First, he acknowledges after 3/4 of the season that the powerplay is too stationary and needs movement to the LA Kings' fan base collectively cheering and now, despite Jonathan Quick's stellar performance in goal against the Detroit Red Wings, tells Hammond he is putting in Jonathan Bernier in the next game against Columbus. The latter is especially important to avoid burning Quick out by … [Read more...]
SEVEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LA KINGS
March 8, 2011 By
1. Name the last Stanley Cup winning team with a poor and inconsistent power play and 5 on 3. 2. Name a post lockout Stanley Cup winning team that relied on a cycle along the boards - to the point as its offensive system. 3. Are Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams, Dustin Brown, Jarret Stoll, Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson excellent skaters? If yes, is speed really lacking in our top 6 forwards or … [Read more...]
VANCOUVER’S PROVINCE DOES Q&A WITH US ABOUT THE LA KINGS
March 4, 2011 By
Thought you would enjoy this. The boys at the Province's Kurtenblog did a Q&A with me about the LA Kings. Topics included the Penner trade, Dustin Brown, Quick v. Bernier, Willie Mitchell's performance, the playoffs and more. The link is here: Surly & Scribe talk puck with Kurtenblog … [Read more...]
LA KINGS HOCKEY MUSINGS: SWITCHING GOALIES BEFORE THE SHOOTOUT
February 17, 2011 By
This is not completely serious. It's one of those half serious or perhaps one-fourth serious thoughts. After the game, I had a vision of the Kings' last game of the season and imagined one in which LA had to get two points or they would miss the playoffs. That game would take years from my life. Surly may not survive it...not with a voice. Let's say Jonathan Bernier started that game. I know, that … [Read more...]
LA KINGS POST GAME: KINGS WIN 4-3 IN A WILD WEST SHOOTOUT
February 16, 2011 By
8-0-2 in the last 10. That is awesome. How awesome? That awesome. It nearly makes you forget the horror of a certain losing streak preceding this road trip...nearly. How awesome? CAPITALS 7 DUCKS 6 That awesome! How money is Jonathan Quick in shootouts? A dear friend commented this week that Johnny Q. may be the best the Kings have had in 30 + years...He keeps … [Read more...]
LA KINGS POST GAME: JONATHAN QUICK STEALS ONE AGAINST FLYERS 1-0
February 13, 2011 By
You've read Surly use a few four letter words here and there...I got a three letter one for you. Wow. Wow to the pace of this Sunday matinée match against the Philadelphia Flyers. Wow to the energy our boys showed on a back to back road game. Wow to a second and third period that, with limited exceptions, saw waves of attack by Philly against the Kings' net. Wow to a team defense … [Read more...]
KINGS WIN THREE IN A ROW – BEAT SHARKS 3-2 IN SHOOTOUT
January 27, 2011 By
As I walked into the arena and to my seats in section 119, I saw a Sharks' fan with a shirt that read, "2006. One Goal" with a picture of the Stanley Cup. I smiled. It reminded me of this... San Jose Sharks' fans are amusing. Some carry themselves like they have won the Cup for three consecutive seasons. Their fans of a masculine gender vacillate between a Prozac overdose and a case of the … [Read more...]
LOSE AND YOU’RE IN?
January 19, 2011 By
We all remember Terry Murray’s “He won. He won. He’s playing. He won. Period” This became the “win and you’re in” philosophy that our aged leader behind the bench proclaimed as goaltending law. The Kings lost on Monday against the Stars 2-1. Bernier played well. Terry Murray thought he gave up one bad goal, the first one. I personally thought it was nonsense to call it a bad … [Read more...]
TOPSY TERRY MURRAY’S ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LOSS II
January 18, 2011 By
Well, we got 2 out of 3 on the last Topsy Terry Thread. Let's predict what his adjustments to this one against the Blues will be? Let's see, last time we said he will shuffle the lines and HE DID! Think we will stick with that one for the next game. We also guessed Quick would start and HE DID! Sweet. Now, will Bernier start? I am going to say yes. Despite pathetic cycle after pathetic cycle … [Read more...]
TERRY MURRAY TO RICH HAMMOND TO GOALIES: WIN AND YOU’RE IN
January 16, 2011 By
"He won. He won. He’s playing. He won. Period.” Not since "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit" has there been a more fun quote than "win and you're in." Actually, it's not Murray's quote. Terry just implied it. Rich Hammond came up with the beauty. Well, technically, it's not even Rich's quote as the rhythmic expression has been around for a while (generally applicable to qualifying for the … [Read more...]
THE TURNAROUND STARTS TOMORROW
January 12, 2011 By
Call me optimistic...or crazy...but my instincts tell me tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues, our season turns around. What? Why? Come on. I know, I can hear you. Hear me. Willie Mitchell is still getting his legs underneath him. He now has had two starts and several days of rest including the last two. A healthy Mitchell in the defensive fold is the glue that keeps our top four playing … [Read more...]
I AM JACK’S BEAMING SMIRK
January 9, 2011 By
7 years. Cap hit of $4.3 million per season. Jack will earn $3.5 million for the first three years commencing the 2011-2012 season and $5 million in the final four. I am Jack's heavy wallet. Jack Johnson has committed to staying a King for the remainder of his 20's. He has made this writer happier than a perpetual elbow to Corey Perry's face. He entered the league in the 2008-2009 … [Read more...]
KINGS BEAT BLUE JACKETS 6-4 IN A “SHOULD HAVE BEEN” A BLOW OUT
January 8, 2011 By
Jonathan Quick damn near cost the Kings two points. His rebound control and puck handling has been a consistent problem during this losing streak, the latter an achilles heel the entire season and last. Either Bill Ranford has to start addressing this ongoing issue with him or Quick's inability to get the puck from point A to point B without fanning or fumbling it is going to cost us a goal in … [Read more...]
KINGS VS BLACKHAWKS GAME PREVIEW: ONE STEP TO FOUR
January 3, 2011 By
I pain even thinking about this game. I walk into Staples tonight with my head balancing delicately between uplifted pride and sagging despair. Today I am not a man who chooses his own destiny, but rather, one who squirms in his seat, waiting for events to unfold that will determine his fate. The Chicago Blackhawks have either arrived at Staples Center for the first time in 2011 at the … [Read more...]
KINGS VS RED WINGS GAME PREVIEW – THE RETURN OF WILLIE MITCHELL
December 13, 2010 By
These guys again? They are supposed to be good or something, right? So goes the word on the street. Word in Los Angeles is that we kicked these shmos out of our town last week. Silly of them to invite us over to their place, they must be gluttons for punishment. Some say its a symptom of winning so much, like an unbeaten fighter who secretly pains to be KO'ed, just to get the … [Read more...]
FLAMES LEAVE L.A. FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONLY LOST 2-1
December 10, 2010 By
This game could have been 7-0. It should have been 7-0. I am not sure what Calgary thought it was doing on the ice tonight but if it was hockey they intended, they failed. I have seen spectators give more effort. By the middle of the third, after what I believe to be three goal posts and three additional glorious scoring chances up to that point, I began to feel sorry for Flames' fans. They are … [Read more...]
40 MINUTES GONE AT HONDA CENTER
November 29, 2010 By
The period that Jonathan Quick won and Drew Doughty promptly lost. Quick was fantastic. Several high percentage shots batted away. A goal against off a perfect shot on a Duck powerplay... Their second consecutive powerplay... After two consecutive penalties by Drew Doughty... Consecutive like one penalty, then five or so minutes later, another penalty, right? Wrong. A … [Read more...]
LESSONS FROM A 2-1 LOSS
November 28, 2010 By
Per Rich Hammond, the players were locked into some grueling video sessions and critique of their game. There isn't one on the squad who didn't deserve it. Last night's game against the Blackhawks showed this writer a team that was out of sync for all but 10 minutes of the third. When you consider how many posts the Blackhawks hit, we could have easily lost this one 4 or 5 to 1. The only positives … [Read more...]
KINGS WILL THEMSELVES TO VICTORY IN A SHOOTOUT 4-3
November 20, 2010 By
A defining game. After three consecutive losses, this one meant more than most. The Kings started out on fire. In the first, Brad Richardson skated into the offensive zone with three Bruins watching and one Boychuk defending and sniped a goal past Thomas, glove side, to give the Kings a 1-0 lead. You could call it a fourth line goal but in my book, it was all top six skill. The Kings took a 2-0 … [Read more...]
SINCE YOU DIDN’T VOTE IN THE REAL ELECTION, MAYBE YOU VOTE FOR THE KINGS
November 15, 2010 By
Yeah, I'm talking to you, 18-29 year old demographic. Lazy schmucks. For this vote, you don't need to leave the house. Hell, you don't even need to put on pants. So sit there in your soiled underwear and cast your vote for the NHL All-Star game. I voted for Justin Williams, Anze Kopitar and T.J. Oshie at forward. Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson on defense and Jonathan Quick for the … [Read more...]
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