Defensive breakdowns again prove lethal to Wild in 6-3 road loss to Los Angeles

Back in the late 1980's, there was a boy band called New Kids on the Block. The group helped set the model for later boy bands like the Backstreet Boys, N-Sync and 98 Degrees. New Kids on the Block featured Donny Wahlberg, Danny Wood, brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight as well as Joey MacIntyre were the teen-sensation of their late 80's early 1990's era. Amazingly (or pathetically depending on how you look at it) they sold 80 million albums worldwide with hits like "Hangin' Tough" and "Didn't I (blow your mind)." Now that I feel thoroughly ashamed for dropping boy band references to this hockey article; where is the connection you say? In many ways the Los Angeles Kings are sort of the "New Kids on the Block" of up and coming Western Conference teams. With a host of fairly young, but well-rounded group of players in Slovenian set up man Anze Kopitar and the rugged American-born forward Dustin Brown leading the charge the Kings' players are could almost be mistaken for a boy band with Jack Johnson, Wayne Simmonds, Drew Doughty, Trevor Lewis, and goaltender Jonathan Quick the team is full of mid-to-late 1980's birthdays. Feeling the team could use some veteran experience to mix with this collection of youth, Los Angeles has added former Wild defenseman Sean O'Donnell and speedy but oft-injured forward Justin Williams last season, as well as the gritty scorer Ryan Smyth and shot blocking defenseman Rob Scuderi this summer. Los Angeles General Manger Dan Lombardi is hoping that Kings Head Coach Terry Murray can take this more talented collection of players to the post-season sooner rather than later. Kings fans have been patiently waiting for this metamorphosis and the team still draws well despite mediocre results the last few seasons, but a run to the playoffs would be greatly appreciated by the Staples Center faithful. Standing in the way of the Kings is the Minnesota Wild who are bringing a change of direction as well. The Wild are coming off a dramatic win where Minnesota carried 0-3 deficit going into the 3rd period to earn 4-3 overtime victory over the Kings' cross-town rivals, the Anaheim Ducks. Minnesota peppered Jean-Sebastien Giguere with shots and the team's power play looks particularly dangerous to start the season. While still just 1-1 so far this season, the Wild hope to come away with another two points against a team it probably feels it should be able to beat. Last season the Kings seemed to bring their "A" game everytime the two teams faced one another and swept Minnesota in 4 contests. If Minnesota is to take a step forward, young and still fairly inexperienced teams like Los Angeles are the sort of teams the Wild need to beat with regularity. Without question it should make for a very entertaining battle tonight in a late-night tilt is Los Angeles. One could hardly watch the start of the game and notice just how many empty seats there were at Staples Center (although the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels of Anaheim both playing playoff games just may have had something to do with it) and the Kings tried to use their big bodied forwards to dominate the game early and they had the Wild scrambling in their own end early. Just after a minute into the game, the Kings got on the board as Jack Johnson wound up and blasted a slapper from the point that was redirected by Ryan Smyth out front and by Josh Harding to give Los Angeles an early 1-0 lead. The Wild tried to counter attack, but Los Angeles did a good job of being physical at the right times and controlling the pace of play and on an errily similar play the Kings would add to their lead. A battle for the puck won near the point as Drew Doughty tee'd up a slapper that was redirected right in front of Harding by Justin Williams for an easy goal to lift the Kings to a quick 2-0 lead. The goal did not seem to encourage the Wild to step up their level of play as the Kings continued to control the pace, as they were able to play keep away in Minnesota's own zone. Minnesota finally got its skates moving as a long pass up the ice from Brent Burns to Mikko Koivu was brought into the Los Angeles zone and Koivu would rifle a shot that was blocked aside by Jonathan Quick. The Wild gathered up the rebound and attempted to work the puck toward the front of the net, but the Kings defense managed to chip the puck out of the offensive zone. Los Angeles would answer back with its top line and Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Ryan Smyth would carry the puck down low as Ryan Smyth attempted to come out front and fire a quick shot that was stopped by Harding. The Wild attempted to apply offensive pressure again with its top line of Andrew Brunette, Mikko Koivu and Cal Clutterbuck and Koivu tried to find some space and fire a quick wrist shot only to have it blocked by Sean O'Donnell, but he'd battle for the biscuit and it would reach the stick of Clutterbuck who flung a shot that would go wide of the Los Angeles goal and the puck would carom out of the offensive zone. The Wild got some more energy as well as some crafty play with the puck as the 3rd line of Owen Nolan, James Sheppard and Antti Miettinen would move the puck down low as James Sheppard dished pass to Miettinen for a wrist shot that was stopped by Quick and before the Kings could gather up the rebound to clear the zone Sheppard picked it up and used his strength to get off a backhander that the Kings goaltender held onto for a whistle. Unfortunately, the Wild could not follow up that good shift with another and it was the Kings that would strike once again. Ryan Smyth raced up the ice in a near 2-on-1 with Anze Kopitar and Smyth would manage to feed a perfect cross-ice pass which passed a sprawling Greg Zanon to Kopitar who made no mistake by burying the forehand chance by an outstretched Josh Harding to make it 3-0 Los Angeles. The top line tried to respond as Cal Clutterbuck took a big hit from Drew Doughty that sent the Wild agitators bucket flying, to slide a pass down to Andrew Brunette who fed a helmetless Clutterbuck near the net for a shot that Quick denied and he narrowly missed on his rebound bid. Minnesota followed up this good shift with its 2nd line and Martin Havlat dangled the puck as he zoomed around the Los Angeles zone before zinging wrist shot that somehow made it on goal to a surprised Quick who pushed the puck to the corner and the Wild tried to track it down but were unable to sustain the pressure. Minnesota would have some more quality chances late as a wrist shot from the point by Brent Burns got to Quick who gave up a nice rebound and Martin Havlat came dangerously close to firing home the 2nd chance opportunity but was foiled by a bouncing puck. In what seems to be nothing more than a lack of discipline, Benoit Pouliot decided to give a few shoves to former Wisconsin Badger Davis Drewiske after he leveled Kyle Brodziak with a clean hit and it was the Wild winger earning a penalty. This would give the Kings, a team already enjoying a 3-goal lead a power play. Initially the Wild's passive pressure worked very well as Eric Belanger made up for a failed clear by bodying up on the Kings' Ted Purcell to clear the offensive zone. Moments later, Kyle Brodziak's hard work to steal a puck from Jack Johnson created a shorthanded chance that forced a quality save from Jonathan Quick. Los Angeles would work the puck along the left boards as Purcell fed a waiting Michal Handzus who got off a quick snap shot that was stopped by Harding but the puck would trickle through and almost go over the goal line only to be swept out of harm's way by Greg Zanon keeping Minnesota down just by three going into the 2nd period. The Kings started the 2nd period content to sit back in a 1-2-2 to start the period in an effort to frustrate the Wild and defend their lead. Minnesota was hoping to start another comeback bid but the Kings would exhibit some ability to play a puck control style as Drew Doughty carried the puck down low before attempting a dangerous diagonal pass that just failed to click with a roving Wayne Simmonds who was patroling near the Wild crease. The Wild were working hard but were struggling to create much beyond a few shots from the point that Quick had little trouble with, although he wasn't just holding onto the puck either so it was clear there was some potential for scoring chances. Los Angeles' would finally give Minnesota its first power play as Sean O'Donnell was busted for interference and hopefully the Wild can take advantage of the Power play. After some outstanding hard work along the boards after the initial faceoff, Andrew Brunette would get the puck down low and he set up Martin Havlat in the slot who buries it on a sick wrist shot that clanked off the right post and in to cut the Kings lead to two, 3-1. Minnesota tried to take more steps to climb back into the game, but it was Los Angeles that came very close to giving them their three-goal lead back when a Justin Williams pass bounced to a crashing Dustin Brown who chipped a shot that clanked off the right post and out. The Wild would answer back, as James Sheppard made a nice power move to rip a wrister that was gloved by Quick. Cal Clutterbuck would give a clinic on how to hit as he crushed Drew Drewiske with a nice check that sent him to the ice. Shane Hnidy would make a terrible turnover deep in his zone as poor body positioning left him in a vulnerable place and he would give up the puck and Ted Purcell almost cashed in on a chance near the right post. Minnesota started to scramble a bit in its own end and a dropped stick by Kim Johnsson ended up turning into disaster as he would lose his man and a pass from behind the net by Alexander Frolov found a waiting Michal Handzus who fired home a wrister that beat Josh Harding 5-hole to re-establish the 3-goal lead, 4-1 Los Angeles. The Wild again tried to create some momentum offensively as Owen Nolan tried a diagonal pass towards a crashing James Sheppard that just failed to click but Nolan would track down the rebound where he was tripped up by giving Minnesota its 2nd power play of the game. The Wild struggled in the initial minute of the man advantage as the Kings did a better job of denying time and space as well as Ryan Smyth working the puck deep into the Minnesota zone to jam puck against the boards killing valuable seconds. Yet it would be for not, as Minnesota raced back into the zone and Martin Havlat found some space and drove to the net and was denied by a great save by Quick but the Wild kept attacking and Owen Nolan wristed a shot on goal that was stopped by the Kings' goaltender but the rebound went right to Nick Schultz who lifted a backhander into the open net to cut the Los Angeles lead back to two, 4-2. Minnesota came dangerously close to cutting into the Kings' lead when Nick Schultz again pinched down near the goal and he nearly poked a puck away from Drew Doughty into the goal if not for the leg pad of Quick who blocked it to the corner. A few minutes later, a hard wrist shot from the point by Brent Burns surprised Quick who struggled to hold onto it as Petr Sykora was stalking near by. Antti Miettinen would draw an interference penalty on Wayne Simmonds late in the period on a nice individual effort. Unfortunately there was not enough time to really get its power play set up and Minnesota would trail by two, 4-2 going into the 3rd. Can Minnesota manage another comeback, they hoped an early 1:29 of power play time to start the 3rd period would help. The Wild managed to hold the offensive zone after a few fancy stickhandling plays by Mikko Koivu and eventually the puck ended up on the stick of Martin Havlat who attempted a centering pass that almost glanced off the skate of a Los Angeles defender and on goal but this time Minnesota would come up short on the man advantage. Minutes later, Greg Zanon would get a little banged up when he took a check from Dustin Brown who crunched him near the Los Angeles bench that had him catching the top of the boards with his ribs and he would go straight to the Minnesota bench and exit towards the lockerroom. Making matters worse, Kim Johnsson would try to slow down Anze Kopitar by holding him up and he was caught giving the Kings a power play. The Kings Ted Purcell took a tip out of the Wild's power playbook as he flung a wrister on goal that forced a pad save and then a crashing dustin Brown just narrowly missed chipping home the rebound. Minnesota did a decent job of getting sticks into shooting lanes and they were able to get the big kill. The Wild started moving their feet well and the pressure would mount considerably in the Kings' end of the ice. Owen Nolan sort of got things going by crashing and banging along the boards and this started a chain of events that led to the next Minnesota shift as Benoit Pouliot raced into the offensive zone and snapped a shot that was stopped by Quick and chipped over to a pouncing Kim Johnsson who lifted a shot over the sprawling Los Angeles goaltender to cut the Kings' lead to one, 4-3. You could sense the blood was in the water as Martin Havlat dangled the puck right through the middle of the Kings' zone but unfortunately he couldn't find any space to either dish the puck or fire it on goal for himself. The Wild were controlling the play in the offensive zone as the Kings were playing rope-a-dope, but the pinching and aggressiveness would leave Minnesota vulnerable as a series of turnovers led to a 2-on-1 for Jarrett Stoll and Ted Purcell. Kim Johnsson would attempt to direct Nick Schultz to take Purcell as he dropped to block the centering pass of Jarrett Stoll, but Stoll threaded the needle firing a pass through the Wild defenseman's legs right on the tape of Purcell who had no trouble beating Harding to lift the Kings back to a two-goal lead, 5-3. Just after the Kings goal, Cal Clutterbuck would deliver a big hit to Wayne Simmonds that the official thought tripped him up and Simmonds voiced his displeasure with the hit. With Clutterbuck in the box, the Kings would move in off the rush and Anze Kopitar slid a cross-ice pass that was intended for a crashing Ryan Smyth that would be tapped home by the former Edmonton Oilers captain increasing Los Angeles' lead to 6-3. Cal Clutterbuck would try to even things up, as Sean O'Donnell would haul him down for an interference penalty. The Wild struggled to get anything going on the first minute of the man-advantage, and this power play was easily the sloppiest one of the evening for Minnesota as they made poor decision after poor decision as they entered the zone and Los Angeles was quick to pounce and disrupt any attempt to set up something offensively. Perhaps out of frustration as much as anything else, Marek Zidlicky jumped to deliver a high open-ice hit on Alexander Frolov. Cal Clutterbuck and the top line showed some good hard work late as they battled along the boards and the energetic winger dove and chipped a snap shot on goal that was directed aside by Quick's blocker. Benoit Pouliot would earn a late-game tripping call as Justin Williams stepped on the blade of his stick and he fell to the ice right in front of the official giving the Kings a power play. Minnesota's penalty killers still worked hard to win the races to the loose pucks in the closing moments of the game but the Wild fell short of its comeback bid as it lost 6-3. Josh Harding was left out to dry far too often by the Wild defense and Minnesota found themselves in a self-imposed hole early and were unable to recover. Harding had just 17 saves in the losing effort and while the goals off the rush were such that no goaltender could be fully expected to save he did not seem able to come up with the big save when the team needed him to make it. Minnesota's defense again was guilty of pinching in far too often, and Brent Burns especially is trying to do far too much too often throughout the game. It seems as if anytime he gets the puck he tries to become Bobby Orr and take it on an end-to-end rush or if he doesn't have the puck he's joining the rush as if he's a 4th forward out there. Many blamed the forward experiment last season for Burns' irresponsible play but I am starting to think its a player simply believing his own hype about his incredible talent. Without question Burns is a tremendously athletic player, but now his style has grown from dynamic to reckless and its an important and disturbing distinction between the two. Dynamic means you're making good things happen, whereas reckless means more often than not you're taking unnecessary risks that too often are hurting your team. The rest of the Wild defenders were moving in low as well and getting involved but none of them try to dangle and race up the ice like Burns does and that's the difference. Burns is steadily becoming a huge defensive liability that outweighs his offensive contributions. Hopefully Wild Head Coach Todd Richards or Assistant Coach Mike Ramsey can help find that healthy balance again. Offensively, the pressure was inconsistent and Todd Richards was certainly looking for some combinations he could count on. He was line juggling throughout the evening and Martin Havlat, Andrew Brunette and Mikko Koivu still managed to get on the scoresheet albeit in a losing effort. Tonight was a night where Eric Belanger who could have solidified a spot as the 2nd line center but was unable to really make all that much happen. We'll see if the Wild give Belanger another shot as this road trip continues, and my guess is that he likely will get another chance or two. Todd Richards had this to say in his post-game interview given to Fox Sports Net North's Kevin Gorg after the game, "It wasn't a good period and we had some guys that were just not good from the start of the game, and you can't win many games when you're starting the 2nd period down by three goals." He added, "We had some guys that simply did not show up and you can't win games that way, (Harding) did not get a lot of help and it was an area we had to be better at and its a commitment from all 5 guys." He chalked up many of the errors to mental mistakes rather than the team still getting used to playing in a new system. It is not a good way to start a 5-game road trip, and there is no sense beating this loss to death anymore than it probably will be on team message boards. It was a bad effort by the Wild and the team simply has to come to play from the drop of the puck if it wishes to win any game let alone ones on the road. Wild Notes: ~ Wild roster tonight is as follows: Mikko Koivu, Martin Havlat, Andrew Brunette, Antti Miettinen, Petr Sykora, Eric Belanger, Kyle Brodziak, James Sheppard, Owen Nolan, John Scott, Benoit Pouliot, Cal Clutterbuck, Brent Burns, Kim Johnsson, Nick Schultz, Greg Zanon, Marek Zidlicky, Shane Hnidy as Niklas Backstrom backed up Josh Harding. Scratches included defenseman Jamie Sifers and Derek Boogaard who is battling concussion symptoms he sustained in a pre-season game against Columbus and Pierre-Marc Bouchard is out indefinitely with a headache that seems to be causing the diminutive winger both disorientation as well as severe discomfort. ~ The 3 Stars for this game were: 1st Star Ryan Smyth, 2nd Star Anze Kopitar, 3rd Star Justin Williams