Wild VS Kings 10-8 GDT

timotheuzi wrote:

no ways demo would've been in that spot, lolwat u lewze

Let me know when Havlat has a 90 point season . Not that it matters or anything, I did say Havlat is better, but its not like Havlat is a superstar and Demo is a scrub. Havlat is a PPG player and Demitra is still capable of putting up 70. I just still have a problem with most of the Wild fans who seem to blame Demo for not winning a playoff series and were ecstatic to see him go and be replaced by much worse players in Nolan, Brunette, and Missthenetagain.

And this game is just like what I used to say on the old boards, if Harding lets in a goal early he usually lets the team down in the end. That being said, only 3 of the goals were relatively saveable for an average back-up like himself. The only positives I saw were Pouliot getting off Scott's line and Sheppard continuing to assert himself into the play, if Shep continues to play well they might consider him the #2 center moving forward and address their need for top-6 wingers. Frolov may like LA but hes on their 3rd line, CF can offer him as much money with a first line role in the offseason, and would improve this team.

lolwat wrote:

timotheuzi wrote:

no ways demo would've been in that spot, lolwat u lewze

Let me know when Havlat has a 90 point season . Not that it matters or anything, I did say Havlat is better, but its not like Havlat is a superstar and Demo is a scrub. Havlat is a PPG player and Demitra is still capable of putting up 70. I just still have a problem with most of the Wild fans who seem to blame Demo for not winning a playoff series and were ecstatic to see him go and be replaced by much worse players in Nolan, Brunette, and Missthenetagain.

And this game is just like what I used to say on the old boards, if Harding lets in a goal early he usually lets the team down in the end. That being said, only 3 of the goals were relatively saveable for an average back-up like himself. The only positives I saw were Pouliot getting off Scott's line and Sheppard continuing to assert himself into the play, if Shep continues to play well they might consider him the #2 center moving forward and address their need for top-6 wingers. Frolov may like LA but hes on their 3rd line, CF can offer him as much money with a first line role in the offseason, and would improve this team.

Havlat and Demo are perfectly comparable. I agree with that.

Harding did not cost us the game and I don't see anyone suggesting that. Guys are learning to play offensive hockey. A lot of bad decisions, but it is understandable. It's sad that most of the guys were sick in preseason.

BP had a few hits, but he should do better.

Russo

Quote :

Los Angeles Kings 6, Wild 3

Posted on October 9th, 2009 – 12:43 AM
By Michael Russo

Maybe the Wild will learn its lesson this time. Can’t fall down by three goals every night in the NHL and expect to win.

Wild tried to make it a game again after falling behind by 3-0, then 4-1, but after Kim Johnsson scored in the third period to make it 4-3, the Kings reeled off a couple more goals on backup goalie Josh Harding to send the Wild off with a painful defeat to begin this five-game trip that now heads to San Jose.

Harding was not good tonight. He wasn ‘t alone, but he wasn’t good. As I mentioned on the blog earlier today, he’s known as a very nervous goalie when given a start, but he was pretty jittery when talking to us this morning. He so wanted to earn the management’s trust now that he’ll be given more starts, and he’s not stupid. He knows he’s being showcased.

But if he has too many more performances like this one, it might be easier trading him by hiding him than showcasing him.

Even in warmups, he just looked uneasy.

“It’s disappointing. I get an opportunity like that and I put that kind of performance out, it’s disappointing,” Harding said. “You’re a goalie. Stop the puck. It’s as easy as that, and I didn’t.”

Martin Havlat was a minus-3 in 3:07 of ice time in the first period. His first three shifts against resulted in goals against, including his first shift after [b]being benched for more than seven minutes.

Asked about Havlat, coach Todd Richards said, “There were just some guys that weren’t ready to show up. The way that the game went, it’s about doing the right things. You have to be committed to playing in your own zone, and we had some guys that just weren’t ready for that.”

I didn’t have time to hunt down Havlat after the game. Ill get him Friday. In the end, Petr Sykora actually got less ice time.

Defense partners Kim Johnsson and Nick Schultz, who both scored goals actually, were each minus-3 and Richards also seemed to criticize them. On Harding, Richards said, “He didn’t have a lot of help,” talking about the D.

The Kings send two guys to the net almost every time in the offensive zone. Richards said, “We talked about this being a team that goes to the net and we have to be strong out front of our net. They got two deflections with guys just standing there.”

I mentioned before the game the line to watch was Ryan Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. They combined for four goals and nine points. Young Drew Doughty was just awesome. The guy is a true star defenseman. Jack Johnson was very good, too.

Proving faceoffs mean nothing, hehe, Mikko Koivu won 15 of 25, Kyle Brodziak 8 of 10 and Eric Belanger 8 of 10. The Wild was again a mess on pinches, giving up a lot of odd-man rushes.

In a game like this, I probably should point out a single player, but Benoit Pouliot, one has to wonder how many more chances he’s going to get. Richards criticized his game against Anaheim this morning, and he was just terrific today. Two bad penalties and in my opinion, totally responsible for L.A.’s fourth goal — the winning goal.

First, he fails to check Wayne Simmonds after pulling up so hard, it’s amazing he didn’t strain a groin. Then, after Simmonds was allowed to swing the puck around the boards, Pouliot fails to check Michal Handzus in the slot. Handzus scored on that play.

He also took two careless penalties.

Heading to San Jose in the morning, and suddenly all those concerns masked by the comeback vs. Anaheim is back to the forefront. Talk to you Friday.

i fell asleep listening to it on the radio, what the fuck happened?!?!

ok after reading Russo, I can see what happened.

I fell asleep right after the Kimmy goal.

Our D did not look sharp at all last night and i guess it showed once again after i crashed. Surprisingly though, 2 d-men scored.

BP, I bet he doesn't make it through December.

Man i gotta say most of the kings goals were sloppy play, the BP moment Russo was talking about is just sad, he had a chance to stop the play when the shooter got the puck, he could have lunged forward and poke checked his stick, instead BP was trying to do that behind the guy not in front, almost as tho he was trying to spank him witm. If he had just lunged forward he could have gotten his stick in the way even after giving up 2 chances to already stop the play.

When you have a goalie who is nervous, you need to help him build confidence and the wild did not do that, this isn't on Harding the kid had no help what so ever.

Also as I have been saying, Shepp looked great, he needs to be on the 2nd line, i'd like to see something like
bruno (BP) Koivu Clutterbuck just to try BP for a period or so give him some actual first line time,
Havlat Shepp Sykora

and Burnsie is amazing, he is all over the place, he is getting better on D but is so good at keeping the puck in the zone and attacking the net, he keeps this up he's on the Olympic team.

I like Shep to. I'm not saying he's arrived, but I still think he's going to.

Sadly 2 years ago he (Burns) was a LOCK for the Olympic team. Last year has obviously made it doubtful now though.