Los Angeles Kings Fall To San Jose Sharks In Season Home Opener
Call it whatever shark-infested-reference catch-phrase you want: it was a blood-bath, it was a feeding frenzy, it was . . .
It was not good.
The Los Angeles Kings fell to the San Jose Sharks 4-0 in their regular season home opener at Staples Center.
Oct 8, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks right wing Adam Burish (37) and Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) prepare to face-off during the third period at Staples Center. The San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 8, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Stanley Cup Championship banner for the 2013-2014 season is presented at the Staples Center prior to the game between the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
On the night that featured a Stanley Cup celebration, and with a little help from Kings legends Rogie Vachon and Marcel Dionne, and a banner raising the Kings failed to show up. They were there for the celebrations, but during the game the Kings did not look like defending champs.
A loss is one thing, but no goals? No good boys. No good.
The Kings went 0-for-5 on the power-play, the Sharks were 1-for-4. The Kings five included a 5-on-3; two Sharks penalties occurring with less than two minutes left. Sharks goals were scored by Patrick Marleau – on the power-play, Matt Nieto, and two by Tommy Wingels.
The Kings played into all the haters expectations. They got blown out after celebrating a cup win, like they did to the Chicago Blackhawks after winning the Cup in 2012. The Kings looked like they were in hibernation mode: they don’t try, or perform during the regular season. There seemed to be no energy, just flat play: no one was driving to the net, almost all of the shots were outside shots, taken from the perimeter. The only noticeable time a Kings player drove to the net was during the second period when Kyle Clifford crashed into Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi knocking the net off it’s moorings.
Clifford attempted to get the team going halfway through the first as well, with a fight against the Sharks Mike Brown. Clifford got in more good shots, but as the two players grappled Brown was able to throw Clifford down onto the ice.
It’s a good thing the season is long, it will give the team time to pull back together. They’ve been to the top of the mountain, but now they are starting back at the bottom. Each season, has unique challenges, and each season similarly has unique keys to success. This season will be no different.
Kopitar and Gaborik were not themselves. Kopitar was hard to notice on the ice. His name was hardly mentioned, offensively or defensively. Gaborik played like he was mostly healthy, but that’s about it. After intercepting a pass in the second period from Joe Thornton, Gaborik skated out of the Kings zone to a partial breakaway, but his shot from near the circle dot resulted in a Niemi save, a big rebound and a Sharks clear.
Quick didn’t look magnificent, but at the same time he didn’t seem to have much help. Quick was taken out after 40 minutes, and replaced by backup goaltender Martin Jones. Quick stopped 23 of 27 shots, for an uncharacteristic .852 save percentage. Jones was perfect facing only 3 shots in the third period. On Matt Nieto’s goal, quick fumbled the puck behind the net, Mike Richards allowed Patrick Marleau to blow past him and cause a turnover, and Nieto was able to tap the puck into the empty net. It came 15 seconds after Wingles second goal with four minutes left in the second period.
Oct 8, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) lifts up the Stanley Cup prior to the game between the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Brayden McNabb made his debut in a Kings uniform, and he stood out. But not in a good way. McNabb’s skating weakness was exposed. The prime example came during the second period when he failed to cover Doughty. Doughty’s shot was blocked, and as Doughty stood flat-footed, a pass up toWingles set up a breakaway, and Wingles second goal of the game. McNabb and Doughty were both unable to catch Wingels. McNabb was out of position, and lack of speed failed to compensate for the positioning error.
Also note, Dustin Brown lifted the Cup during the pregame ceremony. Lifting the Cup before you win it, is a taboo hockey superstition. No one is supposed to lift the Cup until they win it. Technically Brown has already won the Cup. Very technically, Brown hasn’t won it this year. Hopefully it’s not a bad omen that hangs over the 2014-2015 season and the Kings run at becoming a dynasty.
After the first game of the regular season there’s time for analysis. Let’s not overreact. If we’re making comparisons, this is only Game 1 of a long playoff series. By the end of the series, the Kings will be in true form.
The Sharks and Kings close the regular season against one another on April 11th. If the trend between these two holds up, we know how that one will end.