View from the Ox Box - Opening Night

[oxnardkingsfan]

The night started off fine. Nice ceremony to raise the banner. A little longer than I expected but it shouldn't have resulted in the effort from the Kings than I witnessed. I'm not sure I can point to a single King who had a decent game. Lewis would be my choice for the best performance by a player in a black sweater. And I just saw today that he got injured and is day-to-day.

I agree with the analysis of McNabb in the game thread that he looked a little nervous (and who wouldn't be) and somewhat timid. Very reminiscent of Muzzin's play early on. Surely we can remember the beating he got on this board and the ESPN board for his play. Now we're worried about his injury and want him back in the lineup. Defensemen historically are much slower to develop into NHL level players than forwards. Tougher transition to be sure. Drew Doughtys don't come along but every generation or so. I'm sure McNabb will be just fine as the 7th defenseman.

Let's all hope for a more Kings-like effort in Arizona tomorrow night and Sunday against Winnipeg who are currently up on the Coyotes 3-1.

Ox

 

[lasportzphan]

I don't get to see many regular season games at all, sadly. How did Quick look post surgery? I know he got pulled, but was it on him or the timid defense?

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

I don't get to see many regular season games at all, sadly. How did Quick look post surgery? I know he got pulled, but was it on him or the timid defense?

Quick looked fine up until he pulled one of his puck-handling gaffs behind his goal and gave up the 4th goal. Jones replaced him for the start of the 3rd period but that was more to try and kick some life into the Kings skaters than for poor play. The first 2 San Jose goals were good offensive plays with not-so-good defense from the Kings. The first was off a quick wrist shot that picked the top right corner of the net and the second was a nice deflection from the slot of a low shot that deflected up over Quick's shoulder. A little better defense could have prevented either of those 2 goals. The 3rd goal was a poor decision by Doughty at the blue line where his shot/pass (it was hard to tell what his intention was) got blocked and a quick 2-on-1 ending up a with deke move and score.

The biggest reason for the loss was the lack-luster effort from the Kings. No offense what-so-ever! Couldn't generate a solid forecheck nor could they generate anything off the rush. The only part of the game that looked decent was the penalty kill. They held the Sharks to a 1-for-7 on their power play. The one was the deflection goal by Marleau. Had he not got loose and left all alone in the slot he may not have been able to get his stick on the puck to make that deflection. But when the opponent has the extra man someone is inevitably open somewhere.

Ox

 

[PuckinUgly57]

The first was off a quick wrist shot that picked the top right corner of the net and the second was a nice deflection from the slot of a low shot that deflected up over Quick's shoulder. A little better defense could have prevented either of those 2 goals.

Gotta disagree with you here Ox, I think Quick was just as bad as the Kings were.

On the first goal, Wingels was parallel to the goal line in the corner, there is no reason that should have been a goal. Quick was down in the crouch and left the top open, I expect that type of play from Ovechkin to beat Quick, not some guy who sounds like he should be flipping burgers or runs a video rental shop and smokes bowls all day. I considered that one a soft goal to give up.

The 3rd goal was a poor decision by Doughty at the blue line where his shot/pass (it was hard to tell what his intention was) got blocked and a quick 2-on-1 ending up a with deke move and score.

I think the decision was OK, the problem was the communication between McNabb and Doughty when they were retreating. No one talked and I think Doughty thought McNabb was going to get him and vice versa. Credit Wingels (again) for reading that miscommunication, turning on the jets and splitting the defense. Quick got absolutely tooled on that play too but this was on the defense IMO.

Obviously these two don't have the chemistry that Doughty/Muzzin and in previous years Doughty/Mitchell-Scuderi had so mistakes will happen. That's what practice is for and hopefully they sort it out.

The biggest reason for the loss was the lack-luster effort from the Kings. No offense what-so-ever! Couldn't generate a solid forecheck nor could they generate anything off the rush. The only part of the game that looked decent was the penalty kill. They held the Sharks to a 1-for-7 on their power play. The one was the deflection goal by Marleau. Had he not got loose and left all alone in the slot he may not have been able to get his stick on the puck to make that deflection. But when the opponent has the extra man someone is inevitably open somewhere.

Ox

The Kings looked like slugs, zero interest. Hopefully Sutter beat the crap out of them for tonight.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

I agree with the analysis of McNabb in the game thread that he looked a little nervous (and who wouldn't be) and somewhat timid. Very reminiscent of Muzzin's play early on. Surely we can remember the beating he got on this board and the ESPN board for his play. Now we're worried about his injury and want him back in the lineup. Defensemen historically are much slower to develop into NHL level players than forwards. Tougher transition to be sure. Drew Doughtys don't come along but every generation or so. I'm sure McNabb will be just fine as the 7th defenseman.

Defenseman do take a bit longer to develop, but the bigger concern for me is actually the type of defender McNabb is - these 6'6"+ defenseman take even longer than some of the others (Pronger, Chara) or don't pan out at all (Kuznetsov, Biron, McKenna who was ultimately moved to forward). You never know what you're going to get.

McNabb is 23 so he is similar to where Muzzin started a few years ago but I also think Muzzin had more natural talent than McNabb. Muzzin's problems - improved but still exist - is between his ears. McNabb, at least to me, simply doesn't look as talented.

Add in my first paragraph and I think McNabb will be a project for a few years. He should develop into a solid SAH defender if things go right but fast forward 3 years and I don't think we will see the progression we have seen from Muzzin.

 

[smackdown380]

The other thing noted was that the Kings seemed to struggle vs the forecheck just like last year

 

[oxnardkingsfan]

Gotta disagree with you here Ox, I think Quick was just as bad as the Kings were.

On the first goal, Wingels was parallel to the goal line in the corner, there is no reason that should have been a goal. Quick was down in the crouch and left the top open, I expect that type of play from Ovechkin to beat Quick, not some guy who sounds like he should be flipping burgers or runs a video rental shop and smokes bowls all day. I considered that one a soft goal to give up.

Yeah maybe a lucky shot and Quick was no doubt down early as he quite often is. But if you've followed the Sharks/Kings matchups, Wingles seems to be another of those 2nd tier forwards who are constant Kings killers. Think Vrbada with the Coyotes. Score 10-12 a year and 5-6 of them are versus the Kings. My assessment of Quick was more about his wrist than anything. Yeah his overall play wasn't any better than the team in front of him. Which is usually the way it goes with goaltenders. Sometimes they can stand on their heads and pull out a win but even then if you can't put at least one puck into the opponents net you aren't going to win.

Ox

 

[lasportzphan]

Thanks you, guys.

I can never worry about this team again after last years performance. These guys are just winners and know when go show up. Here's to a healthy regular season and then the next gear come playoff time.