I
Illegal_Stick
Lurker
Was definitely waiting for someone to skate behind the net, take the puck and go for one last rush. Doesn't excuse what Durzi did though.
**LA Kings vs. Vegas Golden Knights HOME OPENER GDT 10/11/22 7:00pm on ESPN & ESPN+**
- Thread starter Nyssa42
- Start date
Was definitely waiting for someone to skate behind the net, take the puck and go for one last rush. Doesn't excuse what Durzi did though.
I
Illegal_Stick
Lurker
He also caused a breakaway didn't he? Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but there was that play where he foolishly thought he could keep it in the zone and messed up at the blue line. Durzi's problem is confidence - not missing it, waaaay too much of it. Kid needs to know what he can and can't do.
I
Illegal_Stick
Lurker
Making him look stupid or TMac made him finally do the work? He looked like a different player tonight. Credit to Vilardi for doing the work, but had he just been handed a spot on the top line last year, would he be playing that way right now? TMac shows him you either work your ass off at both ends or you don't play.
Pevsfreedom
somehow in south carolina
Durzi is young and saved our ass last year and had a good game last night, besides that last minute nonsense. He's mini Drew Doughty in the works. I thought Kings showed some great resilience with 2 fast comeback goals. We stuck our foot in the mouth playing the way we did and having to come back over and over, lots of "tape to be reviewed" I'm sure but IDK I think I liked what I saw for the most part. Kings = resilient. New expensive guy should have scored at least 10 goals IMO tho.
Dr. Tran
Super Star
Well I found out who won & who scored the gwg before I could watch the game. So thanks ESPN. Anyway I’m glad Vilardi’s continuing his hot play into the regular season. And Quick was outstanding. But I don’t know what Durzi was thinking on that play when he had 2 players in the zone he could’ve passed to or skated up ice himself. I know he’s a high risk high reward player but a tied game with a minute to go isn’t the time for that play. Hopefully he will learn his lesson, especially if he wants to be on the ice in the last minute of the game. And also, what the hell is the Veegee Kay?
I
Illegal_Stick
Lurker
He can be good. There is no way in the world he can be anything resembling Drew Doughty and that's not even an insult. He just does not have that level of skill. Can be a decent D-man though, needs to take less risks is all. In fact, I'd say his problem he plays like he thinks he's Drew Doughty, trying to make plays he just can't make. That pass was an example, the attempted keep in at the blue line another. If you're saying we're all being too hard on him, yes - bad game, it happens, he's still learning. If you're expecting him to turn into DD, you're going to be disappointed.
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Congratulations to the following posters who correctly guessed the first goal by Vilardi and/or that Kessel would take the games first penalty. Special shout out to [MENTION=23677]RoS[/MENTION] who was our only poster to get Kessel (and Vilardi):
Both (2 Points):
RoS
Vilardi (1 Point):
DRGinLBC
VegasHockey
PuckMaster
05/29/93
TooCool
kopinator
empire
forum gold
Kurisu
hornman
John a 90
Bill Hicks
AngelEyes
HTK
Having had a night to sleep on it there's still a lot to this game overall that needs dissecting but the biggest is the emotion we all felt especially at the end. That is an example of not only the expectations we are putting on this team, but the accountability that these guys are going to be held to from a fan base. Last year we would have all been impressed by the team coming back from down 2-1 and 3-2 (and lets not lie, we'd have been ecstatic about the 1-0 lead early) and definitely excused that last minute as growing pains. This year there is legitimate disappointment in wasting a Quick effort that should have earned a point against a division foe. It's opening night, there's 81 more of these to go. We knew they weren't going to end the season with 162 points, but now we know how hard those points are and that was a waste of one.
I'll trust TMac and Trent to go through the film on that last minute appropriately. Yes Durzi should not have done that, but make no mistake that was a 5 man effort to lead him to a bad decision. Roy is off to the side, the center is circling and covered by the knights forechecker, who's doing a good job of also taking away Durzi's skating lane and has an angle on Roy as well. Both wingers, however, after 2 swings by the center are completely static and ridiculously high. Simply put every decision that Durzi made was going to likely result in a turnover when your breakout is being disrupted by a 1 on 3 situation. One thing I will give Durzi a pass on is not eating the puck and waiting for OT. It's not in his makeup and I wouldn't expect him to play for the point with the clock winding down, not yet anyway. That's not a defense of Durzi, just an acknowledgement that it's easier to coach him to eat the clock there then to coach him to win the game if the situation is different.
Byfields line was the most effective, and definitely was getting the prime face off locations so good on the staff for putting them in a situation to succeed. Vilardi's stock is going like a raging bull market. Let's hope when it pops he's got the wherewithal to find what made him successful. Fiala and co need to make magic happen more than 1 time in a game. Edler and Roy better get their feet moving, that is a fast team but sheesh did they look way behind every play. Lets hope all the boys got the memo about stick fouls being called super tight to start the season.
Lets see how they suit up against the Kraken.
Both (2 Points):
RoS
Vilardi (1 Point):
DRGinLBC
VegasHockey
PuckMaster
05/29/93
TooCool
kopinator
empire
forum gold
Kurisu
hornman
John a 90
Bill Hicks
AngelEyes
HTK
Having had a night to sleep on it there's still a lot to this game overall that needs dissecting but the biggest is the emotion we all felt especially at the end. That is an example of not only the expectations we are putting on this team, but the accountability that these guys are going to be held to from a fan base. Last year we would have all been impressed by the team coming back from down 2-1 and 3-2 (and lets not lie, we'd have been ecstatic about the 1-0 lead early) and definitely excused that last minute as growing pains. This year there is legitimate disappointment in wasting a Quick effort that should have earned a point against a division foe. It's opening night, there's 81 more of these to go. We knew they weren't going to end the season with 162 points, but now we know how hard those points are and that was a waste of one.
I'll trust TMac and Trent to go through the film on that last minute appropriately. Yes Durzi should not have done that, but make no mistake that was a 5 man effort to lead him to a bad decision. Roy is off to the side, the center is circling and covered by the knights forechecker, who's doing a good job of also taking away Durzi's skating lane and has an angle on Roy as well. Both wingers, however, after 2 swings by the center are completely static and ridiculously high. Simply put every decision that Durzi made was going to likely result in a turnover when your breakout is being disrupted by a 1 on 3 situation. One thing I will give Durzi a pass on is not eating the puck and waiting for OT. It's not in his makeup and I wouldn't expect him to play for the point with the clock winding down, not yet anyway. That's not a defense of Durzi, just an acknowledgement that it's easier to coach him to eat the clock there then to coach him to win the game if the situation is different.
Byfields line was the most effective, and definitely was getting the prime face off locations so good on the staff for putting them in a situation to succeed. Vilardi's stock is going like a raging bull market. Let's hope when it pops he's got the wherewithal to find what made him successful. Fiala and co need to make magic happen more than 1 time in a game. Edler and Roy better get their feet moving, that is a fast team but sheesh did they look way behind every play. Lets hope all the boys got the memo about stick fouls being called super tight to start the season.
Lets see how they suit up against the Kraken.
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Clif
Super Star
It was profoundly bad, and it was bookended by the first Vegas goal on a very similar decision by AI. Why he shot from that far out is absurd. He needed to drive to the net and get off a safer shot on net. If he was too pressured to do so, carry the puck to boards and either chip it in behind the net or hold onto it while the team behind him resets coming off the PK. Yes it was a line change that was fatal, but AI rimmed it right to Vegas on a shot that came way too soon, similar to Durzi giving it away on that stretch pass.
I
Illegal_Stick
Lurker
Overall, it was a mess and I think a lot of players trying to do way too much. It's probably a really good thing that Durzi messed up now in game one. I'm sure he's warned about his risks, but this is a good concrete example of why he has to be more careful. I think he needs to be in next game to learn from it and take steps towards improvement. He overdoes it a lot of the time and at least it comes from a good place of wanting to do so much.
HeadInjury
2 Late to Change My Name
Vilardi, Kopitar and Quick had real nice games. Kopi does so many little things well, it's easy to overlook his contribution.
Durzi and Roy were a disaster as a pairing. Roy had a bad game, but Durzi was just being Durzi. I just don't see him having a long term role here. Too much of a defensive liability. People will focus on the bonehead play at the end of the game, but he'll never do that again. It's all his repeated defensive lapses throughout the game that is the problem.
The arena experience gets worse every year. Those two new ribbon screens around the arena are there simply to bombard us with more ads. The arena announcer and the two in-game hosts are annoying. Didn't try to buy any food, but the lines were bad everywhere I looked except for Wahoo's.
Durzi and Roy were a disaster as a pairing. Roy had a bad game, but Durzi was just being Durzi. I just don't see him having a long term role here. Too much of a defensive liability. People will focus on the bonehead play at the end of the game, but he'll never do that again. It's all his repeated defensive lapses throughout the game that is the problem.
The arena experience gets worse every year. Those two new ribbon screens around the arena are there simply to bombard us with more ads. The arena announcer and the two in-game hosts are annoying. Didn't try to buy any food, but the lines were bad everywhere I looked except for Wahoo's.
J
jcwla
Lurker
As Nick and Daryl noted, the Kings look - still look - sloooooooooooooooooooooooooow.
H
Histiking
Lurker
Ok, how many last minute GWG's are the kings going to give up again this year? Geez, it seems this team has a knack for giving up those goals, doesn't matter who is on the ice or who has played for this team in the past, always happens. I don't know how to get the metric, but over the last 20 years they have to be top 5 in last minute GWG allowed. Someone please find out! Anyway, maybe losing the opener will bode well for the future, I'd rather they got to, and past, the first round this year however it is done.
DRGinLBC
They're a finesse team.
Why I stopped going.
I
Illegal_Stick
Lurker
Coaches? What do you want them to do in that situation? Unless you mean not having Durzi out there.
DryKing
Power Forward
To his defense, though, Durzi looked pretty stellar on offense. Defensively he was caught out of position a few times but able to recover fairly well. That pass at the end though was just...head scratching.
First game I have been to since the "center upgrade" and I have to say I was pretty disappointed. Also I swear the seats got smaller and I had less leg room than on an airplane but maybe it was just a row issue as I usually don't sit as low (legs are obviously too long for the 3rd row, especially with the cupholders). I didn't really notice any "upgrades" exception for the giant tv screen.
STONE
My goal is to stop yours
Yeah, I was there and the in-game is just more and more annoying.
The kings could not execute clean breakouts because they couldn't connect on tape to tape passes most of the night. They had flashes when they simply moved the puck fast and didn't do no-look drop passes, and kept it simple. They LET Vegas skate into the Ozone, no wonder Vegas looked fast, which surprised me, I mean where was all the neutral zone clogging from last year?
I imagine this will be fixed quickly as the only reason they had success last season was because everyone bought into a system and played it perfectly.
We got lucky, and by lucky I mean Quick had our back, that we didn't get completely blown out last night.
The kings could not execute clean breakouts because they couldn't connect on tape to tape passes most of the night. They had flashes when they simply moved the puck fast and didn't do no-look drop passes, and kept it simple. They LET Vegas skate into the Ozone, no wonder Vegas looked fast, which surprised me, I mean where was all the neutral zone clogging from last year?
I imagine this will be fixed quickly as the only reason they had success last season was because everyone bought into a system and played it perfectly.
We got lucky, and by lucky I mean Quick had our back, that we didn't get completely blown out last night.
S
Sultanic
Lurker
Thought Anze had a really rough night. A step slow on defending three goals, though one was off that brutal line change. He was rarely close enough to support Kempe and Fiala, and I think that 5 on 5 his line only generated 3 or 4 scoring opportunities. Converted one on an excellent play by Durzi and Kopitar, but they were a disjointed unit for most of the night.
Plus, this continued lack of preparation for starting second periods really does fall on the leadership group. That is a room thing, and it happens far too often not to be addressed.
