GDT: 2024-25 season game 53 LA Kings vs Anaheim Ducks @7:30pm 2/8/25

[kingsfan2012]

Byfield, Fiala and Laferriere led all Kings forwards in TOI.

Byfield had a lot of chances again. Led the team in expected goals but couldn't bury one.

I've been impressed with how well LA has controlled the play in these recent 3-on-3's.

That’s the story of his career he’ll never bury them

 

[AbsentMojo]

For what it's worth, LA is 0 for 10 on the power play since Doughty has come back in the lineup. We're at an incredible -14.3% net power play percentage. That is to stay that over the past six games, we've allowed more shorthanded goals (1) than we've scored power play goals (0).

Wow thats pathetic. 2/3 of the way through and Hiller's big tweak has been to swap 55/14 and then 92/21. Now DD is back on PP1 and I will go out on a big limb and say even after he shakes the rust, it will still be around 29th in the league.

 

[Omni Owl]

Dostal with one of the best goalie clinics I've seen just about all year, I'm actually surprised we even tied it up. At least they get a point. I'm hoping Drew can get up to speed at the 4 Nations because he's not passing the eye test out there, looks really rough around the edges. Did not like his dirty play in OT, f*** off with that Drew, (or save it for McDrai). Byfield seemed to be flying all game, would've been sweet if he scored on that tweener chance early on. Fiala showed a bit of riskiness and over stick handling again, I wonder if getting his OT goal taken away made him overcompensate.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Dostal with one of the best goalie clinics I've seen just about all year, I'm actually surprised we even tied it up. At least they get a point. I'm hoping Drew can get up to speed at the 4 Nations because he's not passing the eye test out there, looks really rough around the edges. Did not like his dirty play in OT, f*** off with that Drew, (or save it for McDrai). Byfield seemed to be flying all game, would've been sweet if he scored on that tweener chance early on. Fiala showed a bit of riskiness and over stick handling again, I wonder if getting his OT goal taken away made him overcompensate.

Maybe a hot take but I'm giving Drew a bit of a pass on that one because Vatrano leg swiped Drew from behind earlier in the game. Vatrano is such a low-key dirty player it's hard to feel like he didn't deserve that.

 

[ru4reals]

Kings definitely should've won that game. Got goalie'd by Dostal unfortunately. Ducks played a solid game - credit where credit is due.

That said, this game was a perfect example of why I despise 11/7. I know Hiller has these guys playing well and whatever but 11/7 just feels so panicked - especially when you're rotating forwards onto the 1st line with Kopi and Kempe. I know "the forwards like it because they get more ice time" but it HAS to be hard to establish consistency/chemistry when the lines are in a constant blender the entire game.

The constant line shuffling also caused some disruptions for the 22-55-14 line - which had been absolutely buzzing leading up to this game (they were solid tonight too but just saying).

Burroughs was the 7th defenseman and he legit played 2:25 tonight (Didn't see a shift in the 3rd period). What the hell is the point of that???

Just ice 12 forwards and 6 d-men and let the forward lines establish chemistry together ffs.

Also - Hiller tried like 6 different forwards with Kopi and Kempe tonight - if that's not a glaring indication this team needs to make a trade then idk what is.

100% this. Been saying the exact thing forever. I think many here feel this way too. Especially the second game of a back to back. Why go to 11-7 when they just played the night before. Fastest kings coach to reach 50 wins but just feels none of this accomplishment has to do with his coaching. Lol.

 

[tigermask48]

100% this. Been saying the exact thing forever. I think many here feel this way too. Especially the second game of a back to back. Why go to 11-7 when they just played the night before. Fastest kings coach to reach 50 wins but just feels none of this accomplishment has to do with his coaching. Lol.

I think Hiller being the fastest Kings coach to 50 wins speaks more to how bad Kings coaching has been through the teams history, rather than any commentary on how good or bad Hiller has been.

I think we can all agree Hiller has been fine, but what does the fact he has this record say about previous coaches?

 

[Bandit]

I think Hiller being the fastest Kings coach to 50 wins speaks more to how bad Kings coaching has been through the teams history, rather than any commentary on how good or bad Hiller has been.

I think we can all agree Hiller has been fine, but what does the fact he has this record say about previous coaches?

Meh. How much “faster” did he get there than the previous guy? 2 games? 5? Meh.

He ain’t gonna break Sutter’s “fastest Kings coach to win the cup” that’s for sure.

 

[tny760]

yeah i'm sick of "we were right there"-adjacent backpats, time to win a few rounds

 

[KingsHockey24]

yeah i'm sick of "we were right there"-adjacent backpats, time to win a few rounds

Why'd I read this as backshots.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Maybe a hot take but I'm giving Drew a bit of a pass on that one because Vatrano leg swiped Drew from behind earlier in the game. Vatrano is such a low-key dirty player it's hard to feel like he didn't deserve that.

It’s OT. Completely unnecessary. You want to get back at the guy, do it on the scoreboard.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

It’s OT. Completely unnecessary. You want to get back at the guy, do it on the scoreboard.

Meh. It’s game 53 against the Ducks.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Why'd I read this as backshots.

The Kings have been on the receiving end of those from the Oilers for 3 years in a row now, so same shit.

 

[Bandit]

Why'd I read this as backshots.

Because horny.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Gotta love that the lines finally get in a bit of a rhythm

So after weeks of losing and not changing anything

Change EVERYTHING after a couple of wins

Well done everybody

Kings are 22-9-6 outside the division, 7-8-1 in it. No problems here.

So when Lewis gets his statue do you think they'll use the same guy that did his hands to save some money on the design costs?

 

[Schmooley]

So after weeks of losing and not changing anything


Change EVERYTHING after a couple of wins

Yea I couldnt understand this either. Hes a weird coach. I think hes doing good overall but some of his decisions dont make much sense.

 

[Herby]

Just got caught up. If there is one thing to be learned from the first two periods, it's that Turcotte needs to play center and drive the play instead of willingly taking a back seat on the first line.

I wasn't able to watch this game, but I am wondering how much longer the Kings are going to stick with this, was he demoted again in the third when they were down 1-0?

It's not only a non-optimal lineup to have a player who struggles offensively playing out of position as a scoring line winger, and then in addition to it they are just demoting him every game when they are down, I understand these are pro athletes who are supposed to be be able to handle this, but still, it can't be good for the confidence. Turcotte has 0G and 1A and only 13 shots in 11 games since his big-game in Vancouver. It's well past time to let him center one of the bottom lines and be an asset to this team, as a 1LW he's a liability, which is unfortunate but true.

Kings are 22-9-6 outside the division, 7-8-1 in it. No problems here.

I wonder if there is any discussion that maybe their personnel and playing style doesn't match-up well vs teams in the division?

They have 17 wins in 45 games vs Edmonton and Vegas since the rebuild ended.

They'll have to beat them 8 out of 14, so ya it's tough to see that happening.

 

[bland]

I wasn't able to watch this game, but I am wondering how much longer the Kings are going to stick with this, was he demoted again in the third when they were down 1-0?

It's not only a non-optimal lineup to have a player who struggles offensively playing out of position as a scoring line winger, and then in addition to it they are just demoting him every game when they are down, I understand these are pro athletes who are supposed to be be able to handle this, but still, it can't be good for the confidence. Turcotte has 0G and 1A and only 13 shots in 11 games since his big-game in Vancouver. It's well past time to let him center one of the bottom lines and be an asset to this team, as a 1LW he's a liability, which is unfortunate but true.



I wonder if there is any discussion that maybe their personnel and playing style doesn't match-up well vs teams in the division?

They have 17 wins in 45 games vs Edmonton and Vegas since the rebuild ended.

They'll have to beat them 8 out of 14, so ya it's tough to see that happening.

The other side of that coin is that Kopitar has been brutal since Christmas, something like 8 points in 20 games. He isn't even in camera frame on a lot of their shifts. That whole line is disjointed, if you just focus on Turcotte during possession you would see just how often he would take himself out of the play by drifting down to the side of the net and not being a passing option. Sure, he is tasked with puck recovery, but he defers on every play - like a good boy.

The Kings roster and line configuration is built to hedge bets.

 

[Schmooley]

The other side of that coin is that Kopitar has been brutal since Christmas, something like 8 points in 20 games. He isn't even in camera frame on a lot of their shifts. That whole line is disjointed, if you just focus on Turcotte during possession you would see just how often he would take himself out of the play by drifting down to the side of the net and not being a passing option. Sure, he is tasked with puck recovery, but he defers on every play - like a good boy.

The Kings roster and line configuration is built to hedge bets.

Yea I dont think hes a liability on that line. He was better than Kopitar for many games in January. The reason he gets benched every third period doesnt have to do with production anyway because hes gotten benched in games he got points where he was one of the better players on the team. He was most effective as a 3c centering Foegele and Laferierre though.
Hiller just doesnt seem to like him very much. I wont be surprised if hes moved at the deadline or in the offseason. Like Vilardi after his healthy season they were very quick to move on from him.

 

[bland]

Yea I dont think hes a liability on that line. He was better than Kopitar for many games in January. The reason he gets benched every third period doesnt have to do with production anyway because hes gotten benched in games he got points where he was one of the better players on the team. He was most effective as a 3c centering Foegele and Laferierre though.
Hiller just doesnt seem to like him very much. I wont be surprised if hes moved at the deadline or in the offseason. Like Vilardi after his healthy season they were very quick to move on from him.

I disagree, I think they do like him very much, and the egg heads are over-thinking the situation by trying to control his situational minutes while he acclimated to the NHL AND a revised playing style to maximize his health.