This game should be a case study for everyone who thinks the Kings are just one good goaltender away from serious contention.
Well, I tend to agree, but I also think these games have a habit of highlighting the issues. I mean it's nothing we didn't already know, but still:
1. "good enough" goaltending isn't good enough. In the playoffs, you're going to run up against walls for 7 games--TBL has Vas for example, but even Winnipeg has Hellebuyck sporting a .925. the top 5 and bottom 5 teams in all situations:
1. Boston .928
2. Dallas .917
3. Nashville .915
4. Winnipeg .915
5. Colorado .914
median is .900
28. Columbus .890
29. St Louis .887
30. Los Angeles .882
31. San Jose: .880
32. Vancouver: .877
that's not going to get past any playoff rounds. The plan so far seems to be pray Quick finds some fairy dust ffor one last hurrah and behind him and Copley the entire organization is an absolute dumpster fire.
2. Durzi on the left side is not a good enough solution. It's good enough to get by vs. lesser teams--but you can actually watch TBL sweep their forecheck thru from Roy to FORCE durzi up the size on his backhand or sloppy forehand and they got goals off it. Dump to Roy, seal off wall and easy lanes, force it around the other wall to Sean. Simple. It's literally not his fault. Not excusing his other defensive plays but this is the kind of 1% thing that matters at the most elite level.
3. Edler - Walker are DEFINITELY not good enough. Bless them, likeable guys, but not enough to take this team to the contender level.
Also let's remember it's TBL--8-2 in their last 10 and coming off a win vs. the Bruins vs. a sloppy Kings team with injuries going B2B across the country. I hate the term 'scheduled loss' and I think you and I would agree it's more about the 'how' than the result in this case but context is context.
This game did nothing to change my mind that this team is first-round fodder and these guys are patting themselves on the back for a lesser season.
The good: The forward depth competes with anyone. The high end defense is there--Doughty Anderson is a monster pairing. Byfield is growing and him and Kopi are elevating one another. The other youth emerging, notably Vilardi, gives depth. There are enough pieces there that a responsible GM and coach could elevate this roster. I'm not confident the current staff has it in them to make the hard, ego-bruising decisions to admit complete failure on the LHD and G depth to compensate for massive successes on the RHD and depth on the C fronts. They still seem to be talking out of both sides of their mouths--are they being patient and waiting to go all in later? If so, play the f*** out of the kids, Turcotte has no business sitting if you're thinking about the future. Are you trying to compete now? If so, why is Toby on the bench and Durzi still on his backhand and PK? And that's without talking about the worries that affect both, like goaltending pipeline.
Most teams have warts and ongoing concerns but this is at least two years of the same shit different day and it's getting tiresome. Watching players turn a simple 2 on 2 into a desperation flailing laydown shotblock to make sure Quick doesn't have to receive a shot OR a backdoor pass tells us everything.
Edit: also Kopitar playing 21 minutes and Fagemo 6.5 and Lemieux/Kupari 8 on a b2b is typical. I get leaning into vets vs. TBL to some degree but this isn't a one off, this happens far too often.
Lets give Kopi some credit too. For as much flack as he gets for his captaincy, that was a solid move to protect QB.
Oh for sure. I liked it.
That being said he probably had the confidence to step in front of Hedman because everyone in the league knows him and Kucherov are little bitches that won't do anything to your face if you see them coming.
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