The Throne Room

Avoiding the Letdown Game

I said after last Saturday’s win in Detroit that the Kings had to be careful to avoid the classic letdown game. With it’s next two games against teams currently headed nowhere fast, it’s always a possibility that after beating Detroit the Kings would expect two points just for showing up in Toronto and Columbus. After staving off slippery slope #1 in Toronto Tuesday night, the Kings pummeled Columbus 4-1 on Thursday to improve to 3-0 on the current road trip.

The game saw Anze Kopitar get his 100th and 101st goals in a King uniform as well as an outstanding performance by Jon Quick, who for all intents and purposes deserved a shutout. Two Sean O’Donnell mistakes, starting with a turnover in the defensive zone and culminating with O’Donnell putting the puck in his own net after Antoine Vermette’s shot glanced off the mask of Quick, put an end to the shutout bid. I said in many places last night that O’Donnell should buy Quick a new Rolex and a steak dinner for singlehandedly blowing the shutout for him.

Given his recent performance, I would be inclined to sit O’Donnell for a couple of games. He appears to be getting tired and the number of mistakes he’s making on the ice appears to be improving. Perhaps some rest would do him good. One problem with that - Jack Johnson left last night’s game in the second period with an upper body (arm) injury. Johnson was reported by Rich Hammond as skating in practice today, but his status is unknown until tomorrow’s morning skate. Either Randy Jones, or Davis Drewiske who has been cleared to play could take Johnson’s place in the lineup.

Next, it’s on to Boston and a shot at a season sweep of the Bruins. Boston hasn’t been playing good hockey lately, but they may get playmaker Marc Savard back from injury in time for tomorrow’s game, likely another matchup of U.S. Olympic teammates in goal, Jon Quick and Tim Thomas. After that it’s an afternoon tilt in New Jersey against the Devils. While I’d take neither game for granted, the Kings have won their last two games against Boston, and won handily last season at the Prudential Center against the Devils. A strong finish to this road trip would help put the Kings in solid playoff position going into the Olympic break in just over two weeks.

Go Kings!

-JS