WCQF Gm#3: KINGS vs. BLUES - 5/4/13 - One Down, Three To Go! GO KINGS GO!

[ElKingsFan92]

I don't get this **** after one playoff win. Come on Kings, we don't need the ****ing streamers. After a Stanley Cup win? OK.

But don't they do the streamer things after regular season games? At least I remember that they used to. I really didn't think anything of it. Whatever. Standard arena fodder.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

I don't get this **** after one playoff win. Come on Kings, we don't need the ****ing streamers. After a Stanley Cup win? OK.

Man cmon. It is just streamers. kids go to these events too. Its just entertainment.

 

[cyclones22]

Just got home after attending the game tonight. I'm sure many have already posted the same observations, but I thought I would add my 2 cents anyway. In person, when you can see more of the play, you really get a good look at how BAD Muzzin is in his own zone. He was a high wire circus act tonight. He has zero composure and had some of the most heinous giveaways, only to be bailed out by teammates. The moment is simply too much for the kid at this point. He absolutely needs to be paired with an anchor stay at home defender to even merit being out there on the ice. I think Martinez showed enough tonight to replace him in the lineup. At least Martinez knows big game pressure.

The major issue with the Kings that I could see from my vantage point is losing 90% of the board battles. What happened? It's not like the Blues suddenly took a course on how to win board battles and aced it. It's desire and physicality and they're bringing it. The Kings are not. Too often when the puck gets chipped up the boards, a King will wait for the puck, dick around with it for a second and then subsequently lose the puck. The only forward who seems to be able to make a decision quickly on the boards is Williams. Every other forward gets an F grade. Until they rectify this, the Blues will not give them any space. Burn them with quick passes off the boards and suddenly, you'll get more time and space.

I won't got into how bad Kopi looks out there or how awesome Quick was tonight. I'm sure that's been beaten to death. Sutter's going to have make an adjustment on the breakout and our boys will have to execute if they want to win this series. It only takes 1 game to change momentum. I suppose we'll see come Monday night.

 

[losingsand]

call me crazy but kopi even LOOKS smaller out there. maybe its Gaspar

 

[123slam]

I 100% agree with cyclones22.

I will say this: one of Kopi, Carter, Brown, or Richards needs to step up and have a huge game, or we're done for. I am positive a strong performance from one of them could really wake this team up. Like Richards in Game 1 of the VAN series last year. Or like Brown in Game 3 of the same series.

These guys don't even look pumped up to play. No jump in their step. We've seen a tiny bit from Richards, a bit more from Brown, maybe even more from Carter, but zilch from Kopi. Just not enough right now. It pisses me off to hear LeBrun, Lisa, Adater, and those other talking heads (more like typing heads) say this was our "last gasp". **** that. We've scored more legitimate goals in this series than the Blues have. We need someone to step up in that locker room and give a heartfelt, kickass speech. **** it, hire someone if you gotta.

Just. Wake. Up.

Good win, anyhow.

 

[Inner Turbulence]

The giveaway-takeaway stats is the most useless stat in hockey! They have Voynov having more giveaways then Muzzin so far. Guess who leads the playoffs in Giveaways: Pietrangelo. I swear Muzzin has 1000 giveways by now!

There's giveaways and then there's giveaways ... some turnovers at the hands of Muzzin were truely horrendous giving up excellent chances against. Whether it's rookie mistakes or "not good enough" mistakes doesn't really matter. The margin for error in this series is so slim.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I'm not either and it doesn't make you a debbie downer for it. 3 goals in 3 games is sad. 3 straight games with too many men calls is pathetic. Offsides and icings multiple times on the PP. This team is playing very poor fundamental hockey and top guys like Kopi and Richards are sucking.

I laugh at things like this. Do you realize the Blues barely got any goals against in the last 20 regular season games as well, what were those teams doing ? Besides, St. Louis have scored only 4 goals this series as well, including that gift of Jonathan. Of course I would also like to see a ton of goals, but we are not playing against the Panthers.

St. Louis is one tough team to play against, just like we are. Problem is, they are currently better and make us look bad. That's a quality.

 

[MynameisKing]

Adater, Lebrun, Lisa: I think that was the Kings' last gasp win. Now they get beat in Game 4. Team can't score, less passion!

Bulletin Material?

 

[Papa Mocha 15]

Adater, Lebrun, Lisa: I think that was the Kings' last gasp win. Now they get beat in Game 4. Team can't score, less passion!

Bulletin Material?

This series could easily be two to one the other way. If we just continue to collapse our D and Quick plays lights out, we should be able to take this series. Goals are gonna be junk goals.

But looking at St. Louis, they don't play with confidence and it shows when they lose their cool. Which, they seem to do often. If LA is going to beat them, then just frustrate them and they'll beat themselves and get off their game on their own and then make them pay.

 

[Steve Zissou]

I 100% agree with cyclones22.

I will say this: one of Kopi, Carter, Brown, or Richards needs to step up and have a huge game, or we're done for. I am positive a strong performance from one of them could really wake this team up. Like Richards in Game 1 of the VAN series last year. Or like Brown in Game 3 of the same series.

These guys don't even look pumped up to play. No jump in their step. We've seen a tiny bit from Richards, a bit more from Brown, maybe even more from Carter, but zilch from Kopi. Just not enough right now. It pisses me off to hear LeBrun, Lisa, Adater, and those other talking heads (more like typing heads) say this was our "last gasp". **** that. We've scored more legitimate goals in this series than the Blues have. We need someone to step up in that locker room and give a heartfelt, kickass speech. **** it, hire someone if you gotta.

Just. Wake. Up.

Good win, anyhow.

Where's Bernie when ya need him? #pumpernickel

 

[kingsholygrail]

Decided to wear my jersey which had been worn for all the home game wins I went to..And they won. Gonna wear it again on Monday. Whatever helps the team.

 

[Straight Fire]

CBC announcers saying this is by far the hardest hitting of all the series. Something like a 100 hits per game. Crazy tough.

 

[kingsfan28]

I'm sure no ones noticed but I've given up complaining about the joke that is considered ice in Staples because I know it'll always be a ****ing slushee out there.

With the Stones playing real late Friday night, I'm sure the ice wasn't in the best condition when they finally got the stage torn down early Saturday morning. I noticed more than once , we had chances at rushes , only to have the puck bounce or even just slow down enough where we had guys just fly by it.

 

[topliner967]

They can still improve on their playoff record from last year. Go Kings!

 

[TheSlovenian]

Even if the Kings somehow win this series, I don't see them past the second round. The amount of bad offense on Kings side is extraordinary.

 

[MsMeow]

Even if the Kings somehow win this series, I don't see them past the second round. The amount of bad offense on Kings side is extraordinary.

It's the Blues defence that is doing it, not the lack of Kings' offense. Hitchcock is very much a defense first coach and this is the toughest defensive team in the playoffs. If the Kings win the series but lose the next round it will be due to exhaustion from all the hitting.

 

[stonedhenge]

Even if the Kings somehow win this series, I don't see them past the second round. The amount of bad offense on Kings side is extraordinary.

They must play better, but they are also playing against one of the best defensive team structures and definately best group of defensemen in the league right now.

 

[guderian]

Tremendous forecheck is killing Kings in this series. Haven't seen anything like it since last year's playoff.

D is under constant preasure, any hesitation leads to quick giveaway, prolonged play in King's def. zone and subsequently lack of off. zone entries.

PP sucks, but PK has been excellent so far.

Quick is controlling puck with his mind again and Kings will need him to keep doing that voodoo magic **** to have any hope of winning this series (actually I believe that if Kings can somehow pull W in next two games, Game 6 will be walk in the park, but it's a long and treacherous road ahead of that bridge)

 

[jml87]

It's the Blues defence that is doing it, not the lack of Kings' offense. Hitchcock is very much a defense first coach and this is the toughest defensive team in the playoffs. If the Kings win the series but lose the next round it will be due to exhaustion from all the hitting.

Exactly, can we give the Blues defense some credit? They are suffocating the offense right now. They are good. Gotta find a way to get through them.

But the amount of pessimism here is pretty bad after a win. Yeah, I get the criticism but come on, these are two evenly matched teams. After last year we aren't used to things being this hard. The top 6 is giving a lot of effort the just can't get through right now because of the Blues D. They still had a lot of good chances. Richards and Brown had the most shot out of anyone. I see the effort, they just aren't getting the results.

And we still have Jonathan Quick who is playing out of his mind right now. Not a fluke, this is the Quick we are used to and I expect it to continue. If that's the case then we can pot a few goals per game and still win.

I hate to hear people mentioning a lack of effort or passion. They are giving everything they can out there but so are the Blues. They are still fighting down in the corners, still hitting, still diving for every puck, but the Blues are doing the same thing. This is playoff hockey. Try to adjust for the next game, but I refuse to believe that any of them aren't putting out 100%.

 

[moosehead81]

My observations from the last few games- it's as true for the NHL level down to the peewee level- its tough to play the game when the puck seems to be continually in your own end and you won't win many games scoring one goal a game.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I'm also surprised about the negativity regarding Muffin. Many already said he was a liability when we were still playing regular season games. He's not playing much worse now. I guess this is what playoff hockey does to people.

I havent heard tonnelligghost (sp?) for a while.

 

[MsMeow]

I'm also surprised about the negativity regarding Muffin. Many already said he was a liability when we were still playing regular season games. He's not playing much worse now. I guess this is what playoff hockey does to people.

I havent heard tonnelligghost (sp?) for a while.

Maybe he's sick of the negativity as well.

 

[Face Wash]

Anze Kopitar is a shell of his former self right now. He doesn't take over shifts... he's not skating well and he's not protecting or controlling the puck well at all. Here are some fun facts that aren't so fun:

1) Kopi has 6 goals in his last 41 games and here's a REALLY bad stat...
2) Kopi has 0 PP Goals in 79 straight games including playoffs. ZERO!!

I mean, when was the last time you saw Kopi drive to the net for even a rebound?

And before you tell me that BS about all his assists...remember he's a #1 center on this team who makes $6M+ at age 25-26 and averages 28 goals for his career per 82 games. So, he's also paid to put the puck in the net. Kopi has been invisible for a while now! Kings can't win this series without him. He has to wake up. (unless he's keeping an injury - like his knee - quiet). Kings aren't long for these playoffs w/o their #1 Center producing.

And oh by the way, Kopi had 8 goals and 12 assists in 20 playoff games last season and his 6 points in 4 games vs. STL was his high for all four series points-wise. It pretty much comes down to Kopi and Richards at this point. They play better or it's academic.

Kings were VERY fortunate to win last night and I'm guessing they won't be as lucky Monday Night. They'll have to earn it.

 

[TonySCV]

This series could easily be two to one the other way. If we just continue to collapse our D and Quick plays lights out, we should be able to take this series. Goals are gonna be junk goals.

Speaking of junk goals... how about that goal last night? I think there were 9 bodies in the crease when Voynov scored.

Two teams that are as close to parity both in style and skill (particularly on D) as you'll get. No goals scored by either team, crippling forecheck, smothering defensively.

Both teams are going to be tenderized after this series. Glad to see the Kings making a series out of this. I still don't see the Kings winning the next 3 of 4 sans Greene, but if St. Louis prevails they're going to be pretty banged up (likewise for the Kings). Tough round 1 match-up. Vancouver would have been far more preferable.

If the Kings DO manage to win this series, that's going to be when earning the 5 seed pays off as it's shaping up to be LAK vs. ANA in Round 2.

SJS would get CHI. Heh.

 

[agentfouser]

Just got home after attending the game tonight. I'm sure many have already posted the same observations, but I thought I would add my 2 cents anyway. In person, when you can see more of the play, you really get a good look at how BAD Muzzin is in his own zone. He was a high wire circus act tonight. He has zero composure and had some of the most heinous giveaways, only to be bailed out by teammates. The moment is simply too much for the kid at this point. He absolutely needs to be paired with an anchor stay at home defender to even merit being out there on the ice. I think Martinez showed enough tonight to replace him in the lineup. At least Martinez knows big game pressure.

The major issue with the Kings that I could see from my vantage point is losing 90% of the board battles. What happened? It's not like the Blues suddenly took a course on how to win board battles and aced it. It's desire and physicality and they're bringing it. The Kings are not. Too often when the puck gets chipped up the boards, a King will wait for the puck, dick around with it for a second and then subsequently lose the puck. The only forward who seems to be able to make a decision quickly on the boards is Williams. Every other forward gets an F grade. Until they rectify this, the Blues will not give them any space. Burn them with quick passes off the boards and suddenly, you'll get more time and space.

I won't got into how bad Kopi looks out there or how awesome Quick was tonight. I'm sure that's been beaten to death. Sutter's going to have make an adjustment on the breakout and our boys will have to execute if they want to win this series. It only takes 1 game to change momentum. I suppose we'll see come Monday night.

The underlying issue is that the Kings are breaking the puck out of their own zone like a rec-league rollerhockey team. They've lost the structure that has characterized their defense all year and especially last year; as a result, they can't generate much speed through the neutral zone, and thus they don't attack with speed. This is a big reason why the forwards are underperforming. The Kings are playing like they're constantly on the penalty kill, chipping every puck off the glass, trying to generate offense with quick rushes, and conceding a TON of offensive-zone time to the Blues.

I think there are several causes: first, we're REALLY missing Mitchell, and Regher is not even close to a replacement for him. Regher is not a particularly effective player at all. He's physical, but his first passes are poor at best. This is why he's an adequate penalty killer, but a liability at even strength. He's holding Dughty back when they're paired together because Doughty needs to do all the work breaking the puck out. Muzzin and Ellerby are similarly ineffective at breaking the puck out. Second, the forwards need to do a better job in the defensive zone. They need to play a bit deeper and win the board battles you mentioned. Doing so would also make them more available for breakout passes. This will probably concede a bit more space to Blues' defensemen to shoot the puck, but if the Kings are winning board battles and breaking the puck out better, then that's a good trade. The forwards also need to backcheck harder through the neutral zone, on those occasions when the Blues are counter-attacking. Indeed, third, the forwards and the defensemen need to pressure more up-ice. The defense's gap control has been horrible, and that allows the Blues to enter the zone with impunity. They don't have to fight to get the puck into the zone.

Really, the starkest difference in all three games is the way that the Blues play as a tight, five-man unit that moves up and down the ice together. They support each other extremely well in all three zones. Every time we start to get a cycle going--our bread and butter, the thing that wins us games--the Blues pressure effectively and then move the puck up the ice easily because they always have an extra option for a breakout pass. ALWAYS. This happens consistenly: two of our forwards chase down a puck below the Blues' goal line, get into a board battle with two Blues, the puck comes free, and two or three other Blues have passing options that our remaining forward cannot stop. Thus, they come out of their zone quickly and efficiently. We are sometimes able to contain them when our defenseman pinches down the boards, but if you notice, the Blues almost always try to bring the puck up through the middle, which their compact structure allows them to do. Our defensemen are not controlling the gaps well--in part because the Blues play so deeply on defense--and thus they are always attacking with speed through the middle. It's absolutely fundamentally sound hockey, kind of amazing to watch, really.

The Kings, on the other hand, are spread out, not working as a five-man unit. Our defensemen are outnumbered by three Blues on the attack, and our forwards are not available for breakout passes. Thus, when we are able to gain possession in our own zone, we can't get it out, and Blues regain possession, usually along the boards or at the blue line, and their attack continues. The Blues outnumber us at the puck in every single zone, on every singe shift.

It's a credit to Quick that we are in this series at all. As Herby said, he is the real franchise player, giving us a chance to win even when we are being outplayed in every aspect of the game. If the Kings are going to really make a series out of this, they have to play as a five-man unit. They did that for period one of game two, and they have been not terrible for a few other stretches. If they can't do that for sixty minutes, then our season is over.