WCSF’s Gm#4: KINGS(3 vs DUCKS(1 5/10/14, 0-2 Loss.

[damacles1156]

Mitchell and RR may not seem to effect the offence on the surface, but imo its the reason the kings offence is in the toilet this series.

Forwards are having to go deeper in their own zone preventing any chance for effective scoring chances off the rush, and a reason why the kings are having to just dump it in deep almost every time up the ice.

It's the very same reason they went into a shell once getting their only 2 goal lead in the series.

Once the kings hot down by 2 goals last game, they had no choice but to try and trust their D more and took risks on the forecheck. Kings were dropping 4 guys to the neutral zone until they were trailing, which goes against how this team succeeds, feasting on turnovers from the forecheck.

Imo for the Kings to turn this around they need to trust their D and start pressuring the less than impressive blue line of the ducks.

Could be some of the problem, I think ANH just played two really good games.

Gibson was great (Kings made it easier on him), but Gibson was good.

The Ducks D played well, blocked a ton of shots.

Games like that, Kings need that PP to score. Didn't get very many good chances on the PP's, that hurt.

 

[Reclamation Project]

A power play's main purpose (to me at least) is to score goals at critical times. The Kings aren't doing that. You have to bury at least one of those power play attempts last night.

 

[TheSentinel]

I still thinks Refs should shoulder some of the blame for these unbalanced calls. One prime example that comes to mind:

Pearson snow showering (I think it was Hiller) on a fast break away the angle he was going to go was taken away by duck defenders so he had to stop up and was nearly pushed by a defender...Got called a penalty.

Perry snow showering Quick on a decent break away but clear in the open, could have angled away from Quick (and might have scored), instead he stops up and snow showers...No Penalty

Those of you defending Refs on their calls, i'm calling you out.

The refs are not the reason this is 2-2. Calls even out. The Kings have done nothing to win these last 2 games. We keep hearing them say, "We haven't played our best game yet.". Well, as a fan, I'm still waiting for that. They played like they were down 2-0 & 2-1 the last two games. They deserved to lose. Sure, they didn't alow a shot in the 2nd period, but really, can you recall a shot attempt by the Kings that they should've scored on? They had a prime chance last night with the Ducks playing a rookie goalie, and they blew it. Now, not only does Gibson have confidence, now the Ducks have confidence in Gibson.

Thanks for completely ignoring my Statement as i didn't say the Refs should be the ones to blame completely for the losses. I still have not seen a balanced call against the ducks from they evidence i provided but if you think some random and un proven statement about "Calls even[ing] out" helps you make it through a series then all the power to you.

I'm still outraged by the BS calls and non-calls. I think this might be another factor as to why it seems like the Kings might not be playing to their potential A King sweater does something it's a penalty, A duck sweater does the same thing no call.

Like a police officer sitting at an intersection sees a car go through a red light pulls him over and they get a ticket. Same police office same intersection sees a different car go through a red light slightly slower police officer only turns on his lights.

Anyway, lets see what happens with game 5.

 

[Winger23]

Could be some of the problem, I think ANH just played two really good games.

Gibson was great (Kings made it easier on him), but Gibson was good.

The Ducks D played well, blocked a ton of shots.

Games like that, Kings need that PP to score. Didn't get very many good chances on the PP's, that hurt.

Yes but what I recall from the sharks series is their scoring off the rush, usually within seconds of entering the zone. Shot blocks are less likely if they don't have to shoot through all 5 opponents already set up on D.

 

[damacles1156]

Yes but what I recall from the sharks series is their scoring off the rush, usually within seconds of entering the zone. Shot blocks are less likely if they don't have to shoot through all 5 opponents already set up on D.

It's tough when you go down early, pretty much every team in the NHL plays a 1-3 when they go up with a lead.

Every team takes away center ice with a lead. The Ducks are a much better defensive team than SJ(my opinion).

 

[Jason Lewis]

We may have won two games in this series, but I don't like the way we have played in any of the games. We are getting outplayed, plain and simple

I think this hit the nail on the head. We played an awful Game 1 and stole it. Game 2 both teams were pretty crap-tastic, but we were the lesser crap-tastic of the two. 3-4 was Game 2 but with Anaheim being the victor. This has not been a good series at all.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It's tough when you go down early, pretty much every team in the NHL plays a 1-3 when they go up with a lead.

Every team takes away center ice with a lead. The Ducks are a much better defensive team than SJ(my opinion).

Especially the Ducks vs. us--they seem to absolutely kill us if they take a lead and that's a theme from the whole season. I thought we'd be more aggressive with it in the playoffs (i.e. take the middle of the ice), but that has yet to really manifest.

I think this hit the nail on the head. We played an awful Game 1 and stole it. Game 2 both teams were pretty crap-tastic, but we were the lesser crap-tastic of the two. 3-4 was Game 2 but with Anaheim being the victor. This has not been a good series at all.

To be fair I think that just has to do with the style clash. The Kings and the Sharks seem to bring out the best in each other, Kings and the Ducks the worst. Ducks are forced to play hardcore defense (and are doing a good job of it), Kings are forced to make uncomfortable quick plays (especially with Schultz and Greene back there and Voynov/Doughty sucking right now) and are still getting caught on the backcheck, plus they're mostly neutering our cycle, so we can't generate anything. I think it's been interesting from the standpoint of a lot of different looks thrown around and teams winning in different and unique ways, but I don't know that we'll ever see both teams on top of their game at the same time because both game plans seem predicated on making a mess of the other team.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

#BringBackCrawfordoff

 

[damacles1156]

Especially the Ducks vs. us--they seem to absolutely kill us if they take a lead and that's a theme from the whole season. I thought we'd be more aggressive with it in the playoffs (i.e. take the middle of the ice), but that has yet to really manifest.



To be fair I think that just has to do with the style clash. The Kings and the Sharks seem to bring out the best in each other, Kings and the Ducks the worst. Ducks are forced to play hardcore defense (and are doing a good job of it), Kings are forced to make uncomfortable quick plays (especially with Schultz and Greene back there and Voynov/Doughty sucking right now) and are still getting caught on the backcheck, plus they're mostly neutering our cycle, so we can't generate anything. I think it's been interesting from the standpoint of a lot of different looks thrown around and teams winning in different and unique ways, but I don't know that we'll ever see both teams on top of their game at the same time because both game plans seem predicated on making a mess of the other team.

ANH may have learned a lesson from SJ.

SJ used that speed they had, but boy did they get killed on counter attack's when they turned the puck over.

Even TM admitted he had a hard time getting SJ players to understand "We are not going to score 5-7 goals a game on the Kings".

ANH Looks content to win games 1-0 2-1.

I was afraid of the scoring drying up, cause ANH is going to get their Goals.....What about the Kings ?

SJ players wanted the Games to be a track meet, they wanted 6-5 7-5 games. SJ players didn't want the 2-1 1-0 battles(at least that is what it looked like).

It appears so far , ANH want's no part of that track meet garbage.

Adjustments have to be made, lets hope Sutter and CO. get em right and make em.

 

[johnjm22]

I know everyone is upset that we lost, but last night was the first time in this series that I actually liked the effort I saw from the Kings.

LA was bad in the previous 3 games and didn't deserve to be up in the series.

Loved the way they responded in the 2nd period, and pulling Quick was absolutely the right move.

 

[CowMix]

I wonder how Mitchell is doing, didn't Sutter say we might see him in the second round?

 

[BigBrown]

I wonder how Mitchell is doing, didn't Sutter say we might see him in the second round?

Seems unlikely as he isn't even practicing yet.

 

[kingsfan28]

I know everyone is upset that we lost, but last night was the first time in this series that I actually liked the effort I saw from the Kings.

LA was bad in the previous 3 games and didn't deserve to be up in the series.

Loved the way they responded in the 2nd period, and pulling Quick was absolutely the right move.

The second was by far the best of the series by far. Unfortunately we got nothing to show for it other than make Gibson look unbeatable. The Getzlaf save on Doughty was the biggest of the game and if that goes in, the game is completely different.

As for Monday, I hope they study a crap load of tape on Gibson and how to beat him because he'll be in net the remainder of the series. Probably the worst thing that could've happened was Andersen getting hurt.

 

[kingsfan28]

The only semi-logical reason I can think of is he wanted to exploit one of their lesser centers in a matchup with Kopitar. And even then it makes zero sense.

And it completely back fired. If anything, it screwed up everything else along the way. That line was neutralized in game 3 by lesser forwards, so Sutter moves the lines around to correct this and creates more problems in the process. Plain and simple, he over coached games 2 and 3.

 

[KingKopitar11*]

And it completely back fired. If anything, it screwed up everything else along the way. That line was neutralized in game 3 by lesser forwards, so Sutter moves the lines around to correct this and creates more problems in the process. Plain and simple, he over coached games 2 and 3.

Yup some things don't work all the time, but they do most of the time. Sutter panicked at the firs thing of failure.

Plus the Kings should run Gibson hard. He has too much confidence.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Just screen him and crash the net. It's a basic idea.

 

[damacles1156]

Just screen him and crash the net. It's a basic idea.

That coaches have to get sick of repeating to NHL professionals.

I would lose my mind as a coach "Really guys ? Really ? , we are going to let this guy see every single puck tonight ?"

I wonder how much DET loved Thomas Holmstrom as a team-mate.

ALWAYS went to the net.

 

[Reclamation Project]

That coaches have to get sick of repeating to NHL professionals.

I would lose my mind as a coach "Really guys ? Really ? , we are going to let this guy see every single puck tonight ?"

I wonder how much DET loved Thomas Holmstrom as a team-mate.

ALWAYS went to the net.

Hell, I even thought they should put TWO people in front of Gibson on the power play - have someone work behind the net, and then have two guys in the slot up high who can activate when the puck comes up the slot. ANYTHING.

 

[CowMix]

I think the biggest problem was just plain missing the net. There were a bunch of times the Kings broke into the Ducks zone to just send a shot wide that would trickle around the boards to a Duck player to clear. Make Gibson cover the puck for a faceoff or risk giving up a rebound. The Kings never even really go into situations were they could start to crash the net or get bodies in front because they never had rebounds to crash or had a good cycle set up in the Duck's zone.

 

[Little Psycho]

A shutout...against a rookie...in the playoffs. Oh man.

 

[damacles1156]

Hell, I even thought they should put TWO people in front of Gibson on the power play - have someone work behind the net, and then have two guys in the slot up high who can activate when the puck comes up the slot. ANYTHING.

I once got the pleasure of talking with felix Potvin at a fan function when he played here in LA.

Asked him who he hated playing the most player wise.

Felix "Thomas Holmstrom" Why ? " Cause the guys office is front of you the whole damn game".

" It may be my paranoia talking but it seems like the guy never left the ice, just in front of you the whole damn game".

Felix the Cat was a great guy to talk with.

It made sense , I suppose lot's of goalies hated Holmstrom.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

To be fair I think that just has to do with the style clash. The Kings and the Sharks seem to bring out the best in each other, Kings and the Ducks the worst. Ducks are forced to play hardcore defense (and are doing a good job of it), Kings are forced to make uncomfortable quick plays (especially with Schultz and Greene back there and Voynov/Doughty sucking right now) and are still getting caught on the backcheck, plus they're mostly neutering our cycle, so we can't generate anything. I think it's been interesting from the standpoint of a lot of different looks thrown around and teams winning in different and unique ways, but I don't know that we'll ever see both teams on top of their game at the same time because both game plans seem predicated on making a mess of the other team.

I agree. Right now the Ducks and Kings remind me of that scene in Arrested Development where Oscar and George Sr. have a fistfight, but completely nullify each others attacks and then stand around looking confused.

I do think our #1 problem is a lack of execution, but missing Mitchell and Regehr hurts. Schultz and Greene anyway are pulling their weight defensively, but Mitchell and Regher (comparatively) are more poised and comfortable leading us out of the zone. So there's that.

Anaheim probably is in all honesty the better team, as much as it pains me to admit it, but in no way does that prevent us from taking this series if we make the proper adjustments, namely returning to the mythical land of blue paint. That should be enough to shake up their D/goaltending.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I once got the pleasure of talking with felix Potvin at a fan function when he played here in LA.

Asked him who he hated playing the most player wise.

Felix "Thomas Holmstrom" Why ? " Cause the guys office is front of you the whole damn game".

" It may be my paranoia talking but it seems like the guy never left the ice, just in front of you the whole damn game".

Felix the Cat was a great guy to talk with.

The Kings really lack this. I really wish Penner could have been that type of player, but unfortunately he was useless. I like how we're all discussing this like it's some super secret hockey trick - this is rudimentary hockey knowledge.

 

[damacles1156]

The Kings really lack this. I really wish Penner could have been that type of player, but unfortunately he was useless. I like how we're all discussing this like it's some super secret hockey trick - this is rudimentary hockey knowledge.

Exactly.

It's where WILL comes into play, players have to be willing to take the punishment of going to the blue paint.

The Kings are just inconsistent in this area. I was hoping King would develop into a net front Guy, not looking good....

Simmonds is thriving being a Net guy.

 

[DigitalSea]

Ducks fan here in peace with a quick question- What has happened to Mike Richards!? He was one of my favorite players in his Philly days, and has always been a playoff performer, notably for you guys in 2012 and 2013. He looks really off right now and I can't tell if it's an injury thing or not..

Cheers, and good luck in this best of 3!