Sutter wants better from Voynov

As the saying goes in pro sports, you’re only as good as your last game. It was just a few days ago that Darryl Sutter was praising his “right-side defensemen’’ — Drew Doughty, Slava Voynov and Matt Greene — and saying that he needed better from the left-side guys (Rob Scuderi, Willie Mitchell and Alec Martinez). Well, after today’s morning skate, Sutter cut off a question of Voynov’s big minutes of late to give out a dose of his patented tough love to Voynov. In the last couple games, Sutter has periodically gone to a pairing of Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell. Sutter explained that change by saying it was primarily because of the way the Kings handle their defensemen after penalty kills, but Sutter also didn’t shy away from offering a critique of Voynov (and another defenseman).

SUTTER: “He can play a hell of a lot better. His last two games, I think offensively he’s been fine and defensively he’s put himself in a position either to get steamrolled or not help his partner. We’ve showed him that in the last two days. Him and Drew can get a lot better.’’