GDT: 11-14-2017 Canucks at Kings 7:30 PST, FSW; Game #18

[KingsFan7824]

Bad bounces just like the other night but it's looking like the book is out right now, just pressure us in our D zone and if we don't give it to you there just sit back in a shell until we do.

You don't think of it, but Doughty is the most experienced d-man on the team(that went quickly, and we're all old). Going into the season, they only had 4 guys that played at least 100 games, and now Folin and Forbort haven't hit 140 yet.

 

[Shellz]

We need Carter back, but we also need better players on defense. There is a huge black hole.

Doughty



And the rest. These guys look lost when they have the puck.

 

[Bandit]

Why not address that one post instead of crapping up several pages with sweeping generalities?

I addressed all the posts. Clearly I made a mistake saying that there should be some middle ground, won’t happen again.

Kings suck.

 

[kingsfan28]

There's your worst loss of the season right there folks. 2-0 and sit back with 50 min left, and then let Vancouver get back into the game and lose 3-2. Way to throw away 2 point boys!

 

[KingsFan7824]

As usual, winning cures all. Now the 1 goal in 18 games from your 1st line LW starts to be an issue. He's top 3 in ES ice time for forwards, and there's 1 goal. He's a rookie, a surprise rookie at that, and the effort is there, but if Gaborik had 1 goal and 7 points in 18 games on the 1st line, we'd be killing him, effort or not.

Not that Iafallo is the problem, but when a team starts to lose a bit, more details get noticed. Now Milbury might've been right. Winning cures all. A basic rule of life.

 

[MynameisKing]

Like Racoon Jesus said: They got the Kings figured out. We like to get out Runnin and Gunnin so we have forwards up around center ice. Opponents counter with an aggressive forecheck against our D eliminating time and space. No time to head man the puck leading to missed passes, turnovers, and etc. Basically neutering our attack. I like how the Kings are opening things up offensively, but they seem to force something that's not there! It's OK. We can dump and chase if need be. Establish a forecheck and cycle game. Next thing you know they'll be creating turnovers inside the zone and in the neutral zone. Maybe the other team is tired and just dumps the puck in for a change. No opposing forecheck. Then they can open it up and try those bomb passes.

 

[Kingspiracy]

As usual, winning cures all. Now the 1 goal in 18 games from your 1st line LW starts to be an issue. He's top 3 in ES ice time for forwards, and there's 1 goal. He's a rookie, a surprise rookie at that, and the effort is there, but if Gaborik had 1 goal and 7 points in 18 games on the 1st line, we'd be killing him, effort or not.

Not that Iafallo is the problem, but when a team starts to lose a bit, more details get noticed. Now Milbury might've been right. Winning cures all. A basic rule of life.

Yeah our balance seems to have gone now though without Carts. Both Iafallo and Kempe have done very well so far, but it is a long season to run with two inexperienced guys in crucial positions. We're seeing guy's like Andreoff p.laying more to spread the load, but the skillset just isn't there. It'll be interesting to see what the juicy joker does with AA's icetime

 

[KingsFan7824]

SJ and Van now have more wins in regulation than the Kings do. Still fewer reg losses than both, but more games that have gone to OT than both SJ and Van combined. We know not to trust OT and SO wins from the last few years. SJ has 1 gimmick point, the Canucks have 0, and the Kings have 3.

 

[Legionnaire]

Giving up a two goal lead to lose. Ooof.

 

[kingsfan28]

SJ and Van now have more wins in regulation than the Kings do. Still fewer reg losses than both, but more games that have gone to OT than both SJ and Van combined. We know not to trust OT and SO wins from the last few years. SJ has 1 gimmick point, the Canucks have 0, and the Kings have 3.

Your point? Regulation win or ROW still count towards points and the Kings still lead the division. If it was a 3-2-1 point system it would be more of a big deal.

 

[KingsFan7824]

One more depressing stat for the night. Since 14-15, the Kings are 4-4 at home against Vancouver, but only 2-4-2 in regulation.

Pacific division home games have not been overly friendly to the Kings for the last few years.

9-2-3 in 14-15
8-7-0 in 15-16, plus 0-3 in the playoffs
6-7-1 last year
0-2-1 to start this year

 

[KingsFan7824]

Your point? Regulation win or ROW still count towards points and the Kings still lead the division. If it was a 3-2-1 point system it would be more of a big deal.

They count in the standings, but 3v3 OT and the SO don't happen in the playoffs. I know it's a different mindset in the regular season and playoffs, if you can win at 3v3 and fight another day, or if it's sudden death 5v5 in Game 7, but, again, we've seen this the last few years with the Kings. You don't want to be propped up by gimmick points. The same way you don't want to rely on the PP to get you goals. You want to be good 5v5, and you want to be good in regulation. Those are the bigger sample sizes. PP's are 2 minutes, and you never know when you'll get them. 3v3 is chaos, and SO's are a breakaway contest. Get those points if you're in that situation, but the better teams still win consistently in the first 60 minutes of a game.

The Kings are still a top 10 regulation team, and they've just hit a losing streak which is bound to happen over a 6 month marathon, but they have some issues that need attention. Blink, and all of a sudden they've lost 3 straight at home in regulation, and picked up 1 out of 8 possible points in the last 4 home games. A couple more coming up before a multi-game road trip, so hopefully they can hit the breaks.

 

[Sol]

Kopitar was PISSED there. He took a hit with a second on the clock and came back with a pretty good crosscheck to the guy, then shattered his stick on the boards. Don't usually see that out of him.

Damn, he was mad. I like it.

Surely there must be a way to blame Sutter for this loss.

Where there's a Sol there's a way. Stevens was around Sutter a long time, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of Dutter's dumb tactics didn't rub off on him.

 

[Sol]

BTW, it's a 3 game losing streak. The book isn't open on the Kings. They're playing like ass, it happens. We have some big injuries. We will be good when everyone is healthy, and before that even, we will be winning games again. The puck hasn't been going in either. But that will change. And if Quick can play a bit better, we will win more games.

 

[KINGS17]

It's tough having Carter out of the lineup. The Kings simply don't have the depth to win consistently with a top player out of the lineup.

 

[BigKing]

Trash.

Look at the lineup. Andreoff. Crescenzi. Amadio. Fantenberg. Laich.

You aren't winning many games in the NHL icing that many stiffs. I'm being kind not naming more.

Funny what happens when your goalie stops posting a .950 every game to hide your warts.

I expected there to be more losing than what occured during the first month, but the disappearance of fun hockey is completely unacceptable. Been very "last season" the past two games.

 

[KINGS17]

Trash.

Look at the lineup. Andreoff. Crescenzi. Amadio. Fantenberg. Laich.

You aren't winning many games in the NHL icing that many stiffs. I'm being kind not naming more.

Funny what happens when your goalie stops posting a .950 every game to hide your warts.

I expected there to be more losing than what occured during the first month, but the disappearance of fun hockey is completely unacceptable. Been very "last season" the past two games.

Opponents have adapted to the Kings "new style". The truth is there really aren't any new systems, and you are right about Quick. Opening things up has led to more turnovers in the neutral zone and with the forwards not coming as far back into the zone to help with the breakouts the defensemen are more susceptible to turnovers on the other team's forecheck.

For those who still like to bash Sutter, and I am not referring to you Big King, the Kings won 10 playoff series during Sutter's tenure. Under all other coaches in their entire history, they have won 11 playoff series. It comes down to the players and their ability to execute any system. The Kings no longer had the players or the desire to play Sutter's system, and they don't have the offensive firepower to be a top team with the current system.

 

[Docgonzo]

One thing I’ve noticed the last few games is our defensive men seem to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. They rush a pass up the ice when they’re aren’t any options available. They rush the pass out of the zone even though they aren’t pressured. They join the rush not to create an odd man rush but just because.

The D needs to reign it in a bit, especially when we’re up. There were a few times when we we're up 2-0 when they’d pinch too deep and almost set up an odd man rush going against us.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Brooks Laich - 1 assist in 12 games, -5 rating.
ANDY ANDREOFF - 0 points in 16 games, -5 rating.
Nic Dowd - 0 points in 10 games, -4 rating.

Our 4th line needs to improve.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Funny what happens when your goalie stops posting a .950 every game to hide your warts.

I expected there to be more losing than what occured during the first month, but the disappearance of fun hockey is completely unacceptable. Been very "last season" the past two games.

And that would be okay if the opposite weren't happening. Last couple of games, the story has just been crap puck luck on top of our sloppy play. But it's probably a blessing in disguise becasue before that we were playing fairly poorly and winning.

I'm with you on the last two games. I think it's a couple of things going on there. I was half-joking when I said the book is out on the Kings; on one hand, it's simply opponents hanging on for dear life and sucking the fun out of the game because that's those teams' identities now--we have to re-adjust to learning how to counter teams that are going "oh shit we're playing the Kings, we have to D up," sort of like how we never adjusted to teams over the last couple of years that would just abandon the forecheck altogether on us and clog all 5 in the neutral zone to wreck possession. The bigger problem I have is the lack of any spark; earlier in the season, we brought it harder and harder as the game went on. Even if we weren't holding the puck we were speeding in and smashing things causing turnovers. Last couple of games, it's like we lost our spirit and just went out with a whimper. It all died after the first period vs. the Sharks. It could also just be the lack of Carter catching up a bit because yeah we have a lot of plugs in the lineup and our D is playing sloppy. And it's funny, it's not really the defensive coverage in general that's an issue--it's as Stevens points out lack of puck control in our own end. We can get the puck back without much trouble, but then we throw it away. Looking at things like Brown the other night backchecking and making a really good defensive play, then turning around and throwing it off a couple of Sharks before they got it back and got a favorable bounce in, Muzzin being unable to hit Pearson's stick and banking it off his skate to an opposing player who scored, etc. Most of our issues are self-inflicted wounds rather than being just raw outplayed so that makes me a little bit hopeful.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Brooks Laich - 1 assist in 12 games, -5 rating.
ANDY ANDREOFF - 0 points in 16 games, -5 rating.
Nic Dowd - 0 points in 10 games, -4 rating.

Our 4th line needs to improve.

Yep, last year's incorrect meme is this year's truth.

Granted, they're forwards #13, 14, 15 or worse, but they're a problem.

 

[tny760]

One thing I’ve noticed the last few games is our defensive men seem to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. They rush a pass up the ice when they’re aren’t any options available. They rush the pass out of the zone even though they aren’t pressured. They join the rush not to create an odd man rush but just because.

The D needs to reign it in a bit, especially when we’re up. There were a few times when we we're up 2-0 when they’d pinch too deep and almost set up an odd man rush going against us.

i see some of this too, this reminds me more of last year where they just scramble up the half boards with the puck until they're snuffed out and the puck dies at the blue line, generally getting them hemmed into the zone. either that or they force the pass straight up the boards praying for a tip-in dump which doesn't usually happen cause the opposing defender already read it

we had a lot of success early season with that quick breakout pass from under the dots or below the goal line to the center in the slot, who's generally a better skater and faster decision maker. when that was at it's best, that was the perfect opportunity for the defenseman to activate on what's basically a quick give and go with the center and they're off to the races..

 

[KingsHockey24]

Yep, last year's incorrect meme is this year's truth.

Granted, they're forwards #13, 14, 15 or worse, but they're a problem.

Iaffalo-Kopitar-Brown
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Jokinen-Kempe-Gaborik
Clifford-Shore-Lewis

Would be pretty sexy if we were healthy.

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Brooks Laich - 1 assist in 12 games, -5 rating.
ANDY ANDREOFF - 0 points in 16 games, -5 rating.
Nic Dowd - 0 points in 10 games, -4 rating.

Our 4th line needs to improve.

Sadly until we get healthy it won't. But we will have a great 4th line when we do get healthy with Clifford Shore and lewis. When healthy none of them will be playing

 

[KingCanadain1976]

Iaffalo-Kopitar-Brown
Pearson-Carter-Toffoli
Jokinen-Kempe-Gaborik
Clifford-Shore-Lewis

Would be pretty sexy if we were healthy.

totally agree Maybe even switch Jokinen and Kempe because Jokinen has better at fo%