Kings-Red Wings Preview: Underlying Numbers
by Niesy on Dec 17, 2011 12:00 PM PST
in Game Previews
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PrintSince we last met the Detroit Red Wings...
INJURED: Patrick Eaves (jaw), Jan Mursak (ankle), Chris Conner (fractured hand); for the Kings, Mitchell (groin) and Mike Richards (concussion).
SCRATCHED: Mike Commodore; Andrei Loktionov, Slava Voynov. John Stevens hates the Red Menace!
Possible lines:
Franzen-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi
Filppula-Zetterberg-Hudler
Cleary-Helm-Miller
Emmerton-Abdelkader-Holmstrom
Lidstrom-White
Kronwall-Stuart
Kindl-Ericsson
In net: Jimmy Howard
Gagne-Kopitar-Brown
Penner-Stoll-Williams
Richardson-Lewis-Hunter
Clifford-Fraser-Westgarth
Scuderi-Doughty
Johnson-Martinez
Drewiske-Greene
Jonathan Quick
Game Outlook: Sorry, I'm not enthused by the idea of Hunter. He does take a hell of a lot of shots once he crosses the blue line, though. (This is Hunter's cue to score tonight.)
The Red Wings have rebounded from their slow start. As I pointed out before their last meeting in November, they were still a strong possession team. Worries about their skill were unfounded. Pavel Datsyuk has also rebounded nicely, and now leads the team with 32 points.
If anyone ever doubted Datsyuk's ability to do so, go take a long look in the mirror and then slap yourself. Five times if you're a Wings fan. Hmph.
As for the Kings, I wish I could predict a Detroit-like rebound. The best I can say right now is that they're a middling team going through a rough patch. The most terrible shooting luck in the league is balanced out by solid goaltending and defense. If their shooting percentage corrects, as it should, they are more likely to become a playoff team than a division leader.
At least they have something to build on after battling back in the third in Columbus.
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Don't want to get carried away
To eek out a win today would not only be a confidence builder it could be the turning point of the season.
Of course the Kings never make anything easy, so I am bracing for another “good compete” story line but remain the always hopeful, long suffering Kings fan.
Imagine, four decades of this…very sick!
Are Teemu Selanne and Melanie Griffith Twins?
To eek out a win today would not only be a confidence builder it could be the turning point of the season.
I said pretty much the same thing when I wrote out the game thread for tonight at WIIM.
This game scares me.
by J.J. from Kansas on Dec 17, 2011 12:16 PM PST up reply actions
It shouldn't.
Unfortunately for us Kings’ fans, the 2 goal offensive ceiling won’t be threatened playing against Jimmy and the rest of your boys. But it won’t stop me from dreaming.
by SCSF on Dec 17, 2011 12:44 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
If there’s a team against which an organization is going to try and prove that they can score goals and put together a full team effort, it’s going to be a Detroit, Vancouver, Chicago, Pittsburgh, or Boston.
I’m expecting Los Angeles to play much closer to expectations tonight than they have recently. If they win tonight, they can use it as a stepping-off point to start clawing their way back into playoff contention. A loss sets them back.
Really, I’m worried about what this game is going to tell me about Detroit’s killer instinct.
by J.J. from Kansas on Dec 17, 2011 1:09 PM PST up reply actions
He does take a hell of a lot of shots once he crosses the blue line, though.
Interestingly enough, Hunter is last among forwards in average shot distance at 40.5 feet.
Where in the world did you find a stat like like!??!
Hunter is interesting in a weird sort of way, he doesn’t look to bad but he never seems to get much done.
Are Teemu Selanne and Melanie Griffith Twins?
I’m always pleased when my percptions match up to reality like that.
Shot mentality.
Dinglebarnin' It JftC
by Niesy on Dec 17, 2011 2:46 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
any idea why they stopped updating gvt and where one can find updated gvt stats (other than puck prospectus which just does the top ten articles)? Also why has http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/ stopped updating?
Free Marc-André Cliche.
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