Darryl Sutter talked about the play of newly-acquired defenseman Robyn Regehr, the hot streak of winger Justin Williams and his goaltending rotation in the wake of Jonathan Bernier’s shutout Thursday night of the Minnesota Wild. Here’s the coach’s analysis:
Zach Parise played a key role on the New Jersey Devils’ team that reached the Stanley Cup Final last spring. Apparently, he still feels the sting of losing to the Kings in six games. Parise signed with the Minnesota Wild during the offseason and got a chance to exact a little payback during his new team’s shootout win over the Kings on Saturday night.
The Kings’ top line of Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams was on the ice for both of the Dallas Stars’ third-period goals in their 2-0 victory Thursday night at Staples Center. Kings coach Darryl Sutter wasn’t happy about it and said so after the game.
Here’s what Kings coach Darryl Sutter said about his goaltending rotation after Jonathan Bernier recorded a career-high 40 saves in a 3-2 victory Tuesday night over the Phoenix Coyotes, one night after Jonathan Quick shut them out 4-0:
“(Bernier) is a young goaltender and he wants to be a No. 1 goalie. That’s his goal and that’s what he said this summer and the way the schedule’s been and with Quick’s (back) surgery last summer and his training, it’s allowed us to play both guys and we’ll continue to do that.”
Six different Kings scored goals during a 6-2 rout of the defenseless Calgary Flames on Saturday night at Staples Center. Two had three points apiece in the team’s eighth victory in its last 10 games. The goaltender needed to make only 17 saves in a bounce-back performance.
The Kings sure didn’t start strong enough to suit coach Darryl Sutter on Thursday night.
They didn’t play all that well in the middle, either.
As for the ending?
Alec Martinez looked a little rusty to Kings coach Darryl Sutter in two games since the defenseman returned to the lineup after sitting out eight in a row because of an upper body injury. Sutter said of Martinez after Thursday’s morning skate:
Conventional wisdom suggested the Kings might be in serious trouble after veteran defensemen Matt Greene (back surgery) and Willie Mitchell (knee surgery) were injured. After all, they were huge factors in the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup championship last spring. Who would replace them? How would they measure up?
Jonathan Bernier started against the St. Louis Blues as Kings coach Darryl Sutter went with his backup rather than Jonathan Quick, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of the playoffs last spring. Bernier has been the sharper of the two this season, going 5-1-0 with a 1.53 goals-against average before Tuesday’s game against the Blues. Quick was 6-6-2 with a 2.53 goals-against average.
Kings coach Darryl Sutter wouldn’t reveal his starting goalie for Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. He did say after Friday’s practice that the competition between Jonathan Bernier and Jonathan Quick was good for both of them and for the team. Bernier started in Wednesday’s victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Quick started in Monday’s win over the Ducks. Bernier is 4-1-0 with a 1.64 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. Quick is 6-5-2 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. So, who starts Saturday against the Canucks?
Come for the song, as Sutter likes to tell reporters who ask about his starting goalie, meaning they’ll know after the national anthem is played.