Agreed. And big picture just want the Kings to maintain a divisional seed. If they do and VAN drops could be a fun series, but not getting into any wishcasting about Kings playing them first round for reasons you stated. And really don’t like the coin flip that result in DAL or COL that would be a WC spot.
The real playoff race for the Kings is staying ahead of Vegas. Whoever ends up in that 8 seed is going to get steamrolled.
Don’t count out the Blackhawks just yet. Also is this JC#####’s burner account? We can read the standings.
No...my previous screen name was Joe Laviguer but I couldn't get it back. The Blackhawks have already been eliminated.
this actually makes me feel like I'm not losing my mind. Because I'll see comments like "PLD having a great game!" from people watching at home, and I'm thinking, "really? he seems pretty invisible here in real life," while I'm at the game. Perhaps the TV broadcast is pumping his tires a bit then, highlighting his good plays. I haven't had time to re-watch the broadcasts this season like I have in the past after I get home.
Aw man! Well don’t count out the Sharks - that’s my other dark horse. It may finally be the year for Jumbo Joe.
Only one account is great news.
This is very apparent, especially since it’s been their backup goalie in 2 of their 3 wins against us, although that may be in namesake only, given that Wedgewood has played better than Ottinger statistically this season. But that’s why I made my suggestion above about ramping up the physicality, to set the tone and a precedent, should we draw them in the first round. There’s a saying in MMA about fighting a skillfully superior fighter.. ‘punch a black belt hard in the face once and he becomes a brown belt’. I believe it’s how the Kings managed to force Edmonton to 7 games the first playoff series two years ago, when we had a decimated defensive corps. They played like our 2012 playoff team, very aggressive, very physical.. and it almost worked in offsetting the skill differential. If they had been able to actually kill a penalty here and there, the result could have been quite different. To that point, I think it’s why we only made it to six games in the following series, when we had our higher end D corps back in place..
And the Kings goaltending will have to be far better. Talbot and Rittich have been good, but to take out the Stars, Avs, OIlers, etc., they'll need to play their career best.
Talbot couldn’t be worse than Korpisalo.
I’ve said it before, he’s like a poor-man’s Justin Williams, but without that the execution, heart, or ability to pull of clutch plays. I always thought Justin Williams was predictable with his plays but, despite his telegraphing, 95% of the time his passes would work. Dude was all heart, leadership, and energy out there. PL, IMO, has the potential to make plays like Williams, but lacks the heart and soul to do it. The skill is obviously there, but no matter how skilled one is, coasting isn’t going to cut it.
