Crawford interview from after practice ...
Click below to read the transcript. He talks about the need to get off to a good start on the road trip, last night's game, Matt Moulson and the pairing of Moulson with Teddy Purcell.
On the coming eight-game road trip: ``It is going to be a long one. We’ve got our work cut out for us. With anything, when you’re looking at a long period, the start is everything. We want to get off to a good start and then you’re not looking at regrouping. Our start to the trip will be of ultimate importance. If we can get off to a great start in Philadelphia, then the rest of the trip just falls into place. We don’t have to travel a great deal. We get to have the Eastern Conference travel schedule where we're in the Eastern time zone for seven of the eight games. That’s really beneficial. By the time we get on that Eastern time, it’s always easier to go there. We do want to get off to a great start in Philadelphia, which is a tough place to play. Their team has stumbled a bit lately but we have to expect they will be at their best against us.
``I think we're playing pretty good. Even last night's game, we asked the guys to play tight, we asked them to be really conscientious and they were. We did limit a very good team to limited scoring chances. We made two big mistakes in the game and they capitilized on both of them. I shoud probably say three big mist because I thought the goalie made a big mistake in overplaying the third goal and not being in the net. They were very opportunistic last night, but good teams are. They buckled down and played a very tight game against us. They didn’t give us very much. I thought we had a great start. I guess the point I'm trying to make is we kind of got what we asked for last night but we have to take the next step, which is not to give up easy chances and to continue to try to generate. I thought our net presence needed to be a little bit better than it was last night. We're looking for guys like calder especially, Armstrong is very good around the net, the new guys that we brought in got to get their noses dirty in and around net. O'Sullivan is a guy for me who needs to be stronger around the net than he was last night. We need those types of goals that come on tip ins and battles and all the confrontations that happen in and around the net. I think if we can get improved play there and continue to get the good puck movement, then we’ll continue to see some success.
On Moulson: ``He played well last time. They made the decision here to go with the people we’ve got. All anybody can do is go out there and not worry about things ou
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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.
This is the second time that I've seen where Crawford wants to point out that he's not the one making the decisions on which players are on the team. Of course, everyone knows that's the GM's call, however it seems worthy of note to me when the coach goes out of his way to sort of throw up his hands and say, "...whoa guys, sending Moulson down and keeping Willsie - Not my call!" Maybe we're not the only ones who are ready to see the vets out the door?
Our team simply isn't good enough to play perfect hockey. Rather than whining about a couple of mistakes, why doesn't Crawford worry about our lack of intensity? Isn't the real problem that we don't force the other team to make mistakes?
I've got a friend who is a long time season ticket holder that sits next to me at Staples. He tells me that in all the years he has been coming to games, this is the most passive Kings team he has seen. No hitting (besides Brown of course) He is of the opinion that this lack of physical play is exactly why we are doing so poorly on the defensive end, especially on the PK.
He belives the lack of hitting is a direct result of poor coaching and for this reason alone, the coaching staff should be replaced. Does anyone agree?
Well said Fourtunato and I concur. The Kings might as well roll out a red carpet in front of their goal since their defensemen never try to move an opposing player away from this area.
re: "the lack of hitting is a direct result of poor coaching" -- well, Dave Lewis is part of the coaching staff now and there's been talk he was a big reason why the Bruins were not physical last season...
One can only hope the Kings have an epiphany on the flight East and figure out a physical game or they will get squashed in Philly.
We do want to get off to a great start in Philadelphia, which is a tough place to play. Their team has stumbled a bit lately but we have to expect they will be at their best against us.
Um, hey Crow, Philly has won 10 of its last 13 games, including 4 of its last 5 games.
No wonder the team never looks prepared at the opening face-off. It's like our coach lives in some alternate universe where reality is chucked out the door in favor of rose-colored, Cloutier-loving Crawford Vision.