GDT: 2023-24 season game 32 LA kings vs Vegas Golden Knights @7:00pm 12/28/23

[kingsfan28]

There's not a single non-wildcard-team in the West I think the Kings would beat in a series. They've looked lame/limp vs. all of them. Just don't have the attention to detail, the desire, the dig-in to win a hard game. Their high end talent is lower, and their will/checking is lower. They can get by on talent vs. the non playoff teams but that's it. Once THOSE teams decide to play defense you end up with games like the one vs. Seattle.

When the checking gets tighter the Kings just hang around wherever they won't get hit and fire shots at people and pray they'll get out of the way. They desperately need a bulldozer.

Not optimistic. Same recipe, same cake as the last few years. Just a few more decorations on top. They'll finish with more points, and they'll exit exactly as quickly, and that's the peak of the mountain for this group. Wonder how many years we'll get of blackholing after.

Damn dude, rough holidays? they went 1-1-1 vs Vegas , not 0-3 and outscored 12-3. The sky isn't falling. Most these losses come from b2b with travel. They've not been a good b2b team. Tonights loss was at the hands of a good team on a 4 game skid [ who just got smoked by the Ducks the night before] that wanted to end it. The Kings slow start with a few ugly mistakes cost them this game .

 

[kingsfan28]

Scoring from the blueline has dried-up the last 10 plus games

It would be nice if the guys would stop getting all their shots blocked, and our 2nd unit pp QB would score a goal this year. This is where they miss Durzi.

 

[BigBrown]

Vegas was better, plain and simple.

Rough game by Englund.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Vegas was better, plain and simple.

Rough game by Englund.

Which honestly, isn't saying much when you say Vegas was better, LA was flatter than a 2 dollar pancake until about the 15minute mark of the 3rd, just nothing to there game, but Vegas, yea they won, but man, they weren't good at all either, only player that seems to do anything, is Eichel, which is to be expected, but other than that....I wasn't scared of them, as much as you would say Winnipeg or possibly Edmonton this Saturday we will see there

 

[Schmooley]

They've not been a good b2b team.

Yea they have been really bad on back to backs. I dont see other teams struggle as much with it.
Maybe because pace and tempo is such a big part of their offense. When they are even just a little flat they have no advantage to open up lanes to get their passes and shots through.

 

[Bandit]

Damn. Was really hoping they’d pull it out but alas.

The Kings are the 2010’s Sharks and that’s no coincidence. They might luck their way to the second or third round at some point but they’re not winning it all until Bowlby and the Koala are gone.

 

[Bandit]

Pietrangelo is such a b****

Moore’s shot was great, but Byfield punking Pietrangelo after the goal was probably the highlight of the night.

 

[bland]

Moore’s shot was great, but Byfield punking Pietrangelo after the goal was probably the highlight of the night.

Was Pieterangelo the defenseman Byfield buried at the blueline earlier that period as well? I know it was one of their right shot defenders, but it would make sense on the later, saltier shove.

 

[chris kontos]

Kevin fiala- now THATS entertainment

 

[Bandit]

Was Pieterangelo the defenseman Byfield buried at the blueline earlier that period as well? I know it was one of their right shot defenders, but it would make sense on the later, saltier shove.

I’m not sure who it was but it was a great hit. Good to see Byfield use his frame in a lot of situations.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Well, at least Todd can diagnose problems even if he won't do anything about them on our way out.



Kings aren't focused/detailed/patient enough to win a 'make less mistakes' game. Hell they actively traded for risky players who have to make stupid mistakes as part of their games. That's why VGK are champs and we are the 2010s Sharks. You need discipline for that and that's why Sutter can get that out of teams but McLellan can't.

Edit: let me put it this way. Last night's game was an entertaining game and not a terrible effort. In a vacuum, I wouldn't be pissed. Those snipes by Eichel and Moore were ridiculous and that was a playoff type game, very fast paced even with the tight checking, no room to breathe out there. I love dig-in hockey. And maybe we're just not peaking too early and that's fine. But the patterns just keep showing up and aren't changing and the more games that pass with the same things happening the more likely it's just our DNA rather than a 'oops mistake' or 'oops didn't go to the net hard enough' in one game in October. Kings struggle with big, tight checking teams, good (Vegas), mediocre (Caps), or bad (Seattle) and I'd expect to see that kind of game from most opponents for the rest of the season, note they turn our 'best offense in the league' into a 2 goal a game puddle because guys are content to just corsi from the outside. That needs to be addressed. And that's all I'm gonna say about it for a while.

 

[Bandit]

Well, at least Todd can diagnose problems even if he won't do anything about them on our way out.



Kings aren't focused/detailed/patient enough to win a 'make less mistakes' game. Hell they actively traded for risky players who have to make stupid mistakes as part of their games. That's why VGK are champs and we are the 2010s Sharks. You need discipline for that and that's why Sutter can get that out of teams but McLellan can't.

Edit: let me put it this way. Last night's game was an entertaining game and not a terrible effort. In a vacuum, I wouldn't be pissed. Those snipes by Eichel and Moore were ridiculous and that was a playoff type game, very fast paced even with the tight checking, no room to breathe out there. I love dig-in hockey. And maybe we're just not peaking too early and that's fine. But the patterns just keep showing up and aren't changing and the more games that pass with the same things happening the more likely it's just our DNA rather than a 'oops mistake' or 'oops didn't go to the net hard enough' in one game in October. Kings struggle with big, tight checking teams, good (Vegas), mediocre (Caps), or bad (Seattle) and I'd expect to see that kind of game from most opponents for the rest of the season, note they turn our 'best offense in the league' into a 2 goal a game puddle because guys are content to just corsi from the outside. That needs to be addressed. And that's all I'm gonna say about it for a while.

See you in 15 minutes!

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

-Won’t go to the middle.
-Telegraphed passes on the power play.
-Perimeter attacks only
-Don’t like being checked
-Play like an all star team
-Throwing pizzas up the middle at least 5 times a game.
-Arty has regressed (very disappointed )
-not boxing out on rebounds
-coach never settles down game with a timely time out.
-D pairs need a shuffle
-guys vanishing in thin air during games
-we don’t show up at game time


A lot of these are coaching problems and guys not being held accountable! Someone should go demands they show up and does not passively run a game could do wonders for this team. Same problem as the last 2 years !

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Damn dude, rough holidays? they went 1-1-1 vs Vegas , not 0-3 and outscored 12-3. The sky isn't falling. Most these losses come from b2b with travel. They've not been a good b2b team. Tonights loss was at the hands of a good team on a 4 game skid [ who just got smoked by the Ducks the night before] that wanted to end it. The Kings slow start with a few ugly mistakes cost them this game .

That would be cool if we could stop excusing losses to good teams and over-praising stomping bad teams.



On one hand, maybe just a 'minislump.'

On the other, the problems are still the problems are still the problems. I'ts not like it's just bad luck or games they 'deserved' to win and got out-goalied. They're just getting beaten straight up and out-game-planned. I'm not sure that's fixable.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

That would be cool if we could stop excusing losses to good teams and over-praising stomping bad teams.



On one hand, maybe just a 'minislump.'

On the other, the problems are still the problems are still the problems. I'ts not like it's just bad luck or games they 'deserved' to win and got out-goalied. They're just getting beaten straight up and out-game-planned. I'm not sure that's fixable.

We have been out goalied twice all year.

Like a bunch of us have said, instead of fixing the major holes Blake and TMac just double down on we need to score more highlight real goals. Problem is when you get shutdown with tight checking and guys clogging up the middle you have to change pace and get dirty and Cycle down low and check and fight for position in front of the net for 50/50 pucks. This team won’t do it!

We had 4 good cycles all game that were not in the last minute of play.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

We have been out goalied twice all year.

Like a bunch of us have said, instead of fixing the major holes Blake and TMac just double down on we need to score more highlight real goals. Problem is when you get shutdown with tight checking and guys clogging up the middle you have to change pace and get dirty and Cycle down low and check and fight for position in front of the net for 50/50 pucks. This team won’t do it!

We had 4 good cycles all game that were not in the last minute of play.

And it's not like we don't have guys that can do that.

Byfield is learning his size to be fair
Kopi is slowing down but still can do it, saw a bit last night
Kempe is allergic to it lately
PLD was brought in for that but here we are
4th line doesn't really do it in games like last night for some reason

shot chart is appalling.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

And it's not like we don't have guys that can do that.

Byfield is learning his size to be fair
Kopi is slowing down but still can do it, saw a bit last night
Kempe is allergic to it lately
PLD was brought in for that but here we are
4th line doesn't really do it in games like last night for some reason

shot chart is appalling.

It’s not a matter of can’t it’s WONT!

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

And it's not like we don't have guys that can do that.

Byfield is learning his size to be fair
Kopi is slowing down but still can do it, saw a bit last night
Kempe is allergic to it lately
PLD was brought in for that but here we are
4th line doesn't really do it in games like last night for some reason

shot chart is appalling.

I don't think you know how to read shot charts...I somehow can't show it, but Vegas had 19 shots in the house, 3 goals in the house,

LA had 24 shots and 1 goal from in the house...

Shot chart wasn't the issue last night, heart was.

 

[Sol]

Kings need to avoid Vegas at all costs in the playoffs. They don’t stand a chance. Curious to see how they do against Edmonton.

 

[Schrute farms]

0-fer last 13 PPs is ugly....ouch

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Kings need to avoid Vegas at all costs in the playoffs. They don’t stand a chance. Curious to see how they do against Edmonton.

Kings need to avoid Vegas, Edmonton, Winnipeg… Etc if you’re gonna win you don’t avoid anyone you run over em. Same reason we can’t win against them in games. This team wants to tip toe around all the dirty hockey!

 

[chris kontos]

"The kings struggle with big, tight checking teams"

Year after year what type of teams win in the playoffs?

 

[Sol]

"The kings struggle with big, tight checking teams"

Year after year what type of teams win in the playoffs?

Teams that win are the ones that don’t employ Todd but Todd attempt number 344 is under way.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

"The kings struggle with big, tight checking teams"

Year after year what type of teams win in the playoffs?

Kings would be awesome at ball hockey on perfectly smooth pavement in a rich white neighborhood

 

[AbsentMojo]

idea: maybe against VGK blocks the kings shoot for their heads? That should open up some lanes eventually