Kings At Canucks Preview: The Unforgiven

Time	7:00 PM PST	TV	SNP
H2H Last 5	2-0 Kings	Last Meeting	3-2 Kings Jan.01/15
The Enemy	Jewels From The Crown	Scoring Leaders	H. Sedin: 15-45-60 Carter: 23-28-51

OH DEAR

And now, an even bigger challenge for the Canucks. The Kings are not yet holding a playoff spot, but once again (yeesh!) they are making a late-season resurgence, going 11-3-1 in their last 15 games. The Canucks are 9-5-1 in their last 15, comparatively. Wilie D knows:

“They have the ability that when it’s time to play hard, they can play hard and just elevate their game, and I think they seem to do that,” Desjardins said. “They go through, and then all of a sudden when it’s time to win, they pick up their game and play hard. That’s where they’re at now. Like, you heard in the Stadium Series, they made the comments like ‘we have to get back to our game,’ or right after that, and I don’t know what they won, like six or seven in a row. They’re playing well again now and they’re making a push to the playoffs just like they do every year.”

While the Kings are without Tanner Pearson and Alec Martinez, the Canucks are still missing 5 core players, if you can count Yannick Weber as a core player. Sure, why the hell not. So the Kings are healthier.

They are the more desperate team as well. There is a strange thang with these damned LA bastards. It's as though it is inevitable that they will make the playoffs. The Canucks are getting huge performances by Eddie Lack lately and that is terrific to see. Without a Jesus Lack the Canucks won't win many games. That's how good Vancouver goalies have to be. And really, while the defensive effort against the Ducks was better than the Sharks game, it's still not good enough. But I applaud the improvement, just to keep Twitchy2010 from losing his shit. Here's a downer though, so you rose-colored glasses-wearing toolboxes can come back to life:

5 on 5

Out of the top 10 teams in the NHL with 5 on 5, the Kings, who are 8th in that category, are the only team currently not in a playoff spot. Now, I like and HATE posting stats on these previews but the one that matters most to me is 5 on 5 winning percentage. I did a study on it once and lost it. The dog ate it. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it proved that way way way way way more often than not, teams that were good 5 on 5 in the regular season went on to win the Stanley Cup. Yea dudes, it's biblical, I swear. The refs put their damned whistles away in the playoffs so you had better kick ass 5 on 5. LA does that. And I do fucking hate them.

PROJECTED ROSTERS:

For da Canucks! Ronaldssssssssss Keninsssssssssss is BACK, baby! That means Brandon McMillan is out. It does not look like any injured Canucks are coming out of the medic tents to return to battle. Some, like Brad Richardson are close.

Let's take a detailed look at what is the sack of shit roster that is the LA Kings:

LW	C	RW
Marian Gaborik	Anze Kopitar	Dwight King
Trevor Lewis	Jeff Carter	Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford	Nick Shore	Dustin Brown
Jordan Nolan	Jarret Stoll	Justin Williams

Defensive Pairings
Robyn Regehr	Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin	Matt Greene
Brayden McNabb	Andrej Sekera

At what point did these dicks find gold mines like Jordan Nolan, Tyler Toffoli, Dwight King, Jake Muzzin? I am in too much of a hurry to look it up. Anyway, the Kings are in good hands and are doing a hell of a job. The salary cap keeps them at bay.....yet they kick ass in roster depth.  A plague of VD's upon their households. Not the kids though. Think of the children.

Canucks	CATEGORY	Kings
38-24-4	SEASON RECORD	32-21-3
80	Points	77
6th	Conference Position	9th
Won 2	Streak	Won 1
6-3-1	Last 10 Games	6-3-1
0.98 (20)	5 on 5	1.15 (8)
17.8 (19)	Power Play %	18.2 (14)
85.8 (4)	Penalty Kill %	81.3 (17)
47.6 (27)	Faceoff Winning %	51.3 (12)
76.7 (7)	Winning % When Scoring First	68.8 (14)

TRENDS via Covers.com

• Kings are 7-2 in their last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.
• Kings are 6-2 in their last 8 road games.
• Kings are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. Western Conference.
• Kings are 7-3 in their last 10 Thursday games.
• Canucks are 4-0 in their last 4 games playing on 2 days rest.
• Canucks are 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
• Canucks are 5-1 in their last 6 home games.
• Canucks are 2-5 in their last 7 Thursday games.
• Canucks are 2-7 in their last 9 vs. Pacific.
• ZANY LINE: Kings are 7-3 in their last 10 vs Vancouver. They are 6-1 in their last 7 against the Nucks.
  

In other words: tall task for our Canuckleheads. An all-round team effort and win here would be HUGE.

QUOTED

"They’re not in ninth," he said. "The last 10 games or 12 games, I bet you they’re in the top five or six in the league."

-Willie D on the Kings

“I think the emotion’s high. I mean, we’ve had a pretty good rivalry with these guys for a few years now, and I think everyone makes sure they come to play and the emotion level’s there, too.”

“I don’t think anyone likes each other out there. It’s always a hard game. There’s a lot of chirping going on and a lot of physical stuff, so it’s always fun to be a part of those games.”

-Trevor Lewis

VIDEO

Dustin Brown......we never gouged out your intestines for this yet (because you are a chicken shit piece of crap):

Know what annoys me more than the hit (loved the hit, hated seeing Hank get hurt)? Listen to that fucking play by play guy analyzing the hell out of the hit itself on whether or not it's legal or not...STFU! The hit was gold..if you're a Kings fan and even if you're a fan of huge hits in hockey. My other annoyance is that no Canuck came to Hank's defence. I'm sorry, but a headlock or facewash is NOT DEFENCE. Unleash the Kassassin! ?

Golden oldie: Luongo robs Smyth:

Miss ya, Louie!

The title of this preview has been brought to you by Metallica.... I mean, the harp-playing twins, Camille and Kennerly:

Those girls are awesome. Down to earth too. They will talk music and technique with you and also they respond to their commenters. Keep it up, ladies!

COCONUTS!! FU KINGS!!