LaBarbera quotes
On his performance: ``It was solid. Obviously, it wasn't enough to get the win, but what are you going to do? They got two bounces their way in the second, pucks just ended up on their sticks and they scored. It was one of those nights where the bounces didn't go our way. We just got to rebound from it.''
On LeClaire: ``He played well. He's obviously having a good year. He's got four shutouts already. He's improved his game a lot the last couple of years. He did a good job of hitting his spots early and we just couldn't score on him.''
On Columbus: ``They did a good job of making us do things we didn't want to do. We might have turned the puck over more times than we have the last couple weeks. They did a good job of getting pucks in on our forecheck and creating turnovers, and we didn't do a good job of responding to it.''
On the streak ending: ``Any kind of winning streak, you want to keep it going but we just got to keep plugging along. We can't dwell on it too much. We have to get ready for San Jose. They are a division team and we have back-to-back with them. I'm not really worried about this game. We just have to learn from it and prepare for San Jose.''
On the attendance: ``It was pretty quiet out there, definitely more so than the last couple games. It's Halloween and a weekday game against Columbus, so not a lot of people want to watch that. But our true fans were out tonight and that's the most important thing.''
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About Rich Hammond
Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
He had very little support tonight. Stuart & Priessing had an off day.
He's still our man.
I would stick with him against San Jose.
I mean what other choice do we have.
Aubin?
No thank you.
I cant agree with Jason more. Just suck it up and get ready for Friday and Saturday.
I went to the game last night and I thought LaBarbera held up his end of the deal. Two of the goals they got the KINGS we caught flat footed. I think the KINGS need to improve on playing defense in their own zone. At some points in the game they were five on five and I thought it was a power play for Columbus.
LaBarbera had another good effort tonight. The only bad thing from him last night was the first goal off a tight corner shot but a very good job with a lazy defense in front of him.
Jason was not why we lost, however, his actions on their back-breaking third goal were very poor.
Losing the puck behind the net was pretty unacceptable, especially early in a period where he can't claim that his equipment was "full of sweat" due to the new uniforms...
I was at the game last night and Jason played very well. I saw the small hole above Labarera's shoulder that the puck was barely able to fit in, but it did. Hell of a lucky shot.
Just looking at the standings.
Detroit has only lost 2 games (plus one more in overtime).
Year after year..we talk ...we justify ... we say things like "they got a luck shot on goal" or "the bounces just didn't go our way" or my favorite "we're in a building phase"
two losses .....
TWO
Part of why they got the third goal was the flatness of the defense. JLB went behind the net and had to try and force the puck. There were not any King defense to either side. He was unable to get it past Chimera to the late support.
"But our true fans were out tonight and that's the most important thing." Barbs calling out the casual Kings fans?
What about "The Captain"? No player or coach has anything to say about his play Wed night . . . even off the record . . . seriously?