FINAL: Columbus 5, Kings 4

As long as this coach continues to put Calder on a top six line, I'll continue to question his qualification to be a head coach in this league.

Wow. This is depressing. Go up by one and then give back two. This team looks flat. And Goat takes a bad penalty on the goal scored. what a surprise.

Malhotra scored a power play goal.
Thank you Gauthier for your continued effort to hurt your own team.
Continue to be useless and worthless.

Man, Goat sucks big time

It's time for another "are the Kings improved?" poll, Rich.
What happened to our defensive game?
How many goals per period are we giving up lately?

BTW, what happened to the
Fro/Kopi/Sully
Calder/Stoll/Brown
Richardson/Zus/Simmonds lines?

Murray has his head up there.

Man i pissed about that penalty not called for high sticking

13th in the league in goals against and an average of 2.8 goals against per game.

defense has fallen apart.
o'donnel gives up a huge giveaway which leads to 2-3mins of pressure and a goal. then out worst defenseman who wouldnt make many nhl rosters takes another bad penalty leading to a goal.
Didn't anyone tell these guys that these games are important?!?!?!

Muuuaaahhhh!! Kiss the playoffs goodbye (technically as of 2 weeks ago)

cristobal,
all your speculation about TM is dead on.
His line combos are a joke.
I haven't seen Kopi-Brown line do much in a while.
Oh its now 3-1.
woo-hoo

PLEASE... will some GM overlook the fact that Handzus is 2 of 8 on the draw tonight, and have a spare 4M they can waste to take him from the Kings? PLEASE?

Anthony and others,

I've never seen people so desperately believe that a coach has so much influence on the outcome of a game.

I will ask again Anthony(and it will surely go unanswered), but who would you rather have behind the bench?

Purcell!

3-3 bitches.

4-3 Kings!!!!

Talk about a quick turn around. I am happy again.

V.O.R,

From your statement, it sounds like a coach is an unnecessary element in playing a hockey game.
I guess it's because - he's the one who sits harrold, plays gauthier, and creates that blackhole of a 4th line every game - that we complain.
How can a coach not be ultimately accountable for his team's play?
In what sport do they not look to the COACH for the answers?
Be reasonable.

Talk about a quick turn around... Also looks like Calder is on the third line and Pigs are outside my fifth story window. lets pull it together and play the next 25 the right way.

JMFJ just got clocked by a shot, fell, had another shot ricochet off him on the ground as a blue jacket takes the bloody puck and taps it home.

hope he's ok!

how's Jack doing? I hope he's ok..

And I love how Moller & Purcell scored, that actually makes me feel so happy for these guys.. That's exactly what they needed. And Anze has really stepped it up since the All-Star break, wow..

Let's keep working hard and secure the 2 points so that we're only 4 points out of a playoff spot

good turn arounf from the kings

thos 3 goals were amazing

im glad moller is back

have not seen sully earn 1st line miutes, but he is out there. and Fro is on line 2???

Cristobal--

I never said a coach is an unnecessary element, but more often than not it is the play of the players that decides the game, not the strategy implemented by the coach.

As for creating a black hole of a 4th line every game...I'd say fans of 25 other NHL teams feel the exact same way.

People just love raking Calder over the coals, and yet he hovers around the even mark, whereas Kopitar is a -17.

Wow, Ken Hitchcock must be this close to laying an egg. This game is the complete opposite of the style he has. Hmm...I also doubt that Terry Murray decides to use this game as an example of textbook hockey.

man.. this sucks

The Kings have collapsed five guys in the defensive end and the Blue Jackets still get the passes through, meanwhile the Kings can't even dump the puck into the zone from the blue line. Pathetic!! Defenders staring at the Jackets instead of doing their job (sticking with the man). It's ludicrous!! I thought we were supposed to be better defensively. The Kings need leadership and Brown is non-existent. They need a leader!! They have looked rudderless for the last few months. They also desperately need a scorer/sniper who can actually shoot and score!

no playoffs for these guys

Pathetic and heartbreaking.

The Kings WILL make the playoffs next year, but it does suck right now.

Please get rid of Calder DL, please.

what a disappointment...one again!

2nd period was amazing
then every time we get to third period we suck

We are out of the playoff race, but we just got invited to the #1 draft pick race. Let me see we are 7th worst team in the league.
All the teams below are below us in the standings, most of them have embarrassed the kings, specially Atlanta and Tampa Bay at home, Phoenix snapped our winning streak.
So by default we should move down to the 3rd lowest team, and hope we get lucky.
Did anybody buy season tickets because of the playoff priority, OUCH!

Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche
Ottawa Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning
Atlanta Thrashers
New York Islanders

Dont know why we always talk about next year....If it is the same team to the T you will have the same results. If we are great we would make it this year.

MEMO TO THE KINGS:

If yer gonna tank, why do you have to go and get our hopes up first to do it? Why do you have to go and get a lead by scoring 3 in 1:55 and then tank with poor defense to (basically) lose by 1...... AGAIN!?!?

29 years of this for me. The last 7 in a row! This year was considered as an overachieving year, I'll give you that. Now you know there's talent here. NEXT YEAR: NO EXCUSES!!! Guys here better start adapting a Detroit team mentality to games. Keep each other accountable. I want guys feeling shame when they slack and other guys calling people out positively.

Guys, for once as a fan, I just wanna feel GOOD about this team and not feel like there is LUCK involved (See 1993).

Enjoy your offseason..better yet, show us you care by not taking one and coming back next season ready to WIN and not just compete.

So much more to say...too pissed to say it. Another year of this !@#$%^&*.............................(Primal Scream) (Windows breaking) (etc.)

The kings have to get the d-men involved in the offense.

If we are forever dumping into the corner and relying on the forwards to control the play then you have to bring a d-man down the slot and not just kick it out up high for a 1 timer over and over!

Lets see a little creative O!!

the lack of winning started right after the Kings started talking about playoff tickets! I blame Luc!

Chris Bond said:
Dont know why we always talk about next year....If it is the same team to the T you will have the same results. If we are great we would make it this year.

That may be a slightly harsh way of putting it, but I was already thinking something similar. Yes, this year has given more experience to a few of the young players, but that doesn't account for the fact that they can't seem to beat the top teams and haven't figured out how to beat the lower echelon teams with any consistency at all.
If that's the case then it's gonna be a reach again next year to get to the playoffs. Honestly they Do have some talent, but so do other teams and it's gonna take some serious work and commitment to get over the hump.

It makes one wonder what in the heck is going on with the team now with these poor starts (again and again and again) and then fighting from behind. Don't know if anyone out there remembers this, but to my recollection they've been losing 1 goal games for several years running now. Also guys like Kopi and Doughtly seem like real fun loving guys...that's great, but as Rich alluded to in a blog earlier in the year, perhaps this dressing room needs more fire, because being laid back at the beginning of games isn't getting it done.

It's really disappointing after having had a noticeable improvement over much of the season to see them totally flame out like this. Very disappointing. I just don't know where DL goes with all this.

This made me feel better...

Hypothetically If you could describe team intensity with thrash metal bands:
Red Wings = Slayer
NJ Devils = Metallica
Boston = Lamb Of God
San Jose = Vio-Lence

Then

LA KINGS = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri_LSxcSGEg
(Start it at the 45 second mark)

Love the fact that video came from CANADA.
(WARNING: not intended for kids....Language)

I am still waiting to hear a good explanation of why Drewiski was sent down and Gautier plays every night. On the ice, he costs us every game. Why not send him down to "work on a few things"?! (But no, it's not all his fault.)

I know he leads the team in goals and he sometimes has tantalizing puck-protection abilities (the other times he falls down), but until Frolov starts heading to the net, both with and without the puck, looking to the net or slot to make a pass instead of to the point, and creating something other than futile wrap-arounds, he will be an under-achiever. He could be great, but is too content to live along the boards.

Loved seeing Purcell score. Nice pass by Army, good job getting open IN THE SLOT by Teddy and real nice shot.

Nice job Moller, GOING TO THE NET and getting rewarded with a tasty rebound for a goooal.

For as much as we can't figure out all season and during games who TM's going to put out there and why, he's got the Opposite tendency towards goalies. He puts the same guy out there every game. I thought for sure, after Chicago, Ersberg would be out there today. I cannot figure TM out.

Globe and Mail is reporting Canes/Kings talks today re Justin Williams. I believe it. (I'm not saying I'm for it; but it's a conversation that has DL written all over it.) Here's why:

Williams is out with a broken hand right now. He's useless to CAR who are in buying mode and trying to get into the playoffs. He's got two years left on his contract (@ $3.5MM/yr) so they could arguably be wishing to get rid of the hefty contract they might think is too much given that Williams has been bitten by the injury bug the last two seasons.

[cue everyone to groan simultaneously at the thought of DL going after another injured player]

Williams is just 26, a former first round pick, a two-time 30-goal scorer. He's under contract for a couple of years, which fits DL's time-frame (because after that, he will need that money for RFAs coming up three years from now). And he's damaged goods right now, because he's injured. He's useless to CAR, and they need bodies for a playoff push.

Calder is the obvious choice. Calder for Williams straight up? That would be stupid (for CAR) under normal circumstances. But these aren't normal circumstances. CAR needs depth at forward now, and Williams is out.

Also, I can't help but wonder if DL has his sights set on one of CAR's prospects, i.e. Zach Boychuk or (true DL type player) Brandon Sutter.

Anyway, it wouldn't surprise me. If it's just Calder for Williams, I get it. If Sutter were to come our way (and here I'm just negotiating with myself!), I'd be ecstatic. Just so long as we don't give up anyone.

I say we all disband and join other teams.......

About tonight: not a good idea to go 1-6 during your playoff push. See, that's the problem with every game becoming a playoff game: the kids don't have experience in games that mean something. Kopitar, so far in his young career, is not clutch. I frankly think Moller, Doughty, Johnson, Simmonds, even Handzus, play better when the chips are down than Kopitar does. At clutch time, you put out your clutch players. And it's reasonable to expect them to pull it out, at least every once in a while.

Quisp, a $3.5 million bridge player? I wouldn't hold my breath for this trade to take place. I'm sure you know what the writers in Toronto are like...

Go Kings 4ever,

I could not agree more! The Kings attack with 3 guys over and over! They take it behind the net and keep it on the boards but never give the attack (forwards) help.

System without the right personel will not make it in this league. The kings up front are not big or fast enough to make this work.

Next years youth movement will not change it.

Re Canes/Williams --

Like I said, I'm not saying I'm in favor of such a trade (and so, obviously, I also wouldn't be holding my breath). I'm just saying I can see the logic behind it.

Cynic said:
This made me feel better...

Hypothetically If you could describe team intensity with thrash metal bands:
Red Wings = Slayer
NJ Devils = Metallica
Boston = Lamb Of God
San Jose = Vio-Lence

KINGS = Cranberries as in how long will he/we linger with such disappointing results?

Kings=Jonas Brothers

johnb said:

Go Kings 4ever,

I could not agree more! The Kings attack with 3 guys over and over! They take it behind the net and keep it on the boards but never give the attack (forwards) help.

System without the right personel will not make it in this league. The kings up front are not big or fast enough to make this work.

Next years youth movement will not change it.

Duh! Your grasp of the obvious is uncanny.

When will this dl science experiment be put to rest? We need to stimulate our team with some veteran leadership on the ice and and in the locker room. Calling out Kopi when he plays like a kitten. No more kittens! Too many cupcakes and kittens on this team.
Youngblood(Simmonds) needs to buy some passing skills.

Sign FROLOV AND JOHNSON NOW for starters. Trade sully cause he looks like he is sulking. TM can only hide our weaknesses for so long. He has more Svengalli moves than that kitty kat dl will ever dream.

This mentality of wait till next year needs to take a hike as we need to see some positive momentum from here on out.

For lent our boys should give up playing like kittens and bad passing. This continuous dump the puck has got to geaux!

Kings= Death Cab For Cutie

Ok Lars,

Here is another master of the obvious comment.

How on earth did he (Lombardi) let a play maker like Demitra go to get Sully? Another youth movement trade?

If there is one thing the Kings need it is a player like Demitra. We have no play makers!Plenty of youth no
leaders.

Demitra = POS and Trevor Lewis. Great trade, if you ask me. Especially since MIN lost Demitra the following year, and got nothing for him.

Quisp.

Lombardi unloaded him 1st year. He played with Gaborik and they were monsters. Had some injuries but they were great (more than 1 year). He still would outshine Sully and the guy who plays in another league.(not the NHL)

Trevor Lewis plays for the Kings. And will, for a long time, I'm guessing. Demitra, who left the Wild, could have signed with the Kings last year, since he was UFA. But, underline: is DeMitra the guy you want on your team, pushing you all the way to the top of the cap?

John B

No doubt this team is lacking a playmaker like Demitra. The only defense I have is the team got something for nothing. Pavel was not going to be one his/dl's players.

Sully has disappointed this season but playing in all these different lineups and under a "new sysytem" may have something to do with it.

I have seen him play brilliantly at times during his Kings era but his evolvement as a player has certainly hit a speeed bump.

Definately need to add some veteran skill and leadership and grit to our team and if we do then I would say yee hah! lookout Western Conference as we are going to the playoffs bitc*e$$.

But to play this boring game of youth development and only that mentality is and has been a recipe for crappa.

I am exhausted about all the posts about the stockpile of picks and how dl is awesome.

He is like our team less than mediocre at best.

Maybe he will prove me wrong. I hope so but doubt it!

Fingers are crossed as usual!

Vio-Lence, now that's a band I have not heard mentioned in years. I've got their 1st release on vinyl.

We may not make the playoffs this year, so what? We were'nt supposed to anyways. The important thing is that this team has shown that they can play good, real good even if inconsistantly. Even though it has been hard to watch these last couple of weeks after that great road trip, we have a far better team than we had the last 3 years we have a competative team. The rebuild process will take time, you don't go from dead last to cup contender in a season unless you go out and buy your team. Does anyone remember when Detroit and San Jose sucked?
This is my team and I support them through thick and thin. Someday they will be great and all of these years of waiting will be a memory.

GO KINGS!

Vio-Lence, now that's a band I have not heard mentioned in years. I've got their 1st release on vinyl.

We may not make the playoffs this year, so what? We were'nt supposed to anyways. The important thing is that this team has shown that they can play good, real good even if inconsistently. Even though it has been hard to watch these last couple of weeks after that great road trip, we have a far better team now than we had in any of the last 3 years (we now have a competitive team!). The rebuild process will take time, you don't go from dead last to cup contender in a season unless you go out and buy your team. Does anyone remember when Detroit and San Jose sucked?
This is my team and I support them through thick and thin. Someday they will be great and all of these years of waiting will be a memory.

GO KINGS!