Stoll line getting a different look

For all the line-combination changes the Kings have made this season, the most consistent trio has been that of Ryan Smyth, Jarret Stoll and Justin Williams. Put together early in the season, they have been split up a couple times but had played 14 consecutive games together, until this week. The latest line changes have Stoll centering Smyth and Dustin Brown, while Williams moves to skate with Brad Richardson and Michal Handzus. Today, Terry Murray talked about the decision to shake up the Stolll line…

MURRAY: “The line was below average throughout the road trip. There were just too many minuses. The chemistry was not there, throughout the road trip, I felt, and they were really pushing it, really forcing a lot of play on the offensive side of the game. As a result of it, there was stuff coming back at us, on odd(-man) rushes. So we need a different look. We need to get some focus to those decisions that they were making. Stay above it, play from above it. That’s when the good things were happening for that line. With the change, with Brownie going there and with Willy going with Zeus, I think they are still important lines, important players. They’re going to get a lot of situations, a lot of ice time. To me, it’s not a huge change, but it just wasn’t clicking the right way for me.”