Game 47: Kings vs. Red Wings - 4/24/13 - Asleep at the Wheel

[Mats26]

2-0 Yotes!

 

[Bandit]

As great as it was, I'm sick of hearing about "last year" to justify the bad lay by players or teams.

When last years Dustin Penner, Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Drew Doughty, Dwight King, Matt Greene and Jonathan Quick come to play we can mention last year. When Willie Mitchell who was the Kings 2nd best d-man returns talk about last year, when AMart can get into the lineup over a rookie talk about last year.

How many players on this team are playing at the same or higher level than they were last year? I got Voynov, Carter, Stoll, Lewis and Brown. More guys need to turn it on.

Agree, except about Voynov. He's been turrible.

 

[kingsfan28]

2--0 phx

 

[kingsfan28]

Agree, except about Voynov. He's been turrible.

Agree. The last 5 games he's looked nervous and making rookie mistakes. He's better than that., and we all know it.

 

[deeshamrock]

I can't believe Sutter watched that debacle and didn't switch some of the lines. The first 2 lines were a mess and hopefully he'll see something on video that he missed in live action.
I wonder if Penner plays on Saturday ? I'd rather have had him on the 1st line and Richards centering Williams and Carter.

You can't manufacture desperation. As much as the Kings players talked about it last night after that loss, it was worse tonight. The Wings had their backs and 21 years of history against the wall and got it done.
Really disappointed in Sutter's approach.

At least Quick looks ready for the playoffs and that's a good sign.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Why does everyone assume that limping into the playoffs last year means it will work again this year? The fact that this team is showing major signs of apathy is a huge problem.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Let's send a direct letter to Kopitar.


Dear Anze,

Get your head out of your ass.

Sincerely,
Kings fans.

 

[Bandit]

Why does everyone assume that limping into the playoffs last year means it will work again this year? The fact that this team is showing major signs of apathy is a huge problem.

I assure you "everyone" does not...

 

[Hatter]

Easy the games mattered.

The Kings didn't lock up a playoff spot till the second to last game.

They had the spot locked up cause Dallas lost....

Then proceeded to mail in the last two games against SJ.

They don't care about Home ice....That is on display for all to see.

Not even sure Sutter cares.

So I just want to make sure I understand exactly what you're saying. In your humble opinion the coach of the Los Angeles kings and Defending Stanley Cup champions doesn't care who he gets in the first round and home ice means nothing to him. Is that About Right?

 

[no name]

Quicks playing much better but his rebound control has been really bad ever since his GAA has gone down. I'm not sure how to take that. The defense in front of him has been much more responsible cleaning up the junk since RR came on board and it's saving the Kings on multiple open net occasions a night.

In other news, perhaps Sutter has not seen the results when Richards is on wing as opposed to center. Richards has one point and looks lost when he doesn't have center responsibilities.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

So I just want to make sure I understand exactly what you're saying. In your humble opinion the coach of the Los Angeles kings and Defending Stanley Cup champions doesn't care who he gets in the first round and home ice means nothing to him. Is that About Right?

He said it himself.

 

[deeshamrock]

In other news, perhaps Sutter has not seen the results when Richards is on wing as opposed to center. Richards has one point and looks lost when he doesn't have center responsibilities.

It seems Sutter is the only one who can't see it, not even with video.

 

[TonySCV]

San Jose looks worse than the Kings did tonight.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

What Sutter is saying to the media about home ice and what he says to his team are two entirely different things. If people would read the player interviews from the past several days, it's pretty obvious home ice has been a point of emphasis.

On whether there’s any relief that the team has officially qualified for the playoffs:

“No. We’re shooting for home ice right now. That’s been the goal. That’s what Darryl’s been talking about all year. I mean, I’ve only been back for a few days, but that’s definitely the message around here is that we’re shooting for home ice.”

http://lakingsinsider.com/2013/04/21/april-21-morning-skate-quotes-matt-greene/

On attempting to earn home-ice advantage:

“We just want to try and win games. Honestly I’m not watching anybody else. I just want us to take care of our own business and who we play is who play. The only team nobody should want to play quite honestly is the team that’s only lost five games this year, so do everything we can not to play them. I don’t think we’re selective about that. I don’t think anybody [is]. [Reporter: I mean, home-ice, obviously, is something that’s very much within your grasp.] Yeah. You know, we’ve talked about that, but that’s the end result. You don’t get a whole bunch at once, you get one [point], even at the end of regulation you get one so then you try and get the other one.”

http://lakingsinsider.com/2013/04/21/april-21-postgame-quotes-darryl-sutter/

The team clearly has made it a point of emphasis. Just because he pretty much tells the media to pound sand about it most of the time doesn't mean the team internally has not put focus on it.

 

[deeshamrock]

Kopi's game quotes . He doesn't seem to share the view of the fans who watched this game. Maybe at ice level they looked better:

On the loss to Detroit:

“We knew they were going to come out strong, and obviously they’re fighting for a playoff position, which makes it really important for them. I thought we weathered the storm pretty good, got the first goal, but then just couldn’t sustain the pressure and they were able to capitalize on a few chances.â€


On whether the recent road play is a concern heading towards the playoffs:

“No. I mean, once the playoffs start it’s a totally different story. Obviously it’s not encouraging to throw away points like that late in the year, but regardless – winning games, not winning games, we’re going to have to get to a whole different level during the playoffs. We all know hat.â€

 

[jml87]

I really hate splitting up Richards and Carter. Sutter keeps trying it and it keeps failing. Just keep them together and try Williams on their wing next game.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

Why does everyone assume that limping into the playoffs last year means it will work again this year? The fact that this team is showing major signs of apathy is a huge problem.

I'm on the same page as you. You can't just expect to go into the playoffs and repeat what the Kings did last year. Losing to a couple of desperate teams I understand, but just going through the motions in those games is cause for concern to me.

Sutter's line combinations were absolutely idiotic. If you must make changes, you start with this: XXX-Kopitar-XXX (Williams must be one of the wings on this line), XXX-Richards-Carter, XXX-Stoll-XXX, and adjust from there

 

[Reclamation Project]

Let's send a direct letter to Kopitar.


Dear Anze,

Get your head out of your ass.

Sincerely,
Kings fans.

Where do I sign?

 

[DocWest]

The only good thing about the loss is making Lumbus' Playoff chances almost impossible. Such a snotty fanbase, I hope they finish in 9th.

 

[Reclamation Project]

The only good thing about the loss is making Lumbus' Playoff chances almost impossible. Such a snotty fanbase, I hope they finish in 9th.

It's that damn Jeff Carter!

 

[DocWest]

It's that damn Jeff Carter!

They are still SO MAD at him on their board. Their psychological makeup reminds me of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.

 

[Reclamation Project]

They are still SO MAD at him on their board. Their psychological makeup reminds me of Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.

"He screwed us again!"

 

[damacles1156]

I don't know why everyone is so surprised....

This has been the M-O of this current core of Kings.

What happens in Feb-March when the Kings are out of playoff spot(with this core)....

Unbelievable winning streaks. Kopitar ups his game, Brown ups his, Quick , Drew ETC...

The games matter....

When they don't.....Stinkers.

This has been going on since this core started making playoff's.

Also has this core ever laid a stinker in the playoff's ?

Nope, they have played as well as expected every single year.

Sans maybe that 5 goal giveaway to the Sharks(without Kopitar).

Doesn't mean they can always rely on flipping a switch, but so far the Kings haven't given us a reason to believe they won't turn that switch on.

 

[Ron*]

The last two games mean nothing and the Kings know it.

All they have to do is win against San Jose to get home ice advantage in the first round (provided, of course, St. Louis doesn't grab the 4th spot first).

 

[Bandit]

The last two games mean nothing and the Kings know it.

All they have to do is win against San Jose to get home ice advantage in the first round (provided, of course, St. Louis doesn't grab the 4th spot first).

So in other words, these last two games the Kings could have controlled their destiny, but now they don't? Seems like the games meant something then doesn't it?