FINAL: Stars 3, Kings 2 (SO)

I'll re-post:

Terry Murray is officially the worst coach in the National Hockey League. How do you keep O'sullivan out of the shootout?? HES OUR BEST PLAYER IN THAT SITUATION.

This guy has got to go. He did not put the best players on the ice when needed. Fro played a great game, but theres no reason to have zeiler paired with POS all game long.

I love Johnson, but even he will tell you he's not the one to take the last shot in the shootout. I FUCK*N HATE TERRY MURRAY

No O'Sullivan in the shootout? Really Terry Murray? REALLY?

I'll give the Kings credit for tying up the game after getting scored on w/ a 1:26 left in the game. So they showed some heart and got a a much needed point. But the first two periods we are playing a not to lose style instead of a let's win style. With Johnson and Doughty you have to give them some room to create and let them jump up into the play. When Johnson jumped up in the play in OT, he was inches from scoring, the Kings need more of that to help out the offense. The Dallas announcers were even saying that Kopitar has so many defense responsibilities that it looks like he has no energy for offense. Certain players like (Frolov, Kopitar, Brown, O'Sullivan) need to be able to focus on the offense zone more than the defense zone. Speaking of O'Sully when was the last time he scored or actually looked good in a game. He was invisible. Johnson looked great and added some toughness. Liked that he went after that a-hole Ott.

Hell of a game. Much better performance than the last 3 games. Give the guys some credit, they fought back. Fro lost his puck, Brown shot too early, and Jack did all he could. We know we're short on the shootout but still it hurts....we need a win.

Johnson is actually solid in the SO, going back to World Juniors a few years back and he actually had Turco beat. But no O'Sullivan is just dumb, he's the best in that situation period. Frolov has no idea what he's doing in the SO and Brown doesn't make moves. Should have been O'Sully, Kopitar and Johnson.

But the Isles need a goalie and fast, as Dubliewicz was claimed on re-entry waivers. SOOOOO...

Trade Ersberg to them for a prospect and call-up Bernier. Have Quick and Bernier tandem and have Zatkoff and Taylor in MAN.

I'm not sure about the logic there but you've got to see Sully in the shootout. He has one of the best shots in that situation in the league. Plus, JMFJ, untested for a long time in a pressure situation, he didn't need that in his first game.

Tough loss but the Kings were outplayed badly for the first two periods. They played a strong 3rd and at least got a point. Not enough tho against a division opponent.

Shinning spots...Ersberg kept the Kings in this game for the first two periods. He looked like his old self. The Kings D I thought looked strong. Greenie looked very good and it was great to see JMFJ & Doughty back. Surprisingly, I really liked the game Zeiler played, I thought he was one of the better Kings players out there. Quincey also looked like his old self. It was good to see the Kings throwing their weight around, overall this is another tough loss but one they can look back on as a good, strong game after a series of performances where they failed to show up.

FAIL MURRAY,you put your best players out there at all times,not because of a whim,its because it is common sense and the odds are better.TOTAL WASTE OF PERSONNEL,PLAY YOUR SKILLED PLAYERS TOGETHER INSEAD OF SPREADING WHAT LITTLE WE HAVE OVER 4 LINES! FAIL FAIL FAIL TIME TO REPLACE MURRAY.

no Sully in the shootout was just plain stupid. JJ. . .fine, but make him the #4 shooter then. Kopitar might not have been good to go yet after taking a shot in the back. Really shocked the Kings tied it late, I think that's the first goal they've scored after pulling the goalie this season.

More on why Rongis is a terrible "enforcer":

If you're going after Ott for hitting Kopitar, you don't Ask Ott to fight (an invitation politely declined tyvm), you just start beating the crap out of him!!

So, in the classic situation calling for an enforcer (don't hit our stars), Rongis failed miserably.

He didn't beat the crap out of Ott.
He sent no message that you can't hit our "stars". To the contrary, he showed that you can get away with it.
And to top it off, he still took a penalty that left the Kings short-handed. Take the instigator, you idiot; your teammates will pay the fine, and you will have proven your worth.

I don't get all the Murray bashing here. Frolov is obviously going to get a shot after scoring the game tying goal, and JJ is an amazing shootout scorer (see 2007 world juniors vs Canada).

Again, here is another game that re-enforces my criticism for Sully, and I hope it's obvious to you guys why he's on the third line. Very selfish play on offense followed by very poor defense in his own end, time and time again.

"I don't get all the Murray bashing here. Frolov is obviously going to get a shot after scoring the game tying goal"

Why would that be obvious. Are you saying if O'Donnell had scored a tying goal, we should expect him to be one of the first three to shoot in the SO?

Guys like Fro and Kopi are great offensive players but they're not quick or shifty enough have an impact on the SO imo.

I think the Kings may be the worst overall team in the last 7 seasons. Think about it, every other team that has been bottom dwellers in the last 10 years have achieved more success than the KINGS. I know we werent expected to make the playoffs this season, but when are we expected to?

I'm saying Frolov is already an offensively gifted player, his confidence would have been sky high at that time, so you put him as the first shooter in hopes he can make things happen.

And you're absolutely wrong when you state "they're not quick or shifty enough to have an impact on the SO". Quick and shifty is not necessary in a SO. More often than not its a shot that scores in a SO from a player who can recognize an opening (see Jussi Jokinen).

Having a good shot is a given. Having quick and shifty moves in addition to a good shot makes them that much better. And imo, Sully is hands down the best player we have available for the SO. Fro should never be used in the top 3.

O'S should always be No. 1 in the shootout.
Who knows? Maybe he's being punished.
I don't understand at all why you put JJ there in his first game back, though.
I guess the win wasn't very important to Rodney.

The players really saved his ass getting that goal near the end.
Losing this one in regulation would have been another straw on the Camel's back.
Still, he can't hide the fact that he coached us nearly to a come from ahead loss.
If he doesn't put some punishment down on Quincey and Greene, what kind of message does that send?
Both players got caught out on the Dallas goals.
Will we hear about "digging in" after their errors?

The team actually looked more balanced today, however. Maybe he'll actually stick with the same lines again next game.
I'm glad he finally figured out that a pathetic 4th line full of dross isn't the way to go in this futuristic new NHL.
Did you learn the lesson TM? Don't pair up your shitty 4th line with your worst defensive pairing repeatedly during a game and you've at least got a shot at 1 point out of the game. Don't just sit there drooling while the game slips away and the hard work of your top lines goes to waste.

I'm glad Frolov and Kopitar are together again, though.
I still don't know why he doesn't go with that on the PP.
Hasn't Frolov proven he's a better player than O'S? At least right now he is. What's up with that?
Glad to see Boyle's dedication to playing TM's style has gotten him demoted again. I'm also glad to see that Preissing gets another free installment of his 2.75 million dollar contract. I'm sure there are teams just dying to acquire that contract. They're probably just waiting to shock the league nearer the trade deadline, though.
Armstrong also rewarded for strong play with a benching.

BTW - did Ott get the message from Ivan's scary stare? When is this guy going to get the Green Light to start punching first, and asking questions later?

Here's an idea... re-hire Craw to coach the offense and let TM coach the D. That could work. I still sense that one man forecheck "all the time" for this team just isn't gonna get the job done. An average of a goal and a half over the last 15 games is a pretty good indication that Some adjustment needs to be made somewhere. Interesting in someone's earlier comments about the Dallas commentators saying that Kopitar seemed completely overdone with his defensive assignments.