Pre-Game:
- Kings take on the St. Louis Blues
- Rookie Dmen Jack Johnson vs. Erik Johnson
- Erik Ersberg in net
- This is the picture of Brad Boyes that was in my Kings Game Day email. Someone tell me why his head is so small... He can't be wearing his shoulder pads in this, so what's the deal??
Has anyone seen Super Mario Bros?? -
McDonald at 1:40. Umm...ok...nothing new I guess. I can't believe the three (3) Kings just stood there while the puck slid past them; but Ersberg just watched it too! That seemed way too easy.
- The Blues are dominating this period; they've spent a lot of the first 5 minutes in the Kings zone and are putting 2 Blues down low to create a wall in front of Ersberg.
- Kings PK - Ellis and JJ are in the box.
I heart my PK Beast; way to sacrifice the body!! The Kings watch the Blues not take too many shots on, but the Kings aren't able to clear the puck at all. Ellis comes out of the box and charges up the right-wing for a shorty, but Legace ain't no rookie.
- Halfway through the first - these are some
sloppy breakouts by the Kings from their zone. Bleh. But
I like that Ersberg doesn't let a lot of rebounds out in front of him. This is in stark contrast from what J.S. Aubin liked to do, which was let the puck rebound out far in front of him that gave the offensive player another opportunity for a shot on.- Hey,
Dallman! If you grow 5 inches, gain 20 pounds, and play hockey at an elite level, I might like you!
- Kings Goal -
Fro (20)!!!! Sully gets the loose puck on the left wing and skates over the blueline while looking around, makes the pass to Blake, and Legace is looking around and around and doesn't realize that Frolov had already gotten the puck past him!! (19:12)
2nd Period:- Kings PK - Very nice kill, very nice, boys.
- Kings Goal -
Brownie (29) gets the puck on the left side at the blueline and snaps it past Legace and that's it. Kings up 2-1 at 4:32. Sweet action.
- The Kings have been dominating this period, hands down. They've cleaned up their act and are actually getting the puck out of the defensive zone like a pro hockey team should be.
So this Erik Ersberg; staying squared to the shooter, gobbling up rebounds, snatching pucks out of mid air? I am impressed.- Blues Goal -
Tkachuk gets the puck in the neutral zone, goes high on the short side and it's tied up at 11:53.
- Wow, the Kings 4th line is providing the exact pressure they needed after the Blues tied it up. Giuliano and Ellis are cycling the puck well and actually get some chances at the net.
- Awesome =
Ivanans getting clean hits off all over the ice. Crappy =
Lubo getting hit and slow to get up.
- This was a great period compared to the first; it was fast-paced and the Kings were able to dominate the neutral zone at times. I thought the 4th line did a very good job of providing the support the top two lines needed. After seeing Ivanans out on the top line for a bit of the first period, I think he only got one or two chances in this period. But it seems like his play became more noticeable when he was with Kopi and Brownie just because he knew he couldn't just skate around looking for guys to throw around.
Side note: Willsie with Kopi and Brownie is no good.3rd Period:- Most eventful thing in the first 5 minutes is Erik Johnson getting some shrapnel to the face. He was able to skate off the off on his own, so he seems okay. The Blues are playing a little better in the first part of this period than they were in the 2nd. So the play between both teams seems more even than it was in the first 40 minutes.
- There are some great passes to the front of the net on two different plays, but Cammy and Brownie are unable to convert on both of their chances. They seem to have been a little too close to Legace which made for an awkward angle for them.
- Halfway through the period - The play from both teams is more wide open now; the plays are being broken up back and forth from both teams.
- Kings PK - This is the Kings' fourth penalty they have to kill; the Blues have taken no penalties at all. This is actually a rare sight to see brownie in the box (for elbowing no less).
Ellis is a pure grinder; he did a great job on his shift on this PK. I give this kill a B+.
- Blues Goal -
Ryan Johnson takes full advantage of a broken play at the Kings blueline. The puck trickles through the legs of Ersberg and the Blues are up 3-2 at 13:06.
- 4:25 left on the clock - Brownie just completely upends McKee up over the Blues bench and McKee is out of the play. That was awesome.
- Kings PP - This is the first power play for the Kings with 2:09 left in the game. Blake gets his stick snapped and the Kings are up 2 men!!!
- After a whistle with less than a minute to go, Blues
Brewer goes after
Brownie for something, but, really, Brewer was the one that was punching Brownie on the back of the head before that whistle!
But what pissed me off was that Brewer tried to grab at Lubo when the ref was taking him off! What the fuck did Lubo do to you, you ass?!?! Don't touch my point man!- Brownie gets 2 minutes for high sticking and 5 for fighting, and the Kings are only up 4 to 3 now. The Kings were only able to get 2 shots on in the last 40 seconds and the Blues come out the victors.
Game:- Kings 2, Blues 3 (Shots on were 32-31)
- I've resigned myself to the fact that the Kings are just gonna lose and keep losing. But that doesn't mean I can't take positives out of the remaining games:
- Handzus won 5 faceoffs and lost only 1! Has that ever happened before??
- I enjoyed seeing Ivanans in a different role tonight by being put on a line with Kopi and Brownie.
- Ellis has shown why the Kings plucked him off waivers, but, Steph, he won't be my favorite on the PK. That role belongs to Jeff Giuliano. =)
- Ersberg impressed me with his puck control between the pipes. I actually hope that Cloutier becomes his backup while Barbs recovers.
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