It's not going to happen folks.
Martin Jones will not start Game 3.
I heard the twitter outcry as opposing fans made a mockery of No. 32, and home fans questioned whether or not he should start Game 3. The answer, however, is simple:
Of course you start him.
When you look at the drubbing the Kings took in game two, a second consecutive drubbing by a San Jose offense that just can't seemed to be stopped right now, Quick had very little to do with the goals against.
The Sharks have blasted through the Kings defense like a flamethrower through a paper sack in the first two games. Outside of the first goal of Game 1, in which Quick completely lost track of the puck, the majority of goals have been major defensive breakdowns exposing the speed (or lack thereof) of the Kings defense.
Goalies are often the first for the accolades, but also the first to be blamed most times.
They are the last line of defense and the often first line of criticism.
While Darryl Sutter mentioned after Game 1 that he probably could have pulled Quick sooner, he rightfully backed his goaltender after last night.
On Jonathan Quick’s performance: I thought he was fine tonight. He’ll tell you that he struggled in the first game.
It's not a grandstanding defense but it's a nod from Sutter, a man who rarely tips his hand.
It's easy to throw this one on Quick. You look at the scorelines and say, "Wow 13 goals in two games, Quick must be terrible." It's a box score watchers way of rating goaltenders. In my mind there are more concerning issues at hand.
The Kings bottom lines have been completely overwhelmed by the play of the Sharks bottom lines. The combinations of Richards, Lewis, and Stoll are currently being bested by James Sheppard and Desjardins. The Sharks 3rd line of Sheppard, Hertl, and Wingels have been a handful and the Kings need to find a way to contain them without giving up coverage on the top two Shark lines. It seems like a tall order for the moment.
And defensively. Oi vey defensively. I feel like the Sharks 6th goal was a perfect example of what has been happening. There was so much wrong in so little time.
Nieto blows by Voynov. Regehr halfsies moving over to cover Nieto, and Couture is given free reign of the center of the ice.
Five Kings in the frame. Two Sharks.
It is these kind of breakdowns that are plaguing the Kings. Backcheckers not paying attention. Defenders getting beat one on one and putting a strain on partners. Sharks exploiting the weaknesses and taking the opportunities. Bad line changes. D-zone turnovers.
It hasn't been isolated either.
Here is a screen grab from the 4th goal in Game 2.
The Kings are getting destroyed on the rush. The speed of the Sharks forwards is causing extreme problems for the likes of Regehr, Mitchell, and Greene.
It's not just defenseman either. The forwards are guilty as well. Here is the first goal for the Sharks in Game 2. It was a turnover on the halfwall by the Kings D, also notice Toffoli leaving the zone fairly early in an attempt to break up ice.
Small details like this make big differences. It's these mental mistakes that have turned this series into a rout.
Bad line change leads to goal No. 2 in Game 1.
Two defenders playing the carrier leaving the eventual goal scorer alone for a tap in on goal No. 3 in Game one.
It's happening over, and over, and over again, and it has very little to do with Jonathan Quick. Obviously breakdowns will happen and you would like for your goalie to come up with a big save to bail his teammates out from time to time. When it is happening this often and being exploited this frequently though, it's hard to sit down and say that Jonathan Quick is the problem.
At the end of the day he's the franchise goalie, and you start him in Game 3. Jones would have fared no better in these games thus far and anyone who feels differently should step back and take a look at how poorly the team in front of him have played.
A pivotal Game 3 will take place at Staples Center on Tuesday. Hopefully the Kings can make Staples into a bastion for this series, because their road form has looked nothing short of abysmal to this point.
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- Side bar, this spearing garbage is ridiculous so far. First Lucic, then Perry, and now Mike Richards. It's a garbage play and it shouldn't happen. No matter the frustrations in the game, there is no reason to do what Mike Richards did. It wasn't going to make the score not 7-2. Play the game the right way. I just had to get that one out there. Controlling your emotions is part of the game, and you can't let it get the best of you.
End of story.
- Also, if you are looking for an opposing view on things. head over to my colleague Ryan Leong's neck of the woods Try and be respectful in that comment section if you plan on going in there. Don't be a troll. No one likes a troll.
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