LA Kings (irk) vs. San Jose Sharks (42-21-9, 2nd in West)
7:30 PST, FSN West
The Kings unveiled a new ECHL affiliate yesterday: the Ontario (CA) Reign. Oy. Here's the logo:
I guess it looks pretty cool (I like how they went with a dragon instead of a lion), and I like the colors more than the Kings' colors, but "Reign?" That's retarded. I wouldn't cheer for a team that had that name. What the hell is a player called?
"Hey, what team are you on?"
"Oh, I'm a Reign-eer... a Reignite... I'm on the Reign."
"Like water from the sky?"
"No, like a King's reign. You see, we're an affiliate of the Kings so-
"-Get the hell away from me."
Whatever, at least they don't have that ridiculous alliteration thing like the Manchester Monarchs and the Reading Royals. I'll keep an eye on Bush League Factor (a fantastic site if you've never read it) to see what he thinks about the new logo.
We'll also have to keep an eye on how the Reign pull in California, what with there already being 2 NHL teams in the region. I guess Southern California is like 24 million, so we can handle another team; right, San Diego Gulls? Uh, guys? Oh, wait...
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What is everyone's opinion of Matt Ellis? I guess he's okay. He's like Jeff Giuliano except better in every way. I could see him on the team next season in some sort of 4th line capacity; any higher, though, and we're kind of screwed.
They've been playing him on Handzus' line lately, which I kind of feel is giving us 2 4th lines. I can not stress enough how badly our lack of depth is killing us in these last few games. The Kings really need to get a 3rd line player in the off-season who can help us keep pucks out of the net. Jay Pandolfo?
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It's funny; the Kings already have more wins this season, they're on pace to score more goals and allow fewer, and they're going to finish in a worse position than they did last year. Am I right to take that as a good sign that we've been unlucky this season and we're not as bad as our record indicates? (I'm going to believe that the Kings have been unlucky this year, I don't care what you say.)
Prediction: The Kings need the Sharks and the Ducks to finish ahead of the Stars so we can get a first-round pick in the #24 area. I say Kings lose, 4-2, with goals by Frolov and Kopitar. Afterwards, Kings and Sharks fans pat each other on the back for a job well done.
14 comments:
Do they start play in the ECHL next season?
Yeah, hopefully. I might have to go catch a game.
A quick note about the whole Pronger thing..........
Just kidding Rudy, My question is do they play at Staples?
Apparently, the Ontario Concepts was taken, so they went with the second choice. Third and fourth place went to the Rennaissance Faires and Endless Stucco Housing Tracts.
Also in the running, but rejected for their sheer ridiculousness, were names like Barons (hi, Cleveland!), Dukes, Emperors, Knights, Counts.
I like the logo, but would like it better without the Tötällÿ Mëtäl spikes at the side.
Am I right to take that as a good sign that we've been unlucky this season and we're not as bad as our record indicates?
I think the statboys would tell you that yeah, it shows a bit of unluckiness (they like to derive an expected winning percentage off of GF and GA stats). Still, I gotta wonder--is there something systematic in their losing? Is it the case where they typically get edged out by a small margin (1 or 2 goals), but show a pattern of doing that a lot?
It could be that they're just bad at holding slim leads or overcoming slim deficits at the end of games--that wouldn't be luck so much as a fatal flaw.
I haven't paid good enough attention (nor really even glanced over their typical loss scores) to answer it, so I dunno. I'm guessing they're unlucky, though if it keeps up another year or two then they're just plain bad.
I don't know, hockey's not really like baseball so I don't know if team can have a Pythagorean record. Would be interesting to look up, if only I wasn't a moron. Oh well...
They could have gone for a dose of irony and called themselves the Premiers.
You forgot about the Long Beach Ice Dogs, they folded the year after the San Diego Gulls.
I like Matt Ellis, he seems to know what he's doing on the penalty kill and that is something that we have needed for a couple years now.
I don't think we are the worst team in the league, as our point total suggests, I think we're the worst team in the toughest division. We held our own against the top teams in the East. I certainly don't think we're as big a mess as the Maple Leafs, I think we are at least heading in the right direction. The Leafs just look lost.
Oh yeah, you'd think I'd remember that because I live in Long Beach.
I went to around 5 games or so during the lockout, but I kind of hate ECHL hockey. Too much running around, not enough trying to score.
Actually the Kings are exactly where they should be:
GF/GA ratio = 204/237 = 0.86
Pts/Game = 62/73 = 0.84
This correlates with past years where GF/GA = Pts/Game.
Overly defensive teams like NJD, ANA, MIN, VAN never seem to follow this rule.
Ha, so voxel, does that mean that last year the Kings were lucky? That probably won't sit well with L.A. fans.
I hate to say this, but Kings better win tonight. We need the Sharks to lose as many games as possible.
Please, Dan Cloutier, please try to fight Jody Shelley. I would pay $490.36 to see that.
interesting to point out that the Ducks are apparently thinking to help San Diego get their Gulls back...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20080320-9999-1s20hockey.html
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