GDT: GM#73 LA Kings vs Minnesota Wild @5:00

[kingsboy11]

Los Angeles Kings(39-27-6, 84pts, 4th in Pacific) @ Minnesota Wild(41-24-7, 89 pts, 3rd in Central)
Xcel Energy Center| St. Paul, MN
TIME: 5:00 pm PT | TV: NBCSN | RADIO: 790 KABC

QUICK STATS
Previous meeting: LAK 5-2

PP/PK	19th/2nd	15th/19th
Faceoffs	19th	16th
Leading Scorers	Anze Kopitar: 29 goals, 51 assists, 80 points	Eric Staal: 38 goals (WTF??), 32 assists, 70 points

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Lines*

Scratched: Michael Amadio, Andy Andreoff, Kevin Gravel, Christian Folin
Injuries: None!

Injuries: Luke Kunin, Jared Spurgeon

News/Notes:

might see these lines today after the debacle on Saturday​

Click to read more...

 

[KINGS17]

It's gonna be a tough one against an opponent which played very well the last two games. Minnesota is coming off a road trip, so maybe this can be a trap game for them.

 

[KingTrouty]

I'd like to see a Kempe-Amadio-Brodz third line, and Rieder-Thompson/Mitchell-Lewis on the 4th.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Iafallo out ?

 

[Little Psycho]

It's gonna be very disappointing to miss the playoffs when Kopi is having a career year.

 

[KingTrouty]

Iafallo out ?

His play has been quiet lately. No pushing the play forward like he was, his forecheck is down a bit, not handling the puck with the same assuredness. Just over the past 2-3 games or so. His play when he is on is so important for the top line. It's such a possession dominant line. AI has been playing decent, still making some nice plays, but he needs a rest it seems. Even mentally he's tired, it appears.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Agreed, but would still scratch Rieder.

Very disappointed in his play so far.

Well there is still hope, Justin Williams was quite average in his first 64 games as well.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

Nice to see Rieder was promoted to Kopitar's line after his run of excellent play

 

[KingsFan7824]

No idea which version shows up today.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Nice to see Rieder was promoted to Kopitar's line after his run of excellent play

Is it a promotion, or is it just having to put someone there, and what options do you have?

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

Is it a promotion, or is it just having to put someone there, and what options do you have?

Put Brown on LW and put Toffoli or Lewis up there would be what I would do if Iafallo needed a game or two off to reset.

 

[head eyes]

His play has been quiet lately. No pushing the play forward like he was, his forecheck is down a bit, not handling the puck with the same assuredness. Just over the past 2-3 games or so. His play when he is on is so important for the top line. It's such a possession dominant line. AI has been playing decent, still making some nice plays, but he needs a rest it seems. Even mentally he's tired, it appears.

I don't think it's entirely fair to say he's been quiet lately. He had a few games in a row where he was dominant, with a few goals and points to show for it, but then he goes half a game without doing a whole lot (along with 90% of the team) and then Stevens demotes him to the 4th line and replaces him with Pearson. I don't know how effective he can be playing alongside Clifford and Thompson. In any case I do remember him being more effective when he came back after the last time he was scratched.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Put Brown on LW and put Toffoli or Lewis up there would be what I would do if Iafallo needed a game or two off to reset.

Sort of been a 6/half dozen situation lately. No lines are set in stone, so if it's not working, Stevens will do something different.

 

[Fishhead]

Just happy it's not a day game.

 

[KingTrouty]

I don't think it's entirely fair to say he's been quiet lately. He had a few games in a row where he was dominant, with a few goals and points to show for it, but then he goes half a game without doing a whole lot (along with 90% of the team) and then Stevens demotes him to the 4th line and replaces him with Pearson. I don't know how effective he can be playing alongside Clifford and Thompson. In any case I do remember him being more effective when he came back after the last time he was scratched.

I specifically mentioned his last 2-3 games. He's been on the first line for most of it. AI hasn't been playing the same, it's very clear.

I don't think he should be any lower than the third line, either. He just needs some rest. He took some earlier in the season, IIRC.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

No idea which version shows up today.

This is how I feel at this point. Ten games left in the season (!) and I still have no clue who this team is.

 

[member 88115]

I want to see Kempe on the first line with Kopi
Kempe-Kopitar-Brown
Keep the 70's line
Iafallo-Amadio-Lewis
Clifford-Thompson-Mitchell

 

[KOPITARRULEZ11]

Going to the game tonight boys keep a spot on me hahaha will be to the right of dubnyk in the corner

 

[Sol]

What an awful combination. What the hell

 

[Sol]

His play has been quiet lately. No pushing the play forward like he was, his forecheck is down a bit, not handling the puck with the same assuredness. Just over the past 2-3 games or so. His play when he is on is so important for the top line. It's such a possession dominant line. AI has been playing decent, still making some nice plays, but he needs a rest it seems. Even mentally he's tired, it appears.

I hate things like this even though your assessment is right. There's players who are more checked out and useless. Why sit out one of our best left wingers of the season for the other degenerates in the line up. Steven's is already losing the game and the Puck hasn't even dropped. The lines are that bad

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Not watching. Happier.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

This is how I feel at this point. Ten games left in the season (!) and I still have no clue who this team is.

Ten games left in the season and the Kings don't have set lines still. Team still doesn't have an identity.

By the way, love how the guys on NHL network yesterday were saying Vegas will have an easy road to the WCF since they're in the Pacific division. Easy? No way. I still don't think they even get past San Jose, Anaheim, or possibly even the Kings. Easy would be the Ducks when they had Winnipeg and Calgary in 2015.

 

[KINGS17]

It's gonna be very disappointing to miss the playoffs when Kopi is having a career year.

Ask yourselves which is better, the Chicago and Kings model, or the Vegas model? Now go from there and tell me if any team should sign a player to the 8-year third contract deal.

 

[KINGS17]

This is how I feel at this point. Ten games left in the season (!) and I still have no clue who this team is.

They are exactly who many knew them to be, a wildly inconsistent, middle of the NHL-pack team.

 

[KingTrouty]

Ask yourselves which is better, the Chicago and Kings model, or the Vegas model? Now go from there and tell me if any team should sign a player to the 8-year third contract deal.

Does Vegas get two Cups in the "Vegas model?"

If not, I'll take the Kings' model of trying to figure it out after an amazing run. It sucks, but it is what it is.

The Ducks have been relevant for awhile, and even have a Cup, but I'll take our 2 and this quasi-rebuild (basically, what it is) we're undergoing over their "model", too.

Vilardi was a major hit, it seems. JAD, Clague, and Petersen all may be tier 1/2 talent on the way. We have our picks back. And we have two Cups.