alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />This might be a case of simplifying things too much, but it seems to me that there’s been a certain ebb and flow to the Kings’ season. They played well, briefly moved to the top of the Western Conference, then dipped before and after that eight-day December break. Then they rose again, to fourth in the West, and have now dipped again in this post-Olympic period.
Part of it is natural — teams are going to go through “up” and “down” periods over the course of six months — but the timing was curious to me. I wondered if Terry Murray thought that his young team might be showing a tendency to get complacent when it rises higher in the standings…
MURRAY: “I don’t look at it as complacency. I think it’s an understanding of how this league works today. There are 16 playoff teams and today, mathetically, what are there, two, maybe, that are out of it? So everybody is going to bring that kind of a game. When you play one of the greatest sports franchises in history, in all sports, Hockey Night in Canada, they’re [Montreal on Saturday] going to bring the attitude that they’re going to throw everything at you and try to get themselves into a better position in the standings in the Eastern Conference.
“That’s one example, one team, but that’s the same with every team that we have to prepare ourselves for. Playoff attitude begins March 1. It almost goes right back to the start of the year. It’s very intense, it’s very hard. It’s an understanding that you have to compete at the highest level and everything is important, everything matters. We come into the game understanding that it matters, but we just didn’t do it fast enough, quick enough and hard enough.”
we’ll be fine. as you state it’s all a part of the up’s and down’s of a season. being such a young team, it can become overwhelming, which is why halpo and modin were brought in.
@20lucfan, exactly luc, all that really matters is that they get on an “up” going into the playoffs and as things sit, that seems quite possible…
what is also interesting is the ebb and flow of the coaching staff and their ability to “know when to say when” with pushing buttons and asserting expectations…
i’m getting the feeling that tm and co. are letting the boys exhale just a tinsy-winsy bit to perhaps, further meld the new members/line combos accordingly and really get them motivated for the final 20…
i think with all that’s happened during the last few weeks…olympics, trade deadline, lay off, etc…going into “concerned” mode might be cracking the whip a lil’ too hard, too soon…
so if there’s an adage in the comparative cannons regarding a team reflecting it’s coach, perhaps this is the moment to use it…
i’m not suggesting that there’s a lack of urgency on this team…not yet…but i do think tm’s is trying a new approach to a team that is starting to reach a new level and expectation…
We are one of the best (if not THE BEST) road team in the league. Are we even .500 at home? That’s what we need to work on. We need to establish a “This is OUR HOUSE” mentality. Play-offs won’t last long if there is no “home ice advantage.”
@Marty’s Knuckles,
18-10-3
that’s the home record my friend.
maybe TM should play Daft Punk in the locker room before the start of each game.
Maybe then, they’ll play better, harder, faster, stronger.
Marty,
It certainly FEELS like we have a lousy home record. Those saturday afternoon debacles don’t help either. Tonight’s game is a key game — a very winnable game and important not only to end the losing streak, but to keep us a safe distance from all the hungry teams below us. We have to stay in the top 5 seeds IMHO if we are going to advance to the second round.
I’ll be there tonight — just bought two extra tickets for friends (at 70 percent off retail for section 112!)
@Marty’s Knuckles, THIS IS OUT HOUSE! http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=740214&highlight=this+is+out+house
@Marty’s Knuckles, the kings home and road records are almost identical..
home – 18-10-3
away – 20-12-1
@dtownmbrown, Don’t you mean they should play Kanye ?
There are lots of good X and O coaches out there. The great coach has the ability to overcome team complacency…and the ups and downs of a long season. In an ideal world, one would think that a professional athlete shows up everyday to give 100%. Unfortunately, not the case….they are rare. The coach has to establish the expectation of 100% effort every night or else. He needs to reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. As evidenced by the great teams throughout history, players respnd to the appropriate stimuli.
@Carol Vadnais,
the “concerned” mode would be definitely implemented if we do lose tonight…
this is a game that not only we should win, but win it in the right way…
@Bob Bobson, No, Daft Punk. Love it.
Rich, your header image is missing.
@variable, I am normally quite optimistic, and I too would be concerned should they lose tonight.
Would be nice to shake the ghosts of the past.
@Bob Bobson, Kanye sampled that from the real artists.
@variable,
70% off retail for lower bowl! That’s bogus lol… Canucks fans are lucky to pay +70% retail for upper bowl lol… unlucky them
@Bob Bobson, There goes my hip factor.
@USHA#17, I blame the upside down question mark and long for the days of the backslash.
@20lucfan, That’s great! I know we are not that bad at home, but I don’t have that feeling of dread with road games as with home.
@VanKingsFan, dude, go to any of the sites. $30 seats available for sections 112 and 110.
@Bob Bobson & @Daniel,
The current team slump and the loss of the banner can intuitively be blamed upon Bob Miller’s case of shingles. I feel that Bob’s illness, coming on at the end of the Dallas game and gaining momentum during the Nashville loss, can clearly be associated with the horrible play of the boys through the Montreal game.
Now, if the Kings give a stellar effort tonight, I guarantee that Bob is on the mend, and his recovery will correspond with a drop in the hypertension Jim Fox is currently experiencing.
If only Juraj Mikus could be here to finish the healing process; he must be busy making sure Justin Williams finishes his miracle recovery this week from his broken leg.
One thing for certain, though…
This is the year the Kings get over their recent late-season choke jobs. I’ll know for sure after Rich finishes talking on NHL Home Ice, starting right after 3pm on SiriusXM…
To me, the element of the Kings game that has been missing is the physicality. during our streak and when playing well, the kings are winning the checking battle. when we hit first and ask questions later, the other team is not as able to enforce their will and style of the game. starts with brownie, richie, simmer. when those guys are hitting everything that moves, we usually win games.
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy,
I think you are absolutely right…I do believe it is Bob’s fault: even as he is breaking out in shingles, the kings are finding it impossible to break out of their own end; even as Bob is covered in spots, canadiens and other smallish irritants are hanging all over the kings and making them very uncomfortable; even as Bob is hot with fever, the kings have gone cold and clammy and nearly comatose.
Please, Bob…get better soon. The kings whole season could depend on it….
@Marty’s Knuckles, maybe because you expect them to win at home? So when they lose a home game its more heartbreaking because you expect a W.
@Carol Vadnais, I,too, will be there tonight. I sincerely hope we get good refeering.. not like last game..4 elbows to head–not called, one shot by fist at head (behind the goal) with an attempt to knock off a helmet..not called. In each instance, the ref was three to four feet away. What are they looking at..the skaters shoelaces?
@disenchanted, Agree about the refs, but when you give up a goal 22 seconds into play or go zero for everything on the power play, not to mention giving up a short-hander, you can’t blame them entirely.
Last year, I arrived many times five minutes into the game to find ourselves down 2-0. Would be nice to take a lead for once at home.
For the past two games, the Kings have not shown (what I call) the necessary “controlled desperation” and “hunger to win”. They are losing puck battles, missing opportunities to make several short safe passes opting instead for risky “Hail Mary” type plays. They need to simplify their game and play their system. If they don’t re-focus and just concentrate on the current game at hand, the slide will continue.
Go Kings Go!