Final...Coyotes 4, Kings 1
One of the least-inspiring efforts in recent memory, in my opinion. The Kings had a chance to get something going after Moulson's goal in the latter part of the third period, but then did little of note over the game's final 45 minutes. If my numbers are correct, the Kings were in first place in the Pacific Division after beating the Sharks on Nov. 2. Now, on Nov. 21, they're in last place. They're also tied with Edmonton for last place in the Western Conference. Ouch.
Scott Thornton took only four shifts in the first period and did not play after that.
An early Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States!
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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.
I wonder who Dl will take as our first overall pick, which we haven't had since we came into the league back in '67.
I hope Tavares can find a loop hole and enter the draft this year.
i'll keep it short.
bad.
so very, very bad.
they look like a team who has quit on their coach to me.
Can Lombardi offer another FOUR part interview, explaining if he was under the influence of a controlled substance when he hired bozo Crawford.
Was it me or my imagination, but anybody else notice Zeiler and Wilsie of all people, play on the Kopitar line.
Can't find the valium, but who needs it. Watching a Kings game is all someone needs to quickly fall asleep.
There was a lot of double shifting, particularly with Kopitar, after Thornton got hurt.
There are so many problems with this team, and none of them have to do with rebuilding. This coach is not a match. They play like they have never met each other before. no chemistry.
Very disapointing. I want my season ticket money back.
Ask DL, if the Kings arent at 500 at the mid season point if he would consider money back options for games remaining.
Quit on themselves more than the coach. To me, it eventually comes down to the guys on the ice. There are a bunch of young players who haven't proven anything, and a bunch of veterans on 1 and 2 year deals on this team. They have no reason to quit on anyone, let alone their coach. If this particular group of players has already quit on the coach, then the Kings need to get rid of these players, because they're not worth it. Show up first, then they can start not listening.
I see a lack of leadership and character on this team. Weren't those the very same qualities labeled on all of our free agent acquisitions thus far? On a different note, I really missed Ivanans tonight...
Jack Handy....That's the exact same thing I said over at lgk sb a little while ago. I referred back to just before Murray got fired and the team had just completely showed these exact same signs. A team just not buying into the coache and his system.
My buddy was freaking out tonight cause his precious Sens lost.
>:(
Can anyone explain to me why this coach doesn't play O'Sullivan in an offensive situation.
I've noticed almost every player play on the Kopitar line and on the PP except for him.
It's like this coach is obsessed with keeping him down.
If I were him, I'd sign with another team next season and hope that DL does not match the offer and accept a draft pick as compensation. Otherwise, playing for this coach will ruin ones career.
Finally, DL better fire this coach soon. Otherwise this season is lost. Furthermore, this team has exceptional talent, it can only be the coaches fault if they fail to produce.
If Lombardi doesn't acknowledge this and lets things continue, he's gonna be a laughing stock in front of the entire league.
Other teams are going to make fun of him for keeping this coach. All credibility will be lost. I guarantee this.
Looks like that for the Kings December came one month early this year. What a great early Christmas gift.
Awful...and can anybody besides Brown and Zeiler finish a check?
This team is not playing with desperation. The good teams come out ready to play, game in and game out. That is what a coach is for. Apparently, it is time for Crawford to go. And players like Blake, Lubo, Stuart, etc., are supposed to be leaders. There is no leadership on this team at all right now. Maybe they are all playing to get their coach fired? If so, it looks to be working!
This team is not playing with desperation. The good teams come out ready to play, game in and game out. That is what a coach is for. Apparently, it is time for Crawford to go. And players like Blake, Lubo, Stuart, etc., are supposed to be leaders. There is no leadership on this team at all right now. Maybe they are all playing to get their coach fired? If so, it looks to be working!
...terrible.
MAYDAY!
MAYDAY!
MAYDAY!
Rich ask Lombardi if he has an answer for that uninspired brand of hockey i saw tonight.
You know, I can accept that this team is not playoff material...I can accept that the Kings are 'rebuliding'....again. Fine, I get it....what I don't get is the lack of intensity, deperation, character...whatever the hell you want to call it. That lies in Crawford's hands, period. You never saw an AM team at least put the effort out, win or lose. Crawford must go, he proved that last year, why the hell do we need another year of this guy? I never even see him call a time-out to regroup the players and fire them up...sorry, you cant fire the whole team, right? Get rid of this guy already.
CAN WE TRADE CRAWFORD TO ST. LOUIS FOR ANDY? ANYONE HAHAH WISH WE COULD
GO KINGS GO
We all know that DL has put the kings in a favorable position for the future with quality players in the pipeline but what is in question is the lack of effort and urgency that this team seems incapable of producing. What is to stop our future players from doing the same thing? What good will it do to develop these players if they don’t do anything with their talent. We have a significant amount of talent on this team but not a talented team. What will change when we have new players that we spent time developing? It is not enough to be talented but what you choose to do with that talent that matters. If everything DL is trying to do is realized but the players play with the emotion that our team is playing with now, then what? We are asking for something to be done about what the team is putting out and not the level of talent of the players. Is it because of leadership, coaching or just the color purple? Either way PLEASE do something to change this now!
Armstrong...garbage
Blake...garbage
Lubo...so far, garbage
Handzus...garbage
Stuart...garbage
I'm sorry, but when your top 3 d-men are all -8, there's something wrong with the players. Crawford does not deserve all the blame. He has to mix up the lines to get those sorry guys playing to their full potential. Brown, Cammie, and Kopi can not do it all alone. They are not the Sens top line.
Ohhh #1 pick, here we come...
Bob Hartley is available. I personally think we need Mike Ditka.
lol, wtf is crawfords problem with putting osully with Osullivan
hed rather put Kopitar with Wilsie or Zeiler. wtf ?
and how many shots did the kings get ? and how many more did PHX need to block for them to realize they needed more space to take shots.
@Josh
I agree with you about pretty much all of that but don't be too harsh on Lubo. He is at least the only dman putting points on the board. He maybe giving up alot of turnovers and playing poorly in their own zone but at least he is the only one with half his game right :P
Some dogs bark and don't bite, some bite without barking...
The Kings do neither.
Win or lose, how about making it competitive? Play to win or else teams will take advantage of you.
What's Scotty Bowman doing these days?
Happy thanksgiving to all the King faithful!
...and where's Barry Melrose when you need him?
The past 4 games have been horrible. No one on the Kings looks like they even care. Thank god Jack Johnson stood up for Cammy and Rob Blake came in for Visnovsky.
Scott Thornton has been useless. How do you play back to back agaisnt the Ducks and not get involved physically....
With guys like Brown and Zeiler in the line-up getting chased around for playing physical and a guy like Ivanans out, the Kings are soft.
I hope next summer Lombardi considers adding a guy like Aaron Asham who can actually skate on the 3rd line and will start something when it looks like the Kings are getting pushed around or don't care.
one more thing:
anyone else notice that babs puts his d-men in bad positions a lot when he 'plays' the puck???
every time i see him make a move to play the puck i think, 'oh no' ... and then it happens... turnover. either behind the net or in our zone.
it's my only complaint about antonio thus far.
No timeouts called during the game! No players only meetings called by anyone! No calling out of players by coaching staff! This is what bothers me most...they don't really care too much that they are losing, they have gotten used to it.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE. DEAN LOMBARDI WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE.
REASON WHY PLAYERS STOP PLAYING AND BECOME LAZY ON THE ICE IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MOTIVATED INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO GET THE JOB DONE.
CRAWFORD HAS TO GO. DAVE LEWIS IS RIGHT NEXT TO HIM AND NEEDS TO BE THE NEXT HEAD COACH.
I SUGGEST YOU RIP OFF THE C FROM ROB BLAKE'S JERSEY AND GIVE IT TO MICHAEL CAMMELLERI.
I SEE TONS OF LAZINESS IN THE DEFENSIVE ZONE THAT LEAD TO THE OPPOSITION'S GOAL. WE CAN NEVER CLEAR THE PUCK. (THIS IS DUE TO LAZINESS).
I FAULT YOU DEAN LOMBARDI ON A FEW THINGS.
YOU NEVER GOT ONE OR TWO DEFENSIVE MINDED STOPPERS. INSTEAD YOU WENT WITH ALL OFFENSIVE NO TOUGHNESS DEFENDERS.
SECONDLY, YOU SHOULD HAVE THROWN THE HOUSE ON CHRIS DRURY. THIS GUY WOULD HAVE SHOWN THE TEAM HOW TO WIN. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE CAPTAIN OF THIS TEAM.
THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT DEAN
To Steve--
Isn't Dave Lewis responsible for the "D"? I don't see him being the answer to our prayers. Pro players should not need to be motivated by their coach to play hard. I do agree with you on Blake, but mostly I agree with Josh. It is not Crawford's fault. I can't see even Scotty Bowman getting much more out of this team right now.
STill keeping the faith! I may be in the minority, in fact I know I am, but I believe Crow will do us proud.
By the way, it is funny how everyone is starting to miss Andy. You know the same people who wanted him fired!
Jack Handy - I agree totally, he's scary handling the puck. But he was solid in net that game, the coyotes just made their own breaks and the Kings were just waiting for theirs!
To Ali
Who's going to call this players only meeting? The kids can't do it. It would have to come from one of the veteran players. Now which veteran player shows the slightest sign of a pulse that he can rally the troops?
Only when guys like Cammy, Kopitar,and Brown become the leaders on this team will you see a positive change. The talent that's in the pipeline will be coming up and learning how to play the game from guys who have a passion for the game and the team.
I don't think the stink that has permeated the team from the Blake's, Handzus', Thornton's, etc will have a negative impact on the kids I mentioned. Most nights they're the only ones playing hard. It's just not enough to win.