Justin Williams
(on his reflections on Game 4…)
WILLIAMS: “Elimination games, I don’t know, the teams you play against are there for a reason. It’s not supposed to be a sweep all the time. You’re not supposed to win every game. That’s when their character comes out, when their backs are against the wall. They played a great game, battled hard. We just didn’t quite have enough.”
(on the Game 4 positives for the Kings…)
WILLIAMS: “Well, what I liked is our power play moved around pretty good. We had ample opportunities to score and get ourselves a lead. We weren’t able to do it. The power play’s going well. On the other side of it, I don’t think we were as good as we could be in the neutral zone, defending the rush. We’re going to get better at those.”
(on whether it helps to be already comfortable with Prudential Center…)
WILLIAMS: “I don’t think so. I think we just play every road game the way we have throughout the season here, throughout the playoffs. We just don’t let any distractions bother us. We go in, we play our game. We know the Prudential Center’s going to be rocking, just like when we had to go back to Phoenix and play Game 5, go back to Vancouver and play Game 5. The arenas are going to be rocking and we’ll have to be ready for them.”
I thought Gagne looked better last game and predict he nets one (if he plays). I think he could help our PP out as well. Close it out tomorrow and own the record for most road wins in a single playoffs. GKG!
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CB14 Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
@Sean, And who currently holds that record for most road wins in a playoff season? The New Jersey Devils. Seems fitting for the Kings to take that record, and the cup, from the Devils all at the same time.
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Sean Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
@CB14,
I agree 100%.
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M.T. Netter Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 6:36 am
@Sean, to be fair, the Kings already are tied for the record…but yeah, it would be awesome to win on the road one last time and set a new record outright. let’s go boys, make it a happy flight home!
We know for a fact that the Kings will fly home on Sunday morning.
Now let’s make sure there’s an extra piece of baggage on that plane — something silver and shiny…..
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CB14 Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
@HockeyNerd, A silver dollar?
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HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
@CB14, Bigger.
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CB14 Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
@HockeyNerd, A silver slugger award?
HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:04 pm
@CB14, No.
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CB14 Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
@HockeyNerd, Silver Stiletto sandals?
http://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/79/343/L14194968.jpg
rumpa#19 Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
@HockeyNerd, Silver Bullets !!
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HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
@rumpa#19, Wouldn’t get by Quick in game 5 either….
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grega11 Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 5:23 am
@HockeyNerd, nice one:)
HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
@HockeyNerd, They can wear any shoes they want — as long as that other silver piece of baggage is engraved with THEIR names….
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Duncanz Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 9:14 pm
@HockeyNoid,
“Silver baggage” ?
AHHHH, Craig Button!!
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HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
@Duncanz, Now there’s someone who’d look good in those shoes….
Kevco Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 8:15 am
@HockeyNerd, Will they have to pay the extra baggage fee? Hopefully Peggy can raise their credit limit.
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Go Kings!!
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I like the fact that we’re on the road again. I think the team feels really comfortable playing on the road, not because of their record but they know that they have to win on the road to win the cup. That has been branded into them and all the comments reflect that.
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Look at Penner, now Look at Brown, look at Penner again… that is a beard, now look at Brown… he needs to shave, win on Saturday and Brown shaves on the plane and Penner’s next contract with the kings (if it is) will require him to wear that beard!
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Deke'r Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 8:10 pm
@DEH, ….he was gettin after it last game….go get em Grizzly Penner…
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M.T. Netter Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 6:38 am
@Deke’r, Brown should go with long chop sideburns and a dirty mustache. hack the rest of the fuzz off. GO KINGS!
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Bettmann: Have you decided what you want to go with today?
LA KINGS INSIDER: Hey baby I want that CUP! Hey baby I really want that STANLEY CUP, WOO!!!
Kings Fan: Yeah, uh, that’s my confidence. It’s been coming out of me ever since I went on LAKINGSINSIDER.com. I compared the league side-by-side, and uh, the cup will be great.
LA KINGS INSIDER: Woooo! Yeah baby, let’s get that cup and Go!!!.
Bettiman: I’ll get the Cup.
LA KINGS INSIDER: Hey baby, I want that cup. Hey baby, I really want that cup. Let’s get that cup, WOOOOO! Yeah baby let’s get that cup and GO!!!.
KINGS FAN: WOO!!!!
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HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
@Diego, Bettman: What’s a cup?
Fan: That big shiny thing you give to the winner of the Stanley cup playoffs.
Bettman: What are the Stanley Cup playoffs? I don’t see them on any major TV station.
Fan: That’s because you didn’t negotiate a proper deal.
Bettman: oh, you mean the strike. We’re playing now…..
Fan: No, I mean the Stanley Cup playoffs. The ones that the Kings are about to win.
Bettman: How can the Kings be about to win them. We OWN Phoenix, and besides there’s the all video in Toronto goes against LA rule, the Clowe it’s not cheating if 4 officials see it rule and the it’s OK to slash people as long as you accuse Dustin Brown of a dirty hit rule.
Fan; Just go get the cup. It’s that silver thing there. And while you’re up, go get that Conn Smythe Trophy. It goes to Quick, the best Goaltender in the playoffs.
Bettman: why wouldn’t it go to Mike Smith. Oh, sorry, my bad. You are correct. Smith gets the Lady Byng….
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Diego Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
@HockeyNerd,
That’s much more closer to the truth, well done.
GKG
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Justin Williams is arguably the most likable King of the modern day!
He is a hardworking, inspirational glue guy on the ice and his teammates must absolutely LOVE playing with this key guy, night-to-night!
He has tallied over 500 regular and post-season NHL points, and is a career +73, including +35 for the Kings.
On many other teams, he might be an ‘A’, or even a ‘C’!
Off the ice, he is respectable and extremely personable around the public, almost “obedient” in his subjection to the wishes of the fans, ie for autographs and photos, for those that have observed him after practices and things.
On top of that, he gives the most effort towards being open and informative in interviews, unlike the standard shutdown style most players and coaches employ. Only Strollsy and Mitch come close for intelligent and worthy answers.
Justin Williams is an invaluable performer and ambassador for this organization.
He is rarely recognized when suggestions are flying for players that should “remain LA Kings forever”, but if anybody ought to it is J Dub!!!
Just watch! He will represent this hockey club with aplomb for many years to come.
Any other eventuality would be a crime!
I have all the confidence in Prof Dean Lombardi that he is only too aware of the immense value of this man.
~ Justin Williams #14, Los Angeles Kings hero ~
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HockeyNerd Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
@Duncanz, You are correct.
Watch the Kopitar goal again from game 1. What a highlight reel goal, and yes a great deke by Kopi, but that no look pass from JW to set him up……
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Duncanz Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
@HockeyNerd,
Yeah!!
And that is just one of the brilliant, dynamic, sweeping goals that he has been involved in during this historic post season.
His goal in Game 3 was a wonderful combination of speed, skill, vision and effort!
Other goals he’s been involved in have been sublime, also.
What a potent first line our’s has become.
And J Dub is equally to thank for this!
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Hackwoods Reply:
June 7th, 2012 at 11:59 pm
@Duncanz, I concur. JW is 30 years old or so, and is signed for 3 more seasons, so I think that pretty much covers him as a King for life…hockey career that is. DL saw what you saw and inked him to a 4 year extension late last season.
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Duncanz Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 12:58 am
@Hackwoods,
You know, what I was getting at is that I’d like him to stay on at the club in a role such as Luc’s (Pres of Business Operations) after he moved up, or even something nearer the ice.
I feel he’s a keen mind and a very balanced, down-to-earth individual, maybe in the mold of a Bernie Nicholls or something.
I wonder if others have such an impression of J Dub …
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T-Bone Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 3:52 am
@Duncanz, G
I lived near Raleigh in ’05-’06 and went to a ton of Hurricanes games during their Stanley Cup season, and by far my most favorite player was Justin Williams. I was impressed with him immediately, during the preseason games. Probably the most incredible memory I’ll ever have as a hockey fan is being in the RBC Center for Game 7 of the ’06 Cup Final, and watching Justin streak down the far boards and score the empty-netter that sealed the Cup for the ‘Canes. I was thrilled when he was traded to LA, and now I want to see him help win a Cup for my longtime favorite club, the Kings. GO KINGS GO
EllieMurray Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
@Duncanz, He was in the broadcast booth a couple times while he was injured in Carolina. He would be a killer color guy if he doesn’t become a coach. Either way he’s an incredably engaging individual.
Duncanz Reply:
June 8th, 2012 at 9:10 pm
@T-Bone, @EllieMurray,
Thank you, you two!
I love being vindicated for a good cause!!