Inconsistency Is The Only Consistency For Los Angeles Kings
- Updated: January 12, 2015
(Courtesy of @LAKings)
On Saturday January 3rd, The Los Angeles Kings came back from a 5-1 deficit against the rising Nashville Predators and tied the game 6-6 with 34 seconds of the game before a euphoric Staples Center home crowd. The Kings ended up losing in overtime after only 18 seconds when Predator Roman Josi literally just skated into the King’s defensive zone alone, fired an unchallenged shot past back up goaltender Martin Jones and left the Kings faithful disappointed and bewildered. Some King fans hunched in their seats (whether in the Staples Center or at home watching on TV) unsure if they were to feel upset after the Kings lost such a bizarre game or to celebrate that the? Kings came back from such a wide gap and were able to salvage a point by taking the game into overtime Most people whether they were Kings’s fans or not were left wondering what in the world they had just witnessed? It was a confusing and bizarre game indeed but a perfect metaphor that illustrates the consistent inconsistent issues that are plaguing the defending Stanley Cup Champions this season so far.
The game started out as well as it could for the Kings, as they broke with current tradition and scored the opening goal in only 32 seconds. Mike Richards tipped in a point shot by Assistant/Alternate Captain Matt Greene (this broke with current tradition as it always seemed that the ones usually scoring an early opening goal in a Kings game was the opposing team.) Whatever momentum and good will that opening goal had for the Los Angeles Kings, and it’s fans, was short-lived when the “Preds” came back strong and scored 3 unanswered goals, in a little over 5 minutes, to take a 3-1 lead. For the record, we were still a little under 10 minutes into the FIRST PERIOD!
What happened? Well, and with no disrespect to the Nashville Predators, who have become a force to be reckoned with, the Kings suffered yet another defensive lapse where the entire team lost focus and control and the usually reliable defense (at least in the last few years) disappeared completely (and this includes the back checking forwards) and the opposing team scored not 1 but MANY goals in a very short amount of time. These defensive lapses by the Kings are becoming a regular occurrence as they are happening more often than not at a disturbing alarming rate.
In a pity goalie pull, Coach Daryl Sutter pulled Jonathan Quick from the net and replaced him with Martin Jones. To be fair to Quick, who has been struggling since posting some incredible numbers in October, these 3 rapid goals that were scored on him were not his fault. Well, at least not the first 2 but the third one was a rocket of a shot during a power play, but Quick was pulled regardless by Sutter in order to send a pointed message to the rest of the team to wake up. The first goal on Quick by the “Preds” was after a defensive zone face off win by Nashville and scored by country music singing star Carrie Underwood’s husband, Mike Fisher, who gingerly skated towards the net while Kings defensemen Jake Muzzin was lackadaisical covering him. The second goal was an accident as Matt Greene had his man marked (Mike Fisher again) but the passed puck accidentally hit his own stick and went into the Kings net. Accidents (or bad puck luck as Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist likes to moan about) happen and are unfortunate. Neither Quick or Greene were purposely at fault but the lead was no longer the Kings’ and as has happened far too many times this season in too many different games, the Kings got behind in the score early and by a large amount. They now needed to chase their opponents.
(Courtesy of @GustlTweets)
In the second period and with Martin Jones in net, the “Preds” scored another 2 goals, within a minute and a half from each other. This gave Nashville a 5-1 lead after only 3 minutes into that period . The 4th goal by Nashville was a tip in (so it was not Jones’ fault as deflections are the hardest save a goalie can make) but after the Kings couldn’t clear or properly exit their zone after regaining possession of the puck, they created a turnover instead. The 5th goal was a sniper of a shot that fooled Jones and beat him above his left shoulder (from an angle no less). The Kings seemed dead in the water as the game looked out of reach, as it normally would be (especially against the very well defensively structured Predators) but the consistent inconsistent Kings woke up and decided to finally play again in this game.
Using their strengths like taking puck possession away from their opponents, tight defensive checking (including strong back checking/fore-checking by the forwards and excellent goaltending), plus rolling all 4 lines to attack in unrelenting waves, the Kings scored 2 goals (by Alec Martinez and Dwight King) to make it 5-3 for the “Preds” at the end of the second period.
Former King, Olli Jokinen, made it 6-3 for Nashville in the 3rd period but the Kings continued what seemed like an impossible pursuit (but accomplishing the impossible was what these Los Angeles Kings players knew how to do best), the Kings scored 3 goals during the final 3 minutes of the game to tie things up and take the game to overtime. This insane and unsalvageable game was now salvaged (somewhat) as the Kings worked as hard as was humanly possible to come back and earn a much-needed point in the standings. What was needed now was to fully complete the comeback and gain the second important point by winning the game.
If the Kings were capable of making too many defensive lapses this year, they continue to prove that they are just as capable to flip a switch and show the world the never quitting heart this 2 time Cup Championship team has within them. With the Kings being so capable of turning on the jets (not Winnipeg) back on and coming back super strong to tie a game they were so far behind in (almost seemingly at will no less) they were also still capable of losing that rare intangible skill and determination by going back to having more defensive lapses just as fast. With Nashville winning in only 18 seconds of the overtime because no LA King player decided to fully mark Josi and take him out of the play (the Predator’s player was alone remember?) or because Martin Jones couldn’t make the save even though he had a full view of the shooter, the Kings lost the game and the much-needed extra point.
One could make the case that this game was just an anomaly because sometimes games like these just happen for no rhyme or reason but as I previously stated, these defensive lapses are becoming a regular pattern. The same thing happened on December 22nd against the Calgary Flames but in a different order when this time the Kings were up 3-0 and in total control, until that is, they took their foot of the pedal and the stubborn Flames came back and won the game in overtime 4-3 before a stunned Staples Center crowd. The defense disappeared and the goaltending was shaky at best.
Against the hapless Edmonton Oilers on December 30th , the Kings were chasing for 2 periods after being behind 2-0 going into the third period. The Kings came back with needed goals by All-Star defensemen Drew Doughty and his defensive partner Jake Muzzin and tied the game (which like the Nashville game earned them a single point) but they ended up losing during the shootout.
Another fine example was the game on January 8th against the New York Rangers. The Kings made a full 20 minute effort and led 2-1 after the first period. The second period was a different story as the mental and physical lapses returned and the Rangers scored 2 goals to take the lead in only 21 SECONDS! The Rangers won the game 4-3 in regular time so no extra point this time for the Kings. The game was a complete wash.
The poor form in these losses have made the Los Angeles Kings look inept and inferior. It made the Kings’ players look slow and unengaged, especially in the moments where they would get scored on in bunches and in such short time. Or when they couldn’t keep the puck out of their own net during a penalty kill, keep and hold on to any lead they were having or get behind in the game right off the bat in the first period and so on and so on. Watching these games, one could ask and wonder how in the world did this team have 2 Stanley Cup victories in the last 3 years?
The mental and physical lapses were not even only contained in the games the Kings lost but would also happen in games they won such as on New Year’s day against the Vancouver Canucks. when Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll scored 2 goals during the final 3 minutes of the game to erase a 2-1 Canuck lead and win 3-2.
With these examples, the Kings are clearly a struggling team. What makes this so frustrating for Los Angeles Kings players, coaches and fans alike is that in between these games are other games where the Kings look like the defending Cup Champions that they are! Such as in the game on December 27 against the hated and still tough San Jose Sharks, when the Kings played a committed 60 minutes and defeated the Sharks soundly 3-1. Watching this game could easily trick any viewer to think that the Kings were finally back on track. Then the next few games would debunk any such thoughts.
Defenseman Matt Greene, after losing to the Calgary Flames at home after having a 3-0 lead, told NHL.com on December 22nd:
“We just stopped playing after the game was over, let ‘em back into it. Can’t lose those games. It’s all on us.”
Stanley Cup and Western Conference series hero Alec Martinez after losing to the Nashville Predators in such a bizarre game, told LAKings Insider:
“I would say it’s an emotional roller coaster. The bottom line is you can’t spot a team six goals and expect to win.”
Coach Daryl Sutter after the loss against the NY Rangers, told LAKings Insider:
“We had some top players tonight not in a checking mood.”
What are the reasons for these consistent inconsistencies? Could it be a Stanley Cup hang over? A well-known and told myth, like from some old wive’s tale that states that winning the coveted Cup so late into June creates a short summer for the players as parties and commitments that come with accomplishing such a great achievement deny the player a chance to properly rest, train and re-cooperate. This then creates a lethargic environment for the team the following season, only made harder when all the opposing teams they face are now playing at their true best because they are playing against the reigning Champions. Maybe the Kings are suffering through a more powerful hangover than we fear as they have played the most hockey games out of any team in the entire NHL in the last 3 years by playing a whopping 176 games?! And this is not even including all the pre-season games or the games played by the 6 Kings players that participated in the high-octane 2014 Winter Olympics for their respected countries!
(Courtesy of Flick Usesr Jackman Chiu)
Whether the Stanley Cup hangover myth is true or not doesn’t matter. In reality the players do come across as badly fatigued and why not? They have battled on that ice through some of the most brutal wars in franchise history for 3 straight years against some of the best and strongest teams in the NHL! Lets also add the fact that the Kings use a defensive system instilled to them by coach Sutter that is very demanding and intense. It is almost impossible to keep a high level of intensity that the system requires through an entire season and playoffs, none the less for 3 straight seasons and playoffs. The players just might simply be completely burned out.
Now being burned out and not having much left in the tank is one thing, but have the players also just given up and quit? Are they waving the white flag by just going through the motions this season? Maybe enough is enough and the players just don’t want to win badly enough anymore for such a high physical and mental price? I don’t truly believe that this is the case. Proof that the Kings still care and want to keep on winning is evident by all their rousing comebacks, showing their stubborn determination and refusal to simply fade away and die. Why then would they make such a demanding and dehydrating effort to come back and win if they simply didn’t want to win anymore? The Kings do want to win and are just as frustrated and angry about the inconsistencies as the rest of us are.
Captain Dustin Brown had this to say after losing to Nashville. His thoughts were featured on DailyNews.com
“Consistency has been a theme all year for us but like I said earlier, we’ve been saying that for twenty games now. It’s individually, collectively. We’ve got to figure it out. Stop talking about doing things and start doing things.”
What can cure the Kings of these defensive lapses that create this pattern of consistent inconsistencies? I am not expertly able to say but like the King’s Captain had said, they have to figure it out and without haste. The Kings are currently in the top wild card spot in the Western Conference with 47 points. Both Vancouver and San Jose are ahead of them by 2 points each while Calgary is nipping at their heels with 45 points. The race is tight and it is not yet all for naught as there is still the second half of the season to play and time to fix these lapses but as they say, time flies and the playoffs will be here sooner than later. If the Kings continue to remain (and here I say it again) consistently inconsistent, all these lost points are going to hurt their chances in the end. The closer one gets to the playoffs, the more pressure the defending champs will feel and will have to face as situations get harder and things become more desperate when trying to win games and gain the necessary points to make the post season.
Now what if falling behind in the standings and being forced into full desperation mode could be a good thing for this team? Like being down against Nashville 5-1 in that bizarre game or being behind 3-0 in the first round series against the Sharks in last year’s playoffs, for whatever reason, being and playing desperate seems to bring out the best in these Kings. Playing and winning in full desperation mode could be the antidote that these inconsistent Kings could need but let’s be honest, who wants to take that insane risk? This year could finally be the year where all these comebacks end and not taking the opportunity to gain as many points as possible throughout the regular season could make a playoff position realistically unattainable. This would make the Kings the first team since 2007 to not qualify to make the playoffs after winning the Stanley Cup, which is what happened to the 2006 Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Only time will soon tell how this all plays out but if the Kings players and their coaching staff finally do find an answer to end their defensive and inconsistent woes, whatever that answer may be, they better apply it and master it as fast as they can for the end of the season is rapidly dawning and like what happened in the Nashville game, a late comeback may be too little, too late.
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