Kings 1, Preds 3: I'm bad luck

Today was the third Kings home game I attended this season and the third Kings home loss this season.  Is it too much to ask of the Hockey Gods that the Kings win when I go see them play?  It's frustrating and it's gotten to the point that my friends are now blaming me for their home losses.  I think their goodwill has ended and I won't be seeing anymore free tickets this season.  :(

I was really looking forward to today's afternoon game against the Predators, especially since the Kings just came off an awesome 5-2 home win against the Pens on Thursday night.  But nooooooo, the Kings couldn't play that well two games in a row.  Instead, the Kings were sloppy, off kilter, lackluster, and, quite frankly, unlucky.  The teams looked evenly matched, had similar chances, but in the end, the Preds were able to bury more pucks in the net.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NHLI via Getty Images)

Quick, you need to be quicker!

Doughty probably had his second worst game of the season and Kopitar looked off as well.  Despite making some good saves throughout the game, Quick looked Slow on the first Preds goal.  He also made an ill decision in the third period when he prematurely skated off the ice during a delayed penalty just as the Kings missed a pass at the blueline and the puck went caroming down the rink towards a now empty goal.  He tried to skate back in a hurry and then THREW HIS STICK at the puck, which was fruitless since it went wide anyway.  I stared in complete disgust thinking, "there goes our man advantage" as Quick was assessed a penalty.

The third Preds goal, which came off a play where Kopitar fell over while skating backwards and ended with an U.G.L.Y. defensive play by Kopi and Quick, was a gut wrencher since the Kings had just got within 1 goal off an awesome slap shot by Stoll that was barely deflected by Brownie.  The messy defense on the last Preds goal was just another instance of sloppy play that occurred throughout the game.  It was disappointing to see so many offensive passes back to the defensemen slip by them and out of the offensive zone.  It was frustrating watching the Kings play without much energy; it's never a good sign when I can count the number of memorable hits on one hand.  And it's irritating having to convince my friends, who aren't diehard Kings like myself, that the Kings are actually good this season, despite how boring and awful the game was.  I know the Kings are capable of playing great hockey, but games like today worry me that shit's going to hit the fan and the old Kings are going to appear.

But you know what was good about this game?  The drinks we had at Trader Vic's before we got to the game.  So the next time you're heading to Staples Center for a Kings game, stop by Trader Vic's to fill up on one of their tasty beverages.  Don't worry, I won't be at the game, so there's a good possibility that the Kings will win.