GDT: 2019-20 GM#7 LA Kings vs Buffalo Sabres @7:30pm 10/17/19

[KopitarFAN]

With a loss on Saturday and wins by ANA & VGK in their next games, they'll already be 7 points out of 4th. Ouch.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It's too bad that it's easy for the coaches to again throw Kovalchuk under the bus who had 5 hits, scoring chances and he's named in post game press conferences but I've yet to hear Brown, Carter or Kopitar's name once. This is a team, not a guy, Kovalchuk is not dragging the team down, it's the whole team that sucks. It's the whole team that stopped training in the off season, the whole team that doesn't go 100% during the game as they live off past success. When's the last time we've seen Brown run somebody? What is he saving his body for if the team is not going to make the playoffs? Where were the supposed heart and soul players-Clifford and Lewis last night? They make 3 million dollars to show the players how to workout and be great off the ice, where were they?

He was singled out as the guy who made repeated, 'stupid' system mistakes, that's why. He also took a few dumbass penalties and was a -2. It's very, very easy to single him out last night as a selfish player who didn't play within the system. Don't mistake flash for substance. I did like his hitting and effort, too, though, for wat it's worth.

But I don't know what you're talking about with the other guys. Brown ran someone last night. Carter was all over the place last night, just couldn't buy a goal--it's about as dominant as anyone can be against other pros to be over 80% of the unblocked shot attempts and 85% of the scoring chances. Same with Kopitar to a degree. Clifford was in everyone's faces all night, Lewis was making plays.

0 goals is the big thing nullifying all their work, but let's not pretend guys weren't doing anything last night. Results matter, but so does process at this stage.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The shot numbers from last night must be askew.

 

[bland]

That HAD to be Kovalchuks worst game in the NHL. If not, that one had to have been a doozy.

He couldn't hit the net, took three selfish penalties, committed multiple unforced turnovers, two of which led to goals against, and generally spent the game playing for himself and not his team.

He absolutely deserved to be called out by his coach.

 

[scramble91]

I’m surprised that he was pretty harsh on the forwards.

I think some of the defensemen are struggling with the aggressive system. Numerous times in the past few games they have been caught in between pinching or staying back. Hutton seems to be the one used to this style. Roy, Martinez, and even Walker (only a few times) have been caught. Since all 3 forwards are heavy on the forecheck, the dmen can’t hesitate if they are going to pinch otherwise it will be an odd man rush.

I’m not really that disappointed with the game other than the flat first period. I’m really surprised the forwards with speed seem to struggle the most in this system. Between Kempe, Lewis and Wagner I thought this would be right up their alley.
Lizotte seems to be one of the speedsters that is making the plays.

the results aren’t there yet but this is one of the toughest stretches in the schedule.

I guess I’m one of the few that like what they are seeing so far.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I’m surprised that he was pretty harsh on the forwards.

I think some of the defensemen are struggling with the aggressive system. Numerous times in the past few games they have been caught in between pinching or staying back. Hutton seems to be the one used to this style. Roy, Martinez, and even Walker (only a few times) have been caught. Since all 3 forwards are heavy on the forecheck, the dmen can’t hesitate if they are going to pinch otherwise it will be an odd man rush.

I’m not really that disappointed with the game other than the flat first period. I’m really surprised the forwards with speed seem to struggle the most in this system. Between Kempe, Lewis and Wagner I thought this would be right up their alley.
Lizotte seems to be one of the speedsters that is making the plays.

the results aren’t there yet but this is one of the toughest stretches in the schedule.

I guess I’m one of the few that like what they are seeing so far.

I'm with you. The only game I'm 'upset' about so far is Vancouver. Maybe Edmonton, because they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But outplaying and losing to a bunch of one-loss teams is encouraging and it's been mostly entertaining, if frustrating by being so close, and considering the circumstances--bad luck with posts and own goals, league worst goaltending, back-to-backs, powerhouse teams galore, new system, and so forth.

This'll be blasphemy but I think we start a winning streak on Saturday.

 

[fsanford]

He was singled out as the guy who made repeated, 'stupid' system mistakes, that's why. He also took a few dumbass penalties and was a -2. It's very, very easy to single him out last night as a selfish player who didn't play within the system. Don't mistake flash for substance. I did like his hitting and effort, too, though, for wat it's worth.

But I don't know what you're talking about with the other guys. Brown ran someone last night. Carter was all over the place last night, just couldn't buy a goal--it's about as dominant as anyone can be against other pros to be over 80% of the unblocked shot attempts and 85% of the scoring chances. Same with Kopitar to a degree. Clifford was in everyone's faces all night, Lewis was making plays.

0 goals is the big thing nullifying all their work, but let's not pretend guys weren't doing anything last night. Results matter, but so does process at this stage.

Not to mention, Kovy thinking he was shooting at a 20 x 20 foot net.. Dude has clean point blank shots and missed by a mile.
Actually several guys had that problem..

Still even though there were a lot of shots there were not a lot of 2nd chance shots on rebounds or around the net. We just don't have lots of guys with skilled hands. Just call them the LA Trevor Lewis's
The effort overall is so much better than last year, probably will not add up to many more wins, due to skill limitations, but not going to bark about the effort they put in last night. It was solid.

The 20% off beer was a crock, a discount on 1 beer? Right now tickets in my section can be purchased for 25 cents on the dollar. As a season holder, a few more perks to offset the losses please

Lastly to the idiot given Hutton crap late in the 3rd, trying to get a Hutton chant going, you clearly have no clue on how the protocol of goalie taunting works.
When dude has stopped 47 and is shutting you team out, best if you shut the f*** up

 

[scramble91]

I'm with you. The only game I'm 'upset' about so far is Vancouver. Maybe Edmonton, because they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But outplaying and losing to a bunch of one-loss teams is encouraging and it's been mostly entertaining, if frustrating by being so close, and considering the circumstances--bad luck with posts and own goals, league worst goaltending, back-to-backs, powerhouse teams galore, new system, and so forth.

This'll be blasphemy but I think we start a winning streak on Saturday.

i agree with the stinker with Vancouver. I wouldn’t be surprised for a few nice win streaks with some timely saves, pp improvement and a uptick in pdo. But 5 on 5 I don’t see how anyone can say they just suck.

the effort looks vastly improved vs the past 3 years which is what I look for. I think we would all know changing from a really conservative system to this one would be challenging for some of the vets.

 

[kilowatt]

I'm with you. The only game I'm 'upset' about so far is Vancouver. Maybe Edmonton, because they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But outplaying and losing to a bunch of one-loss teams is encouraging and it's been mostly entertaining, if frustrating by being so close, and considering the circumstances--bad luck with posts and own goals, league worst goaltending, back-to-backs, powerhouse teams galore, new system, and so forth.

This'll be blasphemy but I think we start a winning streak on Saturday.

I mean, technically, one game is also a streak, so you could be correct!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Not to mention, Kovy thinking he was shooting at a 20 x 20 foot net.. Dude has clean point blank shots and missed by a mile.
Actually several guys had that problem..

Still even though there were a lot of shots there were not a lot of 2nd chance shots on rebounds or around the net. We just don't have lots of guys with skilled hands. Just call them the LA Trevor Lewis's
The effort overall is so much better than last year, probably will not add up to many more wins, due to skill limitations, but not going to bark about the effort they put in last night. It was solid.

The 20% off beer was a crock, a discount on 1 beer? Right now tickets in my section can be purchased for 25 cents on the dollar. As a season holder, a few more perks to offset the losses please

Lastly to the idiot given Hutton crap late in the 3rd, trying to get a Hutton chant going, you clearly have no clue on how the protocol of goalie taunting works.
When dude has stopped 47 and is shutting you team out, best if you shut the **** up

He was heckling BEN Hutton, duh!

And Jeff CARTER!

 

[DoktorJeep]

At this rate, both Kovy and Porky may be on the same flight to Moscow in a couple weeks.

Looks like Coach Todd has moved on from denial to anger in his thoughts about Kovalchuk. Let’s see if any sadness comes over the inevitable healthy scratch. Maybe Kovy sits the next road trip out to work on his shot in el Segundo.

 

[Dirty Dan]

Ive watched a lot of kovy games and he's never really been a system guy, except for a few years in New Jersey where he was one of the best two way guys in the game

In atlanta he was free wheeling, probably did the same in the K

His shot looks weak these days, looks nothing like Atlanta where he had laser beams every night. Ovechkin near thes same age seems like his shot is just as good as ever.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

 

[Herby]

On Doughty, it's not so much trashing him. But the reality is the Kings are paying Doughty and Kopitar what, $22m for 1 playoff win since 2014. Again not saying it's their fault, they are both still excellent players (especially Doughty) but clearly they are not good enough/team is to awful for them to make any kind of difference. I understand keeping one of them as a guy you can put on billboards or as a last link to the glory years, but having both of them on a bottom five team in the league makes zero sense. Blake was dealt a garbage hand, Lombardi completely gutted this team before he was fired and the picks he did make were terrible, but Blake should have known that and acted accordingly. The draft picks/young players they could have gotten for Doughty would be significant assets when the Kings are coming out of their rebuild. Instead when they come out of their rebuild they will have a defenseman on the wrong side of 30 with a ton of miles and a massive contract with tons of years still left and none of those young assets they could have had.

They completely dropped the ball not moving him when they could have.

 

[Telos]

At this rate, both Kovy and Porky may be on the same flight to Moscow in a couple weeks.

At this rate, I'll pack their bags. I like Kovy's drive, but his turnovers are ridiculously brutal and he is terrible in all aspects other than driving the puck into the offensive zone.