Hot on the draw

Los Angeles’ faceoff rate has improved significantly over the past three weeks. Over the span of eight games – the Kings have won seven of the eight – the team’s faceoff ranking has catapulted from 22nd in the league to seventh due to a success rate of 57.2% over that time. Overall, the team has won 51.9% of faceoffs this season. L.A. finished seventh in the league by winning 51.5% of its faceoffs a season ago.

In the chart below, Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Jarret Stoll and Colin Fraser qualify as “regular centers”, as they’ve logged significantly more draws than any other skaters. Jarret Stoll has been particularly strong at the faceoff dot over his last five games, winning 54 of his last 84 draws for a 64.3% success rate.

Dallas, tonight’s opponent, is tied for 23rd in the league with a 47.8% success rate.

Date / Result / Faceoffs / Successful Faceoffs / Unsuccessful Faceoffs

2/19 / 3-1 @ EDM / 33/55 (60%) / Kopitar 10/16 / Stoll 9/17
-All regular centers were above 50%. Only Dwight King (0/1) was below 53%.

2/20 / 3-1 @ CGY / 40/62 (65%) / Kopitar 14/22 / Fraser 0/2
-All regular centers were above 64% except for Fraser.

2/23 / 4-1 vs COL / 27/55 (49%) / Kopitar 10/16 / Stoll 2/10

2/25 / 5-2 vs ANA / 41/65 (63%) / Kopitar 16/21 / Fraser 2/5
-Jarret Stoll: 13/23

2/27 / 2-1 vs DET / 33/64 (52%) / Richards 10/16 / Carter 0/3
-Jarret Stoll: 8/15

3/2 / 2-5 @ VAN / 36/58 (62%) / Richards 8/11 / Fraser 3/5
-Anyone who took a faceoff for L.A. had at least a 56% rate. Jarret Stoll: 10/16

3/4 / 5-1 vs NAS / 24/48 (50%) / Stoll 9/14 / Kopitar 6/15

3/5 / 6-4 vs STL / 31/56 (55%) / Stoll 14/16 / Kopitar 7/16

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