Game Thread: G41 17-14-9 Kings vs Wild V2.0 1/5/26

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Why is Byfield taking draws at important junctions?

At least killed the 1st one. What are we betting Kings blow this?

 

[Kings4OT]

EN, about time

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Holding on. Kuemper standing tall.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

"QB will grab an assist here". hahaha

 

[Kings4OT]

Boom Boom 1st star?

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Win is a win. In regulation? We'll take it. First back to back wins since early December is insane, but is what it is.

See how Kopitar and Armia are doing. If we thought Hiller didn't want to play Helenius et al., let's see who they have to call up to play even less if those two main guys can't play. Hope LA's is at least considering using that 2nd they got for Danault to go get some depth.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Boom Boom 1st star?

Was totally expecting it, I still believe two years ago it was an organizational mandate to prop him up for doing just basic hockey stuff because it was becoming really apparent he wasn't going to live up to 2OA.

 

[davnlaguna]

Fun fact
Every team in the pacific division has a negative goal differential

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Win is a win. In regulation? We'll take it. First back to back wins since early December is insane, but is what it is.

See how Kopitar and Armia are doing. If we thought Hiller didn't want to play Helenius et al., let's see who they have to call up to play even less if those two main guys can't play. Hope LA's is at least considering using that 2nd they got for Danault to go get some depth.

That was an alarming stat, had to look at the schedule and yup back to back wins was a while back.

There really isn't anyone of NHL caliber to call up from Ontario, they are mostly going to be B6 guys if they reached the NHL level anyway.

Holly should absolutely be looking for some help using that extra 2nd.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Fun fact
Every team in the pacific division has a negative goal differential

The Pacific is really weak this season, even Vegas has a ton of loser points but are PD1. All those years of depleting assets for whatever shiny new toy was available may be catching up to them.

Which I 100% approve of.

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

They said it on the broadcast about the wins. And I think it was against SJ and Chicago no less.

Kings have actually looked a ton better of late, except for the same demons of not holding leads. Those never seem to leave. But Crushed the Ducks last weekend, played a pretty good game against Colorado. Blew the lead to Tampa. Up 3-2 with 3 mins left and somehow lose 5-3 in regulation. Back to backs against the Wild is actually big. Tonight's it looks like Wild's first regulation loss in at least ten games. So that's something. But injuries hitting could derail whatever momentum LA has going. So we'll see. At least the Pacific is just so bad right now. I mean BAD. You should see the Ducks stats the last two weeks, and specifically Dostal's numbers in net. They are suspecting he's probably still hurt. Or he turned into Cal Petersen overnight.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Win is a win. In regulation? We'll take it. First back to back wins since early December is insane, but is what it is.

See how Kopitar and Armia are doing. If we thought Hiller didn't want to play Helenius et al., let's see who they have to call up to play even less if those two main guys can't play. Hope LA's is at least considering using that 2nd they got for Danault to go get some depth.

Speaking of Dunno, he got his first two assists with Montreal yesterday in an OT winner against Dallas. Still hasn't scored a goal after 36 games and on pace for 14 points, all assists, for the year.

That's just unreal and negates any "it was the system/coach/linemates/poor me LA hates me" nonsense.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

They said it on the broadcast about the wins. And I think it was against SJ and Chicago no less.

Kings have actually looked a ton better of late, except for the same demons of not holding leads. Those never seem to leave. But Crushed the Ducks last weekend, played a pretty good game against Colorado. Blew the lead to Tampa. Up 3-2 with 3 mins left and somehow lose 5-3 in regulation. Back to backs against the Wild is actually big. Tonight's it looks like Wild's first regulation loss in at least ten games. So that's something. But injuries hitting could derail whatever momentum LA has going. So we'll see. At least the Pacific is just so bad right now. I mean BAD. You should see the Ducks stats the last two weeks, and specifically Dostal's numbers in net. They are suspecting he's probably still hurt. Or he turned into Cal Petersen overnight.

Ducks issue has been mostly Dostal, he looks like crap since he returned from injury. They're getting lit up left and right.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Buster 22:18, most among all skaters except Doughty (22:54).

He seemed more visible tonight than in recent games but the production is a serious issue still.

 

[xis]

Kings 2 - 0 since the Byfield clown photoshop. Just saying.

 

[Kings4OT]

Kings 2 - 0 since the Byfield clown photoshop. Just saying.

Was his 300th! Game....only 2 memorable things stick out to me

1. Scoring a neato 1 handed deflection goal while holding defenders stick

2. Losing a playoff game with seconds left

Pretty good

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Was his 300th! Game....only 2 memorable things stick out to me

1. Scoring a neato 1 handed deflection goal while holding defenders stick

2. Losing a playoff game with seconds left

Pretty good

That is the goal they seem to highlight constantly and I don't understand why it's celebrated so much, it was a penalty and should have been blown dead the second he got possession.

That was straight up out of McJesus' playbook of grabbing sticks.

 

[Kings4OT]

Kings 2 - 0 since the Byfield clown photoshop. Just saying.

I think like last season against the jets the Kings are "better" matched up vs smaller, fast, skill teams until they start playing back. Any actually aggressive play exposes the Kings. Its why you need a Mallott and Helenious in there to help put up a wall and not just get steamrolled

 

[Stunner_At_Staples_Kings]

Fun fact
Every team in the pacific division has a negative goal differential

I had to go do something last night, but wanted to look this up today. I think the league-wide goal differential is skewed because of the Avs ridiculous +72, followed by Dallas +29, and Wild +21 in just the central. What's even crazier is Detroit leads the Atlantic at -5, while Tampa is right behind them with +32. Saw Barkov started skating again, and I assume Tkatchuk will be back sooner rather than later for Florida, so that looks like another insane Florida-Tampa Rd 1 or 2 matchup as you know Florida will be gearing up for the 3-peat. Wish NHL would go back to 1-8, even though the Pacific will benefit mightily this year. Objectively, the 1-8 was more fair. And what was crazy is they already didn't have a true 1-8, because they guaranteed the division winners the top 3 spots, back when there were 3 divisions in each conference. So it was still weighted anyway, which I still didn't like. But maybe the makings of the division stuff was already created back in the day.

 

[LAKINGSFAN]

Game day, 730pm start on FDS. It's officially the halfway mark of the season, it's been flying by. No MNF anymore obviously so it'll be nice to just focus on NHL hockey, the G Men didn't do themselves any favors pummeling Dallas yesterday but I think Dallas threw that game benching Prescott after Q2 and pulling both top WRs too. They did not want the Giants to get a higher draft pick, typical Dallas. A joke of a franchise for a reason.

You know your distaste for Buster? Thats how i feel regardng Dak. I think Dallas pulling him from the game actually gave them a better change at winning the game. Daks stats are the epitome of Buster getting a bunch of secondary assists.
I saw a video of Raider fans celebrating the Giants win.

Hard to imagine but if the Giants did not win that game and with the Raiders beating KC they would have got the 1OA because of strength of schedule even though five teams would have been tied at 3-14 for shittiest record in the league. Instead they will pick 5OA and for some insane reason still kept their inept GM per ownership today. Unreal, sounds more dysfunctional than the Kings.

Mama Puck is once again staying with me and the kids since we have to handle some family business tomorrow in LA at the US Embassy, this has dragged on for 16 years and I'm sick of these drives and wasting days there. Hopefully it gets all handled tomorrow but we will see. Already spoiling the kids with candy and money and the dogs with scraps under the table but she's grandma and earned that. Have at it mom.

No real news to report having seen the Wild a few days ago, TOTM expected to miss his third straight game but he did practice today on his own. I really hope they are shopping him, apart from his miracle 31 goal season he's been pretty mid overall as a King. Overpaid B6 player. Kuemper to start and the lineup will stay the same.

Someone else mentioned it as well. When he sat out the first game, I thought the same thing. Not sure his value but I wouldnt mind freeing up his salary.

One thing I did not notice until now is the Wild are 10-1-3 in their last 14. That was eye popping because they have always seemed to be good but not good enough, reminds me of the Kings to a degree but they actually have stars like Kaprizov, now Hughes, Boldy, etc. Boldy actually is second in goals in the league with 26 behind only McKinnon. Kings had a shot at Boldy in 2019 but picked Glass Boy instead. I feel the Kings played well but were fortunate to be on the winning side of a SO last game. They're not in the same league as Minnesota. Gustavsson to start tonight.

I think L4 had a good game last time, would like to see them get a little more playing time. But we all know how Jill operates, Helenius will get his 3 minutes and never see the ice again for half a game. Just baffles me why this dude doesn't consistently roll four lines. Holly forced his hand too by acquiring Perry and Armia and he still doesn't do it. He and Buster are basically the same idiot.

I still feel he is hanging on by a thread as a HC, last win or not. He just isn't an in game manager and seems to adjust too late in games. The Kings are 3-6-1 in their last 10 and in WC2 tied with SJ but SJ has played one more game. That's embarrassing for the payroll of this team. They'd open up against Colorado and honestly I think that would be a sweep for the bad guys. Like I said last post, this month makes or breaks the Kings. If it goes south they should be sellers by the March 4 TDL and Hiller should be unemployed.

I have no clue as to how he is still the coach. It seems like they will lose a couple of games in a row and look really bad and then all of a sudden pull out a win or two to stop the talk of a coaching change. The are stuck in mediocrity.

Prediction: the feel good ends, 5-1 thumping by the Wild. Kings goal by Laferriere because he seems to be the only player on the roster who has progressed and not regressed this season.

And as much as we like him, Dexter needs to start producing. He hasn't reached Buster status with me yet because of his short tenure as a King vs 5 years of Buster's bullshit so far but for a guy who popped in 20+ (23?) last season he has looked pretty useless all season long. Step it up Ginger Boy.

Let's Go Kings!