Since the Olympic break, the Kings’ power play has scored at a 32.6-percent clip, the best percentage in the NHL. For the season, the Kings rank sixth in the league at 21 percent. So, in general, the power play has been a strong point, but it was a definite weak point in the last two games, in which the Kings went 1-for-7 in each, and lost both. Terry Murray talked this morning about getting the power play back on track…
MURRAY: “It’s the difference in the (Dallas) game. It’s the critical point of the game. It is the difference. When you look at the opportunities in St. Louis, they came right away. Those are difficult ones, because the flow has not been established and guys have not had a shift yet, but that’s the test all the time, be ready to get going and do the right stuff. What we got away from, to me, is shooting the puck. We’re hesitant, over-looking, over-analyzing and over-passing the puck. We just have to get back to shooting it more on the special-teams looks. When you get those one or two breaks, lucky goals, you start to get the confidence to make plays.”
Murray was then asked if the lack of a shot mentality also extended to 5-on-5 play…
MURRAY: “I think it goes the other way, actually. I think it started with our 5-on-5 play and it has effected our power-play mentality. We come back from the Olympic break, and our net presence is something that I’ve addressed several times with our team. We got away from that, and the same with the shots. Maybe the net presence has effected the shot mentality. You clearly take a look, and you’re trying to cycle and make a play to the net, and you’re saying, `Why shoot it? There’s no one there for traffic, for screens.’ So you look to make another play, and then you start to break away with some bad habits.”
Just as ‘Freddie “The Fog”‘ would have said.
“Go to the net with ill will.”
GO KINGS!
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iansez Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
@LBlocal, Good one LB!
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LBlocal Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
It works in theory.. In a real practical sense, NOT so much.
How’s life behind the orange curtain my friend? Step on a duck for me.
GO KINGS! (You’re killin me, Smalls!)
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will this put to rest the “we dont have a good power play” crap that goes down in every thread? Please? Power play is one of the best in hockey!
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Darrell Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
@fsd1, 2-14 in critical games is not a sign of a PP that’s playing well. The only stat that matters is WINS, and our special teams has cost us several recently. We need to get back to playing a simpler game.
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runningman Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
@Darrell,
Thank you Darrell,
I agree 100%. The Kings just need a damn win. Who cares about the pp, I would like to see a win soon. Is that too much to ask from a so-called playoff team?
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Front of the Net Presence….that’s always reminded me of that line from Repo Man: “Most people spend their lives avoiding high stress situations. The Repo Man spends his life getting into them”.
And so it goes with Front of the Net Presence. It’s a hard thing to do. High contact. High risk. High reward. Takes a bigger pair to do that than what I’ve got, to be honest. And that’s one reason why I respect guys like Handzus and Smyth so much.
Hope the Kings can pull it off successfully.
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It’s so amazing how high our ranking is but, it feels like we are never doing the right thing on the power play while watching it all unfold.
I suppose it just goes to show other teams are struggling just as much.
Every time I hear that stat I feel like an idiot for yelling so much during the power plays and being so frustrated.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
@Gary Livingston, test comment to see if this is how I log in.
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Gary Livingston Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
@Gary Livingston, niiiiiiiiiiiiice.
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Dominick Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
@Gary Livingston,
Your schizophrania is showing.At least change the names on the personalities so we know which one’s talking.LMFAO
I say the Kings would score more if the shots that they do take are on net. I know I am going on a limb but that is how I feel.
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It was amazing watching the Stars power play. Pass, pass, pass, shot, all effortlessly. The kings just fumbled around with the puck. Hopefully they learned something from watching that.
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wavesinair Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
@Walter_Sobchak, What does this have to do with Vietnam man?
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Walter_Sobchak Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
@wavesinair,
Well, there isn’t a literal connection, Dude.
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Interesting perspective: As much as the Kings have been struggling in their last 10 games, going 4-4-2, if you look at the top 5 teams in each conference over their last 10 games, they have averaged getting 12 points over that span, so really just 2 more than the frustrating and much-maligned (here, at least) Kings. Perhaps their struggles are magnified because we see them so close up. Maybe take a few steps back and see the forest?
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runningman Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
@bbb7,
True, however Chicago, has been devastated by injuries and the other teams are already locked into the playoffs. I would feel better if the Kings were locked in and playing to see what seed they fall into.
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Dominick Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Soon little grasshopper,soon.
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Man! even if we went 3 for 7 against Dallas it wouldn’t of helped,since they scored 4 against us.Watch the penalties tonight guys.Nothing stupid O.K.
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Jaimie Kompon is the guy that should be fielding questions and taking the heat when it comes to the pp shouldn’t he ?
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After an exhaustive study of the Kings special teams, I have determined that the game clock runs faster on our power play and slower on our penalty kill.
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my take…. Coach M doenst know how to deal with problems with the team so he does the easy thing….change the lines…The lines are not the problem…..You have to make adjustments thru out the year with the system or the other teams will know how to atack it…Its been proven that no matter who plays with who…it hasnt worked lately.Eventually the lines will score but that is not because its a new line its going to happen eventually either way…Coach needs to adjust the system..NOT CHANGE THE LINES!!!!
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Old Man Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
@neil, I agree 100%,if you practice a mistake long enough you will perfect it.The men just don`t seem to be on the same page.Lets hope tonite they can get it going.
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A pretty goal counts the same as an ugly one. Just put it on net, boys.
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“Since the Olympic break, the Kings’ power play has the best percentage in the NHL.”
If someone didn’t know this stat was a fact, and came here and read what many of the people on this blog write, they’d think we have the WORST powerplay in the NHL, not the best (or 6th overall). They would think Kompon is completely horrible at his job. They would think the Kings are in dire need of a new powerplay system and he must be fired asap. They would think the Kings are lacking in any ability to manufacture goals with a man advantage.
Yet, the fact above remains.
To me, this is a perfect example of how the persistent Kings-fan-loser-mentality continues to plague this franchise. We criticize areas of this team that are not only good, but excellent, and yet in spite of ourselves, we continue to believe that something is wrong.
It truly is pathetic.
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runningman Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
@wavesinair,
We think the Kings PPK is at the top of their game also.
Sincerely,
Dallas Stars
I had to.
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Actually, a loser’s mentality would be looking at a meaningless stat and forgetting what the ultimate goal is – WINNING. I’d rather be last in PP% and solidly in the playoffs than 6th in PP% and fighting for eighth.
PHX PP% = 28th
PIT PP% = 23rd
It’s not about how many you get, it’s about WHEN you get them.
I think what the high ranking means is when we’re on our game, we can score. We’re not on our game right now, and we better get it together before it’s too late.
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wavesinair Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
@Darrell,
Cute. If you say it’s a meaningless stat, at least say why you think that. Extreme and baseless statement. I think its far from meaningless. Why? Because special teams is a huge part of the outcomes of most games.
I can quote stats too…
CAPITALS PP% = 1st
SHARKS PP% = 3rd
COYOTES PP% = 4TH
CANUCKS PP% = 5TH
But regardless of what you think the relevance of that stat is, you didn’t address the central issue…
Why Kings fans THINK that our powerplay sucks when it doesn’t?
THAT is the loser mentality I speak of. And its just the tip of the iceberg.
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If 2-14 in consecutive losses during must-win hockey games doesn’t define “suck” I don’t know what does.
Meanwhile, the Kings just failed on another 5-3 in a critical situation. Well, if we lose the game at least we can console ourselves that our PP% is still one of the best in the league.
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robocop Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
@Darrell, lol. nice.
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