Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Friday, November 02, 2007

Kings/Sharks Gameday: The Most Important Month of the Year

Los Angeles Kings (6-7, 3rd in Pacific) at San Jose Sharks (6-5-1, 1st in Pacific)

Kings Record in November: 0-0

7:30 PST, FSN Bay Area, NOT Fox Sports West

The Kings have been enjoying themselves so far, playing fun little games with teams from distant lands like Columbus, Vancouver, and Boston. Now the real season begins for the Pacific Division. Starting today, the Kings do not play a non-Pacific Division opponent until December 1st. That’s 11 straight games. In fact, it’s pretty much like that for every Pacific team. This stretch is so important that I’d go as far to say that how the standings look at the end of November will probably reflect how they look at the end of the season.

Of course, since we’re going into such an important stretch, a King has to get injured. Kyle Calder will be out for about 2-4 weeks with a broken wrist and… wait, a month with a broken wrist? I’m sorry, I thought this was hockey, not golf. You don’t even shoot, Calder, you just let puck bounce off you. Quit being a baseball player and get your skates on.

Anyway, the Kings called up Matt Moulson (on his birthday, no less) to sit upstairs while Scott Thornton probably plays. Moulson spent four years at a little school called Cornell where he sang, along with Andy Bernard, in the a capella group Here Comes Treble. I doubt Moulson will ever become an important contributor to the Kings, but at least this’ll be something he can tell the grandkids about. Good for him.

Wait, wrong Molson...

The Kings go up against a Sharks team that’s really struggling to a… oh, wait, they’re 6-5-1. I thought with all the wailing wafting down from Northern California that they were 0-35-2. Patrick Marleau has struggled early in the season, tallying only 4 points in 12 games. Good thing he’s playing the Kings, his own personal slump-buster. Last season, Marleau had 13 points in 8 games against the Kings (including 7 goals), his best against any division opponent. I'm still not convinced Marleau knows how to talk (he might not even have a tongue), but he still scares me.

He communicates through dance, like a bee.

Being that these first two games are really important (division tests and all), of course they’re not going to be on television. I’m going up north this weekend to the land of microchips and marijuana so I thought I’d actually get to watch the game, but I guess people actually watch the Golden State Warriors so I’m probably shit outta luck. I could listen to the game on the radio, but who am I, Levi Strauss? I can’t sit there and just listen to a game, what the hell am I supposed to do with my eyes? Plus, TV has completely ruined my imagination to the point that it’s like… something.

I'm not using my brain like some sap!


Prediction: Kings win, 4-3, despite a 3-point effort by Marleau. Goals by Frolov (x2), Brown, and Lubo.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fox Sports West, talk about morons!! They were supposed to televise 1 of the games but traded it for a Colorado game in December. Home and home against a division rival and no TV. Who made that decision?! As long as I'm pissed and venting, I hope someone (Ivanans) creams Jeremy Roenicke too, not that I'll be able to see it.

Earl Sleek said...

Yeah, a really shitty decision by the boys at FSW. Hopefully news of their programming change made its way to Center Ice--it would suck if L.A. was the only market blacked out from watching this game.

Well, maybe it would be par for the NHL.

Kent W. said...

I've come to look forward to these Kings gameday posts.

Anonymous said...

What's more important, the month that may decides who plays in the playoffs (November), or the month that the Stanley Cup is actually won (June)?

RudyKelly said...

For the Kings, November. If they're playing in June I'm going to be much more concerned with the coming Apocalypse than some hockey game.

Cheechew said...

TV schedule up north is not much better for this home/home. Warriors and College football take priority. Tonight's game is on the secondary FSBA channel and no TV for Saturday.

Cheechew said...

Grier should be back tonight and Ozolinsh should make his debut. He will be the one skating behind the net.....in the offensive zone

Anonymous said...

The Kings didn't even get trumped by a game, FSW is showing college and pro football previews for the weekend. Hockey gets no respect. --Chris in Torrance

Mike said...

I'm still not convinced Marleau knows how to talk (he might not even have a tongue), but he still scares me.

He does have a tongue, but he's only capable of saying "we just need to work hard and gets pucks to the net."

I could listen to the game on the radio, but who am I, Levi Strauss? I can’t sit there and just listen to a game, what the hell am I supposed to do with my eyes?

As Sleek will no doubt tell you, you drink enough, the eyes are useless. That's my plan, anyway.

Earl Sleek said...

What's more important, the month that may decides who plays in the playoffs (November), or the month that the Stanley Cup is actually won (June)?

Playing well in June usually doesn't mean much unless you've played well in November. It sucks to have your "A" hockey game going while you're golfing.

As Sleek will no doubt tell you, you drink enough, the eyes are useless.

Not entirely true. They just lie to your brain in a very awesome way.

Megalodon said...

Bitch, bitch, bitch, Rudy. You think this is so bad for you, huh? if I'm lucky, I could get to see about 16 Sharks games a year living in southern California - 8 for the Kings, 8 for the Ducks, and then whatever Versus decides to show. Instead, the first two of the year are not on TV. Sonofabitch.

I can not believe this garbage.


I'm interested to see what Ozolinsh can do at his age, but I hope they don't bench Douglas Murray - I love that guy. He's turned into a great enforcer and physical presence on the ice.

Prediction - Sharks 4, Kings 2. Marleau wakes up, Setoguchi is the new Cheechoo, and Labarbera's hot streak ends.

Boooo Kings!

Earl Sleek said...

Can I still call him Booze-olinsh?

Ted said...

The Sharks offense has looked horrid for long stretches of the season so far. That's what all the moaning is about up here. The D and Nabakov are really holding this thing together.

Joe hits everyone on the tape and they muff it. Except Setogutchi. Hopefully he will do it again tonight, although that would mean he played 2 games in a row without getting injured, a personal record.

Anonymous said...

We haven't handled the Sharks well the past couple of seasons (we haven't handled anybody well really, but especially them). The personnel changes last season to this will turn things around. LaBarbera stays hot. Kings win 3-1 with an empty netter at the end. --Chris in Torrance

Earl Sleek said...

Well, you do have to admit the Sharks had a rough start to the schedule, not going to London and all.

Megalodon said...

At least in London you're safe from earthquakes.

Connie said...

Kyle Calder will be out for about 2-4 weeks with a broken wrist

He actually broke a finger. Even more manly...

If I had a TV to watch this game, I know I'd be fuming every single moment I saw a Sharks jersey. But I don't so my sanity will be saved.