GDT: 2020-21 season game 32 LA Kings vs San Jose Sharks @7:30pm 3/24/21

[KingsFan7824]

The emotional swings vs. expectations though, I think, are similar. I was going to say '09 Kings but I think that year we kind of played to expectations--got run out of the building vs DRW and the powerhouses, mostly took care of business otherwise, showed growth, fell short. I know the ending is likely to be the same here--but the letdown games are fast and furious. Think of the Minnesota games, with seconds left. The Ducks games. The first Sharks game, coughing up a lead with seconds. These last two--played well vs. a SC favorite, then shit the bed twice vs. a fellow rebuilder, and how: played immensely well in the first one and just couldn't finish the opportunities, including an inexplicable open net with both Carter AND Kopitar. And then just forgetting structure altogether last night.

I mean it's not necessarily a direct comparison, I just mean the fragility in key moments--in this case it's hopefully a learning experience for a growing roster rather than an unraveling experience for a roster slowing down, but these are the Calgary/Edmonton letdown games all over again. Run most of the game, break down catastrophically, and completely whiff on not just grade A opportunities but grade AAA open nets.

I kind of see that, but it's also been a long time since the Kings were a top regular season team. Didn't make it easy in the golden age either.

There was never a TB or Vegas or Was or SJ in there. It was consistently a struggle, even if they tilted the ice in their favor, no matter who they played.

 

[Jason Squirties]

The emotional swings vs. expectations though, I think, are similar. I was going to say '09 Kings but I think that year we kind of played to expectations--got run out of the building vs DRW and the powerhouses, mostly took care of business otherwise, showed growth, fell short. I know the ending is likely to be the same here--but the letdown games are fast and furious. Think of the Minnesota games, with seconds left. The Ducks games. The first Sharks game, coughing up a lead with seconds. These last two--played well vs. a SC favorite, then shit the bed twice vs. a fellow rebuilder, and how: played immensely well in the first one and just couldn't finish the opportunities, including an inexplicable open net with both Carter AND Kopitar. And then just forgetting structure altogether last night.

I mean it's not necessarily a direct comparison, I just mean the fragility in key moments--in this case it's hopefully a learning experience for a growing roster rather than an unraveling experience for a roster slowing down, but these are the Calgary/Edmonton letdown games all over again. Run most of the game, break down catastrophically, and completely whiff on not just grade A opportunities but grade AAA open nets.

I didn't see last nights game like that though. They came out strong in the opening 20min and then sort of unraveled after the sharks first goal. A timely goal at the end of the second would've made you think they'd come out from the drop but they didn't. Flashes of OK-ness with Doughty driving most of the play. Outside of that, lots of disappointing play from most. Not many positives to take.