STL 2 : LAK 1 - **** right off edition.

[Zero Pucks Given]

Went to the game with the fianceé tonight and as is our usual habit, we took a stroll around the concourse during the 1st intermission.

Every time I saw a fan wearing a Blues jersey, I acted like I was in deep conversation with her and as we passed the fan, I would say "Rams" a bit louder than any other word...as in "Rams! of course!"

Got some looks. Anyway, just having a bit of fun.

Ron you MFing beauty.

 

[KINGS17]

Not sure if anyone noticed, but Will Ferrell was at the game.

Yeah, he got there just in time for the shootout.

 

[Ron*]

Yeah, he got there just in time for the shootout.

Pretty sure he was there for most of the game, if not the entire game. I could see him in his usual seat with what appeared to be his kid across the rink...he's in section 101 right on the aisle.

Plus they showed him on the scoreboard a couple of times, once in the second period and then again in the third, late in the period. It was kind of funny because they showed a video of Retta trying to pump up the crowd with the GKG chant. She opens the video with "I'm no Will Ferrell..." referring to his classic GKG video, then they showed him and he imitated himself with the GKG chant.

Dude, he rocks the colors every game too. Plus he took that tweet photo with Lucic just the other night in the dressing room. Guy is a true fan, maybe late to the game, but a fan nonetheless.

 

[mrkolice]

that 5min pk was brilliant, the hallmark of champions, but it took a toll. dull game? it depends, plenty of interesting things happened. vincent is getting familiar with pp, but he's not there yet, luke showed a lot during pk, i think he is a great upgrade to the defence. and that move by looch & kopi, stuff like that can make ppl pregnant.

 

[Trolfoli]

Don't mess with Frank the Tank!

I had a horrible nightmare last night. Carter came back and the Kings offense disappeared. So glad it was just a dream.

In other news, VL was 70% on the dot last night.

 

[mrkolice]

yesterday, shorthanded toi:

quick: 7.3
schenn: 4.2 (!)
martinez: 4.2
kopitar: 3.4
muzzin: 3.2
doughty: 3.2 (!)

 

[King'sPawn]

So far, I like how Lecavalier and Schenn look. It wasn't as glorious of a showing as their debut, but still solid puck movement and use of size.

My biggest complaint is Schenn getting into a fight when Brown had the clear breakaway, although given how a fight was clearly instigated, it's understandable.

 

[Captain Mittens*]

So far, I like how Lecavalier and Schenn look. It wasn't as glorious of a showing as their debut, but still solid puck movement and use of size.

My biggest complaint is Schenn getting into a fight when Brown had the clear breakaway, although given how a fight was clearly instigated, it's understandable.

I agree with this, but Schenn didn't really have a choice there. It was either fight or turtle.

 

[mrkolice]

luke had his first fight as lak in his second game. milan in his first. a lot to prove there. vincent, your turn.

 

[TonySCV]

Also, contrasting the fun and exciting game we had last time with the Leafs, this one was... not so much so.

Hitchcock has sucked the life out of that team. He even figured out a way for them to play a boring style of 3 on 3.

 

[King'sPawn]

I agree with this, but Schenn didn't really have a choice there. It was either fight or turtle.

I agree. I guess if the Kings got a powerplay like they should have, I would have been less annoyed. Oh well. Elliott definitely kept the Blues in it. Can't be too disappointed with the results.

 

[KINGS17]

Pretty sure he was there for most of the game, if not the entire game. I could see him in his usual seat with what appeared to be his kid across the rink...he's in section 101 right on the aisle.

Plus they showed him on the scoreboard a couple of times, once in the second period and then again in the third, late in the period. It was kind of funny because they showed a video of Retta trying to pump up the crowd with the GKG chant. She opens the video with "I'm no Will Ferrell..." referring to his classic GKG video, then they showed him and he imitated himself with the GKG chant.

Dude, he rocks the colors every game too. Plus he took that tweet photo with Lucic just the other night in the dressing room. Guy is a true fan, maybe late to the game, but a fan nonetheless.

I was just kidding Ron. The only reason I said that was because on the TV broadcast they had to show him after every shot.

 

[KINGS17]

So far, I like how Lecavalier and Schenn look. It wasn't as glorious of a showing as their debut, but still solid puck movement and use of size.

My biggest complaint is Schenn getting into a fight when Brown had the clear breakaway, although given how a fight was clearly instigated, it's understandable.

Lecavalier can still skate well enough to be effective. I imagine he isn't quite in game shape, so we will see what we really have in a few weeks.

Sutter is in the process of seeing where Lecavalier fits.

 

[Ron*]

I was just kidding Ron. The only reason I said that was because on the TV broadcast they had to show him after every shot.

Ah okay, didn't know that of course.

I haven't been taping the games as in the past...because I rarely review them when I do.

All is good.

 

[Trolfoli]

So far, I like how Lecavalier and Schenn look. It wasn't as glorious of a showing as their debut, but still solid puck movement and use of size.

My biggest complaint is Schenn getting into a fight when Brown had the clear breakaway, although given how a fight was clearly instigated, it's understandable.

Brown got the breakaway because the guy left his position to fight Schenn. Would have been nice for Schenn to run away for another 10 seconds or so until Brown got the shot off though.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I always say it's important to see how players look in a loss.

That game was pretty much a dominant game in every way minus the skills competition and actually finishing, so still hard to get a read on Schenn/Lecavalier since that wasn't a 'bad' game. They fit right in, look very good. Lecavalier looks good enough to play 3C instead of 4C to be honest but it's clear he doesn't have the conditioning for that right now. Both are being very smart and simple though and it shows (yet Vinny is still showing a lot of creativity).

Vinny made our bottom six gigantic and paired with Mersch they are starting to look as good as our third line did in terms of running over opponents with possession. Mersch is rapidly improving too.

One other thing is clear--though Kopi and Doughty are still getting ridden (the latter too much for my taste right now but it is what it is) we're rolling 4 lines against everyone while they load up against us.

 

[damacles1156]

I would like to add that Getting Dwight King back has made a big difference for that Bottom six.

King does a lot of little things correct.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I still think that when people cool off we'll see a beast depth forward lineup of

Lucic-Kopi-Toffoli
Pearson-Carter-Gaborik (rotate top six as needed)
King-Shore/Vinny-Brown
Mersch-Shore/Vinny-Lewis (rotate bottom six as needed)
Andreoff, Nolan, (Clifford)

That's playoff deep and nasty. Just need to tweak the D before/at the deadline and we're a pain in everyone's ass.

 

[damacles1156]

At least Quick ended up with over a .930 SV%...Giggity!

 

[mrkolice]

I still think that when people cool off we'll see a beast depth forward lineup of

Lucic-Kopi-Toffoli
Pearson-Carter-Gaborik (rotate top six as needed)
King-Shore/Vinny-Brown
Mersch-Shore/Vinny-Lewis (rotate bottom six as needed)
Andreoff, Nolan, (Clifford)

That's playoff deep and nasty. Just need to tweak the D before/at the deadline and we're a pain in everyone's ass.

yp, that's a po depth, top6 is defined, shore and vinny can switch, wings are sharp.

 

[deeshamrock]

Lecavalier can still skate well enough to be effective. I imagine he isn't quite in game shape, so we will see what we really have in a few weeks.

Sutter is in the process of seeing where Lecavalier fits.

That varied game to game in Philly. Some games he looked comfortable , skated well, did good on the PP and provided some offensive stuff. But that wasn't consistent, far too often he struggled both with skating and with his defensive lapses. I hope he does find the Fountain of Youth in LA but I don't see it, esp battling much tougher assignments in the West.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

I've always wanted to use this gif. Totally my reaction to the 5 min and game mcnabb got. I was at the game and only saw one replay and couldn't believe the call. Couldn't see sutter from where I was sitting but that was an appropriate reaction.

 

[KINGS17]

I always say it's important to see how players look in a loss.

That game was pretty much a dominant game in every way minus the skills competition and actually finishing, so still hard to get a read on Schenn/Lecavalier since that wasn't a 'bad' game. They fit right in, look very good. Lecavalier looks good enough to play 3C instead of 4C to be honest but it's clear he doesn't have the conditioning for that right now. Both are being very smart and simple though and it shows (yet Vinny is still showing a lot of creativity).

Vinny made our bottom six gigantic and paired with Mersch they are starting to look as good as our third line did in terms of running over opponents with possession. Mersch is rapidly improving too.

One other thing is clear--though Kopi and Doughty are still getting ridden (the latter too much for my taste right now but it is what it is) we're rolling 4 lines against everyone while they load up against us.

I was extremely impressed with Lecavalier and Kopitar out there at the same time on the PK. Two forwards with huge wing spans.

 

[Omni Owl]

I've always wanted to use this gif. Totally my reaction to the 5 min and game mcnabb got. I was at the game and only saw one replay and couldn't believe the call. Couldn't see sutter from where I was sitting but that was an appropriate reaction.

Was at the game too, it honestly didn't look that serious until I saw the replay. ****ing Lucic was an idiot for pushing Paajarvi from behind though. I was already booing before they announced the penalty and some guy behind me was like, "Don't boo just yet." But you could tell from Brown's reaction when talking to the ref that it was gonna cost us.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Was at the game too, it honestly didn't look that serious until I saw the replay. ****ing Lucic was an idiot for pushing Paajarvi from behind though. I was already booing before they announced the penalty and some guy behind me was like, "Don't boo just yet." But you could tell from Brown's reaction when talking to the ref that it was gonna cost us.

I mean, that's exactly all it was though, a push. no one would have thought twice if McNabb wasn't ALSO gunning for a hit. Just a wacky situation, like the buttcheck.