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Kings vs Coyotes Scoring Chance and Puck Possession Breakdown

Posted on by Robert P

Here is the belated breakdown from Saturday night’s game.

If you’re unfamiliar with scoring chances and shot attempts (aka Corsi) read up on them here and here.

(Tables are sortable.)

Los Angeles Kings – Even Strength
Player POSITION TOI Shot Attempts For Shot Attempts Against
 Shot Attempts +/- Scoring Chances For Scoring Chances Against
 Scoring Chances +/-
Muzzin D 10.30 17 5 12 5 0 5
Scuderi D 19.04 12 24 -12 1 12 -11
Doughty D 20.39 17 20 -3 2 10 -8
Richards C 9.34 10 7 3 2 1 1
Kopitar C 15.22 14 11 3 3 5 -2
Gagne L 8.33 7 8 -1 2 3 -1
Clifford L 9.54 15 9 6 3 1 2
Williams R 13.53 16 9 7 3 4 -1
Lewis R 10.58 7 11 -4 2 4 -2
Brown R 14.37 13 11 2 2 5 -3
Fraser C 9.17 9 9 0 1 4 -3
Voynov D 17.31 15 16 -1 3 5 -2
Martinez D 17.04 14 10 4 3 2 1
Stoll C 13.13 11 10 1 2 4 -2
Drewiske D 8.51 11 4 7 4 0 4
Nolan R 8.15 9 7 2 2 3 -1
King L 12.52 8 11 -3 2 5 -3
Carter R 11.37 10 12 -2 3 2 1

Los Angeles Kings – Even Strength – Team Totals
Period Shot Attempts For Shot Attempts Against Shot Attempt +/- Scoring Chances For Scoring Chances Against Scoring Chances +/-
1st 14 12 2 2 6 -4
2nd 17 14 3 6 3 3
3rd 12 13 -1 1 5 -4
Total 43 39 4 9 14 -5

Positives

  • The Kings have won the possession battle in every game this season. If that continues they should win plenty of games.
  • Jake Muzzin continues to impress. Sure he is getting sheltered minutes, but thus far he has exceeded expectations. Any urgency to acquire another defenseman should be staved off by Muzzin’s stellar play. He was +12 in attempts and +5 in scoring chances– with 0 scoring chances allowed.
  • I am a huge proponent of the position that Dustin Penner and Simon Gagne should be in the line-up every night and getting significant minutes. Kyle Clifford is making that position harder and harder to defend. Aside from leading the team in scoring, he has been atop of these charts in both attempt and chance differentials this season no matter where he’s played.
  • So far, Alec Martinez is proving that he can play top 4 minutes and his great possession numbers from seasons past aren’t just a result of buttery soft minutes. He is a talented defenseman who knows how to move the puck, but he is proving so far that he is also more than capable of playing in his own zone against some of the NHL’s best.
  • Jonathan Quick looks like he’s back in form. Quick faced 14 difficult shots and only 1 got past him.

Negatives

  • The Kings had a difficult time generating scoring chances despite their solid possession numbers. They were helped to a victory by some poor play from Jason LaBarbera. LaBarera faced 10 shots from the scoring chance area and let in 3 of them.
  • Rob Scuderi had a rough night. -12 in attempts, -11 (!) in chances. Yikes. He was matched mainly against the Hanzal and Vermette lines. He struggled to keep up with them whether he was playing alongside the Kings 1st or 4th line. A few more games like this and it might not be long before we see Martinez partnering Drew Doughty.
  • Drew Doughty also wasn’t at his best tonight. He was -8 in scoring chances. The Kings are currently remaining competitive by relying on their depth players. Their most talented players have yet to be the dominant force they were in last years Stanley Cup run.
  • The Kings power play is out of sorts. They couldn’t manage a single scoring chance on the PP in this one and also only recorded 2 shots. Hire Kompon.

Talking Points