GDT: 2023-24 season game 19 LA Kings vs Montreal Canadiens @1:00pm 11/25/23

bmr

Registered User
Jan 23, 2013
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Three things in particular repeatedly happen with Fiala that piss me off

1. once a period in the dzone he floats a soft blind backhand pass across our high slot;
2. once a period in the ozone he either throws a grenade to our point man with a closing checker OR he's at the point and softly turns it over himself, especially on the PP, REPEATEDLY leading to odd-man breaks against;
3. lazy selfish stick fouls.

I can live with three if he isn't also continually doing 1 and 2. It's like he's skating with his head totally down right now and keeps finding ways to make the turnover someone else's problem which is liable to get someone like Spence killed if he keeps it up.
Not gonna lie, it definitely rubs me the wrong way at times. However, he is the most creative player on the team and you can really insert him in a variety of situations and he will keep producing. If the Kings were losing i'd probably be worried about it a lot more, but hopefully he can keep disciplined and continue to work on that mental aspect of the game.

A much improved game from Fiala today.

KF just needs to pick his spots. I'd rather him be a 60 point "safe" player, than an 80 point guy always making high risk plays resulting in chances for the other team.

PLD also had a much more solid game today.

Things didn't click for the top line today, but it didn't matter because other lines were playing well. That's a good sign.

First time in awhile Englund had a "bad" game IMO.

Kings should still be looking for an upgrade over Copely.

JAD will be a fine middle six forward in this league. He just needs TOI to find his footing.
Englund didn't look the greatest, but i'm not expecting him to be a world beater every game. He will have off nights just like everyone else.

I disagree with Copley. He's finding his game and he's a more than capable backup.

JAD as a middle six on this team over guys like Laferriere and Turcotte? Maybe - but I think he's going to have an uphill battle cracking the lineup.
 

FSL KINGS

Registered User
May 10, 2021
2,576
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MTL is horrendous. Love the bunch ball in front of MTL net the whole 3rd. Just camp in the crease. Dubious with a lazy couple of assists.

Lewis!!!!

Pheonix shutout!

Les Schtroumpfs!!! :laugh:

More, or Moore?
Moar!!!!
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
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Not gonna lie, it definitely rubs me the wrong way at times. However, he is the most creative player on the team and you can really insert him in a variety of situations and he will keep producing. If the Kings were losing i'd probably be worried about it a lot more, but hopefully he can keep disciplined and continue to work on that mental aspect of the game.

Yeah I expect better from him because he was always a loose cannon but he was never THIS sloppy. I imagine he will continue to sharpen up s o I'm only critical because we've seen him be better. Need to get it out of his system before the real show.
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
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But again these are minor complaints about things we need to see the Kings iron out before the playoffs. I don't care about Fiala saucering a backhand across the zone vs. the Canadiens in November; but what's his decision making process vs. Vegas in May?

And I think the thing the team should be most proud of is the general defense/goalies, 1 GA per game for the winning streak is a nice badge of honor. Sneaking up on the top of the west with games in hand!
 
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bmr

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Jan 23, 2013
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But again these are minor complaints about things we need to see the Kings iron out before the playoffs. I don't care about Fiala saucering a backhand across the zone vs. the Canadiens in November; but what's his decision making process vs. Vegas in May?

And I think the thing the team should be most proud of is the general defense/goalies, 1 GA per game for the winning streak is a nice badge of honor. Sneaking up on the top of the west with games in hand!
I like how TM was reinforcing some things on the bench with him last game. I also don't discount the fact this his backcheck tonight probably saved a goal. PLD also looked better. He looks like he loafs around a lot but just seems to always do a good job of keeping control of the puck. He has the capacity to dominate games and I expect that we will see more of this as the season progresses.

Can't find too much to fault with the team right now. Incredible balance from top to bottom. Going to be really hard for any of the guys on the Reign to crack this lineup. I expect we will see injuries at some point and the Kings will need to weather the storm. I've been a fan of this team since 87/88 and I can honestly say that this is the best regular season team I've seen. Very fun to watch.
 
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johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
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I disagree with Copley. He's finding his game and he's a more than capable backup.
A backup is not what we need.

We need someone in net who can play half the games; an insurance policy against Talbot going cold or getting injured.

We need someone who's capable of getting hot and playing like a #1.

Unless you want to let what might be potentially the best regular season in franchise history rest on the shoulders of a 36 year old Talbot who hasn't played 50+ games since 2017-18.
 

KingsHockey24

Registered User
Aug 1, 2013
14,213
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This team just needs depth for emergencies at the deadline.

Maybe like a Martin Jones + Sean Kuraly + Jarred Tinordi
 

Fishhead

Registered User
Jul 15, 2003
7,306
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PNW
20232024-20309-sva.png

Montreal was hesitant to go to the middle and they could do nothing to keep the Kings out of it today.


CFCACF%FF%SFSAxGF%SCFSCAHDCFHDCA
Alex LaferrierePierre-Luc DuboisCarl Grundstrom
12​
3​
80​
80​
6​
1​
93.21​
8​
1​
4​
0​
Quinton ByfieldAnze KopitarAdrian Kempe
9​
12​
42.86​
37.5​
5​
4​
39.05​
4​
5​
2​
1​
Trevor LewisJaret Anderson-DolanArthur Kaliyev
11​
4​
73.33​
100​
5​
0​
100​
5​
2​
3​
0​
Trevor MoorePhillip DanaultKevin Fiala
11​
12​
47.83​
56.25​
8​
4​
77.32​
8​
4​
6​
1​

The Dubois and JAD lines combined allowed one shot on goal the entire game and only 7 attempts. 7-0 high danger, 13-3 scoring chances between those two.

The Kings are impossible to match up with right now, let's keep that going.
 

johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
19,827
15,431
I often watch the other teams telecast. I like the perspective. On the TSN feed today it was basically a Kings love fest. Lafreniere really caught their eye (and rightfully so).

I wish the people who think TMac sucks could see the perspective of the other team as often as I do.
 

johnjm22

Pseudo Intellectual
Aug 2, 2005
19,827
15,431
PLD has been improving his faceoffs this season.

In the first 4 games of the season he was 15-34 (30%)

In the Minnesota game he only won 1 draw out of 15.

Since then (14gp) he's gone 77-68 (53%).

Only 4 times in that 14 game span has his percentage been below 50%.
 

Fishhead

Registered User
Jul 15, 2003
7,306
5,764
PNW
I often watch the other teams telecast. I like the perspective. On the TSN feed today it was basically a Kings love fest. Lafreniere really caught their eye (and rightfully so).

I wish the people who think TMac sucks could see the perspective of the other team as often as I do.
I try to catch their post-games, which is always enlightening. When asking Mtl players what they could have done, they didn't really have an answer. It was mostly "That's a really good team over there. We had no time or space". It's a recurring theme. Wanted to know more of what St. Louis had to say but my French is very limited. Another recurring theme was "That team over there is what we are striving to be".

Cronin was talking after the Duck's game and said “They’re a good team. Not to put any pressure on the Kings, but from what I see, they’re a Stanley Cup-contending team.”

Things I usually hear are lots of structure, committed to their system, suffocating 1-3-1 forces teams to take chances when behind, well-coached, depth, and cohesive team play.

So lots of high praise from the opposition lately.
 

Schmooley

Registered User
Apr 5, 2016
3,021
3,707
I often watch the other teams telecast. I like the perspective. On the TSN feed today it was basically a Kings love fest. Lafreniere really caught their eye (and rightfully so).

I wish the people who think TMac sucks could see the perspective of the other team as often as I do.
I try to watch some other broadcasts also and have noticed this year the announcers are loving the Kings and other teams coaches and players praise the Kings in postgame interviews.
TMac has been great this year with ice time and use of the 1-3-1. But lets not forget he was so out to lunch that the national broadcasters were harshly ripping his decisions in the playoffs last year sometimes even during the games.
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
62,123
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I try to watch some other broadcasts also and have noticed this year the announcers are loving the Kings and other teams coaches and players praise the Kings in postgame interviews.
TMac has been great this year with ice time and use of the 1-3-1. But lets not forget he was so out to lunch that the national broadcasters were harshly ripping his decisions in the playoffs last year sometimes even during the games.

This.

All the "I told you TM doesn't suck" sentiment is funny because he's right now literally doing exactly what we had been asking for for several years...
 

SettlementRichie10

Registered User
May 6, 2012
10,074
7,971
I often watch the other teams telecast. I like the perspective. On the TSN feed today it was basically a Kings love fest. Lafreniere really caught their eye (and rightfully so).

I wish the people who think TMac sucks could see the perspective of the other team as often as I do.

TMac seems like a perfectly fine coach until he’s your coach in game seven of a playoff series.

He makes objectively poor decisions in pivotal moments and that’s undeniable. No amount of regular season success is going to erase that.
 

yankeeking

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Jun 4, 2007
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The streaming apps I use show both the kings broadcast with Nick and the other teams sometimes on the same play which is kind of funny and they are so far very positive reviews wish to hell it was April or better yet may , but so far they are awesome to watch




 

Fishhead

Registered User
Jul 15, 2003
7,306
5,764
PNW
This.

All the "I told you TM doesn't suck" sentiment is funny because he's right now literally doing exactly what we had been asking for for several years...
For sure he's learned here. He's balanced the ice time, they figured out the PK and brought in Hiller to help with the PP. He's not sticking to the 1-3-1 constantly, the team is changing how they play proactively rather than reactively. He's got the team confident and playing for each other.

He's still got his shortcomings but there is definitely less to bitch about. I never thought TM outright sucked, but rather was just a solid, average coach. He's always had a good head for the game, but he is developing the ability to adapt better which he had lacked in prior seasons. We started seeing it last year and it's clear he has gotten better at a lot of things.

The jury is always going to be out on him until he wins in the playoffs. He's a pretty honest dude as far as coaches go, and I think Todd himself would say that there aren't any excuses not to go deep with this squad.
 

Chazz Reinhold

Registered User
Sep 6, 2005
9,045
2,750
The Stanley Cup
Kings will have 4 games in hand on both Vegas and Vancouver by the time they play another game, what the hell is with this schedule? This is like this 3rd long break already this season, and the season is only about 6 weeks old
This is basically the opposite of last season where the Kings were way ahead of most teams in games played for the first few months of the season.
 

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