13-4-3 In The Last 20 Games. Is it a Fluke?

[Chazz Reinhold]

"expected" stats kind of piss me off but they look pretty accurate based on what's happened thus far there.

I would also say that not all expected stats are created equally. It seems to me that Valiquette’s Clear Sight Analytics has the best inputs because it takes into account actual situational information, not just shot location.

https://www.csahockey.com/what-we-do

 

[Bandit]

We're bad AND dull? Sounds about right.

 

[tny760]

We're bad AND dull? Sounds about right.

love how we're toeing the line between lucky and unlucky but still distinctly in the "bad" categories

everything points to suck

 

[Butch 19]

last 20 games a fluke??

of course it had to be a fluke - this team SUCKS!!

 

[Docgonzo]

Why did we create a jinx thread on ourselves lol

 

[kilowatt]

Why did we create a jinx thread on ourselves lol

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

That's 10 games, right? I've been telling myself and anyone who would listen that we really won't know what he have until we get 10 games in...here we are and it don't look good. I was hoping the start of the season was just rust...and the last game against the Wild seems to just have killed any confidence this team had. I guess it's ANOTHER season of hoping we win the lottery pick. I was optimistic this season would be the start of a turning point, not necessarily playoffs, but definitely a trend upward. Sucks ass...this is getting old.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That's 10 games, right? I've been telling myself and anyone who would listen that we really won't know what he have until we get 10 games in...here we are and it don't look good. I was hoping the start of the season was just rust...and the last game against the Wild seems to just have killed any confidence this team had. I guess it's ANOTHER season of hoping we win the lottery pick. I was optimistic this season would be the start of a turning point, not necessarily playoffs, but definitely a trend upward. Sucks ass...this is getting old.

Same, this was the evaluation point as far as I'm concerned.

I just want to see growth.

 

[crassbonanza]

The Kings lost 2 of our top 4 dmen in the same game, both of which were high impact players. This has led to Austin Strand playing almost 18 minutes in his first NHL game and significant pressure put on what is one of the youngest teams in the league. I do believe Blake needs to make a move for another Dman if Walker is going to be out for a long time. Not even to win, but to provide some semblance of structure for the young players to continue their development.

 

[TruKingFan]

I agree improvement is key and we need to find out which players can bring this about. That’s why we need to play Tonka, Lias, JAD, Clague, Strand, etc. Looks like the improvement in team play, not necessarily wins and losses, is not showing up yet. We’ve seen glimpses but at some point the coaching staff has to be scrutinized. Maybe after this year.

 

[johnjm22]

16-6-3 in the last 25.

 

[Stimpythecat]

I'm just glad to see all the vets playing meaningful games, smiling, and having fun. Those last 2 years must have been rough on them.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

what a difference 2.5 weeks can make, lol

 

[Kudelski37]

This 25 game stretch works out to 115 points over an 82 game season. Looking through the last five full seasons, only 4 teams had 115+ points in a season.

 

[LAKings88]

This win streak really has countered the early losing streak. The division is gonna be tight to the end. Gotta stay even keeled at least. The real test are a healthy Blues, Avs, and Vegas.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Does winning 6 in a row make those who thought the 7 game streak was such a fluke think a little harder?

Arguably, this team is better, though opponents arguably worse...

 

[Lt Dan]

Does winning 6 in a row make those who thought the 7 game streak was such a fluke think a little harder?

Arguably, this team is better, though opponents arguably worse...

The team has been very streaky for two seasons. Part of their needed growth will be lower lows.

This is the last two seasons. it is crazy to see it

This season

 

[kovacro]

Looking forward to their next encounters with Vegas and Colorado. It will be a good measuring stick to see how they stack up against two of the top teams in the league.

Minny up next, They have had a steady diet of the Wild early on in the schedule.

 

[johnjm22]

I don't think the Kings have played great during this stretch. I think they've played decently well and our getting great goaltending. That combination along with PP scoring will win you some games.

I think the center position needs to improve in order for the lineup to really solidify.

 

[fivehole32]

The goaltending and getting out of the zone have been very clean during this streak. There are less "hope" plays and more exact movement of the puck. That in my opinion has been the difference.

 

[cyclones22]

It's really not a secret as to why the team has won more games the last 25 games or so. Straight up, this is the best defense personnel-wise since 2014. Once Voynov got kicked out of the league essentially, it's been a revolving door or reclamation projects and overrated prospects trying to fill his shoes, and Mitchell's and Regehr's and Greene's. The third pairing was freaking Martinez/Greene/Regehr. Better defensemen have a trickle down effect on the PK, which was horrid most of last season until the last 15 games or so, and also the PP. Of course, TMc and his staff deserve some credit for the special teams improvement. Better defensemen also help reduce the quality of shots our goaltenders see. Quick and Petersen have played great, no doubt, but their save percentages are also a byproduct what the defense gives up. The one thing I'd like to see is more shot suppression from the team as a whole. I think that will come next.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't think the Kings have played great during this stretch. I think they've played decently well and our getting great goaltending. That combination along with PP scoring will win you some games.

I think the center position needs to improve in order for the lineup to really solidify.

Was it Sutter that said something to the effect of when you're on a losing streak you're losing some games you should win, and at the end of a winning streak you win some games you should lose?

Last night had the latter feel to start, Cal held them in the game until they could take over.

Minny is on a 4 game streak of their own so will be a good measuring stick of their play. But I disagree that they haven't played great--night and day from the first few games. When they get pinned into the defensive end, they sort things out MUCH better, and look incredibly stout. The forecheck last night was the best we've seen in years. And that was against a big, veteran team. The inconsistencies are absolutely there and they spend more time in the d end than I'd like at times, but they've earned this stretch of Ws imo.

That being said--the goaltending won't stay hot forever and we're certain to get some more bad bounces. The puck luck had also been a polar shift, lol--going from cranking an empty net post with seconds left and losing in OT to being able to score empty netters from 200 ft.

 

[johnjm22]

Was it Sutter that said something to the effect of when you're on a losing streak you're losing some games you should win, and at the end of a winning streak you win some games you should lose?

Last night had the latter feel to start, Cal held them in the game until they could take over.

Minny is on a 4 game streak of their own so will be a good measuring stick of their play. But I disagree that they haven't played great--night and day from the first few games. When they get pinned into the defensive end, they sort things out MUCH better, and look incredibly stout. The forecheck last night was the best we've seen in years. And that was against a big, veteran team. The inconsistencies are absolutely there and they spend more time in the d end than I'd like at times, but they've earned this stretch of Ws imo.

That being said--the goaltending won't stay hot forever and we're certain to get some more bad bounces. The puck luck had also been a polar shift, lol--going from cranking an empty net post with seconds left and losing in OT to being able to score empty netters from 200 ft.

I'm seeing the Kings get pinned in their zone a lot more often than they're pinning their opposition in their zone.

The defense is obviously rounding into form very nicely and we suddenly have a plethora of options there. But with the forwards there's still some chemistry issues, and I think Vilardi/Amadio aren't very good right now as our 2nd and 3rd line centers.

Hopefully Amadio will be replaced by JAD and JAD can pickup where he left off before the injury. Vilardi shows flashes of brilliance that people like to fawn over, but he still has a long ways to go to be a good center in this league. Hopefully he can continue to improve as the season goes on.

 

[Lt Dan]

we suddenly have a plethora .

 

[HookKing]

It's really not a secret as to why the team has won more games the last 25 games or so. Straight up, this is the best defense personnel-wise since 2014. Once Voynov got kicked out of the league essentially, it's been a revolving door or reclamation projects and overrated prospects trying to fill his shoes, and Mitchell's and Regehr's and Greene's. The third pairing was freaking Martinez/Greene/Regehr. Better defensemen have a trickle down effect on the PK, which was horrid most of last season until the last 15 games or so, and also the PP. Of course, TMc and his staff deserve some credit for the special teams improvement. Better defensemen also help reduce the quality of shots our goaltenders see. Quick and Petersen have played great, no doubt, but their save percentages are also a byproduct what the defense gives up. The one thing I'd like to see is more shot suppression from the team as a whole. I think that will come next.

They have a ways to go for that -- in 2018 the Kings had the best D and PK in the league.