The Kings journey to Western Canada for back-to-back video games in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and the Vancouver Canucks on Monday to reverse the traits they noticed on the brief finish of a sequence of shut video games.
Fifteen of the Kings 22 video games that season have been determined by one purpose or have been prolonged to 2 video games by a late purpose with an empty internet. Of those 15, they solely gained 5.
“I believe the little issues at all times rely, the little particulars in a sport, little errors right here and there,” stated Kings defender Alex Edler. “Whether or not it is getting the puck behind you, turning the puck right here and there, for those who try this too typically, you’ll finally be hit.”
Talking of defenders, the Kings system thinned a bit on the blue line on Saturday when Kale Clague was claimed waivers by the Montreal Canadiens. In different transactional information, the Blake Lizotte middle entered a COVID-related protocol and the potential Akil Thomas was activated from the injured reserve after which despatched to the minors. Middle Jaret Anderson-Dolan has been eliminated, ostensibly to take Lizotte’s place, and striker TJ Tynan has additionally been eliminated, though his earlier drafts have been all paper transactions.
Whereas Kings coach Todd McLellan discovered little comfort in his staff’s 4 defeats with one purpose in his staff’s six-game shedding streak earlier within the season, he was somewhat extra inspired, if no much less pissed off, by the narrowness of video games in the course of the present radio broadcast Kings. Of the Kings’ final eight video games, seven have been last-minute or summer time video games, and 6 of these seven outcomes have been losses.
“It is a laborious time proper now as a result of if you’re unhealthy, you are actually unhealthy. You’ll be able to go after the group and make issues proper, however we’re so shut, ”stated McLellan. “Now we have to get to the opposite aspect of these little errors.”
Offensive spending was additionally a problem. In half of their video games, the Kings have scored two targets or fewer and gained solely a kind of competitions.
That may elevate critical considerations about Edmonton, whom McLellan educated within the early phases of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s careers. Each gained the Hart Trophy as MVP of the NHL and are second within the league, identical to within the final two seasons.
Striker Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was a participant who scored factors per sport, which put him on the trail to among the best campaigns of his profession. Newcomer Zach Hyman deepened Edmonton’s forwards group whereas Darnell Nurse and Tyson Barrie anchored the backend.
Total, the Oilers occupy third place in targets per sport. The Oilers’ 16 wins are tied for Saturday’s NHL video games secondary. They have been additionally the highest Particular Groups performers, rating # 1 in energy play conversion price and # 2 in penalty kill percentages.
Vancouver is the fifth worst document within the league with 18 factors. The Canucks’ manufacturing has been much less productive than that of the Kings, whereas Vancouver has allowed greater than three targets per sport. The Canucks have the worst penalty kill share this season.
Marquee middle Elias Pettersson was in nice pleasure with simply 9 factors in 21 video games earlier than beginning his energetic three-game factors streak. He has solely gained 35% of his faceoffs this season.
Low season striker JT Miller, low season attacking rearguard Quinn Hughes and Conor Garland pushed the Canucks ahead in scoring.
Kings in Edmonton
When: Sunday 5 p.m.
The place: Rogers Place
TV / radio: Bally Sports activities West / iHeartRadio
Kings in Vancouver
When: Monday 7 p.m.
The place: Rogers Enviornment
TV / radio: Bally Sports activities West / iHeartRadio
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