Murray on Ersberg
Here's what Terry Murray had to say on Erik Ersberg's performance last night. He saved 13 of 15 shots but allowed an unassisted goal from long distance. Florida scored again with 50 seconds left in the Kings' 3-2 win Thursday.
``That's always a problem,'' Murray said referring to Ersberg facing just six shots through the first two periods. ``If you play too good in front of a goalie and not give up any shots or chances, the goalie's not into it. It's hard to stay focused and be involved in the game. The first goal they scored, I think if he would've just let it go it would've missed the net, but I have to go back and look at it. It didn't look like it was a real threatening shot. Goalies have to play sometimes the right way and shut the door. That's what we're looking for, somebody to step up in that position and (when) the team is playing like it is tonight in front of them they need to take the other part on their shoulders and shut the door. He was pretty good, even with the few shots he had, he played pretty good.''
8 Comments
Leave a comment
About the bloggers
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.
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.
I hope he's in net next game as well.
The kid gets the win and shuts out the Ducks in 3 periods the game before and the coach is ready to throw him under the bus already for one bad goal and 1 goal that the team gave away by not playing the last 2 minutes of the game while making numerous excuses for LaBarbera who's given up many worse goals and is always out of position? Man I hope we don't have to go through Cloutier vs Garon 2.
Jill, it's hard to tell the context of quotes sometimes...but was Murray serious when he said, "If you play too good in front of a goalie..." ???
...as if that's possible!!??
Pretty nutty.
not too complimentary... but I'll take any win we can get. another solid game from Ersberg
as for the "too good", I'm sure he was referring to the fact the Kings only allowed what, 15 shots? and only 6 after two periods, so I think he was alluding to the fact it would have been easy for EE to lose focus back there.
Jill - Any chance you could find out if Erberg, Kopitar, Moller, Handzus, or Frolov are fans of The Beautiful Game? Do these guys ever play footie while the others are busy at ping pong?
Can we please drop the soccer talk. I'm sure there is a sight for that somewhere else...
Oh yeah, thanks.