Kings lose 3-2
2-1 lead midway through the third and they get no points out of it.
The Kings have been right with the Ducks in three games over the past two weeks but haven't been able to pull them out at the end. Maybe that's just the difference between a young team trying to learn how to win and a Stanley Cup champion that knows how to win.
``Getting out to a lead is great but then it seems like we're just trying to hang on,'' Michael Cammalleri said. ``That's not a successful way to play. We want to be a team that goes for the jugular. That's why they're a championship team. That's the way we want to play.''
The Kings were outshot 23-13 after the first period. The Ducks dominated on faceoffs 38-21.
``They played harder in the third and they got the win again,'' Rob Blake said. ``I didn't think we battled hard enough in the third to pull out the victory like we did last night.''
Crawford talked about the team needing more of an edge late in the game to pull out these wins.
``If we're going to beat that team, we've got to make sure we get down in the dirt with them,'' Crawford said. ``We've got to make sure we finish checks and make sure we do the things that they do so effectively in order to play nasty against them.''
That was one of the reasons the Kings brought up the veteran Klemm. Here's what Crawford had to say on him: ``We knew we needed a bigger body in the lineup. Jon really helps us killing penalties. I thought he did a great job on the penalty kill tonight. He's good on being physical, finishing checks. I thought he played very well for us.''
On benching Nagy, Crawford said: ``He has to be better than he has been. We could have taken out a couple of other guys but he drew the short straw tonight.''
The Kings practice tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. then again on Tuesday before playing another game in San Jose on Wednesday.
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Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
Why doesn't Crawford just admit that he has no idea of who to play with who, in spite of all the time he's had to watch and evaluate these guys. If he'd just once accept responsibility for what's been going on out there on the ice, I'd have at least a little respect for him. I'm to the point, I just don't pay any attention to what he says anymore.
If Klemm is the answer to our needs, we're in deep deep trouble.
In all fairness to Crawfod, whom I hate, he's stuck to his line combinations lately without juggling them in the last two games.
Problem is that out lack of success is attributed to the teams poor play as much as the coaches ineptness.
Today, our forwards were not clicking well together. The pasees were aimed to the players skates instead of the sticks. Also our forwards never seemed to have any clear cut shots on goal. Most of our shots were either blocked or shot wide. Skilled snipers like O'Sullivan and Cammmalleri just didn't have any room to shoot accurately.
Our defense sucked again. So many turnovers and poor play. Lubo just allowed Getzlaf to dance around him like he was a toy doll.
Just awful teamwork.
I'm glad that Army didn't draw the short straw tonight. I thought he played his best games of the season.
We lose Frolov, so he sits Nagy and pulls up....Klemm?
A defenseman to play wing? How about the hot shot leading the team down there if you're going to lose two forwards...
Also...I saw Willsie, Armstrong, and I think it was Zeiler on the PP? Can't he just waive the PP if he's going to send those guys out there.
And playing cammy with ivanans and Zeiler was....Interesting for a while.
Kings had no heart in the third is what cost them that game but Crawford baffles me. Also on the PP can we put the point guys on the off wing once in a while so we get a one timer from the point? See Pronger for an example...although I hate to point in that direction for a good example...it's there.
It's becoming increasingly clear that this "rebuilding" season is really more of a "throw everything at the wall and keep what sticks for next year" season ..
there's clearly no "building" here ... nothing to "build" on ..
plenty of mud for the wall thought...plenty.
The team is just plain boring to watch now.
What really irritates me is that they know what they're doing wrong against these guys, and they keep on advertising about playing big against them. If you know how to beat them, then beat them. It is really that simple! I am.a hockey coach too, and from experience I can tell you that the games are a nightmare. Players can't develop any chemistry, because they're being moved every other shift. You have six defenseman who look like pansies out there. The sad thing is, all of our D can skate the puck out all the way to the other blue line. What does Crow make them do? Chip it out through the boards. Lately I've been showing my players kings game footage, and saying "this is how you shouldn't play hockey."
the first time they benched Nagy, I totally understood it. But Nagy had been playing well lately. One bad game with Frolov out and he rides a chair in the press box again? Terrible.
So i would like to know why i cant post, ive tried to regester 100 times?
WEll it seems i can now lol, anyways has anyone else noticed that johnson seems like he is having a hard time? He just sit behind the net? this has happen the last few games
Like I said a couple of weeks ago, the Kings need to develop an IDENTITY. They can not do that with one-year players. That is, they can't do it with the one-year players they currently have. They can develop an identity with players like Harrold, Piskula, Boyle, Brady Murray, Parse and Purcell up on the team playing together against real NHL talent. It is clear they are not going to trade for any miracle workers and the current team is not going to the playoffs. They can continue to develop an identity with draft picks they accumulate from trading current veterans.
So, lets get the kids up here and play for the future. Marketing plans be damned. Everyone knows the '08 and (especially)'09 draft pools are superior to last year's.
Brutal loss. You could see this coming when the Kings were playing not to lose in the 3rd.
I thought Blake played his best game of the year, as did Army. Unfortuntely, Lubo continues to play poorly. You really have to wonder what happened to this guy? He went from being a Norris trophy candidate, to being the worst defenseman on the team. I wonder whether you cut your losses with him and trade him while he has some value? Proably not, but if he plays the same next year, he'll have no value at all.
I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Handzus. He can't be as bad as looks, can he? And what's with the penalty? His only value is on the PK.
It's becoming clearer to me that Crawford isn't the "right" guy for this job. Why he picks Nagy out to sit to skate Klemm while the whole D-core continues to struggle is beyond my understanding. He's had 52 line combos in the last 7 games. While the duck coach just kept with the "game plan" and won the game, again. I'm not sure the is a game plan night in night out. He just waits to see who's skating well and plays them more. Weak, just weak.
Such a great first period for the Kings. Some of the best PK I've seen.
i'm still looking for 60 minutes of honest effort from these guys...
hell, i'll take 40 minutes at this point.
i thought the ducks outplayed them for 42-45 minutes of this game.
Calder > the rest of the team.
pathetic. [again]
Well we can think of it this way the normal MO is do ok for the first half and then lost it at the end, so maybe the reverse this year and make a run to get in the playoffs
Test
"Young team play like yo-yo"
Good sometimes, bad other times, get used to it.
I like Duck, ROAST DUCK!!
It's apparent that firing Andy Murray was a big mistake. Crawford's success in Colorado was due to the that teams talent depth. When you have guys like Sakic, Forsberg, Foote, Roy, chances are you are going to the playoffs.
He is too much of a pushover to coach young players (and veterans) who need a little kick in the pants, and he is not the best in-game tactician either..
I hate to say it but this team really needs a coach like Ken Hitchcock or dare I say, Mike Keenan.
Someone who can cut an edge into a team who right now doesn't scare anyone.
Well the MO for the team is to come out strong and then lose it in the second half of the year, so maybe that will be flipped this year and will make a nice run at the end and sneak in the playoffs
Fire Crow, save the season...
Scheduling us for 2 games in 24 hours (against the 2 best teams in the division t'boot) is just freaking pathetic NHL! Are we the only ones that pull that kind of gig?!! Most likely eh
the kings did fine in the first two periods when they were able to stop anaheim's passes through the neutral zone while still getting their own through. once they opened it up in the third and stopped cutting off anaheim's passes, it was only a matter of time. lesson for next time: in a close game like this one, you HAVE to play a tighter checking game for the whole length of the ice. you cannot withdraw into your own zone and just wait. otherwise, not a terrible game.
Maybe it's just me but I dno't completely buy the "two games in two nights is a huge detriment" argument.
Sure you just played but these guys are conditioned athletes and if they're playing strong they'll win the second one.
Every team does the back to back on the road and it wasn't a long flight in.
When are some of you guys going to get over Andy Murray, for crying out loud, the team tuned him out with all his little gizmos after 5 years of it. And I will say that most of you were asking for his head just like you're asking for Crawfords. Although I think the big thing that I haven't seen anyone mention is that HE seems not to have any chemistry with his players. And Blake having his "BEST" game of the year??? He was the guy that Getzlaf went around after Lubo caught an edge, he didn't just fall down and go boom. If any of you guys have skated at the old Forum you would know that the Kings do not have the best ice in the world and I don't imagine it has changed very much at Staples. Calling up Klemm instead of maybe Harrold I didn't understand. Maybe the organization would rather try and win the Calder instead of Stanley, but I truly doubt that. You can stick a fork in "Z" he's ECHL material, Why is Dallman just riding along?? Why is JMFJ still with Modry?? Why isn't Lubo being played on his proper side??? Why isn't Blake benched?? Oh man I could go on and on. Just remember we have the next game to look forward to. OH, I don't care what the front office says, they screwed up again when they didn't pickup Bryz and I don't want to hear "CAN'T" There's always a way. I think he's gone 4-0 for them.
Dan H, it was WITHIN 24 hours that we played 2 games. Yeah they're professional athletes but they are also human beings. Have you ever played 2 NHL games within 24 hours?? Oh wait nobody has...except us!
John Zeiler is that you?
The "we" part is what makes me wonder what player you are on the Kings. Every team in the league plays back to back games on the road. Sometimes the flights are longer than the 2 hours from Dallas to LAX too.
Not saying it wasn't a gift to the Ducks in a way but the Kings have lost plenty of games to teams playing their second in 24 hours after playing in Anaheim the night before.