Desperation vs. panic

The Kings talk a lot about playing with “desperation,” but there can be a fine line between desperation and panic, which is something that every team wants to avoid. Changing lines and bringing intense focus to a period of bad play can be helpful, but does it also make players hyper-sensitive in terms of being fearful of making mistakes?

I asked Terry Murray if he could define where he wanted the team’s emotional state to be right now, and how he could keep them playing with desperation but not panic…

MURRAY: “That’s a very narrow thread that you walk right there. The desperation is a good thing. It elevates everybody’s adrenaline and emotions and your focus. You’re going out and playing the game, shift after shift, at that high tempo that we’ve shown to be able to play at for most of the year. I feel, sometimes, there’s a reluctance to make the plays that we’re very capable of making, for fear of a mistake. Then the panic attitude maybe sets in a little bit, where we’re throwing pucks away and getting rid of them without that ability to make plays. That is that fine line, itself. It’s the composure part of the game that allows you to play with desperation and play with control.”

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