GDT: GM#1 LA Kings vs San Jose Sharks @7:30 10/5/18

[Sol]

Some good some bad. Not sure Kolvachuk will work out. Flashes of quality but also flashes of a player past his prime. Hopefully it’s just rust.

Power play is still trash.

Weird seeing a player like Wagner on a kings team. Adds excitement but if he’s got no finish what’s the point?

A lot of players in quicksand out there.

Very interesting take on Kovalchuk considering he was misused by Stevens all game.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Toffoli is who he is. He’ll go on a hot streak at some point and pot 10 in 15 and everyone will love him. Then he’ll disappear again.

More concerned about Carter’s general non-impact.

Kovalchuk looked okay. Definitely a timing thing - knowing when to cheat, when he has an opening, etc. The tools are all there - skating, stickhandling, etc. Question is: will his body hold up long enough for his timing to come back?

Find out next episode of Dragonball Z.

 

[Bandit]

just amazing that Toffoli sees OT shifts over Amadio and Wagner. I know TT scored, but those two were significantly better throughout the game and have better 3 on 3 skillsets.

Yeah would have definitely given them a shift with Doughty. Hopefully we get to see it at some point.

 

[SlimCharles]

A least we got a point, I thought it was going to be a 4-0/4-1 game after the first.

 

[Little Psycho]

Can't wait to see Vilardi.

 

[johnjm22]

The Kings getting stuck with tired players on the ice has been a reoccurring theme over the past two seasons.

 

[Telos]

I think Kovy looked fine. He was definitely a little lost out there and 3 on 3 and he had a little bit of timing issues with his passes and dekes, but the skillset is still there.

 

[Herby]

I like the team that Blake has assembled, but Stevens just doesn't seem like he has much of a clue how to effectively coach in 2018. Nate Thompson was essentially operating as the Kings #3 center tonight, while Mike Amadio got 7 and change of icetime, same with Wagner.

 

[kingsboy11]

The Kings allowed the first goal in 50 out of 82 games last season. We're picking up right where we left off. We can complain about the lines, whose in the lineup, but at the end of the day if you constantly give up the first goal and try to claw your way back, you're not going to win every game like that.

 

[Fishhead]

Not many complaints about this one. Solid effort against a good team. Yea, there were some silly mistakes but you have to give SJ credit too. They had already played a game and lost, so it's natural they would have more urgency.

The game left a lot to look forward to rather than the tripe we often get from season openers. Oh, and Fantenberg surprised me, played a damn good game.

 

[Minor Boarding]

The defense managed 0 SOG.

Not a single shoot.

 

[Kingspiracy]

A good game, great to see regular season hockey again. I though TT was a bit unlucky on the game winner, he was gassed, it looked like he tried to lift the guys stick and wiffed on it. I though Karlsson looked like shit.

 

[kilowatt]

put kovalchuk with toffoli and carter and you've got a really bad line

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Detroit visits here on Sunday. Time to make some no name look like the next Sergei Fedorov.

 

[Herby]

The defense managed 0 SOG.

Not a single shoot.

And that is with a decent amount of PP time.

Muzzin has regressed considerably, AMart is now 31, Doughty has never been able to get shots through.

A big big area of concern.

 

[kilowatt]

I want Wagner out there.

Seriously!

 

[DryIslandBartender]

-PP was a disaster.
-Kovy looked rusty.
- like to see more Wagner.
- this team is soft as charmin.

Probably going to finish ninth or get swept in the first round again.

 

[kilowatt]

And that is with a decent amount of PP time.

Muzzin has regressed considerably, AMart is now 31, Doughty has never been able to get shots through.

A big big area of concern.

Meanwhile, Braden McNabb has taken some big strides up in Vegas...

 

[Fishhead]

I like the team that Blake has assembled, but Stevens just doesn't seem like he has much of a clue how to effectively coach in 2018. Nate Thompson was essentially operating as the Kings #3 center tonight, while Mike Amadio got 7 and change of icetime, same with Wagner.

Wagner only got a little more than a minute less of ES time than Thompson, it's not like there was some huge gap between them. I would have like to have seen Amadio more for sure. The reason Thompson was in there so much was because he was outstanding on faceoffs tonight. 70% is damn impressive against the Sharks.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kopitar still can't win an opening faceoff on the PP. It just throws everything off. They end up wasting 20-30 seconds before they get the zone back, if they get the zone back.

 

[Herby]

Wagner only got a little more than a minute less of ES time than Thompson, it's not like there was some huge gap between them. I would have like to have seen Amadio more for sure. The reason Thompson was in there so much was because he was outstanding on faceoffs tonight. 70% is damn impressive against the Sharks.

That's not going to keep him in the league if he's going to be as awful as he was in the rest of the game.

He is basically Stoll circa-2015 at this point.

 

[kilowatt]

Overall though it was the first game of the season, not surprised that guys like Carter and especially Kovalchuk weren't in top form. They'll get better as time goes on. I'm a little concerned about some of the offensive formations they came out in - it's different I guess, but that didn't mean it was good. I don't think the Kings are going to be a top team this year, but they just need to get into the playoffs in order to make some noise. Hopefully they do just that.

 

[Evergreen]

Who is this lady interviewing Wagner in the locker room? Her voice sounds like she's reading a child a bedtime story.

 

[Kingsfan1]

It should be
Kopitar-Carter-Doughty
Kempe-Kovalchuk-Martinez
Pearson-Toffoli-Muzzin
Wagner-Amadio-Fantenberg

 

[Eagle Fang]

And that is with a decent amount of PP time.

Muzzin has regressed considerably, AMart is now 31, Doughty has never been able to get shots through.

A big big area of concern.

The worst Kings d-man in this game for sure.