Murray, on Lewis

He will get in between Zeiler and Raitis. It gives us an opportunity to see where he's at.

With all due respect, Terry, I don't think we'd even see what Marian Hossa is capable of playing between these two?
Why is this line still a line?
It disrupts everything else.
Come on already.
Who is Ivan gonna fight?

I think people think of this line in terms of their offensive potential, which is obviously limited. They're out there for a different purpose though, to bring energy, to agitate & enforce & to pressure and wear down the opposition. The biggest thing they have to do is not hurt the team, no penalties & good defensive coverage, if that is done then they have played well and helped out.

How do you take advantage of his speed and offensive quickness when he's out there playing offense on the line himself? It doesn't really matter because what little time he's going to get won't be enough to judge anything.

Rich, I think you got the names mixed up in the last two posts. Isn't this how it should read???

Murray, on Quick

Here's what Terry Murray said today about Jonathan Quick, who will make his season debut tonight against Buffalo...

MURRAY: "He will get in between the pipes tonight. It gives us an opportunity to see where he's at. The reports are very favorable from Manchester. He is their top goal keeper. It sounds like their coaching staff has a lot of trust in him. We'll get him out there and try to take advantage of his speed and energy and quickness."

Please say you made a mistake.

TM is an old FOOL.

Alen,
I second that.
Thats what happens when one run low on Viagra.
You have hallucinations about your goaltending.

Come on guys, there is no place for Lewis right now except the 4th line, and there are no other available forwards besides Ivan and Zeiler until Army and Richardson are healthy. Unless ofcourse you put Harrold on right wing, but he's finally finding his game on defense.

The top 9 lines are working out remarkably well. SO WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR LEWIS?!?!

This isn't a slap in Lewis' face, and if he shows anything short of enthusiasm to be granted the honor of being called up and getting to step on NHL ice for the first time, then he will go way down in the eyes of coaching and management.

If Zeiler and Ivan played every game instead of Army and Richardson I'd be upset, but Army and Brad are hurt, and there are no other forwards on the roster.

This is not that big a deal, and if Lewis has any character or grit, he will show it to us in whatever ice time or role he is given.

Putting Lewis into the spot he was specifically called up to fill is not only the right move by TM, but THE ONLY MOVE!

Would you rather he break up the top 9 that is finally gelling? I don't think so. If you do, now that Sully and Kopi are finding their step, and Brown is looking like a beast along with Stoll and Calder, and Fro-Zus-Simmonds is a monster shut down unit making Thorton and Zherdev look virtually invisible for 65 minutes of hockey, then you simply will never be satisfied and can put your woes solely on yourself and not on TM.

Jeez. I'm so sick of this getting SO riled up over the 4th line. If Kopi was playing 4th line minutes I could understand, but the roster tonight will look exactly as it should... except for the goalie.

Great post, wavesinair.

I'm actually fairly optimistic about the game tonight. Jason isn't consistently bad, and I expect him to bounce back with a decent game.

If he doesn't, we'll be in a heap of trouble tomorrow against Detroit.

wavesintheair, thanks for the laugh.

I hope LaBarbara doesn't embarrass himself or the organization this evening in Buffalo.

Good luck Trevor! Defensively responsible = more playing time.

The concept of Lewis getting in between Ivanans and Zeiler is something that very bad porn is made of... Really the only thing getting in between Ivanans and Zeiler is a whole wardrobe of suits to wear in the press box.

Why not drop Calder to the 4th line?

JDM - I have to disagree with you.
While the Zus line was great at shutting down Thornton and Co., I believe we have a team full of guys that are going to give that effort and that, had Zeiler or Ivan been played there instead of Simmonds, the defensive responsibility would not have wavered.

I absolutely have no illusions that Ivan and Mister Z are going to be a scoring line, but they aren't capable of defending together, either.
We saw the PurSulliTar line broken up to get Moller on the ice more - BECAUSE THE 4th LINE IS NOT FIT TO SKATE A REGULAR SHIFT.

I don't dislike Brown's line, but they're not really Gelling, per se.
While we've all been slamming Labs, we've forgotten that the team could have easily avoided any controversey by scoring one more goal in each game - we got plenty of chances on the Power Play to do it.

Richardson rarely played when he wasn't injured.

Armstrong got hurt precisely because he was playing on that line with IVan and Dr. Zaius - watch the replay, Armstrong is hanging so far back covering for these guys that he gets back behind his own goal line to play a dump-in, instead of our defensemen getting there 1st.

Plus, JDM - Are we rebuilding or what? We've got Boyle and G. Gauthier and Molson down in Manchester. Why can't they play on the 4th line with Lewis. It would even pressure the 2nd group in Manchester to pick up their development because the go-to guys would all be here in LA. I think that's win-win.

If that 4th line isn't capable of getting on the ice in the 3rd period, at home, in a tie game, what's the use of having them?
If we want their "edge" in the game, split them up and spread them onto dependable lines so that they don't unbalance the team.
If they can't defend with guys like Zus and Frolov, what makes you think they can do it with only Lewis?

Do you guys watch any other NHL teams besides the Kings? Just about every team in this league ices a 4th line full of scrubs, and they compliment that with a shoddy 3rd defensive pairing. That's just the nature of the beast.

People on this blog spend more time complaining about the guys who get the least amount of ice time than anything else.

You guys can slam Raitis and Zeiler all you want, but they have a lot more NHL experience than Lewis. He might have more ability, but until he proves he is capable of playing at this level--which both of them have--he has to earn his minutes with the 4th line.

Most importantly, I can assure you Lewis isn't kicking dirt going, "Balls, I have to skate on the 4th line for my NHL debut."

EAT,

I totally disagree about being able to slot in Ivan or Zeiler on the Zus line. I find it hard to believe that you really believe that line would be as effective without Simmonds on it. That line plays the top line on another team, and I don't care who they are playing with, I don't want Zeiler or Ivan out on the ice against any top line in the NHL.

About Armstrong playing the dump in. That has nothing to do with the 4th line, that's just part of TM's system. Watch carefully, you'll often see Stoll or Zus, and to a lesser extent Kopitar being the first man on the puck in the dump in. One D man goes low to take a pass from the backchecking center or back him up if he can't get it cleanly, and the other D man goes to the slot or along the boards just above the hash marks to take the pass form the low dman and break out. It's part of our defense first mentality, as well as part of the transitional game we are starting to play. So Army going in to get that puck has zero to do wtih Ivan or Zeiler.

The only valid argument you make is bringing up more guys from Manchester. I would like one of those guys to be Westgarth to see if he can do what Ivan does better than Ivan does it. Otherwise, G. Gauthier looks like a career minor leaguer from his stints up here the past two seasons, and probably won't be retained after this season. Boyle probably still needs some time down there to learn his lesson. I would like to see Dravecky or Meckler get a call up to play with Lewis, but oh well, we can't very well have 4 or 5 or 6 rookie forwards can we? Well, we can, but I don't think we should.

Lewis isn't there on the 4th line to score a ton, or play the game we hope he eventually settles in to. He is there to fill in for Moller while he's gone and that's really it. He is going to be expected to be responsible on the D side of the puck, and to show he has the drive and fire to go after loose pucks and work the boards. If he shows that his offensive instincts translate to the NHL game, he may get some second unit PP time or if another line falters they might get juggled.

Calder is the only one I would consider moving down to the 4th line, but again, a point I have made relentlessly and no one EVER responds to, there are no other options for center at the 4th line!!!!! Everyone would have a shit fit if Sully, Stoll, Zus or Kopitar were centering the 4th line. Ivan and Zeiler don't belong anywhere other than the 4th line, so Lewis (or Moller) are the only viable choices until Army or Brad are healthy. Plus, Calder has been extremely effective on his line with Stoll and Brown, dare I say more effective than Stoll even, and Brown looks to have a new vigor in his game, why would anyone want to risk screwing that up?

In regards to your last statement "If they can't defend with guys like Zus and Frolov, what makes you think they can do it with only Lewis?"

I kind of answered this, but to point it out specifically, it's because of the matchups. If Zeiler and Lewis and Ivan play the 4th line, they won't be seeing time against (to take tonight for example) Thomas Vanek, who none of them are worthy of defending yet. Lewis should be capable, but needs to prove himself and start out playing against Drew Stafford before taking on Vanek. Fro and Zues will be tried to matched up against Vanek and Roy and Pomminville, a very potent offensive threat. Having Simmonds there makes absolutely more sense then any of Lewis, Zeiler or Ivan. Matchups buddy, matchups.

I really don't think the 4th line is hurting us at all. The only time the 4th line needs ot play in the 3rd period is during a blowout; when we are two goals down and want to pick a fight for some energy; are on the end of a back-to-back and the players are too tired for the coach to shorten the bench.

I am just astounded that we finally find a good top 9, and then everyone proceeds to bitch and moan about the 4th line.

JDM - In addition, the 4th line is something Murray can absolutely change TODAY. The goalie situation is different.
I actually understand his reluctance to go right to Quick (if he falls apart, then what?) in favor of sticking with the game steady/shootout sh*tty Hanah-Barbera.
If Murray thinks we're fine having a 4th that only gets "garbage" time, OK.
But when we're failing to score enough and are a little fatigued in the 3rd period, I'd attribute that to too much ice-time for our hard-working forwards.
Like I've said before, "is there an upside to Dr. Zaius?"
If the answer is "NO," we should be playing the kids like Boyle, Moulson, Gauthier, and Lewis.
Do I have to bring up Tukonen again?

hee hee.

"You'll Never Walk Alone" Kings

Voice of Reason - Are we trying to emulate the bottom feeders of this league or the top teams? Detroit's 4th line consists of Maltby - Draper - Kopecky. A damn good line that contributes scoring as well.

JDM - I don't think you understand what I'm talking about in the Armstrong injury. Kopitar, Stoll, and Zus don't limit themselves to trolling the blue line while we're trying to cycle down low in the offensive zone. That's what Army, Moller, Lewis, Boyle, and any other guy centering that line is going to be asked to do. That's "prevent defense" and a recipe for disaster.
If you still don't think I know what I'm talking about, remember what also occurred on Colorado's 3rd goal. Zeiler ineffectively trying to back-check in the slot.

That line is a liability, not an asset.
I said before the Calgary game it would be the undoing of the lineups - where Sully went back on the Kopitown line - and I was correct.
Not only did they F-up the lineup, they got Boyle sent down.
It's a mess.
And if Gauthier is a career minor leaguer, what does that make Zeiler?

Finally, for a winger, usually defensive responsibility is hanging around above the circles and making sure your covering the defenseman and clearing pucks sent up the walls. If Ivan and Mister Z can't do that, why are they dressing?
I know Simmonds does it better, but really, if a pro can't be taught to defend, what's the point in paying them to play in a pro league?

It doesn't make sense any way you slice it.

JDM -

Unfortunately we don't have Ellis anymore to go on that 4th line.
I see that Buffalo called him up last night - bastards.
We also no longer have Tukonen to try and work into the league as a 4th line winger with Boyle and Lewis instead of Ivan and Mister Z.

PS - I'm not trying to rip Murray here. I'm officially a "supporter." But I'm really frustrated by this. Hopefully it'll all work out in the end and I'll eat it, but I feel I've been correct about a few things Murray's done before he did it - like PP defense pairings.
I'd love to see this team with a dynamic 4th line with guys pushing the top 3 lines for ice time.
Wouldn't you?

ETR--I said most teams in the league have a 4th line full of scrubs. Detroit is the exception to that rule; San Jose has a pretty good 4th line; Vancouver's ain't terrible. Those guys are the exception to the rule. The reality for most NHL clubs is a crappy 4th line, and two crappy dman making up the 3rd pairing. Hopefully one day that will change for the Kings, but it won't this season.

EAT THE RICH MAKES ALOT OF SENSE!

This isn't going to go anywhere. Also, to be fair I missed the Colorado game.

I like the way the team is playing, plain and simple. I don't see any reason to shake the lines up. We don't need more scoring depth outside of a superstar winger, all we need is for Brown/Kopi/Sully/Fro to keep finding the back of the net.

I don't think the 4th line is screwing up the balance of the team. Hell, in the third period I want Koiptar and Brown playing as much as they can.

In the big picture, I hope Zeiler is a 14th forward at best next season, if not totally gone, and that Westgarth is a better skater/fighter than Ivan and is ready to step in to that role next season.

If Moulson were healthy I'd say he would be great on a 4th line with Moulson-Lewis-Ivan, but he's not, so oh well. I never cared for G. Gauthier, and I agreed with sending Boyle down, and I'm sure he'll get another chance once the coaching staff in Manch relates to the coaching staff in LA that Boyle is doing and excelling at what was asked of him.

You're probably correct. It's not going to go anywhere.
We agree to disagree on that line and Boyle.
I hope it works out for the best and I, too, like the way the team is playing.
I hope Murray figures out a way to get over the hump in games like SJ and Rangers.
I guess you're probably feeling the same frustration over Labs that I'm feeling over the 4th line situation - which has been going on for years - and Boyle (which I think is a big mistake).

Let's pray that "patience" pays off.

Barbi looks aweful out there.
Just terrible.
Every time a shot is taken - I hold my breath.
Even if the shot is from the red line.

For all of the whining about the 4th line today, I think that Lewis, Ivanans, and Zeiler are playing a good game thus far. They've gotten the puck in deep, doled out some hits, and been defensively responsible.

That is what you ask for from your 4th Line. Not to carry the scoring. Hope they can keep it up all night.

maybe labs needs glasses, it's really starting to piss me off watching him lose games for us.

Barbi looks aweful out there.
Just terrible.
Every time a shot is taken - I hold my breath.
Even if the shot is from the red line.

Another period we outshot and outplayed the opponent. Another period we don't come out of with a lead.

I'd blame QUincey if he wasn't freaking out at the fact that labs had no clue what was going on. You'd think he was watching the game from the stands.

LIsten its never Labz fault ok. If TM and some of the posters think he is good enough to be a goalie then he is ok. Wait aahhh man antother goal. Wow Kings come onlol. Labz sucks wow.

Rich, throw up a GameNight thread, please.

Brent - I wish I could punch you in the mouth right now. hee hee. There, I said it. Just Kidding. They aren't playing bad. Nobody is playing bad and we're losing the game and haven't scored.

JDM - I can hear knives sharpening if I open my windows.

Just saw Lewis on with Stoll and Calder and liked it. Free to play Lewis looked game.

I'm so sick of former Kings scoring against us. What the F()ck?

How was Mair on Frolov not boarding?

Doh.
Don't expect to see Pursle the rest of the night.

The difference between a goalie like Labarbera and a goalie like Ryan Miller: one gives the game away; the other steals it.

I think we know which is which.

there is little chance of us losing in OT/SO so that is a good step for the club.

I'm glad Gauthier dropped that tool Kaleta.
F him.

How does Kaleta not get a penalty?
Your not supposed to get away with feigning a punch.

This game is total bs.

labs has no clue what he's doing and looked horrible on every goal. Say the Kings haven't buried a puck all you want, Miller is actually playing well and smothering every rebound.

I'm really getting sick of watching this team dominate the play and still be down because the goalie can't come up with any save.

And yes, Kaleta should be ashamed of himself. Mair not getting called for boarding was total bs too.

Aaaaahhhhh.... don't worry about those knives EAT, those are just echoes from labs' house, I'm using very big knives.

Are you kidding? Is Barbi a Midget A player. When do you hang outside the post when a goal goes wide.
PLEASEEEEEEE. LET QUICK PLAY

JDM - Take a second to think about this game. We're down because of guys like MAIR and WHAT'SHISNAME MCCARTHY? 4th line type who can actually play.

Ivan and Zeiler, I hate to say it, are an anchor around this team's ankle and it's got nothing to do with Labs.
Every team in the league averages between 2-3 goals against per game.
Purcell isn't a 1st line guy yet, put him on the 4th line.
Lewis isn't a top 3 line guy yet, put him on your 4th line.
Calder isn't a top 3 lines guy, put him on your 4th line.
A 4th of Calder - Lewis - Purcell is going to help you win some games.

That leaves most off the current 3 lines intact.
Only the 1st and 3rd line lose a 1/3.
Over three lines, that's 2/9ths to replace.
Moller will be back and Boyle is available on a call-up. Plus you've got Richardson and Army(?) out with short-term injuries.

Holy smokes. pull Barbie.

That overhead replay of Mair's goal clearly shows interference not only on Doughty, but on Labs as well.
The NHL really needs to do something about the level of officiating in this league.
There's too much at stake to have so much getting called wrong, or missed entirely.

Kinda funny the Kings management can't see the blatently obvious.

I don't know of many teams in history that have given up the fewest shots, but still manage to lose games. I wonder what the problem could be..

Oh wait, I know what it could be...THE GOALIE!

Why was Labs standing in the center of the net looking up on the first goal? It wouldn't have been behind him if he'd done what all other goalies do when the puck is behind the net. Maybe he should try and hug the post and look back at the puck carrier?

At any rate, this team has two outstanding issues:
1)Bad luck-All teams do. That's where the occasional unlucky goal comes from. Sorry, but I didn't think the first goal tonight was entirely a "bad bounce".

2)Bad goaltending-The Kings have addressed this issue partially. The other part, not so much. If they want to win, they need to address this part-and now.

My God.
That penalty on Greene is the icing on the cake.
Northern Bias has never been kind to the Kings.
We just don't get the calls in the colder regions.
They hate LA.

EAT THE RICH... you speak my language... i've been trying to tell JDM about how to beef up the 4th line into a 3B line instead.... but he wont see the light... i completely agree with you... i'd love to see a '3b' line of boyle, g gauthier, and moller or something like that... we have alot of talent in our system and we are wasting roster spots on ivanans and zeiler...

ps... labs is clueless... his demeanor in the crease, his puck tracking abilities... its quite sad... its like a cat with his whiskers cut off

I hope LA management asks for a league review of these officials and this game.
Why is Murray playing Goat on the left with Harrold then sending him out to play right on a penalty kill? Bad move. 0-4.
I've liked the look of Lewis after a tentative 1st period.

Oh my god, Folov's wife is a nugget.

Now I know why Fro is the team's leading scorer, on or off the ice

Lewis looks like a real NHL talent. This guy is a keeper. Played a very solid game tonight.

Terrible game all around... except for the fact that we once against outplayed the opposition up and down the ice.

Miller played like a number 1 goalie.
labs played like an ince girl.

5 shutouts this year... ouch.

Quick looked OK, we can only hope TM has the sense to start him tomorrow.

Lewis looked good on the 1st line, dare I say better than Purcell, who once again had no fight in him. Lewis has fight, I like that.

Our 4th line played well EAT. I don't recall them being out there for any goals against. I could be wrong there.

I want Army back.

I want labs gone.

I want a win.

I want to cry.

I want the league to pay attention to its officiating.

I want a number 1 goalie!

Oh wait, we have one.

I want Ersberg to recover quickly and bring joy this new year!

What are the odds?
Frolov tries the backhand wrap-around a 1,000 times and has a, like, .01 % success rate, but Ellis (another former Kings scoring against us - what are those odds?) tries it once against his former team and is 100%.
The city of Buffalo must thing we suck. Outscoring us 15-1 in Buffalo in recent games? That's embarrassing. I guess Lindy Ruff really holds a grudge.

What a job Ruff and Regeher do year in, year out. It's amazing.

just checked. 4th line not on the ice for a single GA. 4th line not the problem tonight.

Tonight we saw what a legit number 1 goalie can do for a team, that is all.

I believe a wise man once said, "You can't win if you don't score."

But I know Richard Pryor once said, "There's plenty of young, wise-men deader than a mother---ker."

Which team is the real Kings?

JDM - Our 4th line didn't hurt us is what you're saying?
Our real 4th liners were busy not being real 1st and 3rd liners, JDM.
Don't you get that?
We're not getting secondary scoring AT ALL.
When you're top lines aren't having a good night finishing, you need grinding lines to come in, take the puck, get it down low, cycle like the dogs they are, bang there way to the front of the net, and WILL the F'ing thing in.
Our 4th line did nothing tonight.
The players weren't poor individually but they didn't do their job.
We got shut-out.
The lines that Buffalo needed to shut down, were shut down, and there's no further threat.
Animal controlled.
Plus - we got shutout AND Ivan didn't throw a punch all night.

It's not often you see a box score where the losing goalie made 10 saves.

I've tried to be objective, but I am now on the bandwagon.....I am done with Barbs, I cant defend him any longer. I think any goaltender should be able to perform behind our D, 95% of the shots are from the perimiter, and we dont give up very many shots..... Send him to Manch.

Also Purcell (Pursle) Looks like he has no heart,less heart then Boyle had.... send him back.

Get rid of Ivanans, who wants a goon that doesnt fight, and hits himself more then the opposition. Give Westy a shot, he can at least kinda skate.

I think TM is doing the right thing with Purcell. He gives him ice time when he moves his legs, and sits him when he doesn't. It's too early to make judgments about a player's "heart." There's still nerves, and getting used to the system. Both Boyle and Purcell are/were playing with as much "heart" as POS his first time up. But like I said, it's not heart, it's acclimation.

You nail it on the head almost every time JDM. You clearly know a lot about the game, so keep bringing it.

The 4th-line argument is lame. No matter how you look at it, we are 3-4 quality players AND 1 true starting goalie short of a full deck.

I don't care how you shuffle the lines, who you put where, how long you keep them together, who you bring up, blah, blah, blah. No matter what you do, we will continue to see growing pains. You can't get around that.

I know it sucks. It has sucked for years waiting and hoping, but it is what it is. I love that Simmonds, Moller, Doughty, Quincey are all playing. It's great to see the young guys coming along better than expected, and it will continue to be fun to watch this team grow. But it will take TIME. There are no short cuts.

ETR: Whatever about the punch in the mouth. I guess the truth hurts.

4th lines aren't for scoring. Have you ever know a player on the 4th line to be a good source of 2nd Scoring? It doesn't happen very often even for elite teams. Why do you think the Kings, at their current state, would have that?

4th lines are for energy and checking. They are supposed to eat up minutes, so you can rest your top scorers. It is a bonus when they score, it isn't a necessity to win.

I don't understand what your hang-up with that is at this point. If we were Detroit or San Jose, I could understand. We haven't even made the playoffs yet.

Ugh, now you're ganging up on me too Nick? I've already admitted that yes, the 4th line could and a down the road should be stronger.

Accept that we faced a good goalie tonight. I know that after watching so many Kings games its easy to forget what a number 1 goalie looks like, but thats what Miller is.

Yes we got shutout. But we also were deflated time and time again by a bad goal. We are pushing, pushing, getting so many chances, and at the door of breaking through a goaltender who is totally on his game, and then on the first and generally only breakout for Buffalo in the previous five minutes of play, labs decides to let in a goal. Then we have to start all over, it takes the team a shift or two to get back into it, or they take frustrated penalties like we saw tonight. Slowly, as each bad goal goes in, the team gets more and more frustrated and eventually ends up behind the play like we were for most of the third.

If we had a goaltender worth his salt (ie: Ersberg), then this game stays 0-0 through 2 periods, possibly to the end of the game. At that point its anybodies game and yes, if the guys don't score you can shove ALL the blame on them. I put some blame on the forwards for this game, but I still rest the largest share on the goaltender.

Yes we were shutout, but if our netminder matched the opposing goalie save for save, gave the team confidence and fire, then its all on the forwards and the first to strike is usually the last to strike, that's a hockey game. More importantly, that's what a playoff game is.

So yeah, the 4th line could be better, but in no way shape or form is the 4th line why we lost this game. Derek Roy had three points for Buffalo, and got the scoring going. He has better numbers than Kopitar, scoring his 27th, 28th and 29th points tonight. Don't tell me that their 4th line led the charge in scoring.

I'm sick to my stomach over this game. I believe in the forwards to get their end done, and I see them making every effort and striving every shift to get it done. I don't see that same effort from labs, and that is why I hate him.

If the forwards played poorly, and couldn't generate chances at all, the blame would fall more squarely on them. As far as I'm concerned, the only goal that should have been scored was the goal on Quick, and that was pure luck. If labs had the same focus and drive and played to the same level of intesity as the other 18 guys on the ice are constantly doing, then this game is 0-0 till the last minutes, because a confident, capable goaltender could have easily stopped every one of the goals labs allowed... you know, like Miller did for the Sabres... like a number 1 goalie does... like Ersberg did for us against Anaheim to atleast steal us a point.

Can you honestly say Buffalo had the better scoring chances? Don't let the fact that labarbera playing them so poorly fool you into thinking they were high quality chances, because they weren't. We had much better chances on Miller, and he stopped them all, and on 40 shots let up only a handful of rebounds, and those he deflected safely out of the play. We had several quality chances from the slot. Miller played the kind of game where only a perfect shot or a ridiculously lucky shot gets through.

Now can you say that Buffalo picked any corners? Did they make any perfect passes through the crease? No, no, no damnit no! Every goal was scored on essentially an open net, except for the 5th, which was again, strange and unlucky.

On the first, all labs need due is FOLLOW THE PUCK and hug the post, and that shot is harmless.

On the second, there is no reason for that end up on the other side of him. Routine semi-bad angle, only semi-hard shot right at him.

Third goal was a typical labs goal. He overplayed the shooter big time. All he has to do it stay calm and cut off the angle and not have his entire friggin body outside the crease. MORON!

The 4th goal all he had to do was react for crying out loud.

Every single one was a miserably bad goal. Pin in on Purcell not backchecking, or Doughty interfering, or Quincey making the only play he could make since the puck was on its way in regardless, fact of the matter is that shots are going to get through, sometimes frantic wierd ones, and the goalie needs to stop them. If a team could play perfect defense, they wouldn't need a goalie. Like on the 4 minute PK, when we didn't allow a single shot! What more can the D do? This game should have been a goalie battle, as some will and need to be. But we couldn't play the type of game Buffalo brought because we were ill prepared.

The only other person who could be played for this is Murray, and that's for not pulling labs after the second goal, when we still had a chance and some fight in us.

Holy flipping batman I'm annoyed by this one.

Oh well, I'm curious to see what TM does tomorrow. Detroit is due for a let down, whereas Buffalo was also due for a win.

as always,

GO KINGS GO

I appreciate your positivity waves!

As you can see, I'm a little short on it after this one. But the big picture is still a good thing. Atleast with all the goalies DL is keeping around, and even aquiring Jones in the offseason, makes it clear labs is not in the long term plans. The onl question is when, and how much damage will he have done when he's gone. If DL resigns him, under any circumstances, I will lose every bit of faith (which is a lot!) I put into his plan.

Simmonds played another strong game. I already miss Moller! Lewis looked good and I can see full time NHL action in his future. Brown is still doing everything at once. Doughty was a little shaky a few times but what a rush up the ice in the second! Greene is more and more becoming a favorite of mine. This team has so much heart, and that I love!

Brent - That wasn't meant seriously. That's why I wrote Just Kidding.
Sorry.

I'm sorry, too, that you can't see the obvious imbalance in the lines.
It would be one thing if I hadn't predicted these sort of outcomes before Calgary, Colorado, and tonight.
Just because we got through a few games and they didn't hurt us can't hide the fact that some guy on a blog is predicting impending tragedy.
I'm fine with losing in shootouts and over time.
I'm not fine with 1-6 losses, and shutout in 1/6 of our games.
I give all the credit in the world to Murray for what he's done with this team (we outworked Buffalo tonight), but allow me to pray out loud (here) that he figures out which direction we're headed.

JDM - Are you "blocking-out" that Ellis goal?
Talk about Salt-in-the-wound.
It stung me, that's for sure.

blocking out?

I need to see it again but it looked to me like Quick got over in time to make the stop, and the puck either bounced off Quick and onto Kopitar, or Ellis never actually got a shot and it rolled up Kopitar's stick, or Kopi deflected the shot or rebound, but either way it was a stingy horribly unlucky goal. I honestly can't blame Quick on it. I had no idea where it was until it was behind him, even the replay was kind of hard to follow. If I can't follow the puck in slo-mo, its hard for me to expect the goaltender to do so in real time.

Quisp - Did you happen to catch the shift by Calder/Stoll/Lewis in the 2nd? It was clicking.
I liked the look of Lewis.
I've always been so doubtful about him based on the madness of Lombardi's first 2 years, but he looked good.
Skates real well and looks intelligent.
There also seems to be a decent shot there.
I'd like to see him slotted in with those two again.
I think some more tweaking is coming.
I think Murray's going to want something more than energy soon.
I can feel a "kid line" coming, skating 4th, when Moller returns.

JDM - No. I meant were you mentally blocking it out because you didn't mention it. We'd just talked about Ellis the other day and it sucks to have him called up (yesterday) and get a goal against us.
I wasn't really focusing on the "blame" of it. That stuff just happens.

Ah yes. It is ironic that we were lamenting Ellis' loss not too long ago then he scores. That's typical Kings hockey though...