Kings Gameday: Way to Go, Sean

by RudyKelly on Dec 2, 2008 10:26 AM PST Comment 19 comments

LA Kings (10-10-3) @ Phoenix Coyotes (10-11-2)

6:30 PST, Fox Sports West

Last night the Kings were leading, 1-0, going into the 3rd period. They hadn't played particularly well, but had used a fast start to gain an advantage on the scoreboard. During the 2nd intermission, Terry Murray stressed the importance of not taking a penalty because the Kings had just been given a 5-on-3 (which of course they didn't score on) late in the 2nd. The very first shift of the 3rd period, Sean O'Donnell carried the puck up ice and attempted to pass it out of his own zone. Unfortunately, he bounced it off a Toronto player and then hooked another Toronto player that was attempting to skate the puck into the zone. Penalty, Sean O'Donnell. The penalty was exacerbated by an unfortunate Dustin Brown trip and the Maple Leafs scored on the two-man advantage.

Way to go, Sean.

Still, the Kings were tied and only had to kill off the rest of Dustin Brown's penalty. O'Donnell was rested because he had been in the box and came out to kill the penalty. He made a nice play to corral the puck behind his own net and tried to pass it to Drew Doughty. Unfortunately, there was a Toronto player standing in the way; the Toronto player easily intercepted the pass and relayed it to a teammate in front of the net for an easy goal.

Way to go, Sean.

No King had a good game last night, with the possible exception of Alex Frolov, but I don't think I've seen one player screw up a team's chances of winning a game that much since Denis Gauthier thought he was a Red Wing at the beginning of the season. I think of players as contributing positively and negatively; some players, like Tom Preissing, are going to make a lot of good plays that contribute to goals but they're also going to fuck up and cost the team goals. The trick is to get more positive plays than negative plays. Sean O'Donnell does not make many positive plays but he usually doesn't make many negative plays. I like O'Donnell and I don't want to be mean to him or anything, but he cost the Kings the game last night.

***

Kind of funny: last night, some shitheel named Andre Deveaux got feisty with Anze Kopitar, hoping to send a message to the Kings or some such. Brown bumped Deveaux, then Peter Harrold came over and shoved him. Then Raitis Ivanans came out on the ice. Ivanans followed Deveaux all over the ice, trying to convince Deveaux to drop the gloves. Deveaux refused, both because he was trying to goad Ivanans into a penalty and because he didn't want to die. Then, after the whistle, Wayne Simmonds tried to get Devaux to go and again was refused. It's good to see teammates standing up for one another.

***

Phoenix has kind of sucked this year, huh? They're 28th in the league in scoring, which is not what I expected. They're also missing Olli "Big Baby" Jokinen, who is out with a shoulder injury, so this is another game that the Kings should win. Let's hope the Kings play a little better tonight.

Prediction: Kings win, 4-2. Goals by... whoever.

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Deveaux looked at Kopitar, realized he wasn't a fighter, and didn't take it any further. Not sure what's shitheel-ish about that although he should have fought Ivanans when he came out.

What he should have done is follow Armstrong's example and jump one of the Kings for laying a clean hit.

by Pension Plan Puppets on Dec 2, 2008 11:43 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not really shitheel-ish, I just like making fun of other players. Besides, his name screams shitheel.

I was kind of expecting a Maple Leaf to go after Brown for crunching Schenn, but nothing came of that.

by RudyKelly on Dec 2, 2008 12:05 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I like O'Donnell and I don't want to be mean to him or anything, but he cost the Kings the game last night.

Hogwash. What cost the Kings last night was what cost the Ducks last night. Scoring a goal on the first shot of the game and then trying to make that stand up for 60 minutes. Doesn't work against Detroit, and it doesn't work against Toronto.

O'D has some giveaway moments, sure, and based on the Kings' unwillingness to score a second goal, they may have been especially magnified last night, but it's tough to blame O'Donnell because the Kings didn't win a 1-0 game.

Especially since the Kings have won exactly two 1-0 games since the lockout (ironically, in consecutive games in April 2006).

by Earl Sleek on Dec 2, 2008 12:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I gotta agree with Sleek on this one. Frolov was set up perfect between the circles and shot the puck hard enough to go right thru Toskala, the only problem is that he missed the net. Kopitar had an easy tap in with Toskala out of position and he too missed the net. So, if you want to blame OD, pass some blame around to the offense too.

by chris in torrance on Dec 2, 2008 1:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I miss OD and his responsible play. At least Montador is playing a little better of late.

by Good Kyle on Dec 2, 2008 1:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Well RK look at it this way: OD does not make those errors often, so he might be good for the rest the year now.

On a side note: Burke wants permission to talk to Nonis now? WTF! At what point is it considered tampering?

If Anaheim did all this shit to a Toronto GM would the NHL be so complacent?

by Mike in OC on Dec 2, 2008 3:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Typical Andre Deveaux. Just got off suspension for kicking and kneeing a guy in the head. Watch him play twice in a row against the Hamilton Bulldogs where he antagonized players and then refused to drop the gloves against players 40 pounds smaller than him. What a pussy.

by BFD on Dec 2, 2008 3:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

What, Avery got suspended for saying Dion Phaneuf was dating his "sloppy seconds?" That's bullshit.

by RudyKelly on Dec 2, 2008 3:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

On a side note: Burke wants permission to talk to Nonis now? WTF! At what point is it considered tampering?

I'm actually kind of surprised they asked for permission, though, as I thought they'd already talked to Nonis a couple of weeks ago without permission.

At any rate, I hope Anaheim's paying some attention here and takes advantage of any oversights, but I can't be diligent on it.

BTW, did you guys see that the NHL suspended Sean Avery for making pretty average remarks about Phaneuf and Cuthbert? What a laugh.

Oh, I guess you did see it.

by Earl Sleek on Dec 2, 2008 3:59 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Oh, this gets even more silly by the second. Thrown under the bus by his own team owner!

From Andrew's Stars Page:

"I completely support the league’s decision to suspend Sean Avery," said Dallas Stars owner Thomas O. Hicks. "Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so."

I know it's already been said a lot this post, but way to go, Sean.

by Earl Sleek on Dec 2, 2008 4:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I heard, its stupid. Those comments were barely BARELY controversial

by brokeyard on Dec 2, 2008 5:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I came here thinking this was about Sean Avery, too. =P

And Earl, it is kind of silly, but really, it could have been ugly. I like to think Dion is mature enough to ignore the asshole, but in the off chance he did go after Avery, it would be a televised, obviously premeditated attack that the league would have to do something about. They don't want (or need) to be seen to the non-hockey world as a wild west sideshow that lets neanderthals settle their personal feuds on the ice or seen in the hockey world as retributive in the sense they'd punishing a star player who was clearly provoked. It was just easier to suspend the guy who everyone already hates.

As for the owner saying what he said... he's just trying to protect his assets (i.e., butts in the seats) by distancing the team from a guy his own fan base already hates and maybe try to help keep the Stars from being the most hated team in the league. That's not good for business.

by Sarah on Dec 2, 2008 5:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

...but in the off chance he did go after Avery, it would be a televised, obviously premeditated attack that the league would have to do something about.

It's a risk in any storyline, and it's not like there's never been hatred in hockey before. They'd have to know the league's eyes would be squarely on their interactions tonight.

Still, now it promises to be a super-bland affair, with everyone reading prepared political statements. The party is officially dead now.

...try to help keep the Stars from being the most hated team in the league. That's not good for business.

Oh, I suspect it's worked out well enough for the Ducks the past couple of years. :) It's actually kind of weird to pass that torch to the detestable Stars.

by Earl Sleek on Dec 2, 2008 6:02 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Well you had the score right.

by Brad on Dec 2, 2008 9:03 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not a fan of the Turtle, but in this case, his comments are spot on. LOL

I never understood the fascination with Cuthbert. She looks like any other typical bleached blonde sorority girl you find on campus at SC or fucla.

by Morbo on Dec 2, 2008 10:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

How dare you. Girls from those schools are tanned.

by RudyKelly on Dec 2, 2008 11:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Hey, I went to Laguna Beach High School, but I think she's hot. And I usually don't like blondes. Bleached blondes especially.

by brokeyard on Dec 3, 2008 12:22 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Maybe I'm just really stupid, but I'm surprised anybody was able to figure out just what Avery was talking about. If I hadn't read about it elsewhere, I wouldn't have been able to get that from the media clip. Everybody else probably did, but whatever. Go on, make me feel like an asshole.

Avery probably did the stupidest thing I've ever seen anybody do, except for Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the thigh and facing 4 years in prison. (For what it's worth, I'm a huge New York Giants fan.) It wasn't like he said it during an interview after the first period or something. From what I read, he actually called the media over to him to talk about it.

WHOA!! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Avery is making the Stars' front office looking very moronic for signing him to a 4-year deal. I don't care if he wants everybody else in the league hates him for being an agitator. But it's completely out of line for somebody to take a shot at who their ex-girlfriend is dating. In fact, I'm really good friends with the guy who is currently dating my ex-girlfriend.

By the way, Dion Phaneuf is a pretty handsome dude, and he's a better hockey player. It's like Dan Cloutier wanting to kill Roberto Luongo for taking over his #1 role in Vancouver, when the entier universe knows Luongo is amongst the best in the league and Cloutier is amongst the worst in Pee-Wee hockey. I'd rather go out with Phaneuf than Avery, also.

by Kevin Y on Dec 3, 2008 7:52 AM PST reply actions 0 recs