He made the right shot keeping it along the ice expecting Brodeur to pad stack. The problem was the shot it glove side for some random reason. You obviously go on the ice stick side if you think he will stack since that is where all of the space will be
Not to get into that specific shot but I think his overall point still stands. It's not as if Marty has been doing his best Tim Thomas impersonation from last year's playoffs, standing on his head to win these past 2 games. He's played well but he's also been beaten clean quite a bit (7 posts in the last two games IIRC) and he's had some open nets missed as well (see Richards at the end of last night's game). He's getting all the breaks right now and that's not unexpected given the nature of the game. What would be unexpected would be for him to continue to get that many lucky breaks for another two games.
__________________ "I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough." - Mark Twain.
They just haven't been directed many shots or much traffic in front of Brodeur. He's seeing the shots and the Kings are also shooting the puck right into him when he flops down. They need to move the puck lateral and also shoot against the grain. To beat Brodeur, you have to have him moving around.
Kopitar probably summed up the (publicly-expressed) mood the best when he said, “We’re still in, obviously, a really good spot. If somebody had told us that we were going to go up 3-2 going home, to have a chance to close it out, I think everybody would sign that paper. It’s just a matter of going out there and getting it done.”
IMHO losing last night was the Kings first "Oh ****!" moment in the playoffs so far. There's been some pressure and the need to stay calm and execute at times. Fortuitous plays and a couple lucky bounces have won games. But this is different and everyone knows it, on both sides. The PRESSURE is on.
The lineup should stay exactly the same as the last three games. There is no reason to change up lines or pairings. The system works.
Quick starts and plays every minute because he is the best goalie in the NHL this year, regular season and playoffs.
The 20 Kings on the ice tomorrow night will win or lose the game for the Los Angeles Kings. No one else. Not the coach, not the refs, not the media, not god, not rabbits feet and not the fans The guys need to relax, forget about every game leading to this point, forget about the trophies and rings and parades, forget about being a little kid, forget about their heroes. This is for them. Prepare, focus and perform. Win this one game.
The bottom line is - if the Kings play the best game of their lives they will WIN!!! Period.
If the kings lose four in a row, it doesn't invalidate the 15 playoff wins. Kings still had a great season and gained a ton of experience. It's not like dean needs to blow the team up.
I just hope the younger kings don't think they will be back to the final soon and don't leave everything on the ice tomorrow night. Game six is where they need to expend all of their energy to win. They should be exhausted at the end, win or lose. I haven't seen enough desperation from the kings in game 4 and 5.
Kopitar, Doughty and quick need to be the best players on the ice for the kings to win. Kopitar better have at least five shots tomorrow.
If the kings lose four in a row, it doesn't invalidate the 15 playoff wins. Kings still had a great season and gained a ton of experience. It's not like dean needs to blow the team up.
I just hope the younger kings don't think they will be back to the final soon and don't leave everything on the ice tomorrow night. Game six is where they need to expend all of their energy to win. They should be exhausted at the end, win or lose. I haven't seen enough desperation from the kings in game 4 and 5.
Kopitar, Doughty and quick need to be the best players on the ice for the kings to win. Kopitar better have at least five shots tomorrow.
At this point losing 4 in a row would almost be as bad as not making the playoffs. Kings have shown they are the best team but if the Devils win out then the Kings will be the biggest choke team ever. And i am including 1942
Kopitar really needs to step it up tomorrow night and impose his will on the smaller Devil centers. If he was going the same as Williams was in Game 5 the series would be over.
I hope the kid isn't real injured. It's time for the Kings to gut it out. There is one final step in the maturation process. Every single player has to play with fire tomorrow night and not be denied.
At this point losing 4 in a row would almost be as bad as not making the playoffs. Kings have shown they are the best team but if the Devils win out then the Kings will be the biggest choke team ever. And i am including 1942
I disagree. Missing the playoffs would be devastating to the young core. Learning how hard it is to win the Stanley Cup is invaluable. Nobody can really tell you about it, you have to experience it yourself.
Kings will be better moving forward by making the final. Missing the playoffs would have been a lost season.
Kings just need one more win to make everyone move on from the past 45 years of failure. I still believe they will get that win. Losing two in a row isn't going to devastate the team. They still have to lose two more.
Boston had to go to Vancouver to win the cup. Kings still have two game to win one. I wouldn't give NJ an easy game 7 win, if they goes to seven. Kings could just as easily win game 7 in NJ.
I also still don't believe in game-to-game momentum like the media likes to talk about. The kings dominated the first 10 minutes of game 5. I didn't see any extra jump from the devils because they won game 4.
Game 5 just came down to the same bounces that resulted in games 1, 2 and 4.
Game 6 will be another game that stands alone. Nothing is being carried over from game 5. I haven't seen any real bad blood between the teams. This isn't like the conference finals between division rivals.
I'd guess Brown not getting any TOI in the last 5 minutes is a combination of his recent struggles and the injuries he's probably battling. The other guys were more dangerous and deserved to be out there to try and tie it up.
I guess that came up today, Sutter's reply seems to be that he felt Brown ran out of gas.
The Mayor John Hoven@mayorNHL
#LaKings Sutter on line changes last nt, Gagne's increased min: 'Brownie's spending lots of energy. Ur just trying to watch it a little bit'
I can certainly appreciate what Doughty was saying there. This is an 8th seed group that wasn't supposed to win out of the first round and here they have gone on a dream run to the cup finals. There are a bunch of young players on the team and for the most part the Kings have enjoyed relative anonymity until this run where you have the city, all the celebs coming out of the woodwork, not to mention every former player including the great one who are all wanting you to rewrite their history from 1993. They now carry the weight of a cupless franchise on their backs into this final. They are just young men, humans, so of course with all the pressure and distractions you could see it impacting them in different ways. They have some good vets and Sutter, and of course he will focus them. Not to mention their is a ton of heart on this team and this is every hockey players dream! Go do it Kings!!!
At this point losing 4 in a row would almost be as bad as not making the playoffs. Kings have shown they are the best team but if the Devils win out then the Kings will be the biggest choke team ever. And i am including 1942
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sydor25
I disagree. Missing the playoffs would be devastating to the young core. Learning how hard it is to win the Stanley Cup is invaluable. Nobody can really tell you about it, you have to experience it yourself.
Kings will be better moving forward by making the final. Missing the playoffs would have been a lost season.
Kings just need one more win to make everyone move on from the past 45 years of failure. I still believe they will get that win. Losing two in a row isn't going to devastate the team. They still have to lose two more.
Boston had to go to Vancouver to win the cup. Kings still have two game to win one. I wouldn't give NJ an easy game 7 win, if they goes to seven. Kings could just as easily win game 7 in NJ.
Using only what I hi-lighted, I agree with onlyalad. Its the old "Insult to Injury" adage. Like leaving a waitress 2 pennies for a tip versus nothing. Leaving nothing would lump you into the larger d-bag category and would soon be forgotten whereas leaving 2 pennies is not only d-baggery but someone going out of their way to insult you.
IMHO, losing 4 straight in the Finals after being up 3-0 IS probably the lowest you could probably go in Professional Hockey. I cant think of one other scenario worse. Thats one reason why I dont think you'll see it happen to the Kings and thats why its such a rarity. Since the Kings are now *flirting* with that outcome, I honestly think the Pride factor will carry them. And if it doesnt, they were never Champion material to begin with and should lose in dramatic fashion.
I agree that, objectively, if the Kings lost four in a row and blew this series, it wouldn't be a death knell to this specific group of players. But god damn would that be hard on the fanbase. Really hard. It would be worse than the 2002 injury bug and the 1993 Mcstick incident by a ****ing landslide.
Just go out and win. The Devils are exhausted. Brodeur said it himself. Coming out and playing the game of your life to avoid elimination takes a tremendous toll, physically and mentally. The Kings REALLY need an opening shift like Giroux's against the Penguins. He plastered Crosby, scored a goal, and roared "LET'S GO" to his teammates. That's EXACTLY the kind of shift we need from someone, anyone, to win game six.
I'm of the opinion that coming back down 3-0 will be more common in hockey going forward, but it's only happened 4 times in the history of pro sports for a reason.
However, if it were to happen, I can't imagine Lombardi and AEG would sit on their hands. Given that the Kings almost walked over to 15 wins and then to lose 4 in a row in the Finals...it's not something you could ignore.
But they will win Game 6, and this will just all be a funny story. I remember a couple years ago when Bob Miller did some sort of playoff speech for a video, and said that Dustin Brown had to raise the Cup in Staples Center. I think that's the way it has to happen.
I agree that, objectively, if the Kings lost four in a row and blew this series, it wouldn't be a death knell to this specific group of players. But god damn would that be hard on the fanbase. Really hard. It would be worse than the 2002 injury bug and the 1993 Mcstick incident by a ****ing landslide.
Just go out and win. The Devils are exhausted. Brodeur said it himself. Coming out and playing the game of your life to avoid elimination takes a tremendous toll, physically and mentally. The Kings REALLY need an opening shift like Giroux's against the Penguins. He plastered Crosby, scored a goal, and roared "LET'S GO" to his teammates. That's EXACTLY the kind of shift we need from someone, anyone, to win game six.
because my take on the game was that we played much better than in game 4,
better forechecking, harder checks, more energy and effort, more scoring chances and overall shots by Kings over Devils, hitting 3 posts,
cuz i believe in game 4 there was too much reading of the press clippings about how great the Kings were, that winning the Cup was a done deal, so the Kings got complacent and overconfident instead of focusing on one period at a time, one shift at a time and to put out 100% effort cuz Richards/Carter/Gagne can attest to being able to come back after a 0-3 series deficit (Philly in 2010),
if not for Quick's blunder and an unlucky bounce off of Voynov, the Kings win 1-0.
If Kings play as well in game 6 as in game 5, they will win, and hoist the Cup in Los Angeles tomorrow.
I really liked their game 5 and am confident they will win tomorrow night.
Kopi and Brownie will play better, no giveaway by Quickie and no bounce off of Voynov, and Richards will have more of an impact as he knows how teams can come back after being down 0-3. Maybe King or Lewis will play well, too.
