Game Thread: G48 26-15-6 Kings @ Cats 1/29/25

[PuckinUgly57]

Game day, 4pm start. TA is showing ESPN+ but my guess is TNT being hockey Wednesday and a national broadcast. My boss is in town from Sacto so I'm glued to his hip the next two days, probably won't be able to catch this one live (or tomorrow but maybe) and will watch the replay after I get home.

Havent seen too much coverage so far so I'm expecting no significant changes although I get the feeling Jill is about to go full line blender. The Kings have only scored 22 goals since Jan 1 in 11 games, do the math. Apart from Kempe the offense has completely dried up all over the lineup. I'm expecting some craziness like Lewis up with Kopitar and Kempe to see if anything can get going.

Being a B2B (Bolts tomorrow at 4pm) I expect Kuemper in tonight and Rittich in tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised to see that reversed either though, Kuemper has been a little off recently after a solid season to date. Both games are big, recent Cup winners and powerhouse teams.

Kings need to get that PP going, I think Doughty dresses tonight finally. I don't know how he will impact the PP but it can't hurt, I'd rather them decline a penalty than watch that pathetic PP. It's awful, send Newell Brown back to the Ducks.

Prediction: Panthers 3-1, Kings goal by Fiala. This road trip has not been good and I believe the Cats will exact some revenge for that 2-1 loss a few weeks ago to LA. After tonight Bowlby starts looking seriously for offensive help, the Buster/Dunno/Moore "slumps" are no longer slumps, they cannot salvage this season offensively and outside help needs to come in.

Let's Go Kings!

 

[Kings4OT]

Sounds like Clarke sitting out for DD8, good move him while you can

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Fiala a game time decision, illness. That'll factor into whether the Kings go 11/7 or 12/6.

 

[davnlaguna]

Fiala a game time decision, illness. That'll factor into whether the Kings go 11/7 or 12/6.

I think the go 11/7 either way. Keep doughboys minutes low for a game or two.

 

[davnlaguna]

Doughty with his first minus of the season

 

[davnlaguna]

Doesn’t look like the kings are going to catch a break today

 

[Kings4OT]

Do they pull out of this funk without a move? This is more like what I was expecting this season but they somehow kept winning. I hope they turn it around but I think Flames and Canucks pass them.....both have been slowly catching up.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Watched the game late last night, yikes. To answer your question, the only way is if guys like Buster, Dunno, Moore and Foegele pick it up. Otherwise it has to be a trade, I don't see anyone in Ontario who can be called up and makes a difference. I'm sure Teh Blog is calling for Fagemo but I think he is done as a King.

The two Lewis sequences were strange. He's clearly tripped and goes into the goalie, no call and Laferriere has a goal disallowed in two straight games and then he takes a tripping call, a second penalty called and the Panthers score on the 5 on 3. Always appreciate his effort but he really brings nothing anymore and needs to get spot duty down the stretch.

A silver lining is Laferriere is making a difference after the injury, not his fault two goals have been taken off the board. He's definitely doing his part to try and stop this skid (4-5-1 last 10).

Doughty didn't look up to speed but that's expected, rumors rampant that Clarke is on the block with the healthy scratch. Personally I don't believe so (but would welcome it for a T6 winger), his ice time has dropped significantly from around 19 minutes to 15 minutes after G20 and he's been deployed very carefully in sheltered situations. Bottom line he is hitting that wall all first time full season players seem to hit. Laferriere hit it last year as well.

With Clarke though I just don't see anything elite about him so if the proper deal comes up make it and shore up the forward group. But it's Blake and he will consider getting a third round pick a coup and somehow throw Laferriere in the deal leaving as well.

 

[Kings4OT]

To me Clarke is a liability. For a small/fast guy he gets beat on the outside a lot, he gets worked physically, isnt that good with his stick on D and ends up taking bad penalties. If he adds strength and bulk, he will most likely get beat worse on the outside but maybe not pushed around as much but will that cost him on offense (which isnt even close to his hype) and streaky at best as is. Maybe he learns to play D at somepoint but Moverare and Spense(even struggling some) are way beyond him at the position. I think he should have been moved way earlier while he had some promiss, but Kings like to hold on until they are sure they cant get anything in return.

 

[PuckinUgly57]

Bjornfot, Kaliyev, Chromiak, Fagemo, JAD, Clague, all top prospects at one point who didn't pan out and either lost for nothing or not panning out because they held on too long and value completely plummeted.

Don't even get me started on just letting Roy walk, Walker was traded last year and brought back a 1st round pick. Buster on pace for 38 points - literally B6 production - but now having that huge contract pretty much untradeable so he needs to turn it around, no way around that. I thought Bowlby learned his lesson with premature contracts with Petersen, guess not.

The mismanagement of assets by Bowlby is mind boggling over the years when you at it closely, I don't expect any less regarding Clarke. He may be a T4 defender someday but everything I've seen to date tells me 5-7 defenseman. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see him as a veteran who bounces around on a team's bottom defense pair within 5 years ala Jack Johnson.