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SJS 2 : LAK 1 - This is why the regular season matters

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The Kings had two shots on goal for just about the entirety of the 2nd period and had 5 shots in the opening 20. That's not really outplaying the opponent. Those numbers indicate to me that they're not really putting in the extra effort offensively. Look at how often they fail at a dump and chase sequence. Look at how they failed to get any meaningful shots through in the first two games when playing from behind. This is perimeter hockey at its finest.
 
Ziggy Stardust said:
The Kings had two shots on goal for just about the entirety of the 2nd period and had 5 shots in the opening 20. That's not really outplaying the opponent. Those numbers indicate to me that they're not really putting in the extra effort offensively. Look at how often they fail at a dump and chase sequence. Look at how they failed to get any meaningful shots through in the first two games when playing from behind. This is perimeter hockey at its finest.
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In the end we still had equal shots in the 2nd (9-9) and frankly we had some real control going before the 5-3 disrupted everything. Those minutes looked like the Kings we know and love before we started to play catch up. 20 minutes of special teams is just killing us regardless of PP/PK.

I'm not sure why we're even using so much dump and chase. We didn't the whole year.... so yea not a good sign but shot on goal totals are the whole story. They had 28 blocks. That's a lot of shots towards the net that aren't being counted. From that measurement we are pushing the pace a bit more.
 
If I'm Sutter, and I'm dead set on playing Shore (for whatever reason) there's no reason not to stack the top six. Put Lecavalier and Gaborik together, who were a dynamite pairing before Gaborik's injury.

Lucic-Kopitar-Carter
Gaborik-Lecavalier-Toffoli
Pearson-Shore-Brown
King-Andreoff-Clifford

Lucic-Kopitar-Gaborik hasn't once worked since ****ing preseason. And Sutter goes right back to it last night. He's made some mind boggling decisions this series.

But he's also the guy who refused to dress Pearson in the 2014 series until we were down 0-3, despite Pearson-Carter-Toffoli being a dynamite line in the regular season.
 
Pearson - Kopitar - Toffoli
Lucic - Carter - Gaborik
Brown - LeCavalier - Versteeg
King - Andreoff - Lewis
Clifford

Doughty - Muzzin
McNabb - Gravel
McBain - Schenn
Scuderi

Quick
Enroth

bring itttt!!
 
I feel like I'm in an extreme minority but I still feel like this is a lot like 2014, just not as extreme...

Sharks getting just about every break and bounce and still winning each game by 1 and the Kings are still stuck in neutral while the Sharks are flying high.

THe biggest difference in the series has been the top players, rather than the depth--in fact, can anyone remember anything of note a Shark NOT named Burns, Pavelski, Hertl, Thornton has done? Obviously the problem is NO Kings have done anything of note yet--I guess the problem I'm having is that I don't believe these guys are just going to silently go away by playing just as bad or worse. I think the best is yet to come and that we're gonna go back to L.A. 2-2.

Regardless, I love these guys, I'm going to enjoy it. Heart/effort isn't the question for me. I said last year the rest of the league was going to catch up to us and it appears it's already happening. Sometimes you just have to respect your opponent and their game plan. I know we're critical because we know these guys have more--but let's believe in that last part.
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
I feel like I'm in an extreme minority but I still feel like this is a lot like 2014, just not as extreme...

Sharks getting just about every break and bounce and still winning each game by 1 and the Kings are still stuck in neutral while the Sharks are flying high.

THe biggest difference in the series has been the top players, rather than the depth--in fact, can anyone remember anything of note a Shark NOT named Burns, Pavelski, Hertl, Thornton has done? Obviously the problem is NO Kings have done anything of note yet--I guess the problem I'm having is that I don't believe these guys are just going to silently go away by playing just as bad or worse. I think the best is yet to come and that we're gonna go back to L.A. 2-2.

Regardless, I love these guys, I'm going to enjoy it. Heart/effort isn't the question for me. I said last year the rest of the league was going to catch up to us and it appears it's already happening. Sometimes you just have to respect your opponent and their game plan. I know we're critical because we know these guys have more--but let's believe in that last part.
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Well said. I'm with you, RJ.
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
I feel like I'm in an extreme minority but I still feel like this is a lot like 2014, just not as extreme...

Sharks getting just about every break and bounce and still winning each game by 1 and the Kings are still stuck in neutral while the Sharks are flying high.

THe biggest difference in the series has been the top players, rather than the depth--in fact, can anyone remember anything of note a Shark NOT named Burns, Pavelski, Hertl, Thornton has done? Obviously the problem is NO Kings have done anything of note yet--I guess the problem I'm having is that I don't believe these guys are just going to silently go away by playing just as bad or worse. I think the best is yet to come and that we're gonna go back to L.A. 2-2.

Regardless, I love these guys, I'm going to enjoy it. Heart/effort isn't the question for me. I said last year the rest of the league was going to catch up to us and it appears it's already happening. Sometimes you just have to respect your opponent and their game plan. I know we're critical because we know these guys have more--but let's believe in that last part.
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not really but i respect that point of view

however, similarly to last season, if we always rely on "things will eventually go our way" sometimes it is just too late

just because there was magic in 2012 it doesn't mean you will qualify again with the same # of pts in 2015

just because you came back down 3-0 and won vs SJ in 2014, it doesn't mean we'll do it again

the margin of error is so small, and you can't always expect that LA will turn things around at the last minute

as of now, LA has to go 4-1

and you know what, the season does not mean a damn thing i agree with some of you that state this EXCEPT for when we play teams like ANA, SJ, CHI because those games during the season feel like playoff games

ANA & SJ have owned us during the season, and this is translating into the post-season
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
I guess the problem I'm having is that I don't believe these guys are just going to silently go away by playing just as bad or worse.
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That's why fans of any team can't ever lose hope. These guys didn't get to the NHL by rolling over in the face of a little adversity. At the same time, it's now been a month since clinching the playoff spot, and they didn't even play all that well in that Bruins game. They said they were embarrassed by missing the playoffs last year. They said they really wanted the division and/or conference. Any time guys.
 
Chicagos top players care , ours dont . They play with heart ours dont. Chicago always gets faster and skilled and better . We stay slow n focus on forechecking and we getting beat at our own game right now . Its sad and pathetic. The blame is to be put on the players for being bunch of egotistical **** and , Dean for making some stupid decisions .

Also ima beat a deadhorse that the game is evolving but our management doesnt see that and therefore is not followin suit. Get more ****ing speed and skill into the lineup. Stop getting big guys im drafts its pathetic get skill !
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
I feel like I'm in an extreme minority but I still feel like this is a lot like 2014, just not as extreme...

Sharks getting just about every break and bounce and still winning each game by 1 and the Kings are still stuck in neutral while the Sharks are flying high.

THe biggest difference in the series has been the top players, rather than the depth--in fact, can anyone remember anything of note a Shark NOT named Burns, Pavelski, Hertl, Thornton has done? Obviously the problem is NO Kings have done anything of note yet--I guess the problem I'm having is that I don't believe these guys are just going to silently go away by playing just as bad or worse. I think the best is yet to come and that we're gonna go back to L.A. 2-2.

Regardless, I love these guys, I'm going to enjoy it. Heart/effort isn't the question for me. I said last year the rest of the league was going to catch up to us and it appears it's already happening. Sometimes you just have to respect your opponent and their game plan. I know we're critical because we know these guys have more--but let's believe in that last part.
Click to expand...

I feel the same about the getting the breaks part. Pavelski's numbers against us have been just ridiculous through out the season, unsustainable (yeah, I said it!), some might say.

Imagine what could've happened without the simultaneous penalties by Toffoli and Lucic or even just without the other. Although the game might not have felt as close as the numbers indicate, it's still 2-1 and if they can get just that one extra gear, they're probably back in it.
 
Ziggy Stardust said:
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That makes me laugh harder than it should

Drumstick Handler said:
I feel the same about the getting the breaks part. Pavelski's numbers against us have been just ridiculous through out the season, unsustainable (yeah, I said it!), some might say.

Imagine what could've happened without the simultaneous penalties by Toffoli and Lucic or even just without the other. Although the game might not have felt as close as the numbers indicate, it's still 2-1 and if they can get just that one extra gear, they're probably back in it.
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The difference in the game, ultimately, was a 5-on-3. That's annoying. Obviously there are a lot of smaller battles there. But just like in game 1--The odds are against Kopitar, Doughty, Quick being beaten on the same play ever again just like they're against getting a 5-on-3 on two separate ****ing minors.
 
Sutters Blame : Lines.... He still puts Lucic with Kopitar when Lucic has excelled with Carter and Toffoli. Pearson looked alive with Kopitar in the end of regular season put him there. Bottom 6 is a bunch of plugs and I'd rather have Ontario guys on there besides Versteeg and VL.

Management: Stop drafting big guys who can't play or skate , get some skill and speed into the lineup. Sign some players who bring speed and skill. Not King who is worthless, Lewis sucks

Players need to wake the **** up. They look like they don't care, they weren't tired last year , look at Chicago now those moths****as should be tired but they still kickin ass
 
Talon70 said:
I would blame Carter and King more than Shore. Carter for the lazy change and King for blowing 2 chances to get the puck out of the defensive zone. Hopefully Andreoff replaces Shore for game 3 though.
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That goal was the result of a line change. King had just jumped on the ice and didn't have the time to get up to Burns' speed. He still.did an admirable job of turning a 3 on 2 into a 3 on 3, and angled him towards the wall and away from the slot.

The two trailing forwards were caught up ice, the Sharks recognized the advantage and jumped a 4th player into the attack. Shore had just taken the ice and was too far away to get involved.

That goal was most definitely not Shore's fault. That being said, Andreoff had been playing the best hockey of his career and did not deserve to be sat. My guess is that Sutter's decision to bring Gaborik back in lead to him thinking that he needed a better puck moving center for a more offensive set of wingers. Sure didn't work.
 
Kingsfan1 said:
Chicagos top players care , ours dont . They play with heart ours dont. Chicago always gets faster and skilled and better . We stay slow n focus on forechecking and we getting beat at our own game right now . Its sad and pathetic. The blame is to be put on the players for being bunch of egotistical **** and , Dean for making some stupid decisions .

Also ima beat a deadhorse that the game is evolving but our management doesnt see that and therefore is not followin suit. Get more ****ing speed and skill into the lineup. Stop getting big guys im drafts its pathetic get skill !
Click to expand...

Shoulda traded Kopitar while we had the chance.
 
Quick has been terrible. While it wouldn't have been easy to kill off that 5-on-3, Quick gave himself zero chance on that goal by sliding three feet out of the crease for absolutely no reason.

He has been over-challenging shots in both games, and has not been able to establish and maintain any kind of initial positioning without over reacting. Its leading to kicking rebounds out past his defensemen and back into Sharks possession. His total lack of composure has been a significant reason why the Kings are down 2-0.

Kopitar has lacked desire to do anything at a "playoff" level. Too passive, too slow, too uninvolved. It is crucial for the organization going forward that Kopitar assume ownership of his team. He seems unwilling to do so.

Icing a team that only has three defensemen who can cleanly complete a 15 foot pass, and a team that only has two centers who can come back and carry a puck into an attack position (and only.one of those, Carter, has bothered to show up) is making clean breakouts nearly impossible.

Instead, the Kings can't support the puck up ice, and wingers are getting isolated. Slow-footed defensemen are trying to.compensate for the speed in San Jose's attack by backing in to early, leaving wide gaps. In both cases, San Jose's superior speed is allowing them to fill both gaps and control the balance of play.

The Kings' best players, who receive the most ice time, haven't played well. They have been unable to establish any shift-to-shift momentum. Their offense has been a series of sputtering single shifts.

Momentum and pace control are so important to playoff hockey. The Kings roster limitations have lead to the inability to establish what used to be.tactical advantages for their system. The breakouts are a thing of the past. They don't have a stranglehold up the middle. They have to rely on their best players to.individually create better opportunities on net.
 
Jason Lewis said:
Hard not to praise the Sharks powerplay. Ridiculous talent on it kind of helps.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Jaso...an-Joses-Effective-Powerplay-Set-Up/179/76401

Always kind of wondered if the Kings should try running a 1-3-1

Doughty
Carter-Kopitar-Toffoli-Gaborik?
Click to expand...

It seems great when it works but with higher potential for disaster imo

but I do recall it ripping us apart all year with the few teams that DO run it, so maybe it seems more effective because we can't defend it for ****

didn't get to read the article yet btw so maybe you address that, heh, will get there soon!

Edit: also defend with a diamond box imo
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
It seems great when it works but with higher potential for disaster imo

but I do recall it ripping us apart all year with the few teams that DO run it, so maybe it seems more effective because we can't defend it for ****

didn't get to read the article yet btw so maybe you address that, heh, will get there soon!

Edit: also defend with a diamond box imo
Click to expand...

Yep. Certainly a high risk reward factor to it. I mean, San Jose DID get a shorty scored on em.

I'm not sure how many teams out there run a diamond kill. Collapsing box seems to be standard for whatever reason. Maybe we see a change since more teams are going 1-3-1 these days.
 
Go 3 skaters high, one in the slot and another at the goal line. Chicago utilizes this strategy, usually having their big shot setup high and in the middle. The big problem is that the guy who should be handling the puck (Kopitar) is barely getting any touches, and Muzzin keeps blasting those harmless shots from the left side that are easily stopped or blocked and Doughty can't seem to find the net with his shot.

And thus any screen in front of Jones is pretty much pointless and leaves the Kings playing 4-on-4 because the player acting as a screen just cancels himself out. Notice the Sharks PK doesn't even have to put a body on a screen? That's because the Kings can't get shots through or don't even attempt to get a shot setup from the middle.

It's always a low to high shot, yet look at how they scored their only goal last night, from the front of the net and by the second unit.
 
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