So Tired but So (almost) Worth It

by Anne

As my secondary and tertiary teams both reside on the Western coast of North America, whenever they have home games they usually start around 10:00 or 10:30 pm EST. This stinks. Usually I fall asleep before the game is over or I watch the whole thing and am cranky the next day.

However, in Buffalo State College's infinite wisdom, we had the day off today. Buff State really really loves days off. Therefore I was able to stay up and watch the entire Kings/Thrashers game and it was totally worth it.

Things did not start out so hot. The Kings were quickly down 3-0 only eight minutes into the game and Jonathan Quick was pulled. It was his eleventh straight start, I'm thinking he might've been a little fatigued. I was about to pack it in when they scored to make it 3-1. Unfortunately the Thrashers answered right back and made it 4-1. Just when you thought it was over, those scrappy little Kings made it 4-2 and it was only the end of the first.

These Kings have a tendency to find ways to score so once I made it through the first period I was hooked.

Fast forward to just over three minutes into the 3rd and its 6-3, Thrashers on top. Last season, the Kings are toast. Heck, most teams are toast when down three goals at the beginning of the third.

Anze Kopitar scored the Kings 4th goal with 12:30 left, Denis Gauthier (ew) scored goal #5 and Anze completed his four point night (2+2) with the game-tying goal on a 6 on 4 with just five seconds left.

Kopi celebrates being wicked sweet

Kopitar also beat Hedberg in the shootout but unfortunately he was still the better goalie and the Thrashers ultimately prevailed.

The Kings could've really used those two points as eighth place gets farther away. The point puts them in 11th with 57 points, five points out of 8th place but with a few games in hand over some of the teams in between. Overtime losses have been the Kings' friend this season. The playoffs aren't completely out of the picture for them yet, but if they don't string together a few wins soon, they'll be getting farther and farther away.

What's this about the Kings and the playoffs?
Terry Murray, you fiend.

The rest of February won't be easy. They only play at home one more time this month and the rest of the time they're on the road against Anaheim, San Jose, Philly, Detroit and Minnesota. Minnesota is currently sitting between the Kings and the playoffs but who knows where teams will be by the time they get to Minnesota next week.

Its very trying to love a stay at home defenseman. Greener was a -1 with 0 points and almost 23:00 of ice time at least one blocked shot and a few hits. Its times like these when I wish I was still all about flashy offense and then I could declare Kopi my favorite. Kopitar was definitely the difference maker last night and deserves all the props he's getting aroud the interwebs these days.

Kopi and your Homer slippers, I salute you.

ETA: Give us a break, Carrie, no one cares that you're dating Mike Fisher.