Kings Gameday: And Things Were Going So Well

LA Kings (Typical Kings Record) @ Detroit Red Wings (Typical Wings Record)

4:30 PST, Fox Sports West

Detroit's perspective comes from Wingin' it in Motown, where I imagine they'll be complaining about the officiating while remaining blissfully ignorant of all the offensive picks their team runs.

I wrote a few days ago that I was really happy with the Kings' lines recently and opined that maybe Terry Murray was starting to figure this whole line-up thing out.

Then he shuffled the lines again.

The new lines?  Ted Purcell is up with Frolov and Kopitar (because apparently the Kings are going to set a record for the most consecutive passes), Patrick O'Sullivan is alongside Stoll and Brown (which I actually don't mind because it creates another actual scoring line), Kyle Calder is back with Michal Handzus and Wayne Simmonds (because that worked out so well last year) and Ivanans, Armstrong and Harrold are on the 4th line.*  The problem I have with the third line is, how are they going to make a positive contribution?  Honestly, do you have any confidence that they're going to take the ice and score or prevent a goal?  Instead of flanking Handzus with speed, the Kings are saddling him with a rube.  Calder's the rube, just in case that wasn't clear.

*That 4th line is the weirdest line I have ever seen.  An enforcer that takes holding penalties, an aging center that spends most of his time playing ping pong, and a career defenseman.  They're like characters from The Replacements or something.

The thing that bothers me the most about the move is that you know Brad Richardson wasn't benched because he was not performing.  No, he was benched because the Kings need to score more goals and Calder doesn't do that.  Murray won't bench Calder because he likes him, though, so that means Richardson is the one who has to sit.  That sucks.  If Calder can't cut it offensively, put his ass on the bench.  Calder's not great defensively, people just think he is because his nickname is "Grease" and he's Canadian.  Calder actually hasn't been that bad this season, but it seems unfair that Richardson has to pay for Calder's lack of production.

***

You ever get the feeling that your team is doomed?  Jonathan Quick is starting tonight and he's been owned by the Red Wings this season, the Kings can't score the past few games, and again, they're playing the Red Wings.  Maybe I'm just telling myself that because I'll miss the game and I don't want to miss a victory, but I'm getting a sense of foreboding tonight.  Doom is nigh.  Doom, I say!  DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

Prediction: Kings win, 3-2.  Goals by Kopitar, Frolov and Purcell.

Edit: Thanks for making me look an asshole, Royal Report.