Corey Perry, the Los Angeles Kings' joint-leading goal scorer, will be joining the team's top power-play unit, a much-needed alteration. Is this the change the Kings need to end their power-play scoring drought?
It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Kings have been struggling in the special teams department. They are bottom-10 in the league in penalty kill percentage and power-play percentage, which isn’t good enough for a team with playoff aspirations.
While the Kings’ penalty kill hasn’t been great, their lack of conversion with the man advantage has hurt the team and is costing them wins.
With that in mind, Los Angeles made a change to its top power-play unit, hoping to get back on track in that area of their game.
Los Angeles hasn’t scored a power-play goal in six games, going back to their 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars. Since Corey Perry’s power-play marker to open the scoring in that Stars game, the Kings have had 15 opportunities without capitalizing on one.
Speaking of Perry, the veteran right winger is the change that head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings management decided to make at practice on Monday.
The 40-year-old subbed in for Andrei Kuzmenko on the top unit and will likely take the role of the net-front presence, considering that’s how he scored Los Angeles’ last power-play goal.
Despite a goal against the New Jersey Devils in their last contest, Kuzmenko has slightly cooled off since his six points in seven games to start the campaign.
King's Home Woes Continue
The Los Angeles Kings (5-4-4) couldn’t overcome a slow start offensively and fell 4-1 to the New Jersey Devils (9-3-0) on Saturday night at <a href="http://crytpo.com">Crypto.com</a> Arena. Despite scoring their lone goal in the third period, the Kings' search for their first home win of the season continues.
However, this change isn’t so much about Kuzmenko as it is about Perry’s start to this season, and the power play needing a new look.
Perry has five goals and seven points in seven games and is tied for the team lead in goals with Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe. It wouldn’t be fair if he weren’t given a consistent opportunity on the Kings’ first power-play unit.
In addition, he and captain Anze Kopitar lead the team in plus-minus with a plus-five rating.
Nonetheless, this means that the Kings are keeping faith in their five-forward unit, consisting of Kempe, Fiala, Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, and now, Perry.
If this experiment doesn't work out for Hiller's team, they also have defensemen Drew Doughty and Brandt Clarke, who both grace the second power-play unit. In a pinch, either of those blueliners could get a look with the top group as the quarterback.
Los Angeles will try out this new-look power play on Tuesday when the team hosts the Winnipeg Jets. The Kings are still looking for their first win at Crypto.com Arena.
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