Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Sucks 4; Kings 3 (OT)

I've really lost the heart to write anything about this team until they start winning again. Lest I be considered a bandwagoner, keep in mind that I still watch virtually every minute of every game. It's just so disappointing to see them play so poorly night after night. When you know that almost every penalty is going to inevitably lead to a goal by the opposition, it's very frustrating.

In the last two weeks they've been outplayed in every facet of the game. They're being outshot, they're being outworked, they're being outskilled, and it looks like they're skating uphill on every single shift. I fear that we're seeing yet another late season decline in which a team in good position plays its way right out of the playoffs, and it's worse this year with the unbalanced schedule. There is very little scoreboard watching. When you're losing, it's almost always against a team chasing you or that you're chasing.

Of course, I'll be back in front of the TV for the next game, suffering yet again. This was easier when it was the Angels. They play every day. It's tougher when every game means twice as much, and there's a longer period in between opportunities to rebound.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

11-1 in the last twelve, with eight of those games against the top ten in the country. Gophers are now tied for first (with Wisconsin and Denver) in the WCHA, though Denver has more problems than it appears, since the bulk of their tough series are still to come. In the last three weeks, they play at Minnesota, host North Dakota, and have a home-and-home against CC. Bucky and Goldy, meanwhile, have a lot of games against Duluth and Tech left.

Anonymous said...

I don't know alot about hockey but I've read in the local (L.A.) papers that Andy Murray's teams have frequently started the season well only to collapse down the stretch. Is there a flaw you can detect in coach Murray's approach?

Seitz said...

Not really. The 2000-2001 team was ten points out of a playoff spot in January and not only made the playoffs, but stunned J. Michael's Red Wings in the first round. I think last season it was just a matter of injuries taking their toll. The Kings have been very unlucky with injuries the last few seasons, setting the unofficial record for man games lost to injury last season. And contrary to what some think, I don't think that's do to not dressing a fighter. I think it's just dumb luck.

Anyway, if I were smart enough to identify something like that, hopefully the Kings' braintrust would have already done the same.

JMN, never bet against a Stastny. And I hear Kessel wasn't treated very well in his hometown.

Anonymous said...

See, you just need to come over to the DarkWing side. The Ducks have been improving lately, and rumor has it that they'll undergo a name change by next season (and not to LA Ducks of Anaheim).

Seitz said...

I'll stop watching hockey before I ever root for the ducks. Or the sharks.