If Quick plays, Kings swept in 4

[gretzky99]

I'll be the first to say that Jonathan Quick played beyond expectations this year and is one of the main reasons the Kings even made the playoffs.

That being said, he can't stop a beach ball right now and the Kings are out in 4 if he plays. The Kings have totally outplayed their opponents in the last four games (3 at home) and Quick looked terrible in all four (getting pulled in one). The only game the Kings won was the game he was pulled.

Tonight the Kings put 50+ shots on the Oilers and gave up only 17. Quick totally whiffed on a fluttering shot to give up a shorthanded goal to put the Kings down 3-0. The Kings then scored 3 goals in the final 10 minutes to send the game to OT and then a shootout.

In the shootout, Quick was beated decisively by two shooters to chalk up another SOL. The second goal was particularly heinous as one could have driven a bus through the five hole.

The Kings have the player of the year in the AHL that played three games in LA this year and won all three with a goals against average of just over 1. But the Kings will ride their overplayed "#1" to exit the playoffs in four straight - not unlike the Thrashers and Blue Jackets that were also swept after finally making the playoffs after a long drought.

Neither the Jackets or Thrashers made the playoffs the next year - hopefully the same fate does not await the Kings.

[CSSports]

I Believe.......

Terry Murray has said he will stick with Quick....He may even play today as Murray wants the #5 spot. He will get out of this funk....Hopefully by today!!!!

I agree Quick is not all about the 39 wins he has....his GAA and Save% isnt that good - He has had support all season but now that the Kings have only scored something like 13 goals in the last 8 games he has played, it is showing he cant win games for the team.....

Take out the 4 shootouts they have played in the last 6 games and play a full 20 min OT game instead and it may be a different story

Here are the scenerios for today

IF THE KINGS EARN TWO POINTS
…and Chicago beats Detroit, either in regulation or overtime/shootout, the Kings will be No. 5 and play Phoenix.
…and Detroit beats Chicago, either in regulation or overtime/shootout, the Kings will be No. 6 and play Vancouver.

IF THE KINGS EARN ONE POINT
…and Chicago beats Detroit in regulation, the Kings will be No. 6 and play Vancouver.
…and Chicago beats Detroit in overtime/shootout, the Kings will be No. 7 and play San Jose.
…and Detroit beats Chicago, either in regulation or overtime/shootout, the Kings will be No. 7 and play Chicago.

IF THE KINGS EARN ZERO POINTS
…and Chicago beats Detroit, either in regulation or overtime/shootout, the Kings will be No. 7 and play San Jose.
…and Detroit beats Chicago, either in regulation or overtime/shootout, the Kings will be No. 7 and play Chicago.

Whatever the case, I just dont want to play Chicago in the first round - 2nd is ok....

[gretzky99]

the problem is that both Ersberg and Bernier have played during Quick's 8-game losing streak and both of them won games.
if Murray is going to stick with Quick then he should play Quick today to try and shake this slump.

it's not that i don't think Quick isn't a good goalie, but he's struggling right now and struggling goalies = early exits.

[LeafsNationUS]

Not that teams would ever admit to wanting a specific matchup, but I would think that the Kings would prefer to face San Jose in the first round. They have a tradition of playoff failure, and they've played pretty poorly since the Olympics.

I absolutely agree regarding facing Chicago, it would be very bad news for LA.

[cnshockey]

oh joy...so now we play vancouver and the top point scorer in the nhl. Hopefully we can shellac them like we did with that 8-3 beating not long ago.

also, I've lost a bit of faith in quick too. TM is an idiot. Quick is fatigued.

[waf]

Not that teams would ever admit to wanting a specific matchup, but I would think that the Kings would prefer to face San Jose in the first round. They have a tradition of playoff failure, and they've played pretty poorly since the Olympics.

I absolutely agree regarding facing Chicago, it would be very bad news for LA.

SJ may have a history of early playoff exits but going 8-1-1 in the last 10 is not playing poorly

[gretzky99]

wish we were getting Phoenix as i think they won't go far. just have to hope Luongo doesn't play well for the Kings to have any chance at all.

[Drifter2000]

I dunno much about how many games Quick has played before (too lazy to look) but maybe he's getting tired? The same thing seems to be happening to Craig Anderson in Colorado. If a goalie isn't used to playing so many games, it can be tiring.

Or I could be totally off base and he's just going through a slump at the wrong time.

[Phoenix]

Ersberg.

[gretzky99]

the Kings have made multiple mistakes with their goaltending this year.

1. they didn't get a backup they could trust when ersberg struggled. they should have made a move for Biron or one of the other goaltenders that moved at the deadline (mcelhenny, toskala, etc.)

2. because of that Quick played way too much

3. they should have called up Bernier after the trade deadline when they decided not to go get a goalie or use Ersberg.

4. when they finally did call Bernier up and he played well they should have kept him up and tried to send Ersberg down. someone might have claimed Ersberg but he's not going to be a King next year anyway.

now the Kings are stuck with a starter that is struggling and a backup that hasn't played much. not a good situation to have going into the playoffs.