Pre-Game Talk: Series Discussion: WCQF: (1) Vegas Golden Knights vs (WC1) Los Angeles Kings

[kingsholygrail]

Kings making the postseason this year has been like winning a prize car on a game show and then watching the producers light it on fire.

Missing Muzzin and Forbort, with special guest disappearance by Drew Doughty. And the offense dried up. Good Christ.

Like winning the Ferrari and realizing you can't pay the tax on it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Taking Vegas to double OT with 3 of our top defensemen out?

It sucks, but as much as it hurts to see them down 2-0, I'm still happy they made the playoffs.

This is what hardly anybody other than Kings fans are noting. That 3/4 of the Kings top 4 D are out. How would any club be surviving that?

Missing Doughty is obviously brutal. But also missing Muzzin and Forbort is too much to ask.


Despite that heres something I posted on Oilers board. Keeping in mind the Oilers beat the Knights 3/4 this season and pretty consistently gave the Knights fits;


Now this post is non intuitive. The Oilers beat the Vegas Knights regularly because we do not have system adherence. We simply have some dangerous talent that can win a trade chances game.

By virtue of the Oilers cheating offense, and not always having men back we stretch the Knights coverage out. We make their D stay of out offensive zone because they have to with McD prowling around up high. This makes the Knights pressure far less effective and just ends their rink tilting and dominance. if you don't keep the knights honest with counter attack they will simply flood your zone all night and kill you.

The Kings, and many clubs play into the Knights hands by consistently having numbers back and playing around their goal. This is where the Knights WANT you to be playing the game.

I mean look at the Knights D. Who would that scare. The D is their weakness but they pattern a game where that part is exposed very seldom, and only by teams that are not enabling their system. The key to beating the Knights is fast break counters. That's how you score on that club.


Its the weirdest thing but the Oilers results against the Knights are predicated on being unpredictable and cheating offense. You can beat the Knights 6-4. I think its a lot harder to beat them 2-1. Open it up. Make them cover ice.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The above would seem to be nonsense but the Knights zone dominance is due to cheating on pursuit. You have to have counter transition, breakout, its how you beat the Knights with moving the puck quickly the other way. The Kings are feeding right into the Knights scheme by having all men back. You have to play risk/reward against the Knights and make them play all zones. Otherwise they flood offensive zone and you survive along time while half dead.

Now obviously not having Doughty and Muzzin factored huge but in game 3 the Kings have to change up and start being aggressive. Take the game to the Knights for once.

 

[KINGS17]

Roenick says out of the teams who are down 0-2, the Kings have the best chance to come back and win their series.

It's over guys.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Roenick says out of the teams who are down 0-2, the Kings have the best chance to come back and win their series.

It's over guys.

They're certainly capable if the big money players step up. I'm not going to pin this teams hopes on any of the bottom six guys. I'm pretty sure its also the bottom six who've been on the ice for all three goals against.

 

[mundyc3]

Knights fan coming in peace, and actually coming to the game tomorrow.

Just wondering if you all had any tips for navigating Staples Center and the area. Staying four miles away and going in the early morning.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Knights fan coming in peace, and actually coming to the game tomorrow.

Just wondering if you all had any tips for navigating Staples Center and the area. Staying four miles away and going in the early morning.

Take an uber. If you smoke, the deck is top floor. From Staples, you have access to some decent food in walking distance.

 

[Nasti]

Knights fan coming in peace, and actually coming to the game tomorrow.

Just wondering if you all had any tips for navigating Staples Center and the area. Staying four miles away and going in the early morning.

Depending on where your hotel is, rideshare is the easiest and subway is the cheapest. Red, blue, and Expo lines are all within walking distance of Staples.

 

[KINGS17]

They're certainly capable if the big money players step up. I'm not going to pin this teams hopes on any of the bottom six guys. I'm pretty sure its also the bottom six who've been on the ice for all three goals against.

I agree. My post was a little bit of a slam on Roenick and just about anything he says. Shut up and dance JR.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Is it just me that's kind of surprised that there's 6 series that are 2-0?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Is it just me that's kind of surprised that there's 6 series that are 2-0?

It's just you. The Kings are the only undeserving awful team in the playoffs

Home teams are holding serve, I'm not really surprised with how much top-end talent is out there vs. some low-seed situations (Wild missing Suter is ugh, us missing Drew et. al., Avs missing EJ and Varlamov).

 

[KingsHockey24]

It's just you. The Kings are the only undeserving awful team in the playoffs

Home teams are holding serve, I'm not really surprised with how much top-end talent is out there vs. some low-seed situations (Wild missing Suter is ugh, us missing Drew et. al., Avs missing EJ and Varlamov).

I have a pretty good feeling that every team down 2-0 at the moment will lose the series.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I expected 2-0 starts for Nashville, Tampa, Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg, but the Flyers bounced back, Boston has decimated Toronto every which way possible, and the Sharks have been far more disciplined than the Ducks.

Of the series that are 2-0, I see the Kings and Ducks as the most likely teams to even up their series. I’d be shocked if Toronto came back considering they are without their top shutdown C in Kadri. The Jets and Lightning and Preds are also too overpowered for their opponents.

These playoffs have been entertaining, with the exception of the Kings games, which have been lacking in offense and creating scoring chances. They managed to make sudden death OT to be dull, but I get why they had to be so constrained, given half their blueline is missing.

Regardless, I don’t want a built in excuse if these guys go out on a whimper. A lot of guys have failed to show up thus far and are letting this team down.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli have been some of the biggest disappointments all season long.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Drumstick Handler]

Finally.

 

[DoktorJeep]

They say a it’s not a series till a home team loses, so the Kings have their work cut out for them tonight.

Who knows what Stevens will do with the roster? I hope he finds a way to get Brodzinski and Iafallo into the lineup. Mitchell can sit, he’s too old at this point to not be a liability.

I’m expecting more bad news on Muzzin. Good news is that this SoCal weather is amazing, so I’m gonna be grilling wings and pizza tonight no matter what happens in the game.

 

[The Tikkanen]

The above would seem to be nonsense but the Knights zone dominance is due to cheating on pursuit. You have to have counter transition, breakout, its how you beat the Knights with moving the puck quickly the other way. The Kings are feeding right into the Knights scheme by having all men back. You have to play risk/reward against the Knights and make them play all zones. Otherwise they flood offensive zone and you survive along time while half dead.

Now obviously not having Doughty and Muzzin factored huge but in game 3 the Kings have to change up and start being aggressive. Take the game to the Knights for once.

Agreed 100%. Stevens seems to lack the ability to adjust in game, in between games or out coach the other coach and it's not really talked about.

 

[The Butcher]

Finally.

I needed some good news this morning. Our defense just improved by quite a margin compared to game 2.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

 

[member 88115]

Our boys seems to have been playing a little Sutter type hockey the first two games. Shoot the puck from anywhere if no one in front is available for a pass. And Vegas has been very aware of the late man and has gotten him the puck for a better scoring opportunity. We have been lacking with our team play which has to improve. Hopefully Doughty and Muzzin can help skate up the ice, since Folin & Phanuef are more of a pass out of the D-zone type of player (and they have to be to be successful).

 

[kovacro]

Liked Fantenberg last game, hope he builds off it and has another good one tonight, just no more pinches.

 

[mrkolice]

muzzin is back!!!

cheerz!

 

[KINGS17]

They say a it’s not a series till a home team loses, so the Kings have their work cut out for them tonight.

Who knows what Stevens will do with the roster? I hope he finds a way to get Brodzinski and Iafallo into the lineup. Mitchell can sit, he’s too old at this point to not be a liability.

I’m expecting more bad news on Muzzin. Good news is that this SoCal weather is amazing, so I’m gonna be grilling wings and pizza tonight no matter what happens in the game.

What time did you want us to come over?

 

[fsanford]

Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli have been some of the biggest disappointments all season long.

Fortunately Blake signed them to more or less bridge deals, and did not give them a longer term $$

I am hoping Toffoli's nose dive is related to an injury.