2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Round 1 Series Discussion: #4 Blues vs. #5 Kings

[Raccoon Jesus]

It is definitely weird that he would still force lines that are unfamiliar, but at the same time, you can see his thought process in them. I think they should still be competitive and put forth a similar game that they played against San Jose. We should still be fine.

That's true. I mean, they're a long way from a Terry Murray smoothie, but it's crazy to me that we essentially went a full year with the same core lines only to change em up a week before the playoffs. They are pretty well-balanced, though.

 

[etherialone]

Hm. Interesting. I always thought Muzzin was a solid player and a sure thing to start this series. Didn't think that Kings fans questioned him at all.

This is kinda the way the blues fans felt about Pietrangelo early in the season. Luckily he has bounced back and has looked hot lately.

Allot of us don't.

He is a solid rookie and I think that some of us continue to see him as he was during his first dozen or so games when he came up this season. He has slowly but steadily improved to the point of where he is the top rookie Dman this season in almost every category that matters (he finished 3rd in scoring).

His plus/minus of +16 speaks volumes as to his prowess as a rookie. He hasn't played sheltered minutes at all over the past 25 games and if anything has had to carry his D partner more often than not.

He will be fine but it is true that as a rookie he can be pressured into making rookie mistakes. A Mart is a better option and I hope that he is 100% healthy and capable of playing at some point in this series.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

So maybe I missed it, but has there been any confirmation that these 1st round games are being televised on FSW? If so, they aren't showing up in any programming schedule.

Anyone?

**Looks like they were just posted as I was typing the above:

Game 1 – Tuesday, April 30
Pregame: Prime Ticket, 4:30 pm
Broadcast: Prime Ticket, CNBC, CBC, 5:00 pm
Post-Game: None

Game 2 – Thursday, May 2
Pregame: None
Broadcast: CNBC, CBC, 6:30 pm
Post-Game: FOX Sports West, 10:30 pm

Game 3 – Saturday, May 4
Pregame: FOX Sports West, 6:30 pm
Broadcast: FOX Sports West, NBC Sports Network, CBC, 7:00 pm
Post-Game: FOX Sports West, 9:30 pm

Game 4 – Monday, May 6
Pregame: FOX Sports West, 6:30 pm
Broadcast: FOX Sports West, NBC Sports Network, CBC, 7:00 pm
Post-Game: FOX Sports West, 9:30 pm
-all times Pacific

 

[Captain Mittens*]

**Looks like they were just posted as I was typing the above:

 

[Steve Zissou]

Blues fans trying their hardest to convince Kings fans of their 'real' team...

 

[etherialone]

Nor do I.


I'm with you about chemistry. People here have been *****ing about Kopi and scoring goals. But bottom line is the Brown/Kopi/Williams as a line were 3/5 top scores on our team. And Richards/Carter together with the revolving winger were the other 2 in the top 5. Last time I checked that is both good scoring and balance out of the top 2 lines. And most teams only have one real shutdown line and with those two line that gives them a choice of who they want to try and stop.
These combos seem to have some balance and really there can be scoring from any of them. But we didn't do so bad with them the way they were for most of the season. Wasn't as good as most would like either but not bad.

I am a died in the wool DS supporter but I can't for the life of me see why we are making these line changes. I guess I am going to have to trust the guy who won us a cup but man it isn't easy.

 

[Live in the Now]

Clifford looked out of his depth in a second line role. I hope he doesn't look out of depth in a first line role but I really don't know about this move. Playing him with our two best producers could be an anchor to them, or they could lift him up.

The second line looks pretty good.

 

[etherialone]

Blues fans trying their hardest to convince Kings fans of their 'real' team...

Sounds an awful lot like last season with all of the "Macdonald arrrgggh" and "Elliot is the best goalie in the league aaaaaarrrggghhhh" stuff.

I like the Blues and think they are a great team as well as their fans but they are at a place where they should just wait and let their hockey do the talking. No matter how it goes.

It isn't like we have only beaten them during last seasons play offs in an embarrassing manner, we had a pretty good record against them this season too.

The playoffs are a totally new season and the Blues are a much improved team so lots of respect is due to them but jeez, it does sound an awful awful lot like last season's stuff and we all know how that went.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

Sounds an awful lot like last season with all of the "Macdonald arrrgggh" and "Elliot is the best goalie in the league aaaaaarrrggghhhh" stuff.

.

Don't forget "shutting the Polak door"!

 

[Multimoodia]

Sounds an awful lot like last season with all of the "Macdonald arrrgggh" and "Elliot is the best goalie in the league aaaaaarrrggghhhh" stuff.

No, McDonald, historically was a relatively decent playoff player and the Blues (and their fans) forgot that time marches inexorably on. McDonald of a few years ago is likely a larger difference maker...the McDonald you guys saw last year (and, sadly, this year) is not what he once was and unfortunately his size precludes him from going gracefully in to the night.
Elliott is simply a hot goaltender right now, although as you guys note, until proven he is simply another goaltender who got hot. Perhaps he continues that streak, perhaps not...goaltenders are difficult to predict.

I like the Blues and think they are a great team as well as their fans but they are at a place where they should just wait and let their hockey do the talking. No matter how it goes.

We have to get our shots in early, not going to get a chance later from everything I have been seeing. Otherwise we turn in to San Jose/Vancouver.

Couple of years from now maybe, but the currently configured Blues team is going to be a quick series for you guys lest Quick coughs it up. They are a fair-enough to good team. Not even flirting with great.

It isn't like we have only beaten them during last seasons play offs in an embarrassing manner, we had a pretty good record against them this season too.

And will continue to do so until, sometime in the future, the Blues score about 8 goals and win by 5+ goals in total. At which point it should be a much more even distribution of points between the teams.
Until that time the Kings will continue to bash the Blues like a bully from about 2-3 years up on the playground.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Sounds an awful lot like last season with all of the "Macdonald arrrgggh" and "Elliot is the best goalie in the league aaaaaarrrggghhhh" stuff.

I like the Blues and think they are a great team as well as their fans but they are at a place where they should just wait and let their hockey do the talking. No matter how it goes.

It isn't like we have only beaten them during last seasons play offs in an embarrassing manner, we had a pretty good record against them this season too.

The playoffs are a totally new season and the Blues are a much improved team so lots of respect is due to them but jeez, it does sound an awful awful lot like last season's stuff and we all know how that went.

last season went the way it went, of course. No one is denying that. But the one thing that is getting us mad is that no one here seems to be crediting the blues properly. Lets not forget here, the blues are the higher seed and had a better record this season. The blues also are stellar at home compared to the Kings on the road. The facts are about even if you think about it. It's time to let hockey talk, as you said.

The blues found a way to beat the Canucks, and the hawks, with pretty nice ease. So I would not be getting your hopes up. The blues can be dangerous IF they can figure the kings out. Until then, the kings are the favorite.

This is a new season. Forget last season. That season ended in early June.

Cheers to a fun series.

 

[bobafettish*]

well if we're talking about facts, the kings are 3-0 against the blues this year.....

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

well if we're talking about facts, the kings are 3-0 against the blues this year.....

Yes, but the blues have home ice, kings are terrible on the road, and blues are 11-3 since bringing in JayBo.

As I said, the facts even out.

 

[Multimoodia]

well if we're talking about facts, the kings are 3-0 against the blues this year.....

To be honest, since Ken Hitchcock was hired the Blues are 1-9 against the Kings and 0-8.
The only game that the Blues won was game two with Halak in net where they won 1-0.
They are, thus far, 1-0-1 in games where the goaltender has shut out the Kings for regulation and OT. Thus far this year the Blues have lost by two or more goals every single game.
The Blues have not lost a game by less than two goals since the game where Elliott managed to shut out the Kings through both Regular and OT (only to lose in SO).

Unless Quick takes a nap, this is not going more than 6 games before the Kings move on to the next series.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

last season went the way it went, of course. No one is denying that. But the one thing that is getting us mad is that no one here seems to be crediting the blues properly. Lets not forget here, the blues are the higher seed and had a better record this season. The blues also are stellar at home compared to the Kings on the road. The facts are about even if you think about it. It's time to let hockey talk, as you said.

The blues found a way to beat the Canucks, and the hawks, with pretty nice ease. So I would not be getting your hopes up. The blues can be dangerous IF they can figure the kings out. Until then, the kings are the favorite.

This is a new season. Forget last season. That season ended in early June.

Cheers to a fun series.

Come on bro, that's by the slightest of margins

If anything, that just points out how even it is.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Exactly.

The blues and kings at this point ARE in fact even. The hockey will play out who takes the step forward.

 

[Pucknut50]

All I know is the playoffs goes up another notch. I think the Kings have another gear while the Blues do not. This is just my opinion because as the Kings proved last season you never know. I feel we can beat any team in a 7 game series except maybe the Black Hawks. So here's hoping the Hawks lose before we would have had to face them.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

May the Kings knock the Blues out like Clifford did to Polak.

 

[kingsfan28]

Yes, but the blues have home ice, kings are terrible on the road, and blues are 11-3 since bringing in JayBo.

As I said, the facts even out.

Didn't the Blues have home ice last year too? And JayBo isn't the reason why your team went 11-3. That's like saying Lumbus was 10-3 since bring in Gaborik.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

last season went the way it went, of course. No one is denying that. But the one thing that is getting us mad is that no one here seems to be crediting the blues properly. Lets not forget here, the blues are the higher seed and had a better record this season. The blues also are stellar at home compared to the Kings on the road. The facts are about even if you think about it. It's time to let hockey talk, as you said.

The blues found a way to beat the Canucks, and the hawks, with pretty nice ease. So I would not be getting your hopes up. The blues can be dangerous IF they can figure the kings out. Until then, the kings are the favorite.

This is a new season. Forget last season. That season ended in early June.

Cheers to a fun series.

You come to our boards asking us to credit your team for no reason? Why? This is our boards if we think we can walk over you like we've done alot recently what's your reasoning to change our perception. Buzz off. Higher seed oh yeah that didn't wonder for you guys last season right. Damn hop off.

 

[TonySCV]

Dave Strader and Brian Engblom will be calling game 1 and 2 for NBC. John Forslund and Daryl Reaugh will call game 3 for NBC at Staples. Forslund and Reaugh will have games 1 and 2 for the Ducks/Wings on NBC as well.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

Ah so heres the so called "playoff attitude"

I posted above because Tonellisghost basically called out the blues fans. I responded, in what I thought was fair. I didn't brag or act cocky, instead I gave the kings the credit they deserved, while defending my team. So, I did not "come to your boards to ask for credit." I came to your boards to read, and then eventually post in a response to another post about the blues fans. I do not see what is so wrong with that. I even said the kings are the favorite to win.

Also, did I ever say JayBo was the reason we were 11-3? I just stated that as a date, and that the blues are hot as of late.

I'm done here, clearly no more room for me in this forum.

May the best team win.

 

[takk]

I love Razor but he hates Brown.

 

[Scottkmlps]

On a somewhat other note, they are doing the playoff fantasy draft on TSN and every player that has been picked is either from the Pens or Hawks, except for three. Those three are Ovechkin, Getzlaff and Green. There's been 16 players chosen so far.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Sorry Blues' fans, I thought I was in the Kings forum. I'll move along.