Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down LA Kings
- Updated: November 19, 2018
It’s come to my attention that Jeff Duarte and I are both hockey psychics. Two weeks ago, he said thumbs down to Coach Stevens, and voila! Enter Coach Desjardins. Last week, I said thumbs down to Tanner Pearson, and voila! He’s traded to Pittsburgh. I did not wish for this, neither the power nor letting go of Pearson. But here we are. And here are my picks for what I liked about the Kings this week (it was difficult) and what I didn’t (a much easier task.) P.S. Kings if you want next week to prove me psychic again and score some power play goals? Totally cool. You should do that.
Thumbs down: Injuries
Seriously, enough is enough. On Monday, Jack Campbell – whom Jeff and I both praised – tore his meniscus. Yes, the *exact same thing that happened to Jonathan Quick.* The *one* solid thing the Kings had going for them in the past stretch was solid goaltending, going from 37 GA in 8 games to 5 against in 4. So, never mind on that. Enter Peter Budaj, who then got the flu. (From a friend of mine apparently, I gave him hell for it.) Oh and if it wasn’t enough that the Kings are now on the *fourth* goaltender this season, Trevor Lewis fractured his freaking foot in practice in Chicago. PRACTISE. He didn’t even do it at a game! A freaking puck hit his foot wrong and now it’s fractured and I just quit. Lewis is the unsung hero every season. Literally – the Kings players vote on it and he’s won like four years in a row now. If you weren’t convinced the Kings season was cursed, are you still unsure?
Thumbs up: Peterson
Welcome to the NHL Peterson, would you like a trial by fire? Here’s the second best team in the East, who’ve already scored 4 goals on Budaj and would you mind coming in to relieve him? Also here’s a penalty kill within your first 30 seconds in net. Go! He did let in the power play goal but stood solidly after that to stop the Kings bleeding that game. They’d clearly already lost, but it was much less embarrassing than I’d imagined when they were 2-0 6 minutes in, 5-1 7 minutes into the second period and were outshooting us by a ratio of 3-1. He then took on the Chicago Blackhawks, who granted aren’t the greatest team in the league either, but still, managed to keep them to 1 goal and bested both Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in the shootout. (Coincidentally, do you know another Kings backup who made his NHL debut and won in a shootout? 9 rounds, no goals, thankfully saved by a Dwight King goal? Martin Jones.) He does have some work to do; the Nashville game he was beaten 4 times in the exact same spot – you know upcoming teams are going to notice that. But for his NHL debut? He went back to back on the road and managed to pull off a win. He’s got potential.
Thumbs Down: Special teams
Wow, do the Kings still suck at the power play. They had 2 in the Leafs game, laughable results. Only 1 in Chicago they couldn’t capitalize on, and 0 for 3 in Nashville. And it wasn’t enough for Nashville just to kill penalties, they scored shorthanded. On the other side of special teams, Leafs went 3 for 6 on their power plays, Hawks went 0 for 3 (phew, a much better outing), and Nashville, who has literally the worst power play in the league, went 2 for 4. You’re welcome struggling teams! Never had a hattrick? No worries the Kings are there for you. Can’t kill a penalty to save your life? It’s cool, we’ve got your back on that too. Oh, and don’t worry, we *definitely* won’t score on your penalties either, so it’s all good. I just want to slap them! They are absolutely being killed by special teams. And if they want that miraculous comeback ala 2012 to squeak their way into the playoffs, they absolutely have to do better here. Have. To.
Thumbs Down: Nashville Period 3
CLOSEOUT A FREAKING GAME KINGS. Remember when the Kings were the Comeback Kings? They were down in over half of their games in the third period and made comebacks in over ¾ of them? Yeah… That’s not happening. The Kings had the lead for 1:51 in the second period, then back again 2:10 after that and kept it going the rest of the second, only to be outplayed woefully in the third. Calle Jarnkrok got his second at 5:44 on the power play (see above re. how special teams are killing us) to equalize the game, then another, unassisted, at 11:54, shorthanded. (Again see above re special teams.) The Kings were competitive the whole first two periods against a seriously heavy hitting team, one with quality players and who stand solidly at the top of the Western Conference. All they had to do is hold on. And that’s unfortunately how they played like they just wanted to hold on. None of the fire they had in the first two, none of the competitive spirit to increase their lead, make it ironclad, just skating for their lives. Again, they just need to do better.
Thumbs Up: First Goals
Adrien Kempe didn’t technically get his first goal against Toronto, but it was his first goal since October 11 against Montreal so it’s his first in over a month so I’ll take it. Nate Thompson got his first of the season against Nashville. Both Iafallo and Kopitar got their first goals since the Blue Jackets game November 3rd in Nashville. Kopitar also scored in the shootout in Chicago with his signature ‘can opener’ move, something I haven’t seen work in over a year. Which means that the Kings aren’t relying on Kovalchuk to do all their work for them. Toffoli got his 5th, tying him with Kovalchuk (though he’ll need to catch up in assists to tie his points total) – so we’re seeing offense from new players. We just need to see more of it. And from even more players. So, so much more offense.
It really just wasn’t a great week for the Kings. They lost 2 of 3 games, lost 2 more players, and still sit solidly at the bottom of the standings. The only consolation is so do Pittsburgh. It seems we’re not the only hockey dynasty that isn’t lasting this decade.
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