GDT: 2020-21 season game 31 LA Kings vs San Jose Sharks @7:30pm 3/22/21

[SherVaughn30]

they were shooting it high though! right into the crest!

Majority of the Kings shots were low. I didn't think they created enough shots where there is a rebound for a 2nd chance. For instance, I saw multiple times a Kings player with the puck had the edge on the defender coming down the wing and shooting near-post on Jones, where there was nothing to shoot at. It would have been better to shoot for the far-post and attack to get a rebound.

Something else I noticed. If the Kings don't score any goals down low around the net, they lose far more games. They don't get enough scoring from their d-group and the Kings terribly lack shooters on rush plays or shots just inside the face-off dots.

 

[SherVaughn30]

Some unlucky bounces, but Quick should've gloved the first one, Donato blew by McD on the second one, Brown missed an open net on one of the PPs I think, and Carter could've easily scored on the open net at the end. And someone tell coaches not to put Brown anywhere but the front of the net on the PP.

In my book you don't hope on lucky bounces. Instead you create your own luck. Kings didn't create their own luck tonight. After beating the best team in the division and arguably the best team in the NHL, the Kings had a total let down against the Sharks. Kings outworked the Sharks a good deal, but didn't have the balls to finish tonight.

 

[Steve Zissou]

In my book you don't hope on lucky bounces. Instead you create your own luck. Kings didn't create their own luck tonight. After beating the best team in the division and arguably the best team in the NHL, the Kings had a total let down against the Sharks. Kings outworked the Sharks a good deal, but didn't have the balls to finish tonight.

It was a back-to-back and even TMac said they were out of gas late in the game during his post game interview.

It wasn’t a let down. Some nights the puck just don’t go in.

The boys worked hard. Every team has a couple of these types of games per season. It sucks but you regroup and move on.

I would be more pissed if we had a lead all game and then gave up the tying goal to only lose late in the game or in OT (like 2 times against Minnesota early in the season).

 

[Master Yoda]

In my book you don't hope on lucky bounces. Instead you create your own luck. Kings didn't create their own luck tonight. After beating the best team in the division and arguably the best team in the NHL, the Kings had a total let down against the Sharks. Kings outworked the Sharks a good deal, but didn't have the balls to finish tonight.

Agree. Some bounces didn't go their way, but they had plenty of chances to score more than 1 goal and blew it. They needed to be better, the four guys I mentioned in particular.

 

[SherVaughn30]

It was a back-to-back and even TMac said they were out of gas late in the game during his post game interview.

Some nights the puck just don’t go in.

I see that as an excuse. All NHL teams are just about dealing with the same tight schedule and a lot of games in a 1 week span. Directed at the team, just suck it up buttercup! Kings might have had 42 shots on goal, but there were a lot of brain dead shots.

 

[Steve Zissou]

These are the games that make me think it wouldn’t be the worst thing to miss the playoffs and end up with another lottery pick. It reminds me of the 6-5 OTL game against the Ducks a few weeks back. We’re not a talented enough roster yet. I know we already have a deep prospect pool, but another blue chip prospect wouldn’t hurt.

Drafting a top D somewhere in the top 8 would be beautiful.

 

[redcard]

I see that as an excuse. All NHL teams are just about dealing with the same tight schedule and a lot of games in a 1 week span. Directed at the team, just suck it up buttercup! Kings might have had 42 shots on goal, but there were a lot of brain dead shots.

And all NHL teams lose games.

 

[SherVaughn30]

And all NHL teams lose games.

I'm not saying they don't. Kings are trying to push for a playoff spot. They beat the division leader last night and then play a dud game tonight in terms of scoring goals. Plain and simple, the Kings need to be more consistent scoring goals. Sharks had a couple fluke goals off that idiot MacDermid, so scoring 2 or 3 goals would have done it.

 

[SherVaughn30]

One last thing. Shame on the coaching staff for having MacDermid in the lineup and also some poor line combos tonight. TMac saying the team looked tired tonight. Come on man, tired teams don't generate 42 shots on goal! All I see from TMac saying the team was tired, was an excuse and deflecting a bit that the coaching could have better in this game.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

When the Kings miss the playoffs, crap like that game will be why

 

[Schmooley]

One last thing. Shame on the coaching staff for having MacDermid in the lineup and also some poor line combos tonight. TMac saying the team looked tired tonight. Come on man, tired teams don't generate 42 shots on goal! All I see from TMac saying the team was tired, was an excuse and deflecting a bit that the coaching could have better in this game.

This is funny coming from an outside point of view. Youll fit in well here. A lot of us wonder if they are really trying to make the playoffs with some of the questionable personnel decisions they make too often. I think TMac has been mostly really good though. Hes getting a lot from a so-so roster with little high end talent.

 

[Mats26]

I give zero credit to Blake for this team hovering around .500. Which is a positive step in the right direction. He added no personnelle to meet those playoff objectives, so I never took those claims seriously. IMO, it's still a development year for the first wave of prospects. No serious playoff contender would of had MacDermid on their roster.

If we are playing any meaniful games at this point, all the credit should go to the coaching staff. They are getting the most out of what gas is left of the vets, giving the youth oppurtunities and jugggling all this with taxi squads and covid. On ice play has improved, the PP\PK and odd man rushes are way down. TMac should have alot more talent to work with in the next 2-3 years.

My take on this progression is that we might see a down trend if the vets drop off. We don't have any prospects that can replace Carter and Browns production yet. I think Kopi and Drew are fine for a few more years if not longer. This is where Blake needs to step up this summer, weaponize our cap space and find the right players to bridge that gap between the 36 years old and 20 years olds.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Crazy that they can be 6pts better head to head with the Blues, but still be 5pts behind the Blues in the standings.

StL has really beaten up on SJ and Ana though, at a combined 9-1-2. The Kings are 2-2-2 against them.

A division worst 2-6 record in OT/SO doesn't help either.

VGK, 5-1, .833
Min, 4-1, .800
Col, 3-2, .600
SJ, 5-4, .556
StL, 5-5, .500
Ana, 4-6, .400
Ari, 2-5, .286
LA, 2-6, .250

 

[Lt Dan]

One last thing. Shame on the coaching staff for having MacDermid in the lineup and also some poor line combos tonight. TMac saying the team looked tired tonight. Come on man, tired teams don't generate 42 shots on goal! All I see from TMac saying the team was tired, was an excuse and deflecting a bit that the coaching could have better in this game.

Please post here more often. You have some great insights

 

[Lt Dan]

When the Kings miss the playoffs, crap like that game will be why

I don't know if the playoffs were ever a reality this season. We are not better than Vegas, Colorado, St Louis, or Minny.
We may play well against 2 of those 4 but we also struggle against teams that we should be handily beating (if we were truly a playoff team)

Next year is this team's first real shot, IMO. There will also be a ton of cap space to add a forward or a dman who can score other than Drew

 

[kings11]

I don't know if the playoffs were ever a reality this season. We are not better than Vegas, Colorado, St Louis, or Minny.
We may play well against 2 of those 4 but we also struggle against teams that we should be handily beating (if we were truly a playoff team)

Next year is this team's first real shot, IMO. There will also be a ton of cap space to add a forward or a dman who can score other than Drew

Exactly, the purge finally ending, the vets seeing how exciting the kids are/will be, the Vets stepping up and just being competitive and sniffing the playoffs is a huge developmental step in the right direction for this team.

 

[LAKings88]

I want to push for the playoffs this year. Kopi and Doughty are on. Need to go on an 8 game winning streak.

 

[YP44]

I don't know if the playoffs were ever a reality this season. We are not better than Vegas, Colorado, St Louis, or Minny.
We may play well against 2 of those 4 but we also struggle against teams that we should be handily beating (if we were truly a playoff team)

Next year is this team's first real shot, IMO. There will also be a ton of cap space to add a forward or a dman who can score other than Drew

i thought it was possible but unlikely. I had Vegas, Colorado, and St. Louis as locks. The wild have been a surprise to me and I thought dropping the first two games was really gonna hurt.

 

[unicornpig]

I don't know if the playoffs were ever a reality this season. We are not better than Vegas, Colorado, St Louis, or Minny.
We may play well against 2 of those 4 but we also struggle against teams that we should be handily beating (if we were truly a playoff team)

Next year is this team's first real shot, IMO. There will also be a ton of cap space to add a forward or a dman who can score other than Drew

uh kings have owned st louis.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

One last thing. Shame on the coaching staff for having MacDermid in the lineup and also some poor line combos tonight. TMac saying the team looked tired tonight. Come on man, tired teams don't generate 42 shots on goal! All I see from TMac saying the team was tired, was an excuse and deflecting a bit that the coaching could have better in this game.

I see that as an excuse. All NHL teams are just about dealing with the same tight schedule and a lot of games in a 1 week span. Directed at the team, just suck it up buttercup! Kings might have had 42 shots on goal, but there were a lot of brain dead shots.

So which is it? Tired teams don't generate 42 shots on goal.....or they might hav had 42 shots on goal, but they were brain dead shots (hence...they were tired)

 

[KingsFan7824]

11-6-6 against everyone except Vegas and Col.

 

[Reaper45]

I am pro MacDermid and I state that without hesitation but I just don’t understand the hate. We all know in the regular season he’s a #7 defensemen who slides into the lineup against tougher opponents. Because he’s being played in situations and at minutes over his abilities is not a knock on him. He’s honestly been pretty good lately and had to deal with a couple of bad bounces last night. But look at the scenario and the coaching staff. Maatta is out with Covid. They either don’t trust Clague and Strand enough or are sitting them for ED reasons. This board over the years, like clockwork, picks out a certain player or group of them and just stays hyper focused on them and any mistakes they make. It’s hilarious, but I guess everyone needs a whipping boy. Since the start of the season it’s been Kempe, Luff, Moore, Wagner, MacDermid. Who’s next Vilardi?

 

[kingsholygrail]

The Kings just match up really well against the Blues. It's the anomally. Everything else more or less makes sense given the Kings are pretty awful 5v5 but have great special teams that can steal them games.

 

[bouncesonly]

Don't care if the Kings are/aren't a "playoff" team, don't care if they get swept in the playoffs.....they should make it for the 4 game experience for the young players and Peterson.

 

[ru4reals]

Wow glad I missed the game. I caught a few minutes during the first and second periods but from reading the comments glad I skipped the third. Frustrating but expected so doesn't sting as much. Hey at least McDerp won a fight unfortunately he scored two goals for the Sharks.