PDSF Gm#4, KINGS v SHARKS ... force a game #5, win 6-3 !!!

[HarrisonFord]

No clue why Brown looks like a whole different player with Kopitar but that game is exactly what we need from the captain.

lol about Regehr. But I'm still mad about the way they broke that up. And that none of the Sharks will fight a guy face-to-face but have no problem jumping everyone from behind in scrums. Hell, the two times in the last little bit Sharks have faced us, Voynov fought Thornton and dropped Burns and Regehr was getting ready to steal Burns' shopping cart!

Seems like a comfort thing to me. Might be a mixture of extra confidence knowing that Kopitar is on the ice to cover for him, and an extra spark of being back on the top line and that extra sense of importance by playing there.

You put a player from the top line to the 3rd line, he's either going to play harder to earn his spot back, or play worse from lost confidence. You bring him up, he's going to pump up the effort. It'll either work like it seemed to last night, or the effort will still be there only the output will be not what you want because of nerves/trying to do too much.


Good game last night though all around for the most part. I have a feeling that if the Kings can win game 5, they're going to take the series. 2 games would be a momentum turner

 

[funky]

I know everyone hates on Lucic but he is exactly what we need. It's hard to find a skilled player that can fight like a good and provides protection by reputation.

Looking through our big roster I see no one that would protection like this. We have big guys but the only guy we have that plays a regular shift that would keep a team honest is Brown when on his game and that's only with his devastating hitting ability and not per say " enforcement"

DL has to address our defence this offseason. Who out their could fit the following roles

Partner for Doughty, true #2 , two way, mobile shutdown, big minute guy- say a Alzner, Edler,Staal or Ehrhoff.
Partner for Voynov, true #4 , mobile, shutdown big body that can enforce -???

 

[etherialone]

The Kings don't even have Goons, so I don't know where Tonell is coming from.

Sutter is trying to win a game, he doesn't have the luxury of a 3-0 series lead to have his players act like Jackasses at the end of the game.

Lets try a different track.

When there was less than a minute to play in the game and DS sent out Williams and other scoring types what could he hope to accomplish besides placing those type of players in an outmatched beating?

I am not advocating "gooning it up", that is ridiculous. What I am saying is that (as I have throughout the season) DS has made several questionable course changes during winning streaks that in part contributed to our entering periods of struggle. He did the same thing in Calgary. He is constantly juggling lines even after the players have proven chemistry and then once they do the same with their new line mates he juggles them again.

Sutter has been a very good strategic coach and up until this season, his first full season I lauded him as one of the greatest coaches in our teams history and I don't think anything will change that in regards to his posterity but this season he has lost me.

His "you don't finish your checks because that takes you AND your opponent out of the play" lecture is completely counterintuitive to the concept of running a big team that wears down its opponents. Word is that I am not alone in this line of thinking around the team and there has been a few heated discussions about that very thing including one during a closed door meeting that took place before this last game (actually the day before).

The message was sent to play physical and bang bodies. It happened and our big team did e*x*a*c*t*l*y what it was designed to do and that is break down your opponent by playing a more physical waiting game and then capitalizing on their mistakes.

It is that style of play that won us our cup. It is that style of play that got us to the WCF's last year and it was that style that we used to take us on more than one win streak this season.

When the entire team is finishing its checks then we are formidable and when we fall back into "bump and run" hockey we aren't. Sutter went against his idea of how to win last night when he let the team play hard nosed finish your checks use your size to win the little battles and your skill to win the big ones and we won.

Will it work every time? I don't know, maybe maybe not but it was clear to me last night that it was our big guys using their size that lead to earning the space that we needed to get our O guys open enough to score.

That and an exceptionally well built D system that was in place prior to DS getting here.

Not pointed at you damacles, just ranting but watching us play passive "no room for anger" hockey and then wondering why we aren't winning our games or backing anyone off has me a tad frustrated. DS certainly has been a great coach for us but this season has me scratching my head.

Don't get me started on our drop 1 D gun system in the O/N zones. It is so transparent that gladwrap wants to buy the rights to it when we are done. How are you supposed to cycle and play a possession game when you do that? What happened to attack attack high slot triangle? That is the system we used to win the cup (at least in the Ozone and our side of the redline in the Nzone).

Meh, shake cane and shout some more and then go inside, I know. Watching the games with a HOF legend of a coach doesn't make it any easier.

End rant with apologies.

 

[etherialone]

I know everyone hates on Lucic but he is exactly what we need. It's hard to find a skilled player that can fight like a good and provides protection by reputation.

Looking through our big roster I see no one that would protection like this. We have big guys but the only guy we have that plays a regular shift that would keep a team honest is Brown when on his game and that's only with his devastating hitting ability and not per say " enforcement"

DL has to address our defence this offseason. Who out their could fit the following roles

Partner for Doughty, true #2 , two way, mobile shutdown, big minute guy- say a Alzner, Edler,Staal or Ehrhoff.
Partner for Voynov, true #4 , mobile, shutdown big body that can enforce -???

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Kingspiracy]

I know everyone hates on Lucic but he is exactly what we need. It's hard to find a skilled player that can fight like a good and provides protection by reputation.

Looking through our big roster I see no one that would protection like this. We have big guys but the only guy we have that plays a regular shift that would keep a team honest is Brown when on his game and that's only with his devastating hitting ability and not per say " enforcement"

DL has to address our defence this offseason. Who out their could fit the following roles

Partner for Doughty, true #2 , two way, mobile shutdown, big minute guy- say a Alzner, Edler,Staal or Ehrhoff.
Partner for Voynov, true #4 , mobile, shutdown big body that can enforce -???

I don't, he's one of my favourite non kings players.

 

[ElKingsFan92]

Yeah, I don't hate Lucic either. In fact, I like him more for being on the Bruins since he pretty much is this generation's version of Cam Neely.*

*note: Not making a direct comparison, but they essentially play the same roles for the same team.

 

[Kingspiracy]

His "you don't finish your checks because that takes you AND your opponent out of the play" lecture is completely counterintuitive to the concept of running a big team that wears down its opponents. Word is that I am not alone in this line of thinking around the team and there has been a few heated discussions about that very thing including one during a closed door meeting that took place before this last game (actually the day before).

I just assumed the kings players were worn down/ injured or very wary of suspension for the reason we have been playing soft, for Sutter to get the troops to ease off seems borderline Pejorative Slured.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I just assumed the kings players were worn down/ injured or very wary of suspension for the reason we have been playing soft, for Sutter to get the troops to ease off seems borderline Pejorative Slured.

Agreed, that is insanely backwards thinking with this sort of roster. I have a really hard time swallowing that's actually a thing, but it would explain a LOT.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Was at the game, sat behind the Kings bench.

DS was animated a few times, and I am not sure if that was caught on TV. All the players were communicating with each other and really wanted to win this game. At the end of the game, I could tell completely that we got into the Sharks head. Sharks were mad and most of the Kings bench were laughing at them. Let the choke begin!


Also, Toffoli really scored big points with DS/Teammates for fighting. His teammates were yelling and laughing that he got into a fight. Good stuff.

Go Kings!

 

[DryIslandBartender]

Jimmies have been rustled

 

[Little Psycho]

Was at the game, sat behind the Kings bench.

DS was animated a few times, and I am not sure if that was caught on TV. All the players were communicating with each other and really wanted to win this game. At the end of the game, I could tell completely that we got into the Sharks head. Sharks were mad and most of the Kings bench were laughing at them. Let the choke begin!


Also, Toffoli really scored big points with DS/Teammates for fighting. His teammates were yelling and laughing that he got into a fight. Good stuff.

Go Kings!

Stoll was smiling all night and laughing in their faces. Ha, i guess he got them rattled.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Lets try a different track.

When there was less than a minute to play in the game and DS sent out Williams and other scoring types what could he hope to accomplish besides placing those type of players in an outmatched beating?

I am not advocating "gooning it up", that is ridiculous. What I am saying is that (as I have throughout the season) DS has made several questionable course changes during winning streaks that in part contributed to our entering periods of struggle. He did the same thing in Calgary. He is constantly juggling lines even after the players have proven chemistry and then once they do the same with their new line mates he juggles them again.

Sutter has been a very good strategic coach and up until this season, his first full season I lauded him as one of the greatest coaches in our teams history and I don't think anything will change that in regards to his posterity but this season he has lost me.

His "you don't finish your checks because that takes you AND your opponent out of the play" lecture is completely counterintuitive to the concept of running a big team that wears down its opponents. Word is that I am not alone in this line of thinking around the team and there has been a few heated discussions about that very thing including one during a closed door meeting that took place before this last game (actually the day before).

The message was sent to play physical and bang bodies. It happened and our big team did e*x*a*c*t*l*y what it was designed to do and that is break down your opponent by playing a more physical waiting game and then capitalizing on their mistakes.

It is that style of play that won us our cup. It is that style of play that got us to the WCF's last year and it was that style that we used to take us on more than one win streak this season.

When the entire team is finishing its checks then we are formidable and when we fall back into "bump and run" hockey we aren't. Sutter went against his idea of how to win last night when he let the team play hard nosed finish your checks use your size to win the little battles and your skill to win the big ones and we won.

Will it work every time? I don't know, maybe maybe not but it was clear to me last night that it was our big guys using their size that lead to earning the space that we needed to get our O guys open enough to score.

That and an exceptionally well built D system that was in place prior to DS getting here.

Not pointed at you damacles, just ranting but watching us play passive "no room for anger" hockey and then wondering why we aren't winning our games or backing anyone off has me a tad frustrated. DS certainly has been a great coach for us but this season has me scratching my head.

Don't get me started on our drop 1 D gun system in the O/N zones. It is so transparent that gladwrap wants to buy the rights to it when we are done. How are you supposed to cycle and play a possession game when you do that? What happened to attack attack high slot triangle? That is the system we used to win the cup (at least in the Ozone and our side of the redline in the Nzone).

Meh, shake cane and shout some more and then go inside, I know. Watching the games with a HOF legend of a coach doesn't make it any easier.

End rant with apologies.

I completely agree, I see the kings trying to use their sticks too much on the forecheck trying to anticipate any outlet pass, instead of doing what this team is built for, which is running players through the boards, sure you might not even get the puck, but it puts doubt in defenseman, kings aren't destroying people, it's like they're over thinking a forecheck that's meant to be simple and effective. You keep leveling the puck carrier and they eventually start getting careless to the point they cough it up after contact and you cycle from there. And I agree.

We try to cycle, but we have one guy dropped back so far that it literally leaves no options for the puck carrier who's deep in the zone, I get its a safety measure, but damn that's hard. Pretty much taking a guy out of the play.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

This team would be a dominant force with Babcock.

Kopitar would have multiple 500 point seasons.

 

[redcard]

No clue why Brown looks like a whole different player with Kopitar but that game is exactly what we need from the captain.

I'm just pulling numbers out of my ass but he's probably played 300? 400? 500? career games on Kopitar's wing. The comfort level's got to be pretty high there.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I completely agree, I see the kings trying to use their sticks too much on the forecheck trying to anticipate any outlet pass, instead of doing what this team is built for, which is running players through the boards, sure you might not even get the puck, but it puts doubt in defenseman, kings aren't destroying people, it's like they're over thinking a forecheck that's meant to be simple and effective. You keep leveling the puck carrier and they eventually start getting careless to the point they cough it up after contact and you cycle from there. And I agree.

We try to cycle, but we have one guy dropped back so far that it literally leaves no options for the puck carrier who's deep in the zone, I get its a safety measure, but damn that's hard. Pretty much taking a guy out of the play.

Right. I know it's not this simple, but just as the Sharks had been taking chances by immediately going on the rush, we were most successful when we took chances by forechecking hard. And when done right, it eliminates those odd man rushes, because the guys that are the third-fourth guys joining the play are instead stapled to the boards in their zone or the neutral zone. When we're just doing drivebys and getting sticks in lanes 4-5 Sharks are skating free and obliterating us. To me, the simple answer is smash and grind, and don't get caught on the wrong side of the puck, but also make sure you eliminate your man.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Great game. Thought we were a little soft in the scrums. Dwight King just smiles in all the Sharks faces. Torres and Brown are running around, at some point Clifford, RR, and Nolan need to do something. Torres really has it out for Stoll.

Getting a little sick of us just smiling and skating away. That is how the Red Wings play hockey. We have more size and grit than that.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm just pulling numbers out of my ass but he's probably played 300? 400? 500? career games on Kopitar's wing. The comfort level's got to be pretty high there.

Oh certainly there's chemistry. But I mean everything--the hitting, support, engagement, everything. Someone else raised the point about rising to the occasion with more minutes and more important minutes but that wasn't working earlier in the year. Just nice to see the leader leading...the question now is is it too late.

 

[MynameisKing]

Lets try a different track.

When there was less than a minute to play in the game and DS sent out Williams and other scoring types what could he hope to accomplish besides placing those type of players in an outmatched beating?

I am not advocating "gooning it up", that is ridiculous. What I am saying is that (as I have throughout the season) DS has made several questionable course changes during winning streaks that in part contributed to our entering periods of struggle. He did the same thing in Calgary. He is constantly juggling lines even after the players have proven chemistry and then once they do the same with their new line mates he juggles them again.

Sutter has been a very good strategic coach and up until this season, his first full season I lauded him as one of the greatest coaches in our teams history and I don't think anything will change that in regards to his posterity but this season he has lost me.

His "you don't finish your checks because that takes you AND your opponent out of the play" lecture is completely counterintuitive to the concept of running a big team that wears down its opponents. Word is that I am not alone in this line of thinking around the team and there has been a few heated discussions about that very thing including one during a closed door meeting that took place before this last game (actually the day before).

The message was sent to play physical and bang bodies. It happened and our big team did e*x*a*c*t*l*y what it was designed to do and that is break down your opponent by playing a more physical waiting game and then capitalizing on their mistakes.

It is that style of play that won us our cup. It is that style of play that got us to the WCF's last year and it was that style that we used to take us on more than one win streak this season.

When the entire team is finishing its checks then we are formidable and when we fall back into "bump and run" hockey we aren't. Sutter went against his idea of how to win last night when he let the team play hard nosed finish your checks use your size to win the little battles and your skill to win the big ones and we won.

Will it work every time? I don't know, maybe maybe not but it was clear to me last night that it was our big guys using their size that lead to earning the space that we needed to get our O guys open enough to score.

That and an exceptionally well built D system that was in place prior to DS getting here.

Not pointed at you damacles, just ranting but watching us play passive "no room for anger" hockey and then wondering why we aren't winning our games or backing anyone off has me a tad frustrated. DS certainly has been a great coach for us but this season has me scratching my head.

Don't get me started on our drop 1 D gun system in the O/N zones. It is so transparent that gladwrap wants to buy the rights to it when we are done. How are you supposed to cycle and play a possession game when you do that? What happened to attack attack high slot triangle? That is the system we used to win the cup (at least in the Ozone and our side of the redline in the Nzone).

Meh, shake cane and shout some more and then go inside, I know. Watching the games with a HOF legend of a coach doesn't make it any easier.

End rant with apologies.

Whoa! If that is how DS is coaching this year then he is certifiably on pot! The Socal lifestyle of laying back. So anti-Sutter it's unbelievable! Maybe he needs to get back to his farm.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

Right. I know it's not this simple, but just as the Sharks had been taking chances by immediately going on the rush, we were most successful when we took chances by forechecking hard. And when done right, it eliminates those odd man rushes, because the guys that are the third-fourth guys joining the play are instead stapled to the boards in their zone or the neutral zone. When we're just doing drivebys and getting sticks in lanes 4-5 Sharks are skating free and obliterating us. To me, the simple answer is smash and grind, and don't get caught on the wrong side of the puck, but also make sure you eliminate your man.

Look, I think it's a given the sharks are faster and better well rounded than us. Whether after a hit the puck still moves up, the next time, it might not be like that, and then after that too. You just keep leveling them after they have the puck, even if it doesn't result in a cycle, it will at least make an impact on the next forecheck.

But when the kings are trying to work the sticks instead of the body, the likelihood of the sharks moving up the ice are still very likely, they are very good. The sharks defense isn't paying for any plays they're making at times. They get off easy.

If we want to dictate play, just level them consistently and non stop, they will turn over, make bad passes, while being banged up even more hit after hit.

The Kings shouldn't stray away from their game plan, it's like regular season forecheck where you don't level a playrr because it does take a lot of energy. But this is the playoffs, this is where it matters. Play the grind, the real grind.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

I know the wild are boring, but their offense is beautiful on the attack and cycle, they have a forward always mirroring the puck carrier who's deep in the zone by the net. Watch the wild on attack and they use the slot so well. The high forward just consistently mirrors the forward with the puck in the slot.

 

[Puck U]

Great game. Thought we were a little soft in the scrums. Dwight King just smiles in all the Sharks faces. Torres and Brown are running around, at some point Clifford, RR, and Nolan need to do something. Torres really has it out for Stoll.

Getting a little sick of us just smiling and skating away. That is how the Red Wings play hockey. We have more size and grit than that.

And I'd rather our KINGS have a few more STANLEY CUP BANNERS in the RAFTERS too just like the RED WINGS ... instead of winning a couple meaningless scrums so some people around here can feel like their manhood is vindicated by someone else fighting ? wtf really.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I thought in previous games the Kings were pushed around but I thought they answered back physically last night. I didn't have a problem with their response to the Sharks' actions. This was probably the most intense game we've seen from the Kings since lord knows how long.

 

[TonySCV]

I thought in previous games the Kings were pushed around but I thought they answered back physically last night. I didn't have a problem with their response to the Sharks' actions. This was probably the most intense game we've seen from the Kings since lord knows how long.

Amen... the biggest problem in this series is the Kings looked like they were checked out mentally and physically in games 1-3. I have to think there was some pretty significant illness they were dealing with. They looked much better last night. Teams just don't flip a switch like that and fall apart that collectively without something else going on.

 

[Ron*]

Great game. Thought we were a little soft in the scrums. Dwight King just smiles in all the Sharks faces. Torres and Brown are running around, at some point Clifford, RR, and Nolan need to do something. Torres really has it out for Stoll.

Getting a little sick of us just smiling and skating away. That is how the Red Wings play hockey. We have more size and grit than that.

Bad penalties at the end of games can lead to one-game suspensions. The Kings are doing it just right, smiling in their faces. **** the goon-thugs.

 

[MynameisKing]

Amen... the biggest problem in this series is the Kings looked like they were checked out mentally and physically in games 1-3. I have to think there was some pretty significant illness they were dealing with. They looked much better last night. Teams just don't flip a switch like that and fall apart that collectively without something else going on.

The problem is probably with the coaching if what Tonellisghost is mentioning is true. They're backing off per coaches instructions. I find that is completely opposite of how the Kings should play.