I wont kid you, much like I spoke about a week or two ago I still am taking the playoffs for granted. This loss was a painful loss...and at the same time a stupid loss. Our guys couldnt have mustered up another 4 minutes of scoreless play to at least give us a point?
Some Thoughts....
Not counting the Chicago OT game....in the other 3 losses Quick has let in a soft/questionable goal. Quite frankly I was hoping they would give Bernier another start. Not bashing but-If Im the coaches I have Quick on a short leash and get ready to call back Bernier in a moments notice just to be on the safe side. Quick made some great saves but also got a lucky a couple of times and is really overplaying the puck IMO. We cant take anything for granted given the history of the franchise and I am not willing to see the season slip away with the old "were standing by our #1" adage.
Wont comment on the non allowed/allowed goalie interference calls. I will comment on the numerous non calls late in the 3rd. I am not a conspiracy theorist and one who says the refs are out to get us-but in the 3rd there were at least 3 penalties I thought should have been called.
Randy Jones played a solid game. Wont go to the box score to see his plus/minus but watching from home on the tv he looked like half the train wreck of previous games. That said-when Quick isnt looking confident and I see on Jones it tends to make me shudder.
I really like the addition of Clune. Hes got pep.
The more I watch Modin and Halpern the more surprised that Halpern fetched so much more then Modin did. Its all a moot point but I still would rather used that 3rd to get Staios from Edmonton.
Frolov has really played well lately. Someone mentioned in another thread and I cant agree more that right now I would rather see us use the Kovalchuk money to land another solid defensemen and resign Frolov.
One thing I noticed today that bothered me-Nashvilles forward were allowed to enter the zone and given time and space. Even when they bobbled the puck and didnt quite have puck possession there was no pressure to capitalize. I am not sure why our D isnt occasionally standing up when they've got forwards coming back to help. It was apparent tonight when Nashville came in waves and out only response was to capitulate and go into damage control/scramble mode.
Still surprised Barry Trotz is still coaching Nashville. Even more surprised he is not a basketball coach-he just looks the type.
Ive got a ton of respect for Jason Arnott. I remember him as a rookie with Edmonton thinking he was the next messier. He has had his ups and down but in the games Ive watched he always gives a solid effort and a pros pro. Tons of respect for players like that who can bring it for so long.
I am sure Ill think of some other items later but thats it for now and as always look forward to your thoughts.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Same Recap-2 Games-Same Result
I am really glad I didn't write a recap for the Nashville game as this recap can be used interchangeably for the last 2 games. They were so similar in that the reasons the Kings lost last night were the same reasons they lost against Nashville.
Here is my thoughts.
New Players- No problems with Halpern or Modin especially considering we really gave nothing to get them. If and when the Kings make the playoffs(will address this a bit later) you really want vets in key situations. Oscar Moller is a good young player without question but in tight situations late in the 3rd of a playoff game you do now want to put your Swedish prospect or any young unproven player on the ice. Halpern has leadership, Modin was key in Tampas playoff run. Getting vets who have been there before is crucial. That said-a bit confused why the Kings didn't make a play for Steve Staios.
Quick- 2 games in a row where he lets in a bad/soft goal. Not sure if he is getting tired or what but he is not looking solid by any accounts. Believe it was goal #3 for the Habs last night where quick looked to be doing his best Kelly Hrudey impression with him spinning/flopping around the ice. Given Quicks record against Nashville I completly support giving Ersberg the starts against Nashville and maybe even the next start against Columbus.
I am a scoreboard watcher but at this point all I care about is Detroit, Calgary, and some extent St Louis losing as often as possible the rest of the year.
CBGBs Article- I am sure some read this and said "look at the attention whore" and "not this Kings team" but historically....I agree with him fully. The Kings have given so many kicks in the nuts over the years that anyone who thinks this cant happen are truly blind. Anyone who doesnt have this in the back of their mind somewhere is either kidding themselves or not have been a fan that long.
For you stats lovers....Teddy Purcell had a goal and an assist in his first game with Tampa. Then again he had 3pts in the first 6 games this year as well. Good for Teddy...good guy but not enough room for another forward on the Roster. Even my first point about vets in the playoffs rings true here as well.
Watching from home you knew it was going to be one of those nights when Jim is doing the play by play and the other team scores on the first shift. It is a testament to us being a good team though when much like Nashville, we almost pulled off a win when we didnt have our best stuff and Quick as previously mentioned let in one or two questionable goals.
From the Credit where Credit is due dept....Randy Jones hasn't been a complete disaster on the ice. From the polar opposite side of the same coin dept...Jack Johnson was a beast in the Olympics but now hasnt really shown the same snarl. Making matters worse-he really needs more accuracy to get his shots on net. He is starting to look like Joe Corvo out there and if he is not playing physically....he may as well be Joe Corvo.
How bad has it sucked to watch the team unable to simply get the puck deep at the end of the game trying to tie it up with the goalie pulled? They have got to be better at the fundamentals of the game and in this area it rings especially true. At least make the one last ditch solid play to give your team a chance.
Oh well, this season we have a few bumps in the road and this just another one of them hopefully we can overcome and roll off another nice streak of Ws. That said...I really have to think Ersberg should maybe get some starts if Quicks trend of soft goals continues. I would even be ready and willing to call up Bernier if neither can show us their A games in the next 10 games as the last 2 losses were very winnable games.
Here is my thoughts.
New Players- No problems with Halpern or Modin especially considering we really gave nothing to get them. If and when the Kings make the playoffs(will address this a bit later) you really want vets in key situations. Oscar Moller is a good young player without question but in tight situations late in the 3rd of a playoff game you do now want to put your Swedish prospect or any young unproven player on the ice. Halpern has leadership, Modin was key in Tampas playoff run. Getting vets who have been there before is crucial. That said-a bit confused why the Kings didn't make a play for Steve Staios.
Quick- 2 games in a row where he lets in a bad/soft goal. Not sure if he is getting tired or what but he is not looking solid by any accounts. Believe it was goal #3 for the Habs last night where quick looked to be doing his best Kelly Hrudey impression with him spinning/flopping around the ice. Given Quicks record against Nashville I completly support giving Ersberg the starts against Nashville and maybe even the next start against Columbus.
I am a scoreboard watcher but at this point all I care about is Detroit, Calgary, and some extent St Louis losing as often as possible the rest of the year.
CBGBs Article- I am sure some read this and said "look at the attention whore" and "not this Kings team" but historically....I agree with him fully. The Kings have given so many kicks in the nuts over the years that anyone who thinks this cant happen are truly blind. Anyone who doesnt have this in the back of their mind somewhere is either kidding themselves or not have been a fan that long.
For you stats lovers....Teddy Purcell had a goal and an assist in his first game with Tampa. Then again he had 3pts in the first 6 games this year as well. Good for Teddy...good guy but not enough room for another forward on the Roster. Even my first point about vets in the playoffs rings true here as well.
Watching from home you knew it was going to be one of those nights when Jim is doing the play by play and the other team scores on the first shift. It is a testament to us being a good team though when much like Nashville, we almost pulled off a win when we didnt have our best stuff and Quick as previously mentioned let in one or two questionable goals.
From the Credit where Credit is due dept....Randy Jones hasn't been a complete disaster on the ice. From the polar opposite side of the same coin dept...Jack Johnson was a beast in the Olympics but now hasnt really shown the same snarl. Making matters worse-he really needs more accuracy to get his shots on net. He is starting to look like Joe Corvo out there and if he is not playing physically....he may as well be Joe Corvo.
How bad has it sucked to watch the team unable to simply get the puck deep at the end of the game trying to tie it up with the goalie pulled? They have got to be better at the fundamentals of the game and in this area it rings especially true. At least make the one last ditch solid play to give your team a chance.
Oh well, this season we have a few bumps in the road and this just another one of them hopefully we can overcome and roll off another nice streak of Ws. That said...I really have to think Ersberg should maybe get some starts if Quicks trend of soft goals continues. I would even be ready and willing to call up Bernier if neither can show us their A games in the next 10 games as the last 2 losses were very winnable games.
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