alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />Here’s my LAKings.com game story for tonight, with video and stats included. Thanks for reading!
The Kings are scheduled to practice tomorrow at 11 a.m. in El Segundo.
Bio
Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He previously worked at the Los Angeles Daily News, was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar.
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thanks, RICH…
yr lead says it all…
I don’t know….. I was there and I thought we got lucky. I don’t want to take away from the Team’s hard work and especially Quick’s good job but if NY gets a lucky bounce or two we lose the game. At no point in the game I had the feeling the Kings were fully in control.
With this performance – though defensively solid – they will not get any points against Colorado.
I’m all for going back with Smyth-Kopitar-Simmonds and have Richardson and Williams (get into the rhythm, Justin!) on a second or third line (I like Richardson with Stoll a lot).
Anyway, let’s hope for the best come Monday……
@Dom,
agreed…and you echo all my comments from previous threads…:)
@variable, I do? How nice….. at least we agree!! ;-)
I didn’t have time to read any previous comments from other threats, we just got back from the game and I just needed to vent a bit – as the style (quality) of play has not improved a lot – yet.
Without going back to read what you had to say in the past, how do you stand on the (constant) line changes? I think it makes sense to change things up in the third period when you’re about to lose the game (to wake ‘em up) but how the hell can anybody find a certain consistency when your line-mates change almost every day???
Biggest win of the year in my book. Puts the team back in fifth, which in itself is a confidence boost. Its nice to see a three team cushion for a playoff spot. Of course, that can change by Monday so I’ll say that Monday’s game will be the biggest game of the year to date.
@Dom, True, but with a few lucky bounces we would of beat Nashville and Montreal. Just the way it goes I guess.
I watched the Isles telecast. The most significant thing for me of the whole evening was what their broadcaster said. He said (paraphrasing) ‘I’ve seen the Kings a lot on tv and had questions, but seeing them now I think team speed is definitely an issue for them and it’s something they will need to address. It’s gonna limit them from making a run in the playoffs’.
I was so surprised because it’s what I’ve been saying all season long at different reprises, but to hear someone who sees all the nhl teams and is certainly more an expert than i am say it just reinforces it. At some point this Will have to be addressed.
One other point; some of the games (that i’ve heard but not seen, such as vs. nashville) have this feeling of a team that hasn’t really shown up…. but i’m leaning more towards the fact that part of that impression stems from the fact that they just aren’t very fast… look at the impact Richie has had. Not great stats, but his speed helps to dictate to a certain extent on the forecheck and also the pk.
Not pretty but a huge two points. Quick got the job done.
Handzus and Modin who were renedered helpless and non-factors against the Blackhawks because of the speed of the Chicago team both came back to play well in this game. Against the Hawks they couldn’t keep up but give them credit as real pros for showing up and playing effectively in this game.
Frolov was invisible (he played so well right before the break) and Williams is still not back to the level he was at before the inury. So far Halpern has been a non-factor but there is hope all three of these guys can deliver more starting Monday night.
TM needs to get Drewiske back in the there and Simmonds needs more ice time.
This is off topic, but I cannot let this pass by…
Last night, on Hockey Night in Canada, during the “Coaches Corner” segment between the 1st and 2nd periods Pope Don Cherry said this, “…so if I take, and poke you in the eye, like Curly, poke you in the eye, it’s perfectly alright because there’s nothing attached to it.” This statement came after they showed Rule 21.1 in full, as well as how it is listed in the book’s table of contents.
Player-X Reply:
March 17th, 2010 at 4:22 PM
@BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy,
I am with you, Bako, except that Colin Campbell chose to selectively ignore rule 21.1, the “intent to injure” rule…Well, sometimes you gotta just call it for what it is; the guy did what he did on purpose, and what he did nearly killed someone…
There is no specific rule against giving a guy the Three Stooges eye gouge, but it would be a penalty…”
Either Don Cherry reads this blog, or I am psychic, or both Don Cherry and I are geniuses, or both Don Cherry and I are idiots. The paycheck alone for Don Cherry makes the idiot option least likely, so I am gonna go with the genius option. Muuahhahhaahaaa…
@number 6, If their lack of speed was a REAL issue they would have had more problems competing on a nightly basis. How do you account for the many games this season the Kings have dominated. The Kings have more than proved when they do SHOW UP they can successfully compete with the best.
http://www.lakingsnetwork.com/hammond/?p=4721
Two things
1) Let’s not forget that when the Kings played the Islander earlier in the year at Uniondale, we barely squeaked out a win as well. I bring that up because sometimes certain teams match-up well against other and the Isles despite their record may be that sort. So I’m not gonna be “disappointed” or “embarassed” with the win like some have suggested
2) This entire has been oddly up and down…there have been 2 or 3 times that we’ve hit a rough patch and answered with a compelling winning streak. I think we’ve just hit a rough patch. Whether we can win our way out of it again is a different story. We’ll see
@number 6,
I agree with you 100% about the team speed issue.
Of the regulars only Brown, Richardson, and Simmonds have notable speed. Kopitar is a little above average as is Parse and JW is quick but not overly fast. Surprisingly Clune moves well. Frolov and Stoll are average Handzus,Modin,Smyth,Ivanans don’t have present day NHL speed. On defense JJ, DD,Harold and Drewiske are above average. Scuderi is ok the rest are sub-par skaters. Greene is fine straight ahead but his balance is very poor which causes him not to be able to handle the puck properly.
In any case there is not a lot of team speed.
@number 6,
Couple of things.
I think the Kings offensive system causes the team to look slower than it actually is. There have been times during the season where the forwards came through the neutral zone with speed. But it’s a rarity now. It seems like the only time it happens now is when Doughty decides to go end to end. This is a systemic problem.
The Kings defensive system is designed to contain speedy teams just fine. It’s about sticking to the plan and not making careless mistakes, like passing the puck to the opposing team in the slot when trying to clear it. When the Kings do that, they can beat Chicago, San Jose, or anyone.
Not pretty, but a win is a win. The Kings desperately needed the win.
The scary thing is that the Kings have earned just 8 points since the Olympics. 8. That is unacceptable for a team that was hanging with the conference leaders most of the season. I mean, this blog would have an entirely different vibe if the Kings had shown up, executed and played to their capabilities because they would be breathing on San Jose’s neck like the Dogs are right now.
It is always baby steps with this team, historically speaking. I have never known this team to make a 180 swing out of a slump in one game. While I am encouraged that some aspects of the game were improved last night, they are really gonna need to step it up to have any hope on monday. Playing like a lottery team just won’t get it done.
@PakiFro, as a fellow Fro fan, do you think the third lowest TOI last night was justified for Fro? I dont think he played that poorly…why is our #2 forward (in terms of talent) played so little? Do you think TM just doent like Frolov? I will make a statement right now that there is absolutley NO WAY Fro signs here next year…we beter get Marleau in his stead!!!
@Player-X,
What are you and Don wearing today?
@Shakes,
I agree with the match-up. We seem to own Dallas for 2 years now and we have done well against Phoenix except for one game, but can’t seem to beat Vancouver or Nashville.
@Crown Royal,
Yes, I personally tend to see it as Crown Royal does. Ten years ago I wouldn’t have seen it as the issue I feel it is now.
I’ve said this already like five times….. the new nhl where the red line doesn’t figure in any more creates more speed…. and we’re talking speed going both ways. If the other teams D is much faster than our forwards, chances are, forecheck or not, they’re likely to beat our forwards to the puck as often as not. It’s Not just a question of brawn and compete. If it was than not so many teams would be trying to integrate speed into their line ups.
The sag since the break is a bummer but by all measures this has been a great season.
The a playoff race is a delightful bonus at this stage of building.
PlayerX is correct.
The Kings play a tightly crafted system designed for the (limitations)of the roster. Add key talent and next year will be even better.
Don’t forget, management targeted next season as the gateway to a new era.
It wasn’t a masterpiece, but they came out with the right ‘tude and finished with the right ‘tude, for the most part. Now they have to put three periods together and find some scoring.
Quick, with 3 shutouts in 9 games, might be back into the groove he was in when he got the other two shutouts, but it would be nice to get him some offensive support. I can’t see a lot of excuses, at this point. There are three or four healthy guys who should be more than capable of crashing the net.
It’s now a matter of puck possession and willingness to shoot when the odds aren’t perfect to score.
I think the rule changes put the pressure less on team speed than positioning. Now that you can’t get your stick up or reach out and slow a guy down when he’s got a step on you, there’s a need to come at them with more pinning, sealing off, and solid positioning on defense.
This is where the Kings are really getting good. They’re not losing games to speed. They’re losing games by not breaking through the same positioning efforts other teams are dedicating themselves to.
Don Cherry hasn’t heard of Roughing and Unsportsmanlike Conduct?
Well, he obviously hasn’t heard of the second!
BTW, against the ‘Hawks and the Preds, it was failure to possess the puck enough that lost it for them.
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
WTFK,
Up to a point, I agree with your comments wrt speed vs positioning. But just up to a point. The way I see it, the more speed you have, the easier it is to make adjustments in one’s positioning and also to not have to take penalties because you’ve been beaten.
I propose simply that we all observe this and see how it goes. True they’ve beaten the Pens (w/o Malkin) and the Caps, but I wouldn’t fancy their chances in a 7 game series.
Anybody gonna watch the quacks-Avs game tonight? We could use a little help from the quacks but I bet we don’t get it. Anybody wanna make a prediction for the score tomorrow night? I say 4-2 Kings.
I’d have to say that it doesn’t matter how much speed you have (defensively) if you don’t have the positioning down (think Jack Johnson.)
I’d be willing to agree that speed can bail you out, but you really need the fundamentals…or maybe Scuds’ stick.
No one ripped Jones tonight,what’s up with that?
@USHA#17,
I am gonna go with another green silk suit made from fabric stolen from a Geisha girl, but this time a Lotus tucked in one ear.
@Goring 19,
4-2 Kings with ES,PP,SHG,and EN goals.2 in the first,1 in the second,and empty netter in the third.lol
Off topic: Everyone should go to NHL.com and watch the Cam Janssen and Leblond fight!! 3 minutes Long!
@Player-X,
Gotta love the Lotus touch! But no Wild games for you. They won’t let you in the airport.
@ZEROATTENTIONSPAN#17
Correction, met to refer to Wavesinair not PlayerX
@Dominick, LOL
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Part of the problem about lack of puck possesion had to do with being beaten to loose pucks and the Kings forwards getting caught up ice.
Taking the correct positioning defensively is important but D-men like OD, Jones, and Greene cannot handle speedy forwards going wide on them in the open ice. If the forwards on the ice with them at that time don’t have the speed to backcheck effectively it leaves the slot open and vulnerable to attack.
JJ’s biggest problem is he has trouble reading and making switches near his own net. He seldom has problems in open ice.
We have been asking for Quick to win us a game… and here it is
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?,
Fundamentals are great for keeping pace and hanging around.
Creativity and adjustment are required for winning.
Its like reading Fun with Dick and Jane instead of War and Peace.
@USHA#17, LOL I love the third person reference.
@Dominick,
I think you are way off base. It has to be more like 4-2 Kings with PP and then the ES, with SHG in 2nd and EN in 3rd…
@tornado12,
I think Frolov has a lot of negative goodwill with Terry Murray. I’m not sure why. The guy scored 32 goals last year on a very poor offensive team, yet he seemingly started the year in the doghouse right at start of camp until now. He hasnt played as well as he can, there’s no question about that, but he is, as you said, the 2nd best forward on the team.
I’d love for him to be re-signed, but why would he want to? He’s kind of like the Ersberg of the forwards. Doesn’t get a fair chance eventhough he’s proved he’s capable.
@PakiFro, I bet he ends up in detroit with Datsyk (spl?) and gets close to 100 pts next season.
@PakiFro, As long as its not Anaheim and Philly, I’ll be able to manage (sort of). Detroit does seem most likely. Those two will be a lethal duo. Detroit plays a style that would totally complement Fro’s. I can’t picture him the red winged wheel, but I guess I should brace myself. :-\
@USHA#17,
?
@number 6
Sorry, stupid analogy. Too many blocked shots…
I agree with your comments (teams minus key players and finishing short in a 7 games series).
The current skill of the club requires they play a fundamental (as opposed to a skilled) system.
Good enough to hold fan interest but not enough to be a deep playoff threat. But, if they get there, who knows?
Traditionally, one road to the second round always runs through San Jose.
I’ll say this, its a still a much better story then the last six years.
@PakiFro, does that mean you will become a detroit fan? lol