside the system. It embodies everything TM resisted and a little bit more than Sutter encouraged. In the end though, it’s exactly these type of plays that has this team firing on all cylinders.
Jack who? SMFV
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paige Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), works for me!
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TheAcaciaStrain Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), HAHAHA yes…Love it
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billanthony Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
@Paul Armbruster (KingsNewsDaily.com), It seemed to get the crowd to fever pitch, and the Kings kicked it up a notch on the ice. They looked nine feet tall. He only has about a half NHL season experience. In the playoffs he’s a solid d-man on a team that’s putting on a defensive clinic. This play and the stretch pass to Brown in GM 1 show game breaker skills. Great talent and creativity, sky’s the limit for Voynov!
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Shuchuk Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
@billanthony, I first heard about Voynov from some pre-season blogging done by fellow Kings fans…Slava is going to be GREAT.
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I was telling my co-worker while that was going on “he’s the defenseman, he shouldn’t be doing this, and this well”
shock and awe.
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One of the highlights of the game… Slava the rover strikes again!
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@paige, cool video.
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can we see the video? i wasn’t able to see the game.
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Ok, I timed the possession and it was just on 20 seconds.
Seemed almost twice that, didn’t it?
Still, in the last 2 minutes of the hockey game, with a 1 goal lead, and the other team boedkeviously desperate to get hold of the rubber, and you have a young rookie, and a defenseman no less, keeping guard of that thing behind the goal line for such an amount of time, it’s an absolutely ginormous play to make.
Add to that the fact that VV passed it off to J Dub who proceeded to hold onto it for a further 10 seconds in the same area, and that was an incredible, incredible shutdown play!!
35 seconds burned in those circumstances with the opponent unable to snag the puck is just phenomenal talent and phenomenal hockey sense and composure by these two awesome players!!!
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vplaza Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
@Duncanz,
LOLz @ “boedkeviously”
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
@vplaza, … boedkerology!
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I think it still is a coaching tool. Slava is still a little inexperienced, and him taking it there was a bad decision. Once he got there he realized “if I lose this puck, I’m gonna be in trouble”. Since at no time during that whole sequence did any of his teammates take over the situation so that he could fall back, he was truly in alone.
Fortunately he battled not to get burned, and had the gumpsion to turn a negative into a positive, but I doubt Sutter will let it happen regularly. I doubt VV will attempt it regularly.
It sure did take Phoenix by surprise though didn’t it?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
@Dominick (defrim65),
Come on @Dom. You’re giving him no credit.
It was an expertly calculated move by a player knowing exactly what he was doing, with confidence and aplomb.
He figured if he lost the puck he could recover in satisfactory time and after all, as you indicate, others had fallen back to prevent a rush should the puck have been stripped from him.
I have no problem with that play, and I hope he wasn’t discouraged for his efforts.
As @Paul suggested, it wouldn’t have been popular, or maybe possible in prior times.
If Kings have more dimensions now to there defensive play – and that ultimately WAS a defensive play – then cool bananas … and apples, and oranges!!!
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
@Duncanz, Did you really take that as a complaint, and I gave him no credit?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
@Dominick (defrim65),
Welp, it really boils down to what it did for the size of his corswicks and his fenis, I suppose …
Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@Dominick (defrim65),
Also, if JJ did it ……. well, it goes without saying, really ……….
Osaka Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 8:47 pm
@Drunkans Being the big 0, the man obsessed with defensive obsessions, I can honestly say that play by Voynov was smart, safe, and responsible. He entered the Phoenix zone because the four players they had back were backed in the zone anticipating a dump in, they game him the blue line so he took it. He skated through them one on four so we had four players back (the right time to jump in) and they only had one guy outside of their zone. He held the puck on the right side at first so we had a King player come down the boards on that side but when he got to the top of the circle he circled back into a more defensive position since he didn’t get a pass (sort of like on PK). Voynov took the puck behind the net heading to the left side and again a King player skated in and then back into a more defensive position. The whole time we have 4 guys back. Finally Voynov does pass it off to a teammate and after a little more ragging of the puck we completed a pass back to the point as the Kings were able to hold the blue line at this time. Great read and smart play. If Voynov would have originally shot the puck in the Yotes had four players back deep in their zone to recover and start a breakout with speed since the Kings were back pass the red line on the defensive side and wouldn’t be able to close the gap.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 10:29 pm
@0 sake, Nice progressive thinking … like me, of course!
Pili Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
@Dominick (defrim65), That’s a perfect take of the play,. The timing is what was exquisite.
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
@Pili, If the Kings are looking for offense, that is the right play by him, DD, or even Mitchell.
With 2 minutes to go, no support, and protecting a 1 goal lead…….I’m just glad it did work out.
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Pili Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@Dominick (defrim65), The thing was, I think everybody knew that at least on of the forwards had dropped back to a defensive position. Slava’s tenacity was truly inspiring. I was in my living room, alone, out of my seat.
Osaka Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 7:49 pm
@Dominick (defrim65), No support? Everyone was back so it wasn’t a dangerous play. He entered the zone one against four, that means the Yotes have one player across their blue line and the Kings have four guys covering him. It was a good read and a smart play.
jess Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
@Dominick (defrim65),
Yeah, he’s too small to be effective.
We need someone with a horrible plus minus rating to replace him right?
-Like maybe Jack Johnson? Now that would be the winning call.
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 2:40 am
I’ve died and gone to troll heaven here.
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Santa Claus Jackson Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 10:40 am
@Dominick (defrim65), HA!!!
jess Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 11:40 am
@Dominick (defrim65),
With all do respect, that’s not trolling. But here is a fine example:
http://lakingsinsider.com/2012/02/01/doughty-postgame-quotes-feb-1/#comments
That was one of the most badass things I have ever seen. Don’t care if it was unwise, it was ballsy as hell.
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“We went behind the net to get the puck and kept it behind the goal line for approximately 30 seconds, with the Coyotes ferociously trying to get the puck away from him.”
Rich, this Freudian slip indicates that deep down inside you’re actually a Kings fan.
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Rich Hammond Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Or that I hit W instead of H…
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Is that like Coach Tippett hitting the “embellishment” button instead of the “But you know, you give LA credit” button, yesterday …. or completely not like that at all?
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SLIM Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
@Rich Hammond,
C’mon Rich….
Those buttons are nowhere near each other!
Rumor has it you jumped up when the Kings scored last night..
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Gcheng Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 11:43 pm
@SLIM,
Good one. We need some paparazzi to film rich during games
No doubt it was a horrid decision on Voynov’s part, but it was the highlight of the game in my mind. The crowd cheering became a roar as he single handedly kept the puck away from several Phoenix players.
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Dominick (defrim65) Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
@KC23, Agreed.
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Pili Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
@KC23, Amen.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
@KC23, Opposite!
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Osaka Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 8:08 pm
@KC23, I just watched the play twice on NHL Game Center and being very defensive minded myself I can honestly say the was a very safe play and a very smart decision. Voynov skated the puck in because the Phoenix players were backed into their zone and didn’t try to stand him up at the blue line. He then proceeded to skate the puck in deep one against four. That means there was only one Yote player outside of their zone and four King players back covering. If he would have just dumped the puck in Phoenix has four guys back to break out of their own zone with speed.
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41+ hours until game time and it is becoming challenging to develop meaningful series narratives. Can anyone suggest worthwhile topics for discussion?
The Colin Fraser Mystery?
Where is Phillip Amstutz?
Who is Dustin Penner’s ex-wife dating?
When the Kings are still playing and the Clippers and Lakers aren’t will the Staples ice improve?
Do the Kings have the same roommates at the Marriott as on the road?
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Kings Fan In Temecula Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
@JackKent Cooke, the world may never know…
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
What color are Darryl Sutter’s pajamas?
Does Quickie get his own bed on the road as well as at home on the road?
Who leaves the crappiest tip and who leaves the nost exorbitant one at the JW Marriott?
What style are Darryl Sutter’s pajamas?
Does Gagne still have North American citizenship?
Does Dustin Penner’s ex wife know the bar where Mike Richards & Jeff Carter hang out?
Are Rich Hammond and Juraj Mikus one and the same?
Are Munters units simply non-functional accessories to hotel buildings, installed by opposing team’s blogs just to conspiratorially mess up our team’s blog?
What if Ilya Kovalchuk had found the bar where Dustin Penner’s ex wife likes to hang out while he was here?
What design are Darryl Sutter’s pajamas?
That should do it. Did I miss any?
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JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
@Duncanz,
Is there a Darryl Sutter Channel?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
Was Drew Doughty unfairly pilloried for simply studying Bubba Watson’s 12-6 swing on the Golf Channel between periods in a hockey game?
JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
A simple Coaching Tool quite honestly.
JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
@Duncanz,
Why do adult athletes making millions of dollars have to have a roommate when the team is traveling? Are there exceptions? Hard to imagine that Barry Bonds has a roommate.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
Maybe it’s his pharmacist?
plywood Reply:
May 19th, 2012 at 10:43 am
@JackKent Cooke, You forget–EVERYBODY hates Barry Bonds. No chance for a roommate.
JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
@Duncanz,
Do members of the press traveling with the team share rooms. Does Bob Miller snore?
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
I would estimate 5 to a room.
Helene Elliott meanwhile gets her own, although it adjoins the Kings room so that she and Rich may hurriedly organize joint interviews when AEG celebrities, etc are flitting through the establishment …
EternalOptimist Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
@JackKent Cooke, To embellish or not to embellish, what would Shakespeare think?
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JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@EternalOptimist,
Shakes would probably know better…
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
…. or simply plagiarize Rich’s stuff, and filch his immortality from right under his very well formed nose.
SLIM Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
Wa Alyssa Milano wearing a bra?
JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 10:49 pm
@EternalOptimist,
Didn’t see any cleavage. However, in Phoenix, the damsel sitting directly behind Dave Tippitt had ample endowment.
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Jon G Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
@JackKent Cooke, Which celebrity will be pictured in the stands on Sunday, thereby proving to the nation that hockey is now relevant in LA?
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The last question is mine as well.
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I said it in a prior thread – Voynov’s play was a think of beauty. Maybe it was a bad decision – but who cares? Joe Montana made a bad decision when he threw the ball up for grabs, even though Dwight Clark somehow came down with it….It is the result, not the planning, that matters.
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rick Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:16 pm
@rick, “think” should be “thing”. The “think” part was actually a little ugly…
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Anybody know if Voynov’s play is on YouTube? I wanna see it!
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:27 pm
@Ivan, Why don’t you “Yougle” it?
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I think the play just showed a player brimming with confidence in his own game and his teammates… When a team is going this good a little improvisation is not going to hurt even if the timing was a little odd
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JackKent Cooke Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:34 pm
@EternalOptimist,
(On Voynov’s play)
SUTTER: “He was using all 200 Ft. If you weren’t supposed to do that, they could have mane the rinks 150 Ft. quite honestly.”
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
@JackKent Cooke,
SUTTER: “I was going, ‘OK, coaching tool’. But I meant a coaching tool for me, not a coaching tool for him … Right?”
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Voynov obviously saw a something like this video: Lessons all Russian Hockey Players Know: Kovalev on Puck Protection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AxKc2ZxN1k
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 5:58 pm
@vicarious,
Nice find. I can see why your name is @vicarious.
Interesting to see the original ‘Kovi’ – and the original ‘AK’, actually – leaving Schlemkov in a heap on the ice.
That’s what VMFV’s talking pidgin about!
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EternalOptimist Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
@vicarious, ah, the player that once had a 5 min shift when Keenan was still coaching the rangers. A reporter asked why he was out that long, he responded that he thought the coach was rewarding him fo his outstanding player… Hilarious!
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Hа здоровье! Slava!
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D Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
@Cav Pilot, слава богу!
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The best defense is a good offense! The Kings might want to convert Slava into a forward next year with that kind of offensive talent. I can’t recall any single handed effort like that since Jagr in the 92 Finals. I would have loved to have seen Bobby Orr in his prime skating and shredding a defense like that.
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One of my favorite moments during last nights game, along with Doughty taking Doan down. Even after he fell, he still maintained possession of the puck and kept Smith in the crease for a bit longer.
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A play of passion, skill and confidence. A very talented player whom you don’t want to stifle. It’s true that Sutter is a good coach for him, and for all the others in fact. I think he recognizes the rarity and value of an inspired player doing something inspirational. It’s plays like that that turn dreams into reality.
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Duncanz Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 11:36 pm
@Bones, Sweet!
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That play was smart ..(no) wise(!!!) ,wonderful performance by young D ..with bright future.Also ,I am a fun of this game ,because of moments like this.
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Mr. Hammond,
Like the others who would like video of it – it’s unfortunate that no video of it was posted yet. Would be a nice thing for the fans here… Just advocating for the video to complete a good story and seal the compliment to Slava.
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Rich Hammond Reply:
May 18th, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Yes, I understand, but I’m not a video editor, and I’m not in charge of people who edit and distribute videos. Your point is very well taken, but I’m not deliberately withholding something that exists and is accessible. Perhaps the KingsVision people will be able to help. I will check.
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@Rich Hammond, If you were as good at video editing as you are at blog editing – lookout world.
Your coverage has really taken it to the next level this year. Seems everyone is hitting on all cylinders. The players deserve all the compliments they can get now. They are really putting it all together [finally] and not giving up even on the smallest details. It is exhilarating/amazing to watch and it’s a little bit of hockey history in the works. The players doing the “small” things right and deserve their little video piece [not just the big salacious hits and amazing goals] – might make a good montage [hint hint]. 
Might make a good Kings Vision RAW piece??
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don´t know, if anyone posted it yet, but here it is anyway
starts at 6:55
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBcwuQYHOQM&feature=endscreen
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To use one of Sutters favorite words, that moment was just “awesome”.
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Absolutely the highlight of the game for me… I marveled at both his skill down low, and at Brownie standing stationery by the point. Killer. Totally put into perspective why this team is where they are at coming into today’s game…
That and THANK GOD JWTFMFJ is a Columbus Blue Jacket!
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