BoC Gameday: I Just Want a Goal
Los Angeles Kings (2 gutsy losses) vs. Anaheim Ducks (2 embarrassing defeats)
7:30 PST, FSN West
The Kings' 2 games against the Sharks illustrated the importance of the last change in hockey. In the game at San Jose, the Sharks matched up the Thornton line against the Kopitar line while Mike Grier skated against Alex Frolov. The result? 13 shots on goal for the Kings. Kopitar and Brown couldn't do anything with the puck because Thornton never let them have it. It was extremely frustrating to watch your top line go out there and then flail around like a little nerd trying to get his backpack back from 2 bullies.
The 2nd game was in Los Angeles and the Kings looked a lot better. Kopitar's line was able to skate against Jonathan Cheechoo's line most of the time while Michal Handzus was able to skate against Joe Thornton.* The Kings were able to shut down the Sharks, for the most part, and generally looked competitive. They still couldn't score (legally, anyway) but they didn't look that bad.
*Matt Greene is kind of built to slow down Joe Thornton isn't he? He's big and mean and he's not very fast, but neither is Joe so it's not that big of a detriment. He's going to get destroyed by guys like Gaborik and Kane but he's good against guys like Thornton.
The Kings skated Matt Greene with Denis Gauthier after Jack Johnson got hurt in the last game, while Doughty and O'Donnell skated together. Drew Doughty ended up leading all defensemen in ice time last game, which is both awesome and terrifying at the same time. He looked much better the last game, but I worry about him tonight against that Anaheim forecheck.
In the Saturday game the Kings skated Kyle Calder and Brad Richardson, while in the Sunday game they skated Brian Boyle and Patrick O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan was the best forward on the ice for the Kings in my opinion and seems like he's ready to go. I liked Boyle more than Richardson because Boyle is big, but I like Richardson more than Simmonds. I think Simmonds and Moller could both use more time in the minor leagues.
I would try to guess what the Kings' blueline is going to look like tonight, but it doesn't really matter; we're just fucked. All I want tonight is a goal. I missed Frolov's goal because I was en route to a buddy's house to watch the game and they had both goals called back on Sunday. I just want to shout, "Yeah!" and then look around awkwardly while my roommates tell me to get a life once, okay?
Yeah, this? Didn't see this.Prediction: Kings win, 4-3. Goals by Kopitar, Handzus, Moller and Gauthier. Brian Boyle and Raitis Ivanans get their first fights in.
Edit: Matt Stairs, after his game-winning home run:
"You want to get that one big hit where you feel like you're part of the team,'' Stairs said. "Not that I don't feel like I'm part of the team, by no means, but when you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys, it's no better feeling than to have that done.''
16 comments:
That Matt Stairs quote is pure gold.
Go.... Kings?
There is win all around that quote.
Go Kings!
(I feel bad about that last SJ game. That second no goal was an obvious kick in, but the first no goal seemed kind of lame.)
According to the Kings' notebook, Harrold will dress tonight and play with Greene.
Ah, Matt Stairs. Don't you just love the wholesome naivete of some Canadians?
"I just want to shout, "Yeah!" and then look around awkwardly while my roommates tell me to get a life once, okay?"
Reminds me when I used to be roommates with a Kings fan in college, except I would do exactly the same thing when the Sharks would score. Good thing was that we went to school in Norcal, so he had to put up with my crap way more than I did. Go Kings... out of pure spite to the Ducks.
Yelling "yeah!" after a goal is even more embarrassing when you live by yourself and you see your cats staring at you in fear.
What's up with Teddy Purcell? Is he injured or did he just not make the team? He looked good in the few Kings games I caught last season, definitely a prospect I had my eye on.
Oscar Moller beat him out. I think Moller will go down after a few games and Purcell will come up.
Damn, Rudy, that Frolov goal was pretty bad ass.
You're right about Game 2 being a lot better for the Kings. There were times when they took it to the Sharks.
I miss the days when I would spazz out after a big playoff goal. I'm talking about "run around the living room, do a ridiculous little hop of victory." It's a good thing that no one could see me doing this.
Now, the aforementioned "yeah" will do.
Not gonna lie, Moller looked like shit in both games against the Sharks. The sooner they bring Purcell up, the better for the Kings.
As a Sharks fan, the Kings deserved to win that last game.Both teams played pretty bad that game.
As a Sharks fan, have to correct brandon's comment and say the Sharks deserved to win that last game. Both may have played badly, but only one team managed to get a goal that count in. :)
Here's something for Kings fans to feel good about: LaBarbera is 6th in the NHL in GAA, and he's 5th in the league in Sv%.
I don't like how Ivanans went after Parros, the Ducks' top scorer.
Yeah I take it back, just feel sorry for Rudy and his Kings. Call it pity.
brandon ... tsk tsk ... this is hockey. there is no pity in hockey. all is fair in love, war and hockey. plus, after tonight's game of kings vs ducks, it's not the kings you should pity.
I pity the Kings because I don't mind them. You see, I hate the Ducks almost as much as I hate the Oilers.To be honest I pity the Kings like I pity the Predators, due to the suck factor. Nothings wrong with pitying a weaker opponent.:)
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