Los Angeles Kings v St Louis Blues (Staples Center)
Time: 7.00 PM
TV: CBC, RDSI, NBC Sports Network, Prime
Enemy reading: St Louis Game Time
Previous series coverage: Preview | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5
Blues (projected) lineup:
Schwartz-Backes-Steen
Perron-Berglund-Oshie
McDonald-Sobotka-Stewart
Cracknell-Porter-Reaves
Pietrangelo-Bouwmeester
Shattenkirk-Leopold
Jackman-Polak
Elliott
Injured: Langenbrunner; Scratched: Grachev, Jaskin, Murray, Nichol, Tarasenko, Chorney, Cole, Hakanpaa, Russell, Woywitka
Kings (projected) lineup:
Brown-Kopitar-Williams
King-Richards-Carter
Penner-Stoll-Lewis
Clifford-Fraser-Toffoli
Regehr-Doughty
Muzzin-Voynov
Martinez-Scuderi
Quick
Injured: Mitchell, Greene; Scratched: Richardson, Nolan, the Manchester Monarchs
Game notes:
- Dustin Penner is playing well. Jonathan Quick is playing well. Alec Martinez is in. Tyler Toffoli is in. I don’t have anything to complain about? I’m so confused – what am I even supposed to write about? FREE BRAD RICHA- ehh…yeah, you know what, I don’t really care. Obviously the team wasn’t firing on all cylinders for most of last game, but I like the balance of this lineup, and I think Sutter should – and will – stick with it going forward. Except maybe:
- I don’t want to pile on Jake Muzzin (BECAUSE ALEX STEEN ALREADY DID IT FOR ME) but he had probably the worst game I’ve ever seen him play on Wednesday. And who knows how bad it would have gotten if Sutter hadn’t benched him for so long? We know he’s got a hell of a shot, but he’s getting the crap kicked out of him in his own end. I wouldn’t bet on Sutter swapping in Ellerby, but I also wouldn’t be terribly surprised about it.
- The penalty kill continues to be brutal, but, mercifully, the Kings are still limiting their dumb penalties, and the power play is still getting things done. Like I said, with these two teams so evenly matched at 5-on-5, special teams are critical.
- Prediction: Kings win, 3-2. Jaden Schwartz finally manages to break his stick like a big boy, and Jay Bouwmeester is like, “I don’t really see what the big fuss about the playoffs is all about.”
- KINGS IN SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIX.