McLellan addresses Petersens start - “Weve got to get him going Hes got to play like he can play”
# McLellan addresses Petersens start - “Weve got to get him going Hes got to play like he can play”
# Contributors
# Summary
Skilled at handling momentum through the first three games of the road trip, the LA Kings fell behind the weight of a 3-0 first period deficit and lost 6-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins Thursday evening at PPG Paints Arena. That the Kings significantly out-chanced the Penguins up and down the ice in the first period was irrelevant. After 20 minutes their starting goalie had been pulled and their game plan adjusted to summon whatever offense could bring them back in the game.
# Players
# Staff
# Notes and Quotes
# Todd McLellan
Well when I look at the start we had, I thought we played the way we wanted to play. We played fast, we were aggressive, forced them into situations where they had to turn the puck over and things were going pretty well for us. Even after the first goal, I thought we responded well, but by the time it got to three, unfortunately it wasn’t the same way anymore. Obviously we’d like to have a couple of those back in the first period. Even if we’re coming out of it at one I think we’re in a much better state mentally. But with that being said, that’s the defensive side of it. I thought offensively we had some opportunities to put some pucks on our tape, cross-ice one-timers, plays in and around the net where we weren’t particularly sharp offensively as well, so we took it at both ends.
I guess with Cal, there’s no secret. We’ve got to get him going. He’s got to play like he can play. He’s an NHL goaltender, he’s an outstanding young man that’s played extremely well at this level, and we’re trying – just like we would with forwards and defensemen – to get him to where he can be, and he has to be better. I can’t stand here and bullshit you guys. It is what it is. There are others that have to be better as well in certain situations. But we had the momentum and we couldn’t close it.
I thought Brendan Lemieux’s really skated well the last three or four games.