Kings Gameday: It Only Took 50 Games!
by RudyKelly on Feb 21, 2009 10:32 AM PST
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PrintLA Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes
1:00 PST, Fox Sports West
Through the first half of the season, Terry Murray was, how do you say, "liberal" with his lines. In other words, guys couldn't play together for 2 seconds without him losing Goddamned mind and shuffling them around. Recently, though, Murray has settled on the following formations, and I think they work pretty well:
Frolov-Kopitar-O'Sullivan
Calder-Stoll-Brown
Richardson-Handzus-Simmonds
Ivanans-Armstrong-Harrold
They don't seem like they should work (I mean, Stoll and Calder are effective at even strength? The fuck?) but they do. I think it's because each line has its own identity and the players all have a similar view of the game. Fro-Ricky Raccoon-Sully all like to cycle the puck, go one-on-one and speed through the zone. Calder-Stoll*-Brown are all hard-driving, crash the net kind of guys. Richardson-Zeus-Simmonds aren't very similar, but Richardson and Simmonds are both speedy guys and complement Handzus' game well. And then the 4th line's ridiculous. But the key is, the lines are working well right now. I mean, Oscar Moller got sent down so guys like Calder, Armstrong and Harrold could play offense and I didn't think it was a bad decision. Strange.
*Jarret Stoll kinda looks like one of the apes from Congo got to him and crushed his head, right?
***
Meanwhile, can anyone figure out what's going on with the defensive pairings? Doughty and O'Donnell usually play together but then Doughty plays about 5 extra shifts a game with (what seems like) every other defenseman on the roster. Greene and Johnson play together except on the power play or penalty kill or when one of them is in the box, so that usually adds up to about 3 minutes a game. And Kyle Quincey... is he playing with Gauthier, I guess? I swear, I see him with a different linemate and in a different situation every time he's out on the ice. Anyone help out here?
***
The Kings lost against San Jose, which sucks, but more importantly they lost their hold on the #1 slot in shots allowed. It's funny, the two teams that are best at limiting shots met up and one team had 40 shots and the other had 32. The Kings and Sharks are now tied, so that's something you can keep an eye on. What's that? Oh, no one cares about it but me. Well, I'll keep an eye on it and let you know, then. Dick.
About that game: the thing that bothered me the most about it wasn't the hits (I thought both, especially the Armstrong hit, were legit, but I can see where you'd disagree), but the condescension dripping from the words of both the announcers and Sharks fans. Let me be frank: nobody gives a fuck about the Sharks yet. They're everyone's 3rd favorite team in the NHL and pretty much everyone's happy for them. Maybe that'll change when they make the Finals or win the Cup or their fans keep acting like douche bags, but nobody gives a fuck about the Sharks yet. You guys are acting like you're Paul Allen from American Psycho but right now you're more like the squirrelly gay guy that gets nice business cards; sure, you've run into success and we resent it a little, but we don't hate you enough to kill you. No team is going to be so upset that they can't hang with the big, bad Sharks that they start running people, especially when the game is still relatively close. Hockey players are professionals and no one in the NHL is going to try to hurt someone because they're mad about losing. I like the Sharks. I like Joe Thornton and I love Marc-Eduoard Vlasic. But you guys (the fans) need to start realizing that your team isn't special to anyone but yourselves. You used to be the best fans in the NHL and now you're turning into Detroit fans.
***
Phoenix, Phoenix... let's see... oh, Shane Doan! He's good. Who else... Kyle Turris, right? Let's see how he's doing... oh my, that's terrible. What about that Russian kid, the one Lombardi wanted... whoa, even worse. What the hell is going on in Phoenix? They have one of the best collections of young talent outside LA and Chicago, but they've been pretty bad this season. Maybe the young guys needed another year in the minors to season up a little. Or maybe they're too busy nailing all hot coed ass to actually, you know, concentrate on hockey. Can't say I blame 'em.
Prediction: Kings win, 4-1. Goals by Stoll, Simmonds, Brown and Armstrong. Please oh please let Ivanans fight Carcillo again.
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The Best part about that fight
was that Carcillo’s teammate tried to stop him from engaging in it. But Carcillo did it anyways. And got destroyed.
The Coyotes are here.
To ruin your party.
(Just kiddin’ Not trolls)
But you’re going down. Coyotes 7-1 ;-)
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Five For Howling
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Just leave Heidi Androl alone!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Feb 21, 2009 2:43 PM PST up reply actions
Loved reading your thoughts regarding the Sharks, Rudy. I can’t say I dislike the team and describing them as everyone’s third favortie NHL team is pretty acurate. But their fans shouldn’t act as if everyone is aiming for the bullseye on the collective San Jose chest, yet. Only substaintial post-season success will make the franchise and their fans more relevant to the other 29 teams in the league.
Just leave Heidi Androl alone!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Feb 21, 2009 2:47 PM PST reply actions
Only substaintial post-season success will make the franchise and their fans more relevant to the other 29 teams in the league.
Hey, we’re relevant enough to get consistent television coverage at least.
The last twenty or so games have seen other teams try and really muscle up against the Sharks. It wasn’t just LA, and all the “hoopla” concerning the hit on Ehrhoff/Marleau has been beat to death in the previous thread.
Water under the bridge in my book.
Fear The Fin: Where The Second Round Is Overrated
No team is going to be so upset that they can’t hang with the big, bad Sharks that they start running people, especially when the game is still relatively close. Hockey players are professionals and no one in the NHL is going to try to hurt someone because they’re mad about losing. I like the Sharks. I like Joe Thornton and I love Marc-Eduoard Vlasic. But you guys (the fans) need to start realizing that your team isn’t special to anyone but yourselves. You used to be the best fans in the NHL and now you’re turning into Detroit fans.
Yes, those Sharks fans totally bitch too much about the perfectly clean and legal hits of Lady Byng frontrunner Denis Gauthier and and furthermore,
The NHL has slapped Los Angeles Kings defenceman Denis Gauthier with a two-game suspension.
You're wrong ...
Let me be frank: nobody gives a fuck about the Sharks yet.
40 teams (and counting) that couldn’t get their 2 pts against us gives a fuck. The team that doesn’t make the playoffs (possibly the Kings themselves) due to the Sharks taking up a spot gives a fuck. Any hockey fan that dont’ like dirty hits, they give a fuck. You may not, but don’t mistake that for others not giving a fuck about the Sharks.
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
by ang6666 on Feb 21, 2009 5:55 PM PST reply actions
What he’s saying is let’s wait and see if they can get past round 2. Otherwise they’re just another team that has promise, but can’t execute in the playoffs. Sure a lot of people give a fuck, but so did all the Buffalo Bills fans in the 90s.
Go Kings!
by andrewHarkins on Feb 21, 2009 11:18 PM PST up reply actions
I am just talking about me here
but I am really interested in the Sharks, but only to the extent that I really want to see what happens if they don’t get past the WCF. I think the shit they will catch is going to be much, and if that does happen, and I would not want to miss it. Having such a great regular season has kind of set them up for very large expectations in this seasons playoffs. But all that said, I really won’t start watching their games until late April.
Oh I know exactly what he’s saying. Dont’ need it spelled out for me.
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
by ang6666 on Feb 22, 2009 9:36 AM PST up reply actions
Learn to reply to the actual comment you are responding to. It’ll be the only part of your comments that make sense.
When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized God doesn’t work that way, so I stole one and prayed for forgiveness. - Emo Philips
Neglectful father of David Quinowski
…and it’s games like these that make me glad I work on the weekend and go to school during the week. Maybe the hockey gods (or my boss) are on my side by preventing me from watching this sadness.
And I think us Kings fans are ready for a five-game road trip. Although it’s not any easier than Anaheim’s; we’ve got Minnesota, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, and Columbus. That’s the bad news. The good news (depending on the outcomes) is that all games are televised, so y’all will at least be able to see them… although that may be bad news, as well.
Fuck you, Denis Gauthier. You deserved that 5-game suspension.
I hear you there. I caught this one when it was 2 – 1 Kings, and watched as the Coyotes just exploded. I can understand being happy you didn’t see it happen.
I was impartial, although I do like Phoenix a little bit, so for me it was just interesting.
People who save up for a rainy day are like milk. And milk goes good with cookies, so you should have those people over for cookies.
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Pacific Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Jose
|
54 | 31 | 17 | 6 | 68 |
|
Los Angeles
|
57 | 27 | 19 | 11 | 65 |
|
Phoenix
|
57 | 27 | 21 | 9 | 63 |
|
Dallas
|
56 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 59 |
|
Anaheim
|
56 | 23 | 24 | 9 | 55 |
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