Dustin Brown went from playing left wing on a line with center Anze Kopitar and right wing Justin Williams to skating with third-liners Dwight King and Trevor Lewis during Wednesday’s practice. It remains to be seen if they’re together for Game 5 of the Kings’ second-round playoff series with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.
Here’s what Brown had to say:
Justin Williams hasn’t been shy about addressing the Kings’ lack of scoring punch during their second-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks. The Kings have scored eight goals in four games for the same two goals-per-game average they had during their first-round victory over the St. Louis Blues. Williams wasn’t sure what to say when a reporter asked him about the struggles of line-mate Anze Kopitar.
Here’s the exchange:
Question: You’ve played alongside Kopitar and known him long enough, you’ve seen him go through slumps before, goal-scoring slumps before, do you see anything different in him now in terms of goals not going in?
Answer: (After about five seconds) Um.
Q: I mean he’s playing against some big boys, too, (the Blues’ David) Backes and the others.
A: (After about five more seconds) Um. Do I see anything different? I don’t know. I always think … I mean … Kopi’s our best player. I think he’s … regardless of whether he’s on the score sheet or not, he’s doing something to help the team. Just because he doesn’t score … I put a lot of the responsibility on myself, as well. It’s not as though you’re going to pass up a shot to give him one. Recently, we all haven’t done the necessary things to score goals come playoff time. He’s included in that, and a lot of players are. Yeah, I couldn’t say one way or another.”
Q: This is the time the best players have to be the best players. Is this happening for this team right now.?
A: “Obviously, not. We have some guys who are stepping up. But … I mean, it’s pure broken record is what it is. Scorers’ got to score. If they don’t score, they’ve got to create more offense. We’ve been out-played so far, top line to top line, in the series. We’re a proud bunch, and it’s 2-2. We’re still in a good spot here.”
Q: Do you think there will be any carryover from the way you ended Game 4?
A: “Every game’s different. Every game’s got its own story of ups and downs, momentum swings, push back. It’s in our building. We’ve had success here. We need to maintain that, obviously, because they’ve had success at home. We won the last game of the regular season for a reason. Let’s make it worth our while.”
Anze Kopitar had to get 20 stitches above his left upper lip where he was hit by a puck shot by Dustin Brown in the third period of last night’s game. He returned to the game, which according to him, was no big deal.
“I wanted to make sure it was nothing serious,” Kopitar said. “As soon as I found that out, it was really a no-brainer to come back. I’m sure everybody else in this room would do the same thing.”
On the contrary. But that’s the culture in hockey. Players play, puck to the face or not.
Sutter joked: “there goes the modeling career. Best-looking Slovenian athlete.”
And Kopitar responded: “I think that ship has sailed a long time ago.”
Who’s a more valuable playmaker?
Joe Thornton’s playoff failures have become the stuff of legend and there considerable pressure on his wide shoulders to carry the San Jose Sharks to their first Stanley Cup Final after so years of coming up short. His playmaking skills, especially on the power play, cannot be overlooked, however. He has four assists while on the man-advantage. Anze Kopitar scored only one goal during the first round for the Kings, but he had three assists and was as steady as ever in the other facets of the game.
Anze Kopitar ended a 19-game drought without a goal in the Kings’ victory Monday over the St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. Can the Kings halt an eight-game losing streak away from Staples Center with a win over the Blues in Game 5 on Wednesday in St. Louis? The series took an unexpected turn in Game 4, when the Kings topped their total for the previous three games by outscoring the Blues 4-3. The Kings had only one goal in each of the first three games. Eleven different Kings recorded a point in Game 4, a sign of an offensive resurgence. The Blues built the first two-goal lead of the series Monday, scoring twice in the opening 4 minutes, 20 seconds. They couldn’t hold it, or a 3-2 lead in the third period and the series is tied two victories apiece.
Game 6 is Friday in Los Angeles.
Jeff Carter scored his first goal of the playoffs in the Kings’ 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 on Monday night, after recording a team-leading 26 during during the regular season. Anze Kopitar scored his first goal since March 25, ending a 19-game drought. Justin Williams scored his second of the playoffs, the go-ahead strike. Here’s what Kings coach Darryl Sutter had to say about all of that:
“Jeff scores a great goal. ‘Willie’ has been good the whole series. Good to see ‘Kopi’ score. That’s what they’re supposed to do. That’s what series are about. If you covered the playoffs last year, it’s all about big goals, not who scores them. But at the same time, who normally leads your team in scoring, you have to be close to that.”
Willie is Williams, of course. Kopi is Kopitar.
Down but certainly not out, the Kings tore up their playbook and tried something new and different for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the St. Louis Blues on Monday night at Staples Center. They morphed into an offensive powerhouse overnight.
The Kings rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Blues 4-3, tying the best-of-7 series at two victories apiece. The punchless Kings scored only one goal in each of the first three games of the hard-hitting series, but then erupted for four in Game 4.
History lesson: The Kings swept the Blues 4-0 in the second round of the playoffs last season en route to their first Stanley Cup championship. The Kings limited the Blues to only six goals in the series and blanked them on 17 power-play chances. The Kings then swept three games during the 2012-13 regular-season from the Blues, outscoring them 14-7. Overall, the Kings have won eight consecutive games against St. Louis.
Facts and figures: The Kings (27-16-5 in the regular season) are seeded fifth in the Western Conference and the Blues (29-17-2) are seeded fourth.
Leaders: Anze Kopitar led the Kings with 42 points (10 goals, 32 assists). Jeff Carter scored a team-leading 26 goals. Goaltender Jonathan Quick was 18-13-4 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. Chris Stewart led the Blues with 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists). Stewart also was their leading goal-scorer. Goaltender Brian Elliott was 14-8-1 with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
Keys to victory: For the Kings, their combination of physical defense, strong goaltending and timely scoring served them well last spring during their run to the Stanley Cup. It was what guided them to fifth place in the Western Conference this season and it will be what could produce a victory over the Blues in the first round of the playoffs. For the Blues, they must eliminate the undisciplined play that sometimes characterizes their team. They must also rely heavily on Elliott in goal. He was the reason they finished fourth in the West. He was 11-2-0 with a 1.28 goals against average and three shutouts in April and gave up one goal or less in 10 of his final 13 appearances of the regular season.
Anze Kopitar’s streak without a goal reached 13 games after the Kings’ 4-3 overtime victory Sunday over the Dallas Stars. He hasn’t scored since March 25 against the Chicago Blackhawks. It doesn’t mean he’s not productive, however. He had two assists Sunday against the Stars, giving him nine helpers in his last nine games. Overall, he has a team-leading 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists) in 44 games.
Not long after Sunday’s game ended, with reporters clustered around Kopitar and team captain Dustin Brown in the dressing room, a veteran reporter decided to have a little fun with both players. The exchange went a little something like this:
Reporter to Brown: “Now if you just get that Kopitar guy going …”
Kopitar: “I’m sitting right here.”
Reporter: “Why do you think I said it so loudly?”
When the laughter of the players and reporters died down, Kopitar said it was great to see Brown score two goals against Dallas, adding, “We need everybody going. It was nice to see him get a couple. Hopefully, I will get a couple soon, too.”