Game Day Thread
Game #45/82 --- 01/24/24
7:30pm Pacific on BSW
Buffalo Sabres vs. LA Kings
Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA
ANŽE KOPITAR MILESTONE NIGHT
Milestone Poster Giveaway - Full Arena
Pre-Game Ceremony to Honor Kopi's Achievements
Last Season's Meetings
02/13/23 -- Sabres 2, Kings 5
12/13/22 -- Kings 0, Sabres 6
**Game Time 7:30pm**
TV:**BSW**
Radio: LA Kings iHeartRadio app
Please remember, DO NOT post links to Live Game Streams in the GDT or anywhere else on LGK
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Brandt Clarke (video), Adrian Kempe & Todd McLellan 1/22/24 Post-Game Quotes:
Adrian Kempe
On if tonight feels like a point earned or a point dropped
Right now, it feels like a point dropped. Obviously, a good comeback, tied it up late in the game, so that was good, but overall, I think with the chances we had, I think we played pretty well. For sure it’s frustrating that we can’t be as efficient as we want and score on the chances we get. Frustrated right now.
On what is lacking right now for the Kings to pull out of this stretch
Goalscoring, obviously. I think we’re playing good enough. Defensively, I think a couple mistakes every game, but you know that’s going to happen. We’ve been pretty happy with the way that the PK and PP are going and I think it’s just the 5-on-5 that we’ve just got to take care of right now. If you don’t score much, it’s easy to get frustrated, so, that’s something we’ve got to try to take care of and not try to look for offense too much.
On the team’s mindset coming out for the third period, eventually tying the game
We just talked about staying patient. We had our chances, had good shots, I think we had some before coming into the third, in a second there, I think we had some really good shifts, the puck just didn’t go in. That’s the talk we had in the locker room, just stay patient, keep working down low and getting shots to the net.
On any concern that the season is slipping away on the Kings after the strong start
No, I don’t think so. Like I said, I think there’s still some things we’ve got to do better, 5-on-5. I think special teams have been really good, we get good goaltending every game. Obviously it’s been a tough stretch here and obviously with the amount of OT losses that could have went the right way, then it would have been a pretty solid month. It’s just frustrating that we feel like we play pretty well, almost every game, and just come keep coming away with just one point.
Todd McLellan
On his assessments of tonight’s game
I thought it started very loose, a track meet going both ways and then about the 10-minute mark of the first, I thought we took over, started to solidify the game and then a couple of mistakes and all of a sudden we’re down 2-0. From there, we had good, sustained attack time, didn’t get much of a reward and then made another mistake and it’s in our net. We should be able to win a game scoring three right now and we weren’t able to do it tonight. The last two goals against were very preventable, off a faceoff, turnover and a lot of width and then the other one was a pinch and a not so good cover.
On the decision to move Byfield and Dubois during the third period
I thought that our first or top line, whatever you want to call it with, I didn’t think they had a lot going. I thought they needed a little more energy and naturally Q’s been there before and he’s done that for that line. That’s why that change was made.
On if he has a sense the season could be slipping away on the group after this stretch
No, I wouldn’t say the season’s slipping away but I would say that there is concern and that there is frustration, definitely frustration. Again, I’ll reiterate, three should be plenty for us right now. It’s not often we get three or four, the way we’re scoring, and the defensive-side mistakes allowed us to have to score with the goaltender pulled and we shouldn’t have to do that. So, right now we’re chasing it both ways.
On the team’s performance in the shootout
It’s not going our way, we haven’t had a save in I don’t know, eight shots in a row maybe. The goaltenders are trying, they’re doing everything they can, but the shooters have to bail them out. So, again, it’s both ends there.
On Brandt Clarke’s play tonight, stepping in for Matt Roy
He’s a really good type of player when we are down. He’s creating, he’s jumping in, he’s making plays, he’s heady, he’s very deceptive. All of those skills lend towards offense and being down one and in overtime, you’re taking some chances and he’s very good at that, obviously that’s his game. I didn’t think he hurt us a lot offensively, a little wide on the on the turnover goal, but I don’t think there’s a lot that he could do there to change things.
On what he’s seeing from Dubois right now
Well, we took him from center, put him on wing, he ended up back in the middle. So for, as much as his play is his play, we may be confusing him sending all over the place but at the end of the day, if PL gets four minutes or PL gets 24 minutes, he has to be a difference maker and with or without the puck, we’ve gone through this long enough, it’s time.
Subject to Change
Lineups Courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com
SABRES PROBABLE LINEUP
NO Former Kings
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GOALIE COMPARISON
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
*VBookie BETTING THREAD HERE*
**Today’s Poll Question**
Part 1 - Who is going to score the Game Winning Goal?
You can take 4 guesses per team
Part 2 - in which period will the GWG be scored? (1,2,3,OT,SO)
ONE guess only for Part 2
Take your best guesses in your post below
the only Prize is the glory of seeing your name in the next GDT if you get it right.
PREVIOUS GAME’S WINNERS
Congratulations to the following posters who correctly guessed 1 goal differential and/or a final 4-3 score:
Both (2 Points):
Byron
forum gold
1 goal diff (1 point):
jammer06
JETS GARAGE
Madness20721
Kings of the Mountain with 28 points - Angel Eyes & forum gold
27 points = notbob
26 points = hornman, Nyssa42
25 points = mugs, Rusty, VegasHockey
24 points = Jerram
23 points =
22 points = beady eye, Cross Traffic, Guinevere, katydid213, KernCoKingsFan, Randdog, SirJW
21 points = Chateau Bow Wow, Dr Tran
20 points = clif, jammer06, Kurisu, puckoff, VCRW
19 points = empire, Shackleford
18 points = DRGinLBC, Rogie-Vachon
17 points = Byron, CIrvine, JayWells24
16 points = dannybuoy1, pray4mojo, TooCool, waynet
15 points = DRice, KHenry14, Liz4LA, Madness20721
14 points = hihocarp, Rinkrat
13 points = Bill Hicks, Rog or Reg?
12 points =
11 points = Madness20721, Salty Puck
10 points = Sevenhole
9 points = sonnyboy11
8 points = cokingsfan, Drums4Pigs, Ice24, symbology
7 points = rfischer
6 points = Busted Chops, JETS GARAGE
5 points = fake_it_make_it
4 points = beedee, Dexter
3 points =
2 points = Ragbone
1 point = HiFi, JC6388LAKings, PuckMaster, STONE
photos courtesy of LA Kings twitter
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