Anze Kopitar is certainly having more fun in the playoffs this year than he did last year. Twelve months ago, Kopitar was on crutches, recovering from surgery necessitated by a devastating late-season leg injury. Now, Kopitar is a major cog behind the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup Finals. He has recorded at least one point in 12 of the Kings’ 15 playoff games, and with his overtime goal in Game 1 against New Jersey, Kopitar pulled into a tie with linemate Dustin Brown for the team lead in goals (seven) and points (16) in this postseason. True to his nature, when asked about his playoff run, Kopitar deflected the praise…
KOPITAR: “I think our line has been pretty productive throughout this whole playoffs. With Dustin and Justin (Williams) on the wings, they’ve been playing some good hockey, and that certainly helps.’’
That left captain Brown and alternate captain Matt Greene to speak for Kopitar’s game, and not just his offense…
BROWN: “He’s always been a big part of this team. Obviously he gets a big goal for us (in Game 1). That’s what you want your best players to do, is to find ways to win you games, and he did that. The flip side of that is his defensive game. He and Ricky [Mike Richards], they’ve been able to shut down top teams’ lines.’’
GREENE: “He’s awesome. He’s got a lot of skill. He’s been working hard. He’s been clutch for us. When he gets chances, he’s been making them really count, and he did that last night for us.’’
Darryl Sutter was asked about what he knew about Kopitar’s game when he took over the Kings in mid-December. Sutter sometimes give short, curt answers to similar questions — he is regularly asked about Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick in the same vein — but Sutter gave a fairly in-depth answer about Kopitar and his development.
SUTTER: “He plays lots of minutes, plays lots of situations, takes faceoffs. (It) doesn’t bother what style is going on, he can handle it. I think the big thing I tried to impress upon him was just being consistent. It’s no different than any other young player. Obviously he’s getting to play in the playoffs, which is something he’d only done six games before in his career. So obviously if you ask him, that’s probably the biggest (thing) ‑‑ what he would say, is getting to play longer in the playoffs.’’
Just 3 more wins
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tornado12 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:06 pm
@shawn in arizona, if they go .500 over the next 6 games, the LA Kings will be Stanley Cup Champs!
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:30 pm
@tornado12,
All of a sudden the rest of the season doesn’t look like such a tall order, does it?
Don’t tell that to Coach Darry, though! Right?
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tornado12 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:34 pm
@Duncanz, exactly! Coach D is playing it just right. now if only i can get a game 4 ticket for less than the ebay price of my right kidney….
deepsea_drumz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:58 pm
@Duncanz, I would really like to hear a “Sutterism” regarding your comment. It would be a classic reply…Probably not more than about 7 or 8 words with the word, “right” and a question mark and the end of the sentence.
Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 8:44 pm
@deepsea_drumz,
“Tall orders, short orders … cooking’s not done, right?”
With the exception of maybe Datsyuk, I dont know if their is a better 2 way forward in the game today. Also, when I watch him play this time around in the playoffs, it makes me wonder if we would have beaten San Jose last year with him in the lineup.
My own personal opinion? I think we would have beaten the Sharks because Kopi would have made Joe Thortons life miserable.
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:31 pm
@puck73, for some reason, until the Kings beat the sharks in the regular season series or a PO, i’ll always relate it to 2 brothers in a fight. The older one won for many years. Even when the younger one was bigger, more powerful, the older one still won some fights because of the experience and lack of confidence of the younger in winning the scrap. That’s where I feel we are in relation to the sharks right now. We have all the weapons, greater skill, etc. but for some reason we haven’t turned that mental corner yet. I’m very hopeful next year the Kings will learn and believe that it’s their turn to own the Pacific for years to come. Those 2 losses at the end of the season, I thought those 2 games were going to be the ones to instill that confidence in our team that they can and should beat the sharks at any given time!
GKG
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puck73 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:37 pm
@Stuart, Also, Jeff Carter did not play in those 2 games. Just sayin
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:49 pm
@puck73, also, Jeff Carter didn’t play in the last playoff series in which we lost, even had we had Kopi. just sayin.
KingsATX Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@puck73, Jeff Carter doesn’t play in a lot of the games he does play – just saying. While Kopi & Brown are sitting at +14, Carter (+1) is struggling to stay above zero – just saying. I guess we can all hope for another blue moon to come around for him again.
Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:13 pm
@KingsATX, but what he doesn’t do on the score sheet is allow the proper slotment of the rest of the players… I agree with you that it would be nice for him to score more, but what his presence has done is well appreciated by myself and others.
rogiesbackup Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:56 pm
@Stuart, Those two games I felt, made the kings realize they can now go head to head against the sharks. With the cup finals now, I think the Kings have figured out how to play with focus and control under pressure. To me focus and control/pressure = GRIT!
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:11 pm
@rogiesbackup, and it can’t be denied that Kopi looks very comfortable playing a physical game now too. That will stay with him forever now. I’ve always preached about the experience that playoff hockey brings, and how winning any given series works as a doubling agent for that experience. Kopi and the rest of the line-up now knows what it takes to win in this league and to beat the best in this league, and to BE the best in this league!
Weasel Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 2:26 pm
@Stuart,
Lol – my dad did that to me when i was 17. i was bigger faster and in better shape — but he did a tasmanian devil thing and dropped me in the kitched — what a shocker — funny now though
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:11 pm
@Weasel, dude, those 2 lines right there were hilarious!!! never underestimate the willyness of the old man! LMAO
Pie Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:52 pm
@Weasel, age and treachery will win out every time over youth and skill
deepsea_drumz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:45 pm
@Stuart, I think the Kings will emerge next season a threat not only to San Jose, but Vancouver, Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis. They have an identity now. It’s their time. I believe the “old Kings” are a fading memory. This new corps of players are the result of a long building process that is now budding. I’m going to enjoy the ride for the next 6 years.
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:45 pm
@Stuart, I think the Kings will emerge next season a threat not only to San Jose, but Vancouver, Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis. They have an identity now. It’s their time. I believe the “old Kings” are a fading memory. This new corps of players are the result of a long building process that is now budding. I’m going to enjoy the ride for the next 6 years.
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King Alex Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:43 pm
@puck73, We certainly missed Kopi’s defense last year against the Sharks & with him in the line-up, I think we would have beaten them. It was a wild 6 game series without him. This is why I really like our chances to win it all this year. Our core is hungey and have paid some dues.
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rogiesbackup Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:57 pm
@King Alex, Don’t forget the mere presence of Kopi on the line up forces the other team to do some adjustments.
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:09 pm
@rogiesbackup, I don’t think anybody was adjusting to face Kopi. play your top stopper-forwards/D pairings against our first line and that was that. I think TM’s inability to make asjustments was what stalled out team and would’ve stalled our team last playoffs even with a healthy Kopi… just MO though.
RobSD Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 2:42 pm
@rogiesbackup,
There were many issues with TM. He wasn’t a motivator. He never used his time outs appropriately. He sat a goalie with 3 shutouts in a row. He deserved to be fired right after that happened.
Naturallawyer Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:47 pm
@puck73, The Kings’ first line center in that Sharks series is the Kings’ third line center this year. That says a ton about the differences between last year’s team and this year’s team. Last year’s team would’ve been a lot better with Kopi and might have squeaked out the series against the Sharks, but that team (under TM) can’t even touch the current Kings team under Sutter.
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 2:32 pm
@Naturallawyer,
Given that well observed comparison, what Terry Murray achieved with a much less apt core of players (injuries taken into account, also) was nothing short of miraculous.
GTMG & Go Upgraded Version of the Kings Go !!!!!!!!
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:52 pm
@Duncanz, Strongly agree. The building process seems to have taken forever, with (IMHO) not much support from the owner. They have taken a core of young players and laid a great defensive foundation (Terry Murray) and coupled with the ability of Quick and Bernier too, have developed into a strong threat to the other teams in the Western Conf. Now we’re seeing the results at just the right time. Other teams will not look forward to playing against L.A. next season. As long as they can keep as many of these players together may be the challenge in the future.
Kenny44 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:43 pm
@Duncanz, But can you imagine the Kings’ pucker factor in Game 1 if TM was still at the helm? (Just assume for this post he could have got them there). I mean, you remember those excruciating deer in the headlight games, don’t you?
Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 8:38 pm
@Terry44,
Oh yeah.
But my comment stands.
The Kings were even more blue collar then, but TM did what he did with a lot less shiny tools in his toolbox.
deepsea_drumz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:58 pm
@puck73, Joe Who? Nyuk…nyuk…nyuk….
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We have been this close to the cup once before.
Seal the deal this time!!!!!!
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deepsea_drumz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 4:54 pm
@Munchrat, After tomorrow night, The Devils will be mentally beaten. The Devils will come out strong, but the Kings will answer them. L.A. by two goals….no empty netters. Power Play will click.
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Then there’s also this from Brown
“He goes unnoticed,” said Kings captain Dustin Brown, his other linemate. “He kind of likes it that way. I think it also helps him on the ice. Kopi draws the most attention of anybody on our team.”
“And maybe I draw some attention,” he said. “Maybe not a threat-to-score standpoint. But I want-to-kill-you standpoint.”
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-kings-justin-williams-20120601,0,3404567.story
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Mudfish4 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:34 pm
@QueenInVan, “But I want to kill you standpoint”. That’s hilarious that he said that…so awesome. Has to be one of the best quotes of the season.
Williams is amazing. Dude can stickhandle in a phone booth. Amazing how we can make that extra move to escape with the puck instead of just chipping it away or up off the glass. Makes a lot of plays that way. So glad we have him!
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ziggyfan Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:46 pm
@Mudfish4, I just love, love these guys. So happy we are experiencing this with this team. I hope they all stay with the team for a long, long time and we win more playoff games in the future and possibly the cup. DS answered “what dynasty?” when asked but, I say It is the beginning of the one.
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RobSD Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:22 pm
@ziggyfan,
It was destiny… not dynasty.
Real 7 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:47 pm
@QueenInVan, nice article, and a well deserved tribute to JW….
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Here are my canditates for LA SMYTHE
to me so far…
1 KOPI
2 QUICK
3 BROWN
4 DREW
Will change as we get closer to game 4 or more…
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Donald_S Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:41 pm
@Sammuch,
The interesting thing is, they are all Kings players who came up through the system. And with the exception of Quick, are signed for several more years.
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Kingstane9 Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 3:54 am
@Donald_S, Kings dynasty? Love it!
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Shotongoal Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:53 pm
@Sammuch, The Kings have had the best goaltender best center best power forward and best d-man in the playoffs, I guess that would explain the 13-2 record so far.
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DS gets the most out of every player….from the 5th line(scratches) to the stars!
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2hitnik Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:45 pm
@neil, Egg on my face!!! I was soooooooo against his hiring. But, I guess I am glad to be proven wrong. LGK!
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Clutch Kopi delivers the Cargo!
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Deke'r Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@Duncanz, …..where’s paddlefoot?…..
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 2:28 pm
@Deke’r, Spinner!
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Does anyone know where to find the scouting reports on dustin brown and kopitar the year they were drafted. I had the hockey news draft edisons for those years where the top 50 players are given a quick evaluation but I lost em when I moved. Any help would be appreciated. Go Kings Go
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Bluecoconuts Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:59 pm
@spk15, Nope, but I did see this:
“I still think the Flyers should have taken him instead of Jeff Carter.
I think Brown was a top 10 pick IMO, but went a little later.
His success doesn’t surprise me at all.”
After news of him working hard in training camp back in 03.
Only thing I was able to find on Brown, not really a scouting report…
And I found this on Kopitar (vs Brule on who to take)
http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/showthread.php?t=251875
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SLIM Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:05 pm
@Bluecoconuts,
Really funny how things work out….
People saying Brule was the real deal….
Well, he did become friends with Bono…
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Kenny44 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:36 pm
@SLIM, Brule just glad he found someone shorter than him to hang with.
RobSD Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:29 pm
@Bluecoconuts,
Those pro blogger scouts were wrong???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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JureEe Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:40 pm
@spk15, i found few links for Kopitar…
i think you think about this:
http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/draft-pick.cgi?2005
http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/draft-team.cgi?LA&DraftID=10#4984
and kings scouting:
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KINGS+DRAFT+DAY%3A+MORE+OFFENSE+IS+KINGS‘+GOAL+HIGH+HOPES+FOR…-a0134703547
i hope this help..
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JureEe Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:43 pm
@JureEe, man.. last link is this one..
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KINGS+DRAFT+DAY%3A+MORE+OFFENSE+IS+KINGS‘+GOAL+HIGH+HOPES+FOR…-a0134703547 (this is whole link.. i dont know select and copy&paste manually..)
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JureEe Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:44 pm
@JureEe, http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KINGS+DRAFT+DAY%3A+MORE+OFFENSE+IS+KINGS+GOAL+HIGH+HOPES+FOR…-a0134703547 works now? few editing..sorry for double post if link dont work.. please delete it..
RobSD Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:40 pm
@JureEe,
Did Kopi choose number 11 because that was his draft number? Or has he always worn 11?
spk15 Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 7:08 am
@JureEe, thank you very much exactly what I was looking for. Very much appreciated. GKG!
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right?
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LA_1968 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:55 pm
@zdfun, That’s a fact.
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What is Kopi’s percentage on breakaways in this postseason? It’s got to be unreal. Even the one he missed at Vancouver, Brown cleaned that up in a hurry. Yes, CLUTCH.
Without clutch play we’d be watching other teams playing right now as usual. JUNE HOCKEY BABY! Yaah!
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 12:57 pm
@LA_1968, that the kings are playing when my calendar reads June 1, 2012… that’s…in…CREDIBLE!!!
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This is the level we always knew Kopi could play at. It’s great to see him getting recognition around the league for being the amazing player that he is. 1 down, 3 to go.
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Lake Forest Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:50 pm
@tallboy, when he’s on, he’s on. However like Sutter said and we have many times – his biggest problem his is lack of consistency!
GO KO-PI-DOOR- GO
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tallboy Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:33 pm
@Lake Forest, Yeah, but if he can keep this level up for another week or so I’ll be a happy man.
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Kingstane9 Reply:
June 2nd, 2012 at 4:04 am
@Lake Forest, was his problem, if we can even ever say that for a five year top scoring Kings player. Not the problem in this PO’s though.. To me he was pretty consistent before as well, he’s just getting better as the years goes by and consistency is one of the area to do that.
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I wonder who has a better breakaway success rate, Kopi or Butch Goring. Be interesting to find out.
Also, I hope the Kings protect Doughty tomorrow. I know the Devs gonna try and take him away from the game/or his game since he is guarding Kovalchuck who they felt was guarded too well.
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:20 pm
@rogiesbackup,
If I were an opposition Coach, I would target DD too.
As well as being a key D piece, he is a top line special teams player.
Moreover, he is still reactionary at times and prone to retaliation.
You can draw big penalties at crucial times from guys like him.
In years to come, he’ll handle himself better, though.
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Lake Forest Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:51 pm
@Duncanz, Yotes targeted him also. He’s been really good (aside from his outburst) on controlling that!
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 2:03 pm
@Lake Forest, You just said it. Prone to outburst.
Maybe we won’t see the worst of his personality this season.
But NEXT season??
However this campaign ends up, I really hope DL has a good sports psych on hand on the team for 2012/13, esp for the young players.
This would be a key hire for the club!
RobSD Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:32 pm
@Lake Forest,
That outburst was pretty bad but that penalty was even worse. To call in overtime? They were handing the game to the Coyotes. That is why it was so funny how mad the Cryotes were after the game.
Kenny44 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:35 pm
@Lake Forest, Nuks did, too, but Doughty was able to keep making plays and protect himself. That’s been the most impressive thing about him these playoffs.
His outburst wasn’t about getting hit, it was about bogus penalties and offsides calls against him.
Kopitar’s style resembles Evgeni Malkin. Wonder if Kings can try to get Malkin on this team in the near future. LOL…..a guy can dream, can’t he? If we win the stanley cup might not be too hard.
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:13 pm
@rogiesbackup,
With or without ‘The Kid’ in desperate injury worries, Pens would be crazy to ever let EM leave.
If Sid does go down, he will be the Franchise!
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cromartee Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:27 pm
@rogiesbackup,
Malkin is a player but he’s got the Shane Doan loser personality thing down.
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goldielocks Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:41 pm
@rogiesbackup,
I believe if there is any players who can beat Quick flat out, it would be Malkin cause he can lift the puck right in front of goalie’s pad to top shelf with going down on one knee and parallel stick on the ice surface technic.
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Kenny44 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:33 pm
@rogiesbackup, That’s what a lot of us have said (me and @Osaka, for two: we see it in Kopi, and sometimes we wish he’d just take over the game for a shift like Malkin.
The counter-argument is that Malkin is able to do that – just take the puck in the offensive zone and just keep working until he scores – because he spends little energy on anything else and doesn’t care about defensive responsibilities or stayin high as the third man, etc.
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I am currently at the Short Hills Mall near the team hotel wearing a Doughty short hoping to potentially run into a flock of Kings. Probablility: low. But as Gretz said you won’t ever score on shots you don’t take.
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Shakes Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:07 pm
@Shakes, Short=shirt
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:10 pm
@Shakes,
… the ‘Shirt Hills Mall’, then?
What a silly name …
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elijah Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@Duncanz, +1
cromartee Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:30 pm
@Shakes,
If there’s a Short Skirt Hills Mall then I’m on it.
I haven’t gotten my Kings tshirt out in awhile but I know I look *good* in it.
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Kenny44 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:29 pm
@cromartee, Short Skirt Heels Mall is even better, but that’s in SoCal, not Jersey.
LA_1968 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:16 pm
@Shakes, Way to carry the flag in enemy territory.
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Belexes Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:26 pm
@Shakes,
“It’s easier to go down a hill than up it but the view is much better at the top.”
Bennet, Arnold
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:52 pm
@Belexes,
“I prefer Notting Hill to Capitol Hill”
Benedict Arnold ~
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Rich, did you give Coach Sutter a double espresso this morning? That was a speech…
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off topic, tim thomas, what is up with that guy now? taking a year off? is he joining an obama resistance and needs to get off the grid?
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:26 pm
@elijah, won’t be long until he’s remembered as a flash in the pan…
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:32 pm
@Stuart,
A SC Ring-wearing fitp, albeit …
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Stuart Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 2:10 pm
@Duncanz, hockey gods know there’s been plenty of those.
Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 3:13 pm
@Stu’,
Show me one … in fact,
Show me the pinky!
Kenny44 Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 5:28 pm
@Stuart,
Instant response from Tim Thomas:
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you because I have a Vezina Trophy resting on each of my shoulders.
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It is interesting to see how DS is depending on who the interviewer is. There is clearly a different DS when he respects who is on the other end of the mic.
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Duncanz Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:47 pm
@KC23,
That’s a fact!
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cromartee Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 1:51 pm
@KC23,
Yes the difference is night (one word) and day (two words)
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Go Kings Go!
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Mr. Kopitar is the engine that drives the “O” – not quite Jean Beliveau, not quite Datsyuk (yet). But – perhaps good enough for one Mr. Stanley…
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When we the cup, my choices for Conn Smythe (in order of preference)
Brown
Kopi
Quick
Doughty
Such strong performances fom these 4 and the consistency of the entire D (Voynov has been better than Johnson) and Guys like Penner and King being great and then when Richards and Carter are on ….
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Shuchuk Reply:
June 1st, 2012 at 6:17 pm
@krash324, Brown was INSANE during the first 2 rounds. he has been strong the entire playoffs, but I’d bump Kopitar and Quick above him. I love that on any given night SOMEBODY will step up. I’d love to see Carter and Richards get in a groove and play lights out consistently. Brown’s hit on Parise was AWESOME.
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Kopitar’s GWG in OT was AWESOME. I’d put it right up there with Gibson’s Walkoff HR. Kopitar has been a freaking highlight reel this entire post-season. GO KINGS!
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