I am so over the lack of respect the press shows the Kings. In fairness, some are coming around since the Canadian Press entitled their game story, “Royally Crowned”. That article can be read here:
TSN’s Game Take
The Calgary Sun assumed this season’s trend of disrespecting the Kings, in their post game article when the term “cellar dweller” came up. Read that here:
King-Sized Stinker
Keenan had this to say about his team in this quote from the Sun article
“We didn't play with any level of preparation at the start of the game," Keenan said. "We tried to get it during the game, which is too late. The league is too competitive when we try to do that."
Last time I checked, one of a coach’s primary job duties is getting his troops ready to play… ya think?!! Apparently, Iron Mike delegates that responsibility to his players. Oops. In a coaching grade of the game, I give Crawford an “A” for the day. Despite being home for the first time in 22 days, and despite a statistical showing that first home games after long road trips tend to go poorly, Crawford got his team ready with one of their harder pre-game skates and a win in front of a sell-out appreciative crowd.
In an interesting sub-plot, despite the Kings last place showing, the Maple Leafs have now entered the “Steve Stamkos Sweepstakes” only two points out of last place or the Kings’ new home this year…ouch! Time to ask yourselves, which is more important? Being 1st overall or working towards credibility. That is a debate being waged most of this season.
Los Angeles’ prior propensity was to allow the first goal and play catch-up. With their new found success, or 10-5-1 in their last 16 games, the Kings got out early and scored first with Dallman’s first goal of the year. More than once this season, I lamented Los Angeles’ opponents being far too generous and gifting players their first goal of the year. Eric Johnson and Bobby Ryan come to mind for starters. Saturday, the Flames felt just that generous and made it possible for both Dallman and Purcell to score their first of the year and as to the six game NHL veteran, his first ever…yeah!
Saturday’s lines looked liked this:
Brown – Kopitar – O’Sullivan
Frolov – Armstrong – Boyle
Calder- Handzus – Purcell
Ivanans – Giuliano – Willsie
The third line started the first and last period. In a little discussed piece of trivia, unless the Kings open a period in either a penalty kill or power play situation, Crawford opens each period with whomever he starts the game.
Saturday’s victory gave me far more questions about the opposing coach. When the Flames went on a tear earlier this year, one of the triggers was a line combination Iginla put together, that being: Huselius, Langkow and Iginla. Keenan apparently stopped listening. This year’s biggest Kings’ killer is Langkow who scored eight goals in his prior three Kings’ games. Saturday, he added another in the first period on the very same line which has proved so successful.
Despite history and statistical positives, Keenan was the guy who shook things up breaking up that line and instead reinstating his prior first line of Tanguay, Conroy and Iginla. This mix worked for Conroy who was one of the few Flames who was uniquely motivated since Crawford’s Kings had no place for Conroy. This center only gave four hits, 65% face-off success and one of the +/- positives as an even player despite the fact the Flames fell victim to the surging home team.
Perhaps Keenan was showcasing Tanguay? Either way, the most I noticed that trade bait was when he took exception to Johnson shadowing him which erupted into a mini melee between the two late in the game. I doubt this was what Keenan had in mind as Tanguay’s most memorable moment... Double ouch!
The first period was memorable for Purcell and Dallman’s first. Both teams also played too wide open for my comfort level. The first 20 minutes Saturday could easily have also been named ‘defense optional’... triple ouch!
Starting the second, one might think that Keenan got far more through to his team than Crawford since the Flames started stronger and dominated the first four minutes. The problem is the Kings answered with a short handed goal on their first shot of the period at 4:14 from a two on one between Handzus and O’Sullivan with the latter connecting. That shorty proved to be the game winner.
After the Kings’ fifth goal of the night, my eyes went immediately to the Flames bench. At that point, Kiprusoff had given up 5 goals on 14 shots or a 36% save percentage... yikes! I found myself asking was Kiprusoff’s save % and wins-losses this year because his game is less than his best; or in the alternative, are the Flames’ overall playing worse defensively under Keenan? That ugly debate thankfully is for Calgarians to ponder and not Kings’ fans....yeah!
The most Calgary came back resulted from a power play opportunity in the third. In fairness, the Flames dominated the third out-shooting the Kings 15 to 5. LaBarbera finished what his teammates started with a “W” for the Kings.
Purcell Post-Game:
Purcell described his first NHL goal as follows to the Daily News’ Matthew Kredell:
“It's pretty special. I got a little stint of five games last month and had some opportunities, hit the post. To get a good pass by Calder in the slot tonight and bury it was really nice. It's a little weight lifted off my shoulders and a little less pressure, so it's nice to get that out of the way.''
Full post-game interviews can be read here:
Daily News Post Game Interviews
Derek Armstrong Post-Game:
“It was just we been working hard y’know obviously. The four lines played well tonight. Our D, trying to get pucks to the net. Kiprusoff was such a good goalie and so steady, trying to get pucks in on net. I scored on my son Easton’s birthday and my son, Dawson, his birthday was today, and he wanted a goal for his birthday. That is more pressure than anything coming from your kids.”
“We are trying to grow as a young team. We are not sitting in the place we are supposed to be. Our fans continue to be patient with us. Especially against Calgary, we matched their intensity. We scored more goals than them. We got the luckier bounces tonight. They beat us the last six games. We were trying to get pucks to him (Kiprosoff), trying to create a lot of havoc. A win is a win.”
Family Affair:
The game’s first Star of the Game, Alexander Frolov, could also have been named the first brother considering his brother, Sergei, was in attendance watching his first NHL game. Afterwards, he could be spotted getting his Frolov jersey autographed by the team. *Sweet*
Question of the Day:
Saturday also had a Pacific Division tilt between the Ducks and the Stars. The latter came out on top to the delight of the home crowd. The thing is, as much as I loathe the Ducks, I think for this year and this year only, I need to be rooting for all opponents against the Stars since the Kings have their 1st round pick – begrudgingly even if that helps the dreaded Ducks. Anyone want to join me?
Carla Muller Carla.hockeygal@att.net 
Carla Muller
Flames Latest Victim of Cellar Dweller Kings 
