***LA Kings @ Utah Hockey Club GDT 4/3/25 6:00pm on FanDuel***

[05/29/93]

They have played a lot of hockey the last 3 years.
If we do play them, we need to physically punish them every shift.
They are not the same team and neither are we.
The goonery will continue but we can now match it, unlike Todd's passive, ahem, pussified approach.
Will need to keep discipline, of course.
I'm very curious to watch Hiller coach a series. I think he's a solid coach who (hopefully) won't freeze up
or refuse to make changes when needed like Todd did.
This Kings team has a different mentality and it's because of him.

Hiller did, last spring, when the Kings lost to the Oilers in 5. But, as you say, neither team is the same, and now Hiller has had a full year to prepare. Tomorrow's game is a sneak preview.

 

[DarkLeftHand]

Thank you, Toronto.

Make up call for that Matthews high stick goal debacle against the Leafs a few nights ago.

 

[DarkLeftHand]

This one had trap game written all over it, and it showed at the start. Especially for the first 7 to 10 minutes. Very reminiscent of that no-show against Colorado recently. Five minutes in, and I’m thinking to myself, where is Liam O’Brien when you need him.. to get pummeled by Jeff Malott! Not in the lineup, is the obvious answer, but my point is, this is -precisely- the type of start where I need a guy like Malott to engage someone on the opposing team and deliver a sound thrashing to wake the rest of the guys up. Drag them into the battle, so to speak, because they were clearly not engaged to begin the game last night. All’s well that ends well, though, I suppose..

 

[Clif]

They have played a lot of hockey the last 3 years.
If we do play them, we need to physically punish them every shift.
They are not the same team and neither are we.
The goonery will continue but we can now match it, unlike Todd's passive, ahem, pussified approach.
Will need to keep discipline, of course.
I'm very curious to watch Hiller coach a series. I think he's a solid coach who (hopefully) won't freeze up
or refuse to make changes when needed like Todd did.
This Kings team has a different mentality and it's because of him.

The amount of hockey the last three years is what really does it for me. They’ve looked a step behind all year save for a little hot streak to recover from a bad start. The fact that didn’t continue really drives it home. They’re tired.

Blues look like they have at least a shot at beating anyone in the conference. 11 in a freaking row. Binnington is back, also.

 

[Clif]

This one had trap game written all over it, and it showed at the start. Especially for the first 7 to 10 minutes. Very reminiscent of that no-show against Colorado recently. Five minutes in, and I’m thinking to myself, where is Liam O’Brien when you need him.. to get pummeled by Jeff Malott! Not in the lineup, is the obvious answer, but my point is, this is -precisely- the type of start where I need a guy like Malott to engage someone on the opposing team and deliver a sound thrashing to wake the rest of the guys up. Drag them into the battle, so to speak, because they were clearly not engaged to begin the game last night. All’s well that ends well, though, I suppose..

No argument from me last night:

Kings scrambling and Utah came ready to play. Seems to have surprised the Kings. Mallot needs to fight.

Still a very disappointing first 40 minutes and the Kings’ inability to play a good road game remains a concern. I was hoping for a fight to spark them but apparently they just needed Kuemper to continue getting himself Vezina votes to get going. Hiller should bag skate them (joking).

I’ll take all the luck they got this one but going to feel uneasy if they don’t play a good road game out of the two they have left.

 

[DarkLeftHand]

No argument from me last night:

Still a very disappointing first 40 minutes and the Kings’ inability to play a good road game remains a concern. I was hoping for a fight to spark them but apparently they just needed Kuemper to continue getting himself Vezina votes to get going. Hiller should bag skate them (joking).

I’ll take all the luck they got this one but going to feel uneasy if they don’t play a good road game out of the two they have left.

Yep, total agreement. Here’s a wild suggestion. When playing road games, and the opposition coach wants to play the matchup game, let him put a skilled trio out against our 4th line.. but you know what I’m gonna suggest next!

 

[Pevsfreedom]

Would you rather the Kings play the red hot Blues? I'm not sure which would be harder.

Anybody else.

This year’s Oiler team is not as good as last year’s group. Playing them with home ice advantage might be better than facing the Blues, the hottest team in the NHL.

Special teams defines an Edmonton series unfortunately and we lose that battle 100% of the time vs that team.

I mean we lost to them 3 years in a row.. If McDavid or Draisaitl were gone maybe we can talk but those 2 break our systems apart. If we had a half decent PP then maybe.. we'll see!

 

[Bill Hicks]

Hiller did, last spring, when the Kings lost to the Oilers in 5. But, as you say, neither team is the same, and now Hiller has had a full year to prepare. Tomorrow's game is a sneak preview.

He did, sort of. Wasn't his style of play, having to use Todd's system with no chance to make any meaningful changes midseason. Now, he's got things much more in his hands.