Do Kings need a pick-up after 52?

Going back to the 52 shots on goal that the San Jose Sharks recorded in Game 5, that’s a big number, but not one that’s atypical for a Kings-Sharks game and not one that particularly seemed to bother Terry Murray. So far in this series, the Sharks have totaled 45, 34, 36, 27 and 52 shots, respectively. In the regular season, the Kings allowed an average of 27.9 shots on goal per game, the third-lowest average in the NHL. The Kings, though, are more concerned with the quality of the shots, as opposed to the quantity. After a game, coaches break down all the shots and put them into categories, with “grade-A” being the most dangerous, “grade-B” being less dangerous, and so on. Coaches also — and rightfully so — often question the accuracy of the stat-sheet numbers. So how did Murray view Game 5?

MURRAY: “I don’t even look at the 52 shots very long. I know it was there, but it’s not a number that I’m concerned about. We always break those numbers down to smaller areas. It’s the grade-A quality chances that are the ones that I really focus in on. That number was not too bad. Quick was called on to play very well. The plays that were inside of home plate were, you’re probably look at 12 to 15, maybe 15. That number is a little high from what our average is over the course of the year, but when you’re looking at a powerhouse of a team like that, and the number of power plays that they had, the number was not too bad.”