Nashville game preview
Here's what Marc Crawford had to say about tonight's game at today's morning skate:
``We were in this situation so many times last year, where we start playing well, a pivotal game comes and we didn't perform very well in that pivotal game, one that maybe could have gotten us to the next level. This is one of those games, as I see it, and hopefully the players are looking at it the same way. That's the important part.
``We're going to play an opponent that's extremely motivated tonight. Not that you play very many games where you don't get motivated opponents, but they are tuned in. They've played well in their last couple games and haven't gotten any results to show for it. It shouldn't concern us how they're going to be. It really has to concern us how we're going to be. We really need to make sure that we make a concerted, determined effort tonight, to do things right. For me, that really shows the growth of our club, or will show the growth of our club.
``It's not whether we ultimately come in and try to blow them out. It's not whether we eek out a one-goal victory. It's more important, I think, how we play, how we show the ability to follow what we need to do to be successful. Yeah, we are going to need some good efforts from people, but more important than that, we need everybody to be on board, we need to be good tonight and just recognize how important this part of the season is for us. It's our second homestand and we need to get off on a great foot, and the way to do that is to have everybody contributing and, more importantly, have everybody on the same page, so to speak, knowing exactly what we have to do to be successful.''
And here's the statistical game preview from the Daily News website:
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About the bloggers
J.P. Hoornstra writes about NHL and IHL hockey for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. He welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey.
E-mail J.P. at jp.hoornstra@inlandnewspapers.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews
.com.
Vincent Bonsignore is a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. E-mail Vinny at vincent.bonsignore
@dailynews.com.
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I agree with what Crawford said about how the Kings performed poorly last year in games where they had oppurtunities to build momentum. Hopefully tonight will be a different story and we can put together a long stretch consistent, solid hockey. We didn't have ONE three game win streak last year...here's to 3 out of 4 tonight. GO KINGS GO!
I'm predicting a Nashville win today. Even without one of their top defenseman and top forwards.
I predict a Kings win!
I agree with Crawford that this is a pivotal game. The kings have shown some signs of life over the last few games it is important to keep that going.
However, this game is very important to Labarbara. He needs to have a good outing
Let's send a message on Thursday by sitting Blake after he turns in another weak effort tonight. God I hope I'm wrong though.
It is a pivotal game--hoping the 2nd line comes to play --could be the start of something big if NAGY can gel and also if LaBarbera finds his game again tonight!
Hey Rich, David Aebischer was placed on waivers today by the 'Yotes (according to Spectors). Any rumblings about him being of interest to the Kings?
"and hopefully the players are looking at it the same way"
HOPEFULLY???
Note to Crawford:
YOU'RE THE COACH! It's your responsibility to communicate to your team and insure they are on the same page and "looking at IT the same way"
OR...
you can just draw some stuff on a dry erase board and "hopefully" they get the idea.
That's exactly what I thought when I read that, Mark3.
"Hopefully". What kind of junk is that? A coach should KNOW how his players are looking at things. And if they have a different viewpoint from his about what they see, he should knock it out of them. Maybe if the coach wasn't such a pussy, the rest of the team wouldn't have to "hope" so much.....and they could actually start winning and believing.
Crawford is such a schmuck.
RICH HAMMOND FOR PRESIDENT 2008!!!
Jamie (Anthony), relax! Crow is talking to the media, not his players in the locker room. I guess you have never coached a hockey team.
I got two free tickets to tonights game.. whoever wants em
matt.george@cwtv.com
Frolov for Afinigenov, trade one inconsistent guy for another? No. Go Fro.
Go Kings.
To the negative people:
Why bother watching or going to games if you're this disgusted with the team?
Go get 'em boys! GO KINGS GO!
CRH
Ya no shit if you hate the team that much why dont you do us all a favor and go play on the freeway?
I go to Kings games because I love the sport, I live closest to this arena, and I know the home team will generally suck far more than not. It's been a fact of life since I went to my first Kings game 31 seasons ago.
I don't mind though. It's my favorite sport.
And, tonight's anthem singer is Eugene Edwards (http://www.eugeneedwards.com) ... and that's good news!
By the way ... these tickets are down in the bowl
face value is 60 bucks EACH...
yours free if you wanna go to the game tonight
matt.george@cwtv.com
Huh? the Kings traded Frolov for Afinigenov?? When did that happen??
Mark3, Jamie, do you really feel that the coach needs to tell the players this? These guys are HIGHLY paid professionals. They should know how to motivate themselves. They shouldn't have to be asked to play harder, they should already be playing hard. I'm not a 100% fan of Crawford, but I can't criticize him for what the players should already know. Blame him for changing the lines constantly within a game (which he seems to have corrected), blame him for not utilizing players to the best of their ability, blame him for not getting his players corrected on positional hockey, but don't blame him for not giving the "play hard this game" speech. These are not kids, they are million dollar athletes. They better know they need to perform.
FWOOM!!!
tickets are gone!
glad they're going to a fan!
have fun JD!
Thanks Matt! You're the man! Now let's see if Crawford's idea can be put into action. Kill Kings Kill!!!
RHC: So right. Negative people should go away, (honest analysis being the exception).
MattGeorge: You're the man!
We're supporting some good boys here. Now if they would just start hitting, we'd win a lot more games.
gggbdfan, Yes, I DO feel a coach needs to teach and prepare his team, to clearly outline the objective and how he expects it to be achieved. It's understood that these players are highly paid professional athletes and are expected to perform as such but the responsibility starts at the top. If a coach does not know where his players heads are at and is "hoping" they are like minded about the team goal, in my opinion, he's being negligent in his coaching duties and must share the blame when things don't go as planned.
For the others who whine about negativity, mea maxima culpa, maybe its my high expectations. I enjoy all informed, experienced and honest opinions even the seemingly negative ones, that includes fans like Anthony. I'm not here to have sunshine blown up my a$$. Thanks Rich, Matt and all fellow bloggers. GO KINGS! "hopefully"