GDT: 2021-22 season game 47 LA Kings vs Detroit Red Wings @4:30pm 2/2/22

[apocalypse]

What I've noticed on the PP, other that the usual personnel complaints, is that they can move the puck around fine, but they hold onto it for way too long. It's like they wait until the D has adjusted before passing or taking a shot. The whole point of that movement is to generate one-timers or create space to get the puck in around the net and go for rebounds. They just hesitate so much. Too much mind.

Yeah if La can up their PP%, they'll be a damn dangerous team. One timers would help and some more movement.

AA needs to get the hell off this roster

haha, why the AA hate? The guy has come through clutch a few times and is just making it back from being injured? Give him some more time. As long as he's a King, he's good in my book. He doesn't look bad out there, he's just not the best player. I can think of a worse player...

 

[Telos]

Why? 10 out of 12 points in a 6 game road trip is exceptional.

While I agree that it is exceptional, it is a little surprising to hear that an expansion team from 1967 hasn't done as well or better before. Maybe I am just not comprehending the math and statistics of how many times they've been scheduled for precisely a 6 game road trip, or perhaps factoring in the tie game era... But it was a statline I certainly wasn't expecting after the win to hear that 4 wins out of 6 games is the best this team has ever achieved before, bonus/tie points included.

 

[Reclamation Project]

While I agree that it is exceptional, it is a little surprising to hear that an expansion team from 1967 hasn't done as well or better before. Maybe I am just not comprehending the math and statistics of how many times they've been scheduled for precisely a 6 game road trip, or perhaps factoring in the tie game era... But it was a statline I certainly wasn't expecting after the win to hear that 4 wins out of 6 games is the best this team has ever achieved before, bonus/tie points included.

Don't overthink it, Kings have been pounded ass for the majority of their existence.

 

[Trash Panda]

Don't overthink it, Kings have been pounded ass for the majority of their existence.

I believe the proper term is “cornhole”

 

[Nasti]

Kings will go 0-4-2 in their next six home games.

 

[johnjm22]

Kings will go 0-4-2 in their next six home games.

It seems like everytime the Kings start getting close to a .600 point percentage, ^this is exactly what happens.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kings will go 0-4-2 in their next six home games.

Their 6th game at home from now is scheduled for the ides of march.

 

[Statto]

Just finished watching the game.

Great road trip. Not our best game but the result is what counts. We need to do something to help out QB on the third line and whilst I’m not sure if the line would be quick enough from a skill/IQ standpoint Vilardi makes a lot of sense. Brown is going nowhere regardless on our views and playing with Kopitar is too many minutes for him.So maybe as an alternative stick Vilardi with Kopitar and move Iafallo or Kempe with QB.

Also how did Smith not get an extra to for the hit into the back of Lemieux before their fight

 

[kingsfan28]

WTF was Quick doing there???

Doing anything he could not to get scored on because Doughty and Byfield [again] left the middle open, leaving the zone. There must've been 20 feet between them and the goal scorer. Byfield really need to work on his coverage in front, it's been bad, but he'll learn as he get the games in.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Doing anything he could not to get scored on because Doughty and Byfield [again] left the middle open, leaving the zone. There must've been 20 feet between them and the goal scorer. Byfield really need to work on his coverage in front, it's been bad, but he'll learn as he get the games in.

This is the end effect of having two mouth breathers defensively as linemates.

Byfield could stand to continue learning there, but he's consistently the only one covering where he's supposed to be and has zero backup. Where a defensively conscious player like Iafallo could help him out, QB is on an island learning while Brown slooowly gets back to the zone and AA spastically flies around nowhere in particular.

Edit: and before anyone jumps on me for that of course QB is learning on the job and not doing himself any favors but that's to be expected from a f***ing 19 year old, not the guys up to literally twice his age. Throw the dude a bone after the break ffs. Don't know how many minuses the 1st and 3rd lines will have to take before some tweaking. The numbers with and without for QB are truly depressing and beyond that Kopitar is still getting crushed nightly even if the end result works out at times.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

What a game, what a road trip! These guys rarely make it easy, though on paper it was 'never in doubt.' Nedelkjovic had a big game. Can't ask for a much better finale than another regulation win and generally trending-up play. Only problem is time off now but they can use it to tune up special teams and figure out some lines, get healthy.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Finally--it's pretty clear some guys have had covid worse than others. Kempe has been mostly hurting since returning, hope the break is good for him. Lemieux is just starting to get more engaged again, he went down in the middle of a heater and hasn't been the same since. We saw similar for other guys as well. Getting these results on the roadie with all the shuffling and youth on D is an amazing step, so much engagement and hunger and you can see younger leadership starting to emerge in Durzi. These kids want it and hope it rubs off on the vets.

 

[Kudelski37]

It seems like everytime the Kings start getting close to a .600 point percentage, ^this is exactly what happens.

But memories can't be trusted. The only back to back losses in the last two months were in the 3 game losing streak against SJ/TB/Colorado.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

This is the end effect of having two mouth breathers defensively as linemates.

Byfield could stand to continue learning there, but he's consistently the only one covering where he's supposed to be and has zero backup. Where a defensively conscious player like Iafallo could help him out, QB is on an island learning while Brown slooowly gets back to the zone and AA spastically flies around nowhere in particular.

Edit: and before anyone jumps on me for that of course QB is learning on the job and not doing himself any favors but that's to be expected from a f***ing 19 year old, not the guys up to literally twice his age. Throw the dude a bone after the break ffs. Don't know how many minuses the 1st and 3rd lines will have to take before some tweaking. The numbers with and without for QB are truly depressing and beyond that Kopitar is still getting crushed nightly even if the end result works out at times.

The clip on that last goal against starts after Brown flails to defend the entry, Doughty half assedley checks the guy who skates around behind the net, and then utterly abandons the front of the net for a skate out to the point. Byfield looks out of position and racing back because how could he have known the net front would be abandoned by our on ice leader?

Byfield is making loads of mistakes out there, but that goal was a perfect example of lazy veteran plays selling others out.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The clip on that last goal against starts after Brown flails to defend the entry, Doughty half assedley checks the guy who skates around behind the net, and then utterly abandons the front of the net for a skate out to the point. Byfield looks out of position and racing back because how could he have known the net front would be abandoned by our on ice leader?

Byfield is making loads of mistakes out there, but that goal was a perfect example of lazy veteran plays selling others out.

1:10:
1st GA is a learning opportunity--QB comes flying in on the backcheck, normally I'd go to the far guy but I'm not sure what the Kings' system calls for there. Regardless, he gets and sticks with his guy, unfortunately releases him a little in front and deflects the puck to an open red wing. Bad break--but notice AA makes a similar mistake and it's his guy that's wide open and completely unmarked because although AA skated mostly with him, he never even once bothered checking him in any way. Yet QB got to the right spot and QUICKLy using his skating, just attention to detail on his part and back to the drawing board on AA's part.



7:00:
Yeah that last goal is just Doughty going for a skate, props to QB for even having ENOUGh awareness to see the guy and TRY to pick him up albeit too late as none of the other 4 players were even looking at the front of our net, like the first goal, he looks bad because he actually got there instead of hanging behind the play.

The kid has way better general defensive awareness/two way play than people will give him credit for, the pro attention to detail is a work in progress. But I prefer him thinking offense anyway, frankly...

 

[cyclones22]

So going into the break, high level league rankings for the Kings:

19th GF
11th GA
27th PP%
28th PK%
4th SAT (shot differential) - Florida is annihilating the league in this stat
6th FO%
15th SV%
15th Goal Differential

You can plainly see where the Kings strengths are. The lynchpins are possession and face-offs and one feeds into the other. This is why some of us harp on possession because when the margins are razor thin with wins and losses when you're terrible in special teams and lack finishers. This worked for the golden age Kings because the defense was top of the league, possession was top of the league and PK was near top of the league and the goaltending was elite.

Going forward, the Kings really need to start beating teams in the West as most of the games left will be against them. TMc has 2 weeks to figure it out because right now the Kings have played more games vs the East than West and there are only 3 teams in the West with a worse conference record vs the West. I don't know if it's because the East doesn't scout the Kings or the Kings style of play is just kryptonite for the East or what. Anyway, much room for improvement. Especially that PK. There needs to be a come to Jesus meeting with the special teams coach during this break.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Yeah those special teams stats are especially damning because, as mentioned before, most teams are at least good at one of the two to fit their identity; it would be 'fitting' if the Kings had an amazing PK and not good PP since their calling card is shutting down GA, and there are quite a few teams good at one and not the other; ie Edmonton has the 3rd overall PP, but 20th-ish PK. Dallas, 6th PP, mid 20s PK. San Jose, 6th PK, bad PP. Even middle of the pack teams have one working at an average level at worst.

The Kings' company in the "both suck" category: Arizona (31 PK, 32 PP), Montreal (29 PK, 31 PP), Seattle sorta (24 PK, 27 PP)...that's it. No other team is close to bottom 10 in both. That's it. Literally the three favorites for the lottery + the Kings (30 Pk, 24 PP - but 2nd in shorthanded goals against).

If the Kings could even figure ONE out, they'd be leading the division.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

1:10:
1st GA is a learning opportunity--QB comes flying in on the backcheck, normally I'd go to the far guy but I'm not sure what the Kings' system calls for there. Regardless, he gets and sticks with his guy, unfortunately releases him a little in front and deflects the puck to an open red wing. Bad break--but notice AA makes a similar mistake and it's his guy that's wide open and completely unmarked because although AA skated mostly with him, he never even once bothered checking him in any way. Yet QB got to the right spot and QUICKLy using his skating, just attention to detail on his part and back to the drawing board on AA's part.



7:00:
Yeah that last goal is just Doughty going for a skate, props to QB for even having ENOUGh awareness to see the guy and TRY to pick him up albeit too late as none of the other 4 players were even looking at the front of our net, like the first goal, he looks bad because he actually got there instead of hanging behind the play.

The kid has way better general defensive awareness/two way play than people will give him credit for, the pro attention to detail is a work in progress. But I prefer him thinking offense anyway, frankly...

I had to watch the game on FF a bit, but that last goal was like.....WTF lmao everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE assumed the game was over and just stopped.....I was laughing going watch, 45 seconds, they are gonna tie it up and win in OT....then I gotta watch for mass suicide in LA land over that....

Happened on a 2 week break, but if I was the coach, first week would just be absolutely pounding it into them, that it's the NHL they don't assume shit....

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I had to watch the game on FF a bit, but that last goal was like.....WTF lmao everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE assumed the game was over and just stopped.....I was laughing going watch, 45 seconds, they are gonna tie it up and win in OT....then I gotta watch for mass suicide in LA land over that....

Happened on a 2 week break, but if I was the coach, first week would just be absolutely pounding it into them, that it's the NHL they don't assume shit....

i COULDN't do a thing but laugh, but also we have too much history with that sort of thing going horribly wrong too...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

One last aside it was a total pleasure watching Seider last night. It's so nice to watch a guy who can do it all AND has the assertiveness to try to be 'the guy' and take the bull by the horns. Even though he was the dude turning the puck over at the very end the WIngs have to be encouraged that it was their 20-YO #1 dman pushing the play and trying to will a victory.

On the flipside, the Kings just have Raymond's #. I dont know if it's the tight checking or what but he's been absolutely invisible in both games when any other time I watch the Wings he's VERY noticable.

 

[driller1]

I had to watch the game on FF a bit, but that last goal was like.....WTF lmao everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE assumed the game was over and just stopped.....I was laughing going watch, 45 seconds, they are gonna tie it up and win in OT....then I gotta watch for mass suicide in LA land over that....

Happened on a 2 week break, but if I was the coach, first week would just be absolutely pounding it into them, that it's the NHL they don't assume shit....

You'd think after the Islander game where the same thing happened to the Byfield line (conceding a goal after an empty net goal), they would have learned and made adjustments, or at least upped their intensity level.

 

[lumbergh]

I had to watch the game on FF a bit, but that last goal was like.....WTF lmao everyone, EVERYONE, EVERYONE assumed the game was over and just stopped.....I was laughing going watch, 45 seconds, they are gonna tie it up and win in OT....then I gotta watch for mass suicide in LA land over that....

Happened on a 2 week break, but if I was the coach, first week would just be absolutely pounding it into them, that it's the NHL they don't assume shit....

My mind just went to a weird fantasy world where the Kings fired Todd McClellan and hired GBH as head coach. Not sure I liked what I saw there....

 

[mbar]

Observing goals given up by period, most of the goals the Kings surrender come in the third period. With two goals allowed in the third tonight, the Kings have now surrendered 46 goals in third periods. They've given up 37 goals in the first, and 40 goals in the second.

What's the league average distribution? I would imagine more goals are scored in the 3rd period typically in general then the first just due to fatigue, etc.

 

[Fishhead]

I'm glad TM put them out there again at the end of the game. You could see Brown was pissed after they gave that late one up. He can't keep up anymore so he needs to adjust and not push forward as much. And I laughed at the AA skating around spastically take, because it's a perfect description.

The goal was on mostly on Doughty slacking off a bit with the game in control, but Byfield as well. One thing I've noticed on a lot of goals when that line is out there is that QB is so damn high in the zone. He just gets between the blueline and the high slot and just stops, so it's almost like that's where they tell him to go? When protecting the lead late in a game, upon defensive zone entry your center should be making a beeline for the slot area and picking up whoever gets near it. He doesn't do that, and QB seems like the kind of kid who will go wherever you tell him. So I'm not entirely sure what's up with that, but I've noticed it since he came back. He stays pretty high in general, although I'm used to our centers being extremely low, like Kopitar and Danault down on the goal line often.