GDT: 2022-23 season game 8 LA Kings vs Tampa Bay Lightning @7:30pm 10/25/22

[Gjwrams]

They’re still out of sync, but were better with defensive structure. Good win against a good team

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

There was a point in this game when it was tied, probably late in the first period that the Lightning were out shooting us like 12-8. The game ended with us out shooting them 33-25 and the Lightning padded their stats towards the end of the game when they pulled the goalie. It was an incredible turn around in the 2nd half of this game.

Most impressive thing tonight outside Vilardi for me, team looked pretty traintracked and lifeless, but somehow got stronger as the game went on, including a rare strong second period.

Fantastic win against a team that always gives us fits, team gritted it out for the most part, played mostly good defense...at least, a LOT better than it has been.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Forward Rankings: Vilardi, Kempe, Danault, Moore, Arvidson, Lizzotte, Grundstrom, Fiala, Kopitar, Lemieux, Jad, Kaliyev, Byfield

 

[riznat]

Most impressive thing tonight outside Vilardi for me, team looked pretty traintracked and lifeless, but somehow got stronger as the game went on, including a rare strong second period.

Fantastic win against a team that always gives us fits, team gritted it out for the most part, played mostly good defense...at least, a LOT better than it has been.

No random soft goals makes such a huge difference. I want to like petersen, I liked petersen, but we lose this game with him in net, something quick stopped would have gone in and changed everything.

 

[cyclones22]

I think they got tired of Kucherov's rat plays and turned the energy up.

 

[fsanford]

They’re still out of sync, but were better with defensive structure. Good win against a good team

The 3rd period was probably their best so got better. Doughty played a really solid 3rd

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Vilardi needs to be on that 2nd line and PP1 going forward. He tilts the ice in our favor whenever he is out there.

He has earned the promotion and RV needs to go down line to be the hound with QB and AK

 

[johnjm22]

Lizotte puts his body in front of a fully-cranked slapshot blast by 6'7" Hedman to block it. He's checking Kucherov. He's getting tackled by a Lightning player after the whistle because they can't stand him. He scores a goal.

You can't ask for more from your 4th line center.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

No random soft goals makes such a huge difference. I want to like petersen, I liked petersen, but we lose this game with him in net, something quick stopped would have gone in and changed everything.

The first one was a bit cringe and I was worried it was another bad omen but Quick's mentally a beast thankfully, he was VERy strong all night, snuffed out a lot of really good opportunities from really good shooters.

 

[riznat]

Lizotte puts his body in front of a fully-cranked slapshot blast by 6'7" Hedman to block it. He's checking Kucherov. He's getting tackled by a Lightning player after the whistle because they can't stand him. He scores a goal.

You can't ask for more from your 4th line center.

Dude is amazing

 

[kilowatt]

Huge huge huge game from Vilardi. I'm so f***ing happy he's doing well. If this is his breakout season, hopefully that means it's Kupari's next year, Turcotte's, Bjornfot's, and Kaliyev's the year after that, Byfield's the year after, etc.

It really is cool seeing Gabe thrive in the top six. He needs to be there full time. He's consistently been our best forward every game.

I wonder if there's a correlation between his effectiveness and his time on ice? Maybe he actually does better when he gets less minutes?

 

[kingsfan28]

Quick's like "you aint scoring if I got your f-ing stick!"

 

[Cianide]

Quick at this stage in his career is a really great backup goaltender that can steal games. He turns 37 this year... we shouldn't be relying on him as much as we have to, but that's how it is. The results shouldn't be too surprising.

Why can't goaltenders play well into their 40s? All it is is an athletic position, as long as you're not getting run.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Huge huge huge game from Vilardi. I'm so f***ing happy he's doing well. If this is his breakout season, hopefully that means it's Kupari's next year, Turcotte's, Bjornfot's, and Kaliyev's the year after that, Byfield's the year after, etc.

It really is cool seeing Gabe thrive in the top six. He needs to be there full time. He's consistently been our best forward every game.

I wonder if there's a correlation between his effectiveness and his time on ice? Maybe he actually does better when he gets less minutes?

I mean, that should go for most players really. There's a sweet spot for everyone. It's why we're always harping on the ice time spread: you want guys to get minutes to stay in a rhythm without overheating--you don't want players getting cold on one end or exhausted on the other.

It's why things like Kopitar playing nearly 22 minutes and more than anyone but Anderson and Doughty while Vilardi gets 12 is just batshit insane, both within the context of one single game but also when you're talking about wear and tear over the course of the season.

 

[AbsentMojo]

With Gabe's emergence, there may be a little buyers remorse with Fiala.. what we really need now (aside from LD) is a 1C or 2C not a wing... I dont know when QB is going to breakout.. could be like Vilardi and be 2 years away.. but there is hole at center

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

He has earned the promotion and RV needs to go down line to be the hound with QB and AK

Yeah exactly. Some of us have been harping for some time on the idea that veterans and kids need to be paired more. I know at least @King'sPawn and I thought that was the purpose of the Danault acquisition, so that you could do things like we saw tonight with Danault-Moore-Gabe. Byfield's line looked godly when it was Gabe-Byfield-Iafallo so of course it looks less so when it's JAD and Kaliyev and 4th line minutes...

Or maybe they aren't putting RV there because he's a pissy little bitch with his body language, who knows. But the third line needs to stop being just a kids dumping ground and afterthought. Now the 2nd and 4th lines are humming, its' time to figure out the 1st and 3rd.

 

[Cianide]

With Gabe's emergence, there may be a little buyers remorse with Fiala.. what we really need now (aside from LD) is a 1C or 2C not a wing... I dont know when QB is going to breakout.. could be like Vilardi and be 2 years away.. but there is hole at center

Patience. Byfield will come around. He's getting better every game.

 

[Little Psycho]

Crowd was great tonight. Can't believe they won.

 

[Docgonzo]

I like Byfield and still have faith in him but he’s earning the ice time he’s getting. And we can’t whine about his ice time, Lizotte got 3 more minutes but he was memorable every time he was out there. Byfield looks like Amadio or Shore out there right now. Just a place holder.

 

[kilowatt]

I think Kopitar and Danault are fine first and second line centers. Danault's actually one of the best second line centers in the league. Kopitar just needs to play fewer minutes, it's really that simple. He should be coming in under 20 every game. Kaliyev is really only effective when playing with Lizotte, which is fine. Pump Kaliyev's minutes with power play time and let him float the rest of the shift while Lizotte and Lemieux work their asses off. We can make a really effective top nine with everyone else.

Clarke is starting to play with a little more confidence, which is really exciting. Yeah, he still thinks he's playing against junior players sometimes, and a lot of his dangles aren't going to work here. But I'm excited to see him try to figure these things out. I really hope they keep him up the whole season.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Patience. Byfield will come around. He's getting better every game.

I dont agree w him getting better every game - but I do think he deserves more chances.. just dont see him taking the mantle for quite awhile.. Vilardi looked to bust out and then wham.. so I think that is also possible here

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Vilardi has bought QB so much time to figure things out it’s not even funny.

 

[kilowatt]

I also think we're really selling Fiala short here. He's played a grand total of eight games with the team and has scored six points. He typically gets better as the season wears on anyway. He does a lot of stuff out there that Kopitar just straight up isn't ready for.

 

[AbsentMojo]

I also think we're really selling Fiala short here. He's played a grand total of eight games with the team and has scored six points. He typically gets better as the season wears on anyway. He does a lot of stuff out there that Kopitar just straight up isn't ready for.

I think Fiala is going to be fine - I dont think he's junk, im just saying if we knew what Gabe was going to become - it may have changed the strategy in this last off season.

 

[cyclones22]

No way was it an unnecessary trade for Fiala. He was controlling the puck almost single-handedly for sequences of the game. He terrorized Hedman for a long shift. Fiala is just on the wrong line.