This season, we’re tracking nine stats which we thought might help tell the story of the Los Angeles Kings‘ 2015-16 season, and we’re bringing you updates every nine games. The first nine games are covered here, while you can read about games 10-18 right here.
The Kings have been relatively streaky this year, which is natural when you throw a seven-game win streak and a six-game win streak at the rest of the NHL. In nine-game chunks, though, LA is steady as she goes, following up two 6-3-0 sets with a 6-2-1 record in Games 19-27. How did the Kings fare in the metrics we tracked, though? The answers may surprise you!
Jonathan Quick‘s Save Percentage
Quick had a really rough start to this stretch, giving up four goals in two periods against Carolina, but he was largely great during the Kings’ six-game win streak.
Shots on Goal by Anze Kopitar
Kopitar upped his shot rate ever so slightly, but after a two-goal performance in Game 19, he only scored once in the ensuing eight games. Even as his shooting percentage fell to earth, though, he earned five assists and was frequently the best player on the ice. (Evidence at the end of this post. Don’t skip ahead, though.)
Team Offensive Zone Penalties
Aside from taking three offensive zone penalties against the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 8, the Kings continued to keep their sticks where they belonged, which was essential as they drew fewer penalties and lost some of their special teams firepower. Nick Shore took one of LA’s seven OZ penalties, meaning I remain too lazy to change this photo.
Dustin Brown Points
Amazing. I can just quote the last edition’s note… again:
After consecutive 27-point seasons, Brown is on pace for… 27 points.
Goals by Defensemen
If you were pleased with the defensemen chipping in during the last edition, you must be ecstatic now. Alec Martinez’s OT winner in Game 27 capped off a scorching run of defensive goalscoring.
Top King’s NHL Score-Adjusted Corsi For% Ranking
Shore stays on top, though Dustin Brown has dropped all the way from second to… third, behind Barret Jackman, of all people. More Kings have crashed the top ten leaguewide in this measure, though:
- Nick Shore: 62.56%
- Barret Jackman: 62.09%
- Dustin Brown: 61.33%
- Seth Jones: 61.03%
- Drew Doughty: 59.81%
- Trevor Lewis: 59.28%
- Tanner Pearson: 59.07%
- Brayden McNabb: 59.04%
- Mathieu Perreault: 58.9%
- Teemu Pulkkinen: 58.77%
Tyler Toffoli’s Average Time on Ice
Toffoli continues to be the team’s third-most-used forward, even as he’s stopped finding the back of the net. He cleared 20 minutes for the second time this season against Columbus.
Power Play Percentage + Penalty Kill Percentage
Just like that, the Kings are in the bottom half of the league on the power play, after finding the net just three times on the power play during Games 19-27.
Most JftC Reader #1 Rankings for One Player
I knew Kopitar was playing well, but I didn’t realize he’d earned the coveted JftC #1 Star five (edit: SIX!) times in the last nine games. He’s making this a runaway.