GDT: 2020-21 season Game #1 LA Kings vs Minnesota Wild @7:00pm 1/14/21

[ru4reals]

So this isn't a kicked in goal?

If I'm a player I'm practicing this move every day. If they're gonna count it I'm using it. That was all disguised in a purposeful way.

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

The Kings org sent me an email that they are “raising expectations and expect to be in the playoffs.

and that's the point. You have to have greater expectations to expect to get better.

 

[KingLB]

So just except it because they're supposed to be outworked? Sounds like a winning mentality.

Dude, you are going to be in for a season of pain/anger/heartbreak if you can’t reevaluate your expectations.

 

[bland]

The Matt Roy +forever machine is in full effect.

I just love watching that guy play. So many clean clearances on the PK, breakups at the blueline, key breakout passes, even gave Greenway a little right after Lizotte nearly killed himself by skating directly into him.

 

[FrozenKing18]

I received the same e-mail about making playoffs was the goal.

I just laughed.

 

[KINGS17]

The Kings org sent me an email that they are “raising expectations and expect to be in the playoffs.

For which season?

 

[KingLB]

The Kings org sent me an email that they are “raising expectations and expect to be in the playoffs.

Yup and oil companies are committed to reducing carbon admissions!

What do you expect them to say? “Don’t bother with this team for atleast 3 seasons, nothing to see here”

 

[SherVaughn30]

The Doughty/Maatta pairing is not gonna last long. Doughty like tonight will try to do too much to compensate for Maatta's mistakes. Doughty needs a 2-way Muzzin type D partner and Maatta needs a SAHD(Stay At Home D-man) partner.

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

Dude, you are going to be in for a season of pain/anger/heartbreak if you can’t reevaluate your expectations.

I enjoyed the game. Just because I have expectations doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. Even the losses. It's all a part of the process. I wouldn't assume how others are feeling based solely on a message board. That's very presumptuous. I don't think it's me who's in for long year based how your post.

 

[kingsboy11]

Rested: Carter, Athansiou, Anderson, Quick, Iafallo, Vilardi, Wagner, Kempe,

Rusty: Kopi, Brown, Lizotte, Doughty, Maatta, Roy, Clague, Alt, 4th line

About half the team played well and the other half didn't which I guess is to be expected. Carter was the best player by far and I thought Quick looked pretty solid most of the game. Would loved to see Vilardi up on AA and Carter's line next time out because Lizotte got bullied out there. I think Doughty-Maatta could have something together, but it could take time which we don't have a whole lot of this year.

I want to like Clague, but man he just looks completely lost in the defensive zone. I think Alt did about well as you could've hoped, but this team clearly needs MacDermid and Walker back in asap. Would also like to give Grundstrom some time instead of Moore

 

[Schmooley]

The Kings org sent me an email that they are “raising expectations and expect to be in the playoffs.

I heard it on the broadcast also. Faust said they are going to be buyers and expect to make the playoffs. If thats their expectation they are gonna have to spend a lot for this roster to go far. Laine would be great but they need more pieces than him anyway. Peterson and Quick would have to play amazing and steal games. I think another tank season and expecting playoffs next season is more realistic but its still way early to tell if you want to judge by performance and not on paper.
Laine gets a lot of hate but hes a game changer. Was even scrapping tonight standing up for his teammates

 

[SherVaughn30]

They were physically outmatched and wore down in the third. Kopitar in particular looked like he had really heavy legs. The Wild had inside positioning and several times it was just their length to get to pucks first. Great late shifts by Greenway and Foligno.

I mentioned it earlier, but the Kings have a lot of players who cover very little ground. Not just size or speed, but what I call a sphere of influence, meaning the range of space around them that they can positively affect at any time. Effective mobility, if you will. Not a lot of that in this group.

In other words you are trying to say part of the lineup doesn't play well in space or away from the puck. Kopitar has a flaw. He plays physical and likes to slow down the game, grinding his opponent. Slowing down the game doesn't work so effectively anymore because there are too many young, fast players in the NHL now. You slow down and your opponent will converge on puck fast. Today's NHL game is more speed and aggressive attack.

I heard in the post-game analysis that Kings hadn't played in so long etc. I think it's up to the coaching staff to keep the players shifts short. Kopitar, Brown and Doughty played too many minutes. Of course it didn't help taking 6 penalties, which will disrupt any team in a game. Not enough smart hockey tonight.

 

[Butch 19]

Are there really no HF posters that question Quick as well as Brown?

Quick almost did a pokecheck by accident, but no, he pulled all his gear back to be on his heels in the crease, and watched the puck trickle between his legs. If he had charged the shooter and attacked the puck, he could have made the save.

Re-watch the video, and follow the puck and how close it was to Quick's stick. It was easy pickings.

Still looking for a progressive goaltending coach I see.

 

[OldGreatWestern]

Patrick O’Neal is still tough to watch.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Are there really no HF posters that question Quick as well as Brown?

Quick almost did a pokecheck by accident, but no, he pulled all his gear back to be on his heels, and watched the puck trickle between his legs. If he had charged the shooter and attacked the puck, he could have made the save.

Re-watch the video, and follow the puck and how close it was to Quick's stick. It was easy pickings.

Still looking for a progressive goaltending coach I see.

On the last 3 goals he gave up, 2 five-hole goals and the other a 7-hole goal(between the waist/blocker). Petersen shuts the door on those. On the OT goal, Quick was too deep in his crease and the way he was holding his goalie stick(blade wasn't flat but angled backward), he was making it too easy for the Wild shooter(forgot his name).

 

[tny760]

Are there really no HF posters that question Quick as well as Brown?

Quick almost did a pokecheck by accident, but no, he pulled all his gear back to be on his heels, and watched the puck trickle between his legs. If he had charged the shooter and attacked the puck, he could have made the save.

Re-watch the video, and follow the puck and how close it was to Quick's stick. It was easy pickings.

Still looking for a progressive goaltending coach I see.

i see that but i also see him going backhand-forehand after feinting the shot so you get that "meta-game" going on between the shooter and goalie

i think quick's poke check feint was enough to make kaprizov lose the puck, he just happened to lose it into his skate which was angled perfectly

would an aggressive poke check have stopped it? probably, but i also think the backhand-forehand would've been an easy chip-in if he missed the poke

 

[Butch 19]

i see that but i also see him going backhand-forehand after feinting the shot so you get that "meta-game" going on between the shooter and goalie

i think quick's poke check feint was enough to make kaprizov lose the puck, he just happened to lose it into his skate which was angled perfectly

would an aggressive poke check have stopped it? probably, but i also think the backhand-forehand would've been an easy chip-in if he missed the poke

The Kings had a dman coming in behind the play, but you're right, every successful pokecheck resets everything on the ice - but at least you have a chance if you stop the shot. God what weak shot it was too...

 

[kilowatt]

Kopitar and Vilardi were stellar on the draw tonight. A top nine of...

Iafallo - Kopitar - Brown
Kempe - Vilardi - Carter
Wagner - Andersson - Athanasiou

...actually isn't terrible. Well, I'm making a guess on Andersson, but I think having Lizotte as our fourth-line center is tge best case scenario. He just gets pushed around by other teams' top lines. I like the kid a lot but he just shouldn't be getting more than 10 minutes a game, I'm sorry. Maybe have a fourth line of JAD - Lizotte - Grundstrom? I just don't see anything of value from Moore - Amadio - Luff, which is to me a glorified AHL scoring line.

As for the defense, I mean, Clague wasn't great. I know he's young, and Alt is an AHLer, but he needs to be more poised with the puck. Maybe it was the ice, but I felt like he was constantly whiffing or falling. It wasn't a great look.

I'd rather see:

Maatta - Doughty
Anderson - Roy
Bjornfot - Walker
MacDermid

I think the Anderson - Roy pairing is our best pairing. I'm as staunch of a Doughty proponent as there is, but he needs to tone it down by about a hundred percent. He hasn't looked great to be honest.

Quick... looked like Quick. Three more years...

 

[Docgonzo]

Not really worried, some Vets looked slow/rusty and they’ll get back into form. Ice didn’t look that great of quality either. Basically this season is just focusing on the kids and see if their professing.

Vilardi looked good but the string of penalties kept him on the bench too often.

Anderson/Roy looked ok, little squirrelly at times.

Clague looked little lost but I’d like to seen him not paired with Alt first. Alt should be our like 9th D. Not opening night bottom pair.

Luff and Amadio were pretty invisible to me. Only saw Wagner use his speed once really.

Brown looked like he forgot to skate even more than normal.

 

[tny760]

Kopitar and Vilardi were stellar on the draw tonight. A top nine of...

Iafallo - Kopitar - Brown
Kempe - Vilardi - Carter
Wagner - Andersson - Athanasiou

...actually isn't terrible. Well, I'm making a guess on Andersson, but I think having Lizotte as our fourth-line center is tge best case scenario. He just gets pushed around by other teams' top lines. I like the kid a lot but he just shouldn't be getting more than 10 minutes a game, I'm sorry. Maybe have a fourth line of JAD - Lizotte - Grundstrom? I just don't see anything of value from Moore - Amadio - Luff, which is to me a glorified AHL scoring line.

As for the defense, I mean, Clague wasn't great. I know he's young, and Alt is an AHLer, but he needs to be more poised with the puck. Maybe it was the ice, but I felt like he was constantly whiffing or falling. It wasn't a great look.

I'd rather see:

Maatta - Doughty
Anderson - Roy
Bjornfot - Walker
MacDermid

I think the Anderson - Roy pairing is our best pairing. I'm as staunch of a Doughty proponent as there is, but he needs to tone it down by about a hundred percent. He hasn't looked great to be honest.

Quick... looked like Quick. Three more years...

yeah that top 9 isn't the worst thing i've seen. amadio et al were the definition of worthless tonight and i can't wait to see who they're replaced by..

walker and macdermid's returns should be good for the stability of the D imo but clague/alt is a total boat anchor. i saw a lot of hate on maatta in this thread but i really feel like without him, doughty might have been a -5 or 6. doughty had a really bad game save for that one shot block and the stick on puck right afterwards. we really just can't afford to have doughty playing 30 minutes a night but he's gonna have to without a stable 3rd pair

 

[bouncesonly]

If I'm a player I'm practicing this move every day. If they're gonna count it I'm using it. That was all disguised in a purposeful way.

rU4reals.......sliding your skate into the goal crease and having the puck bounce off it is not a distinct kicking motion. Plenty of goals scored like that have counted, why should this one be different? Quick flubbed it, the rookie got lucky, whatever you choose....don't look for outrage where there isn't one.

also don't understand the hate for amadio....he's on the 4the line.....what do you expect a 4th line center to be? Auston Matthews?

 

[Frolov 6'3]

So this isn't a kicked in goal?

No, not intentional.

Good Goal.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Can't have Doughty playing 29:12. That's 8:00 more than the next closest D-man.

 

[kilowatt]

Can't have Doughty playing 29:12. That's 8:00 more than the next closest D-man.

I'll give TM a pass on this one, the other choices were Clague or Alt...

 

[kilowatt]

At what point do we consider moving Brown off the first line, by the way?