Inconsistent shot totals not helping offense

For all the discussion about the Kings’ power play, it’s worth noting that 5-on-5 scoring has been somewhat inconsistent as well. Actually, not just scoring, but shooting, or at least getting shots on goal. Last week, the Kings recorded a season-high 42 shots on goal against Colorado, then 39 against Detroit. Then what happened? They had 18 shots on goal against Phoenix and 22 against Vancouver and scored only one goal in each game. Overall, the Kings rank 23rd in the NHL in shots on goal per game, at 29.0. Despite the coaches’ stated goal of improving that statistic, the Kings are actually down (very slightly) from last season’s average of 29.1 shots on goal per game (they ranked 22nd). In the aftermath of the loss to the Canucks, Terry Murray was asked about shooting and scoring…

MURRAY: “It’s not just one game. I’m looking over the numbers, and offensively I’d like to see our number a little higher, obviously. Whether it’s 5-on-5 or power-play situations, we just need to find a way to get that goal at a critical time. Last night, in a 1-1 game, we had a couple great opportunities. There was one play off the back post. We had another on an odd rush, and we don’t get a shot on the net. There are critical times and opportunities to maybe break the game open, and we’re not doing it. It’s just to push that side of the game a bit.”