GDT: 2022-23 season game 70 LA Kings vs Vancouver Canucks @7:00pm 3/18/23

[AbsentMojo]

It's evident that TMac does not trust the kids yet. There is zero reasons that Iafallo is put on a PP or OT. Byfield should at least get some 3-3 OT time, cycle him with Moore.

Byfield was finally put out toward the end of OT, and then Van called a timeout.. He was removed during the timeout... thats so bad for the kid's confidence. And where is Vilardi?

 

[Schmooley]

I said it earlier and I'll repeat it

One of the worst coaching performances I've ever seen. TM got punched in the mouth with a PP goal against and lost the plot altogether, came completely unraveled

TM def deserves some credit for this stretch too but much like everything else we're critical of this season--these are the things that will matter when it matters in the playoffs and they aren't being adjusted.

Benching your 4th line who were some of your best checkers on the night and generated a goal thru effort
Putting out Arvidsson/Danault--and having Arvy take the faceoff
Gavrikov-Kopitar-Danault in OT
Iafallo struggling in OT
Prevent defense when you were running away with the game
playing not-to-lose in OT

How many bad decisions can one guy make in 10 minutes? It was absurd

This is "play AA and Edler vs. McDavid at home" level stuff.

Its like he chooses to ignore the pulse of the game. Treats every game and situation the same no matter whos playing well that night or the circumstances.
His favorites are veterans and he will lean on them no matter what.

 

[jgs]

I am not a Fan of TMac but the reality is Blake is going to keep him.

 

[Trash Panda]

I don’t know what has happened to the player formerly known as Alex Iafallo, but he isn’t doing any of the things that made him so successful in years past.

He is the guy I would sit when Fiala comes back, but we all know it’ll be Grundy or Arty. Because reasons.

 

[LAKings88]

Kings got beat by Vancouver’s goalie.

PP looks stagnant again.

Got a point at least.

On to the next one.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don’t know what has happened to the player formerly known as Alex Iafallo, but he isn’t doing any of the things that made him so successful in years past.

He is the guy I would sit when Fiala comes back, but we all know it’ll be Grundy or Arty. Because reasons.

Two years in a row he has completely wilted down the stretch at the end of the season. Wondering what gives. Last year it was possible it was the shoulder injury since it was the first time in his career that's sort of happened...but again? Gives me major pause.

 

[kilowatt]

Putting out Arvidsson/Danault--and having Arvy take the faceoff

Not to beat a dead horse here, but Danault has won 53.4% of his faceoffs with over 1000 draws taken this year and Arvidsson has won 42.4% of his faceoffs with fewer than 100 draws taken this year. Just brutal. I can’t figure out why they do that.

You know who is fast, defensively responsible, wins draws, and has some untapped offensive potential? Rasmus Kupari. 54.3% on the draw on 320 tries.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Two years in a row he has completely wilted down the stretch at the end of the season. Wondering what gives. Last year it was possible it was the shoulder injury since it was the first time in his career that's sort of happened...but again? Gives me major pause.

Last year I speculated (based on nothing other than watching him drag his ass around the ice the second half of the season) that he just wasn't in great shape. It's looking like the exact same thing again. I obviously don't have any actual proof but he sure looks like a slug out there.

 

[bland]

I am not a Fan of TMac but the reality is Blake is going to keep him.

The reality is that he is going to win the Adams award this year.

 

[Kurrilino]

Kings got beat by Vancouver’s goalie.

PP looks stagnant again.

Got a point at least.

On to the next one.

Our disabilities to score goals when need will look really bad when playoff start

 

[Kurrilino]

I am a big Iafallo defender but the last 10 games he's looked like late-stage Tanner Pearson

I would say at least the last 100 games.
This guy is as useless as he gets.
He shines in absolutely nothing and does the rest below average.

 

[The Butcher]

Kings got beat by Vancouver’s goalie.

PP looks stagnant again.

Got a point at least.

On to the next one.

I like this take.

Todd drives me crazy sometimes too but it feels like some of you expect this team to go 82-0.

This is one of the best teams since Christmas and maybe the best team since the break. I'm not saying you cant be frustrated by last night's result but the panic in some of these posts is puzzling to me.

 

[tny760]

Last year I speculated (based on nothing other than watching him drag his ass around the ice the second half of the season) that he just wasn't in great shape. It's looking like the exact same thing again. I obviously don't have any actual proof but he sure looks like a slug out there.

he does look a bit slow out there to me but the team overall is playing much faster than when he came in, so it's hard for me to pinpoint him as "the problem". he's probably just topped out. contract's probably gonna sting a bit for a year or two but i guess he provides leadership or whatever

i have no excuse for him seeing PP/OT minutes though, i don't think he does anything there that someone else can't do better. muh vEtErAn PrEsEnCe though

 

[YAYSAY]

he does look a bit slow out there to me but the team overall is playing much faster than when he came in, so it's hard for me to pinpoint him as "the problem". he's probably just topped out. contract's probably gonna sting a bit for a year or two but i guess he provides leadership or whatever

i have no excuse for him seeing PP/OT minutes though, i don't think he does anything there that someone else can't do better. muh vEtErAn PrEsEnCe though

He's had stretches of great play on the fast version of the team though. Last year he was one of the best players through the first quarter or so. This year he played quite well till he got hurt. Just weird. Really wish they moved him at the deadline, he probably would have fetched a few picks at least.

TM's OT strategy is just really bad though, he definitely plays not to lose rather than to win, remember it took him a long time to finally start putting Fiala in OT early rather than like 3 rotations in. And absolutely no good reason Byfield/Vilardi shouldn't be seeing any time in OT.

 

[tny760]

He's had stretches of great play on the fast version of the team though. Last year he was one of the best players through the first quarter or so. This year he played quite well till he got hurt. Just weird. Really wish they moved him at the deadline, he probably would have fetched a few picks at least.

TM's OT strategy is just really bad though, he definitely plays not to lose rather than to win, remember it took him a long time to finally start putting Fiala in OT early rather than like 3 rotations in. And absolutely no good reason Byfield/Vilardi shouldn't be seeing any time in OT.

yeah byfield/vilardi are tailor made for open ice like that.. can't explain it. byfield with space can blow by forwards on D, vilardi can dangle through em

todd looking at a butter knife and a chainsaw and using the knife to cut the tree down

 

[BringTheReign]

It's incredibly rare that any fanbase 100% supports every decision made by their coaching staff. I typically aspire to an 80/20 view of what TMac does. Given that, I'm pretty happy with the results he's garnered even with Fiala out.

That being said, holy f*** Todd put Byfield and Vilardi in 3 on 3 OT. What the actual hell man.

 

[kingsfan28]

Demko played Vezina quality goal. He saved their Canadian bacon.
The Canucks have our number and have an insane record against us, as well as the rest of the Pacific.

Dude , the last time the Kings beat the Canucks, man just walked on the moon.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Team played well but was getting goalie'd until the Canucks tied it. At that point TM's balls shriveled-up and he did everything possible to try and back the team into a win. He coached scared, plan and simple

 

[kingsfan28]

Danault is permanently banned from ot.

I'll add the top unit too. They were so bad and need to watch someone else try and win it.

 

[Surf Nutz]

I am not a Fan of TMac but the reality is Blake is going to keep him.

These guys are in a different matrix/

Iaf poor in the last third of season again as last year.

Yup thats not good enough offense to win the conf, div, playoffs.

Korpi doesnt look good in shoot out. The way he backs up as the shooter approaches doesnt look right.

Breakaways will be a/concern

I thought the schedule was easy..

Looks tough now our rivals up the whazoo plus Van. who we cant beat.

Its step it up again or it was all for naught and shut up

 

[Steve Zissou]

Tonka was a wild man. Everything else was a snooze fest.

Missing Fiala is an understatement.

Tonka will be much needed come post season. Otherwise we are Charmin soft.

 

[Lt Dan]

Dude , the last time the Kings beat the Canucks, man just walked on the moon.

We can't ever forget about 2012.
That will always be one of my favorite series ever. Shutting those arrogant prices up.

Richards owning Kesler.

Kopitar fighting Burroughs

And we can never forget Brown's hit on the Sedin

 

[Fishhead]

Two years in a row he has completely wilted down the stretch at the end of the season. Wondering what gives. Last year it was possible it was the shoulder injury since it was the first time in his career that's sort of happened...but again? Gives me major pause.

I think some of it is conditioning. He's had some nagging injuries. Another thing is a change of roles, he's being put in different spots.

But, there's this - he's still producing even though he might look like crapola some nights. Last year, sure. He wasn't just invisible down the stretch, he was bad. In the minus and not producing. But for this year, I don't think completely wilted is accurate all. 9 points in his last 15, and a +7. Only 2 games where he was in the minus, -1 both times.

Over that same span:
Moore has 5 points
Byfield has 9
Kempe has 10
Danault has 9
Arvidsson has 9

He's scoring the same or more lately than anyone not named Kempe, Kopitar, and Fiala. And he's not on the ice for many goals against at all. His GF% and DFF% this year are better than both Kempe and Kopitar. His metrics are fantastic.

He's a case where the stats don't really meet the eye test, but it could be it's the expectations that are a bit out of whack. At least with me, some of it is I expect him to be the odd man out next year so I naturally nitpick his play to make it seem that what we lose will be minimal.

 

[cyclones22]

There's no reason why QB shouldn't be on the ice for three on three overtimes now. Not only does he have the speed and skill to skate around folks, he's also one of the better back checkers on the team now. QB has the recovery speed to cover up mistakes.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I like this take.

Todd drives me crazy sometimes too but it feels like some of you expect this team to go 82-0.

This is one of the best teams since Christmas and maybe the best team since the break. I'm not saying you cant be frustrated by last night's result but the panic in some of these posts is puzzling to me.

I'm far less mad about the result--because that was the Demko show--and far more annoyed about Todd getting shell shocked by Van tying the game.

I don't think it's an '82-0' expectation type of call to be concerned about those kinds of decisions given they are exactly his rep and we're hoping he's learned but as last year's playoffs showed and last night's game showed, he hasn't. Last night is a good example of what kinds of things happen when he chokes.