Power-play shortage

The Kings had averaged one power-play goal per game over their previous five games, but the unit went 0-for-5 against Buffalo last night, including a huge 46-second, 5-on-3 advantage in which a goal would have given the Kings a 2-0 lead in the first period. The Kings had eight power-play shots on goal but did not score, and the Kings’ power play is now ranked 18th with a success rate of 15.5 percent (it was 20.8 percent last season, seventh in the NHL). Terry Murray was asked today about areas of needed improvement on the power play…

MURRAY: “I thought the power play last night, actually, from puck possession to breakouts and into the offensive zone, was pretty good. We had some really good time there, some good looks and the right attitude as far as taking pucks to the net or shooting. When i review it again, there are people at the net, all by themselves. So we need to finish, obviously. There is a need to find those looks pucks, to screen them maybe a little bit better, and show the attitude that San Jose and Buffalo did, where if there is something around the net, you’ve got to really dig in there and recover that puck or get it right back to the net immediately, and maybe get one of those ugly goals to give us that confidence that we need to execute on a real consistent basis on special teams.”