Kings, `Hawks not generous

The Kings are 1-1 against Chicago this season, with one clear similarity in the games: the Kings didn’t get a lot of shots on goal in either. The Kings had 18 shots on goal in their 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks on Nov. 9 in Chicago, then had 22 shots on goal in their 2-1 shootout victory over the Blackhawks on Nov. 28 at Staples Center.

For the season, the Blackhawks average 24.2 shots against per game, the lowest total in the NHL. The Kings are second, at 27.4 per game, so that’s a huge margin. Chicago also averages 34.0 shots per game, the highest total in the league. Terry Murray talked about the challenges of facing the Blackhawks…

MURRAY: “They don’t want to let anybody else have the puck. Their play with the puck is a big part of their checking game. Their back end is outstanding, with the puck possession, mobility, agility, joining from all areas and all sides. The other part of it that is very impressive is their balance in their lineup. They have four lines that are well-defined in their roles, and their leader, as I think we saw in the Olympics, is just a tremendous hockey player, in Toews. He sets the example, I’m sure, in practice, based on what I see in games. They have a strong sense in believing in each other right now.”