It's tough to say what happens over the course of a game when it comes to the psyche of players. You don't want to say they aren't engaged or into the game, but sometimes it can look that way. Sometimes it can look as though they have checked out or given into an idea that there will be another game after this.
That seemed the case Monday when the Kings lost to the Ducks 4-3 after getting behind 4-1 on three second period goals.
The team looked exhausted. The sloppy play that has plagued them for two straight games continued. As did the undisciplined and unnecessary penalties that the Ducks were able to bury the Kings on.
The series has turned on three things in my opinion.
1. Penalties 2. Opposing forecheck 3. Lack of offense
All three of these go hand in hand, but a team can lose based on one alone. The Kings are staring at a trifecta right now, which is making these games incredibly difficult to watch.
The penalties. Oi vey the penalties.
While the Kings haven't necessarily granted the Ducks a lot of powerplays, they haven't killed the ones they've given them. They've also given them a remarkable amount of what you could call "Bad" penalties.
The Ducks are currently 5-for-16 in the series on the powerplay. That's really not a bad average of penalties per game. After all that's just over three penalties taken a game. Problem is that the Ducks are scoring on one of them. The powerplay has been like free money to the Ducks. They have pocketed a powerplay goal in every game except for Game 1 of the series. \
To cap it off, these haven't been penalties ala Mike Richards empty net hook to prevent Corey Perry from scoring in Game 3. These have been penalties of the offensive zone, after the whistle, and behind the play variety. Quick's groin shot to Perry in Game 2, Doughty's hooking on Perry in Game 3, the Williams slash call in Game 5 in the offensive zone. While none of these are particularly egregious in a vacuum or when viewed outside of the situation, when you factor in that the team can't get any sustained offensive pressure or control the opposing team on the powerplay they become magnified.
I'm not saying to completely stop taking penalties, that's basically impossible in this day and age, but either make them worth it or kill the freaking things! Anaheim has made a living on the PP with Getzlaf sliding down low behind the net and distributing the puck out high. They've also received a huge boost from Devante Smith-Pelley, who has been like a billboard of person in front of Quick at times. This is what happens though when you have two primary penalty killers like Robyn Regehr and Willie Mitchell out of the lineup. It's definitely not the entire reason, but it's a huge contributing factor.
How about the Ducks forecheck also? I know we are all sitting here lambasting the Kings for some remarkable bad possession right now, but the pressure from onrushing forwards has been immense. Once the Ducks get the lead they are content on sitting back and letting the Kings try and navigate a clogged neutral zone, but when they start they game they are pressing two forwards on King defenders at times. This increased pressure is causing fits on breakouts. They aren't sharp, they aren't clean, and they are becoming turnovers in dangerous areas. This is where that desperation factor comes in. The Kings aren't moving the pucks like it matters at the start of these games. They are moving it like it's the first period of Game 39 of the regular season. Credit Boudreau for not allowing the Kings to cleanly handle the puck out of their zone, it's something that has sort of evolved throughout the series.
One of the things that has bothered me from some fans is the idea that Quick needs to be better. That he should be stopping more of the Anaheim chances. There is a time and a place to bury a goaltender, but these games haven't been them. The Ducks have outworked the Kings on the forecheck and off the puck, and it has led to chances like this:
Traffic. Open weakside players. Open players in the slot. Traffic. Turnovers. Traffic. Did I mention traffic?
I'm never one to put things on a goaltender, but there have been much much deeper problems than goaltending in these games. If you want to look at base save percentages and say, "Oh my god .800 save percentage he needs to be better wow." That's not taking in the proper scope of these breakdowns.
And finally, the lack of offense.
Let's be real though, we've come to expect that this team is either feast or famine. There is no middle ground. It's either the first three games of the San Jose series, or the last four. Peaks and Valleys for scoring, and right now it's a valley. The bright side here is that the Kings DID get three past the next coming of Christ, AKA John Gibson. The shots have been up there, so you have to imagine that if you keep doing what you're doing the goals will come.
Seriously though, how many times can fans remember this year a game where the Kings outshot an opponent HEAVILY only to come away with an L or a bagel on the board. This team shoots from everywhere, they shoot from bad locations, good locations, every locations...I think I even saw Dustin Brown shoot from the bench once. This is why opposing goaltenders can look like world beaters, and opposing defenders can look like shot blocking masters. I think I'm going to do the math over the summer and see just on average how many more shots the Kings had blocked by opposing teams compared to others. I'm pretty sure it's going to be much more than the league average and the opposing team average but we'll see.
Hey. It's an elimination game now folks. Maybe the Kings will come out and play like it is one! We've been waiting for it since the San Jose series I'd say. We saw a glimpse of it in Periods 2 and 3 on Monday, and maybe now that the reality of going home if you lose tonight has sunk in they will play with a touch more urgency, create a few more good bounces for themselves, and work another Game 7.
Also, something to keep an eye on in terms of personnel...
#LAKings are taking the ice now for morning skate... Carter first out... Along with McNabb
— The Mayor John Hoven (@mayorNHL) May 14, 2014McNabb perhaps in his first game as a King? What a time for that.
Break out the antacids for this one tonight.
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