GDT: Los Angeles Kings @ Pittsburgh Penguins, 12/16 4:00 PM PST

[Trolfoli]

Pen's PGT is a good one. I just love how much the East Coast hates Kings style hockey.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Pen's PGT is a good one. I just love how much the East Coast hates Kings style hockey.

But it's not even Kings style hockey that we played tonight, that's the best part. They'll take that and extrapolate though.

 

[KingsFan7824]

We just shut out a team that had scored at least 4 goals in 7 straight games...

Keith Jones: "LA's defense wasn't that good"

Well it wasn't. It was all Budaj. Back to back, 3 in 5, but that doesn't change the Kings not being good in their own zone tonight. They weren't. A lot of turnovers, a lot of reaching for the puck.

JR said during the second intermission that the Pens were outplaying the Kings and it was only a matter of time until they scored.

Well Jeremy when will that time come

Other than Budaj keeping them in the game, what else is Roenick supposed to say? If the Kings were all over the other team, all we say is that it's a matter of time before they break through. That's the whole theory behind CF% and all that. Budaj saved their ***** tonight because everyone else on the team was tired.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

toffoli starting to earn that new contract . Altho the offensive zone penalties may help keep it down a little

Weak penalty tonight. Most times I've seen a guy drop his stick when holding it with one hand the refs won't call it.

 

[Trolfoli]

If the Blue Jackets can hold that 2 goal lead over the Flames the Kings will be tied in the standings with the Flames, 1 point behind the Oilers.

 

[rick3652]

If the Blue Jackets can hold that 2 goal lead over the Flames the Kings will be tied in the standings with the Flames, 1 point behind the Oilers.

LA have two games in hand

 

[Legionnaire]

Gratz on it from a Pens fan. Just stick in til the playoffs and you have Quick back and you have a chance....

Thanks man. Good game. Good luck to you guys to the rest of the way out.

 

[PJ Kings Hockey]

Pen's PGT is a good one. I just love how much the East Coast hates Kings style hockey.

Yeah, there were some funny comments. They have great GDT/PGT titles.

Ah, sweet, sweet overtime. If only we were that good at 5-on-5.

 

[Trolfoli]

Yeah, there were some funny comments. They have great GDT/PGT titles.

Ah, sweet, sweet overtime. If only we were that good at 5-on-5.

It's a Kingspiracy!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I can't stress how much we needed that from Budaj. Super happy for him and the team tonight. 3 in 4 on the road vs. the Stanley Cup champs.

 

[Bandit]

Well it wasn't. It was all Budaj. Back to back, 3 in 5, but that doesn't change the Kings not being good in their own zone tonight. They weren't. A lot of turnovers, a lot of reaching for the puck.



Other than Budaj keeping them in the game, what else is Roenick supposed to say? If the Kings were all over the other team, all we say is that it's a matter of time before they break through. That's the whole theory behind CF% and all that. Budaj saved their ***** tonight because everyone else on the team was tired.

Kings didn't play a great game but to insinuate that the team didn't dig deep to get the win is foolish. Budaj played well but it wasn't some 60 save performance.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Wow you weren't kidding, apparently the hockey world thinks we play like that every game.

You would think a team that's led the league in shot attempt % over the last half-decade on the way to two Stanley Cups would get a little more attention and respect...at least to the extent people generally know we don't get caved in like that more than 2-3 times a year

 

[Fishhead]

Not to say the Kings didn't get worked in many aspects of the game, but 5v5 shots were only 28-23 and shot attempts were only 67-57. The Pens had 10 high danger chances compared to the Kings 7.

It looked worse than it was because the Pens were winning most of the free pucks and were pressuring relentlessly.

 

[Little Psycho]

Wow you weren't kidding, apparently the hockey world thinks we play like that every game.

You would think a team that's led the league in shot attempt % over the last half-decade on the way to two Stanley Cups would get a little more attention and respect...at least to the extent people generally know we don't get caved in like that more than 2-3 times a year

Can't expect much from new fans.

 

[Model62]

Hop on the bus, pay Budaj his bonus, and get out of town!

Nice extra point on the B2B. Cripes, has Muzzin REALLY fallen to 3rd Pairing stay at home D?

Keep it going!

 

[Trolfoli]

That's 2 games now. Muzzin/Martinez vs Martinez/Greene, Muzzin/Gilbert... I'd say at worst splitting Muzzin & Martinez up is no worse then having them both on the second pair together. It may actually be better.

Any thoughts on this? What does it do to the lineup?

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

That's 2 games now. Muzzin/Martinez vs Martinez/Greene, Muzzin/Gilbert... I'd say at worst splitting Muzzin & Martinez up is no worse then having them both on the second pair together. It may actually be better.

Any thoughts on this? What does it do to the lineup?

I like it. Muzzin-Martinez has been terrible this season for whatever reason. Neither guy can get the puck successfully through the neutral zone when they were together. Wonder how McNabb coming back changes things. Seems like he'll be back very soon. Gravel back down for sure. Then what? McNabb sits?

 

[Model62]

That's 2 games now. Muzzin/Martinez vs Martinez/Greene, Muzzin/Gilbert... I'd say at worst splitting Muzzin & Martinez up is no worse then having them both on the second pair together. It may actually be better.

Any thoughts on this? What does it do to the lineup?

It's two wins in a row, so it's working. You really can't have two rookies (Forbort, Gravel) in the lineup on the road. Muzzin worked his way down and will work his way back up. Gilbert is a vet everyone understands.

It helps Martinez he can play his natural side alongside Greene, but, then you have to give Greene a few more minutes you wouldn't rather give him. That's why they pay Sutter.

Nice game from Budaj. A couple of Quick type fundamental saves (not the cross crease groin wreckers; the smart positioning chest bouncers), and a lot of patience from all involved not in net.

 

[Fishhead]

I like it. Muzzin-Martinez has been terrible this season for whatever reason. Neither guy can get the puck successfully through the neutral zone when they were together. Wonder how McNabb coming back changes things. Seems like he'll be back very soon. Gravel back down for sure. Then what? McNabb sits?

Probably

Doughty
Muzzin
Martinez
McNabb
Forbort
+ one of the G's.

Wouldn't be surprised to see:

Doughty/McNabb
Muzzin/Forbort
Martinez/Greene

at some point.

 

[AlphaBravo]

Probably

Doughty
Muzzin
Martinez
McNabb
Forbort
+ one of the G's.

Wouldn't be surprised to see:

Doughty/McNabb
Muzzin/Forbort
Martinez/Greene

at some point.

The second pair won't work. Muzzin and Forbort are both leftys. When McNabb comes back one he will rotate in and out with another lefty depending on if the Kings are winning or not, sort of like how Sutter has been doing lately.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I can't imagine they'd move Forbort to the right side before martinez or before playing Gilbert period. Hell, if you're going to play a rookie leftie on the right side, play Forbort with Gravel, they're used to that from Ontario.

But I generally agree, handedness nonwithstanding, we'd see a lineup of Doughty and all the lefties...tough situation and I remember only a few years back when d-man handedness wasn't even a big deal around the league...now with a possession team you see how hard it is for even the most adept guys--like Martinez--to work the puck on their offside.

Man some of the stuff Martinez does on his backhand blows my mind...handling the puck and firing it off with his head up in one motion. I'd have to look down to make sure I received the hard pass before doing anything.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Kings didn't play a great game but to insinuate that the team didn't dig deep to get the win is foolish. Budaj played well but it wasn't some 60 save performance.

They were out there giving all they had, the PK was tremendous, they just didn't have much in the tank. Roenick and Jones were just saying the same things that we say when the Kings are in the offensive zone all night. Eventually a shot or two will go in. The other team is just hanging on.

There was really no other way for the Kings to play last night. Conserve energy, help Budaj as much as you can, and if there's a chance here or there, take it, but don't force things, because you can't afford to give up 2 on 1's or 3 on 2's.

They managed to get a point in a back to back road games situation against a rested speed team. Then took advantage in OT for another point. Can't argue with the result.

 

[BigKing]

That was funny. Good for Budaj.

Big win for this team in regards to the post game comments following Buffalo.

 

[Quattro]

Great win. Important win.

Man, the Pens were scary in the 1st 2 periods...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

That was funny. Good for Budaj.

Big win for this team in regards to the post game comments following Buffalo.

Yeah hadn't even thought of angle. Great response by Budaj especially. But it's not like the rest of the guys played bad or anything as a whole, just drained and overwhelmed by a great team, but nice to see bend-and-not-break. Like I said above, for all the times that previous game happens to us, it's super nice to be on the other side of it.