***LA Kings @ Carolina Hurricanes GDT 1/31/23 4:00 Pacific on BSW & NHL Network***

  • Thread starter Thread starter kingsmen93
  • Start date Start date
Yes, 0/5 on faceoffs in OT is pathetic. Especially when puck possession in OT is everything.

TM should have called timeout after Carolina scored the 3rd goal. Would have settled things down some like it did after it went 4-4.

Exactly. When momentum is 100% the other way just take a breather. I understand he wants players to figure out how to manage themselves but for godsake man, timeouts are still a part of the game.
 
You don't grow from having a 4-1 lead and losing it in one period. It's actually more demoralizing than getting blown out. It tells you that you are not good enough to hold a lead against a good team. The Kings are basically like the Sharks, had a big league against the Canes and lost it in OT. The Canes have another gear and the Kings don't. When they needed it they brought it and when the Kings needed it they folded. One or two goal lead and it's one thing but to be dominated like that with a three goal lead, is devastating.

I actually think you are 100% wrong. This is what they did - scored four goals against a great team and had a lead and for a while, dominated them. Then it got to the third and 100% they blew it against a great team. YOU LEARN FROM THAT. You walk out of there thinking what went wrong - how did we blow it, when he had the game in our hands. They played so well by getting up 4-1, that overtime was still a possiblity and it happened. And if the too many men gets called, they're probably winning that game. So now, the team sits with that loss - how did we blow it, what did we do? How did the Canes take over, what do we have to do to a) stop an onslaught like that and b) to play like that ourselves when we're losing. It is a looooong season. Those of us who watched the game are 100% pissed but in the big picture, it's a point picked up against the best team in the league (arguably second best) and four goals scored against them.

In terms of Carolina has another gear, Kings don't. Not true at all. Carolina has a better extra gear and so does Boston and I'd say the Kings are a tier below that. So it's also a lesson for our GM - what do we need to make sure we have that and our coach - what could I have done to change things when it got out of hand - change lines, a well used timeout etc.

You guys can doom and gloom everything - my point of view (after getting really pissed in the moment) is it's a game to learn from and improve from and it happened at the end of January, not right before the playoffs. You don't want a game like that, but if you're going to have it, now's not a bad time before we get into the home stretch.
 
Exactly. When momentum is 100% the other way just take a breather. I understand he wants players to figure out how to manage themselves but for godsake man, timeouts are still a part of the game.

Completely agree. It is literally what the timeout is for. I don't know what he thinks he's saving it for at that point.
 
So the thing about the game was that I went. I live in SC and drove to NC for it. I bought my dad and his wife and his son tickets as a christmas present. They've never seen or cared about hockey. They drove 4 hours to watch the 1st and 2nd. On the drive up there I was saying they were gonna leave after the 2nd. When they got there my dad's like "I had no idea we had there hockey team here - there's no market for it so it's surprising" and I'm thinking people say the same **** in LA, "there's no market in something that a ton of people like because I don't know anything about it". They were I think trying to get into it a little bit at first, and of course were acting like mega Hurricanes fans just to be difficult, but the kicker is they left at the start of the 2nd intermission. I was like "dudes, a 3 goal lead is the worst lead in hockey" and they're like nah we gotta get home and I'm like you guys are gonna miss the best part and they said nah this is a blowout, still not liking hockey and they looked bored the whole time. Missed the entire hometown excitement of the comeback, seeing me get pissed off, all that good stuff. So it's like - damn. That building got insane. They missed it all. I had fun. Kings blew a mega lead. They missed all the fun comeback/overtime stuff of hockey, the weird ass Canes stadium rituals (I swear), overtime, etc. Why would you drive 4 hours to leave early? So many questions, so now I'm in Raleigh, which apparently is the capital. And it's so foggy I can't see an inch in front of me.

That's crazy. You're right - that lead is precarious enough as it is - against Carolina, it's practially worthless lol. Sorry your family missed the fun. That would've been a great way to get introduced to hockey. I had a writing mentor in LA (I'm in Ottawa) and years ago I told him he has to go to a game - he's a big basketball guy. So he agrees and ends up at a playoff game - the stunner at Staples, the comeback on Detroit. Loves the Kings now.
 
Someone asked me last year around this time, "how are the Kings doing?" With out thinking I said, "Good enough to break our hearts." I still stand by that statement.
 
Last edited:
Someone asked me last year around this time, "how are the Kings doing?" With out thinking I said, "Good enough to break are hearts." I still stand by that statement.

Truer words have never been spoken, well at least until someone says "good enough to break our hearts" ;)
 
Stutzle got his 21st and 22nd goals tonight, which would tie him for team lead in goals. What’s Byfield up to? Oh, right..

"He needs time" "his ceiling is higher than stu" "hes a pick for future not now" Dude is gonna be a 3rd liner. Ive seen so many excuses. Hickey 2.0 incoming.
 
"He needs time" "his ceiling is higher than stu" "hes a pick for future not now" Dude is gonna be a 3rd liner. Ive seen so many excuses. Hickey 2.0 incoming.

You may have seen lots of excuses but I have never seen a single post on here questioning the Byfield pick. Thank you for boldly going where absolutely no one will!

What does everyone else think? Is it time we address the elephant in room?
 
What this loss will do is put doubt in the Kings players mind, that every time they have a lead against a good team, they won’t be able to close. Not a one or two goal lead but a three goal lead in the 3rd. Winning one period last night is not going to give the Kings confidence, as they know they were clearly dominated in two periods and in OT.

When you get beat 5-0, you say it wasn’t our night, however when you blow a huge lead, you start to doubt yourself. If the Kings have a gear just below that of Carolina, they win 4-2 or 4-3. They get to think about this game for a long while.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If anyone wants to feel better about last night, the canes are absolutely destroying the sabres right now
 
Man, how fragile do you guys think a bunch of grown ass professional athletes are? They will ALWAYS remember this and never think they can close it out against a good team? Really? If that's the case, then who cares what happens, anyone who has dedicated their whole life to their sport but is that mentally weak, isn't going to accomplish anything anyway.
 
Man, how fragile do you guys think a bunch of grown ass professional athletes are? They will ALWAYS remember this and never think they can close it out against a good team? Really? If that's the case, then who cares what happens, anyone who has dedicated their whole life to their sport but is that mentally weak, isn't going to accomplish anything anyway.

This was directed to me, so I'll take it. So, are you saying, losing the way they did doesn't put doubt in their minds, that when they have a big lead, that it could easily slip away against a good team? Do you believe this Kings team is mentally tough?
 
This was directed to me, so I'll take it. So, are you saying, losing the way they did doesn't put doubt in their minds, that when they have a big lead, that it could easily slip away against a good team? Do you believe this Kings team is mentally tough?

Was going to quote you, but others seem to be thinking in the same vein so I figured I'd put it out to everyone. So look... that was a bad loss, shouldn't have happened, showed weakness and yes, definite mental weakness BUT.... the only way to react to it is to grow from it. Are Kopitar or Doughty mentally weak? Think we can all agree they are not. Top of my head, Anderson, Danault, Edler, Lizotte all seem to be mentally tough and then you have some newcomers and rookies, who could be. I would say Kempe and Iafallo are, but I imagine some would argue that. It seems that you and I have a fundamental disagreement on how a team reacts to this. I suppose it could be a crushing moment that fills them with doubt, but to me it's a moment for reflection that's going to make them play better in a similar situation in the future - like we don't want that to happen again, so let's keep our foot on the gas and when we can't - slow the game down with a timeout. I just don't see how a team of professional athletes, who are having a pretty good season crumble and lose faith in themselves because of a bad night/period against a better team. If this happened in a playoff series, YES that could be crushing and cause doubt of can we beat this team etc, but there's a lot of runway left here to make this game either a) a lesson or b) a blip in the season.
 
Was going to quote you, but others seem to be thinking in the same vein so I figured I'd put it out to everyone. So look... that was a bad loss, shouldn't have happened, showed weakness and yes, definite mental weakness BUT.... the only way to react to it is to grow from it. Are Kopitar or Doughty mentally weak? Think we can all agree they are not. Top of my head, Anderson, Danault, Edler, Lizotte all seem to be mentally tough and then you have some newcomers and rookies, who could be. I would say Kempe and Iafallo are, but I imagine some would argue that. It seems that you and I have a fundamental disagreement on how a team reacts to this. I suppose it could be a crushing moment that fills them with doubt, but to me it's a moment for reflection that's going to make them play better in a similar situation in the future - like we don't want that to happen again, so let's keep our foot on the gas and when we can't - slow the game down with a timeout. I just don't see how a team of professional athletes, who are having a pretty good season crumble and lose faith in themselves because of a bad night/period against a better team. If this happened in a playoff series, YES that could be crushing and cause doubt of can we beat this team etc, but there's a lot of runway left here to make this game either a) a lesson or b) a blip in the season.

Fair enough,
 
The one thing they have done very consistently this season is find new ways to lose games that should have been wins.
 
Back
Top