GDT: Welcome to the Black Parade: WCQF Game 1, (1) Vegas Golden Knights vs (WC1) LA Kings @7:00

[Davit17]

Yeah, because they were horrible...it's not like Fleury stole the game, he hardly had to move.

it happens

 

[Bandit]

More like primary scoring came up ZERO and secondary scoring didn't bail them out.

No way dude. My 6 month old son didn’t bail me out financially today. Definitely his fault.

 

[kingsfan28]

Wasted effort by Quick. And where was Carter?

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Patrick O'Neal after game 1.."we expect this to be a long series, it just has that vibe"......really?

 

[lumbergh]

I’d like to think that Fleury broke a sweat, but I doubt it.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Quick gives this team a fighting chance in the series, but the only way they’ll win is if the top players show up. Much like we saw in the regular season, we can’t count on the support guys to bail out this team.

 

[BigKing]

Tonight really did highlight the identity crisis this team is still in.

Overall soft forecheck compared to the good Kings teams but not enough skill throughout the lineup to succeed without being heavy.

They are trying to fix that but they aren't there yet.

 

[The Pale King]

That's 6 playoff games in a row where the Kings don't look dangerous....AT ALL.

And seven since they lifted the Cup. Don't see how any of that is relevant.

Axl, what do you do the roughly ~55% of the time the Kings aren't losing? Just listen to November Rain in the dark with the garage door open? Genuinely interested.

 

[KINGS17]

Tonight really did highlight the identity crisis this team is still in.

Overall soft forecheck compared to the good Kings teams but not enough skill throughout the lineup to succeed without being heavy.

They are trying to fix that but they aren't there yet.

This. The 2012-2015 edition of the Kings may not have scored a goal in this game, but they would have had a ton more time in the zone.

The Kings forecheck has gone from something that was once world class to pedestrian.

 

[Drivesaitl]

My take is the Kings forwards, collectively, were brutal all over the ice and were getting outworked and beat to pucks all over. Just have to be better than that. The worst game I've seen from the Kings topsix in quite awhile.

That said Muzzin was missed and Kings didn't have much transition game going. The key to beating the Knights is in making them defend. The Kings didn't do that nearly enough. Dustin Brown was awful tonight and responsible for ending around a dozen drives tonight, missing a wide open net, and taking a stupid penalty. Not a good time for that Brown to show up. Carter was invisible throughout as mentioned. Kopitar looked tired.

The Kings have to realize that the game will look entirely different if you pressure the Knights in own zone and make the puck stay there. Kings were rushing and forcing plays instead of protecting the puck well and cycling it deep. That's how you beat the Knights. Let Vegas play the game in your end and that's playing to their 4 line strength.

 

[Little Psycho]

Let me put this game into perspective; they couldn't get pass McNabb. Yes, Brayden mcnabb.

 

[KINGS17]

Geez, I hope Stevens isn't feed them this malarkey. Now LaDue on camera saying they had a good game. Sorry, no way Paul.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

My take is the Kings forwards, collectively, were brutal all over the ice and were getting outworked and beat to pucks all over. Just have to be better than that. The worst game I've seen from the Kings topsix in quite awhile.

That said Muzzin was missed and Kings didn't have much transition game going. The key to beating the Knights is in making them defend. The Kings didn't do that nearly enough. Dustin Brown was awful tonight and responsible for ending around a dozen drives tonight, missing a wide open net, and taking a stupid penalty. Not a good time for that Brown to show up. Carter was invisible throughout as mentioned. Kopitar looked tired.

The Kings have to realize that the game will look entirely different if you pressure the Knights in own zone and make the puck stay there. Kings were rushing and forcing plays instead of protecting the puck well and cycling it deep. That's how you beat the Knights. Let Vegas play the game in your end and that's playing to their 4 line strength.

I've always said that Kopitar goes as Brown goes. Not because Brown carries Kopitar but because Brown carries the puck so much that if he has a game like tonight then Kopitar can't do what he does with the puck.

 

[Drivesaitl]

This. The 2012-2015 edition of the Kings may not have scored a goal in this game, but they would have had a ton more time in the zone.

The Kings forecheck has gone from something that was once world class to pedestrian.

Bang on with this post. You need the ozone time and puck possession to beat the Knights. They do break down but the Kings didn't pressure very well tonight and basically refused puck possession. All night the Kings were thowing the puck away and then dying in their own end. The Knights tilt ice well when they have the puck. They are more suspect without it. But you have to work some plays.

Count the times in the game that the Kings made even 3-4 passes in a row EV.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I am worried about STevens in a playoff series and I have been. I don't see him making good adjustments. Gallant is gonna coach circles around him. But none of that will matter if the guys don't win their own battles to make the Xs-and-Ox more than a formality on the whiteboard.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

And seven since they lifted the Cup. Don't see how any of that is relevant.

Kings got a smackdown in 2016...lost in FIVE games. 5 + 1 = 6.

I think it's very relevant...if I was on that 2016 team, I would hope that series still gave me chills and I'd be really fired up for redemption. It's taken them two years to get back to the dance, and they took a turd on their return. That does not bode well for the rest of the series.

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

Geez, I hope Stevens isn't feed them this malarkey. Now LaDue on camera saying they had a good game. Sorry, no way Paul.

Can you imagine if Williams or Greene had heard that?

 

[KingsKnight]

At least it wasn’t 7-0.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kings got a smackdown in 2016...lost in FIVE games. 5 + 1 = 6.

I think it's very relevant...if I was on that 2016 team, I would hope that series still gave me chills and I'd be really fired up for redemption. It's taken them two years to get back to the dance, and they took a turd on their return. That does not bode well for the rest of the series.

This still felt very different than 2016 though. Definitely no lack of heart tonight, mostly just a lack of execution, guys were hitting like madmen. And one bounce and we're not recalling that series at all.

This one is going the distance. Buckle up.

 

[kingsholygrail]

At least it wasn’t 7-0.

Thanks to Quick.

 

[Sol]

Secondary scoring!? LOL! They had no scoring whatsoever, let alone secondary scoring

You're really toxic. I don't understand why you come here attacking people with differing opinions..

 

[KINGS17]

Reporters interviewing Gallant seem to think the Knights took a page out of the Kings playbook in playing a physical game.

The Kings haven't been a real physical team since 2014.

 

[Sol]

Patrick O'Neal after game 1.."we expect this to be a long series, it just has that vibe"......really?

It was a one goal game. And closely fought. I don't understand the doom and gloom. We lost their most hyped game ever by only one goal and it was pretty close. No idea where all this panic is coming from.

 

[KingsKnight]

Vegas looked stronger but we had our grade A chances and squandered them. If we convert on just one of those, it’s a game. We didn’t and they win by just 1 after all that. We still have a series boys.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I am worried about STevens in a playoff series and I have been. I don't see him making good adjustments. Gallant is gonna coach circles around him. But none of that will matter if the guys don't win their own battles to make the Xs-and-Ox more than a formality on the whiteboard.

Its to be expected. Gallant is a solid coach. Thing is now he has the type of team he needs to be successful. He's getting a high work rate all year from everybody and they beat you with depth.

But the Stevens coached team has looked a lot quicker in puck movement than the Sutter version seen in recent years. We didn't see the puck movement and transition tonight but we've seen it a lot this season. The kings were not executing their game plan or breakouts. Sure Knights pressured but the puck movement really wasn't sharp. The anticipation of plays and puck support wasn't in gear.

Kings seem to like adversity and I think will play sharper as series progresses, and will have to.

Knights forcheck and pressure aggressively. There are opportunities for breakout if you just make the right play out quickly.

Speed transition beats the Knights.