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 on those stats every nine games. Previous installments:
Games 1-9
Games 10-18
Games 19-27
Games 28-36
Games 37-45
Games 46-54
After writing about a troubling nine-game stretch, the Kings responded by scoring two goals in three games. Despite continued scoring troubles, though, they salvaged a 5-3-1 record thanks to a Tanner Pearson overtime goal in Nashville and four wins in four tries on Staples Center ice. Let’s see what kind of effect the scoring troubles had on the nine numbers we’re tracking this year.
(The following stats are as of March 4, 2016.)
Jonathan Quick‘s Save Percentage
Quick was terrific for most of this most recent stretch, but allowing six goals on 44 shots against Anaheim and Montreal knocked him down a couple pegs. Vezina talk might have to be on hold for a while.
Shots on Goal by Anze Kopitar
Kopitar didn’t really slow down; missing nearly two full games during this stretch probably accounts for the difference here. Three more goals, too! He was one of only three guys with multiple goals in Games 55-63; Tanner Pearson (5) and Dwight King (2) were the others.
Team Offensive Zone Penalties
Thirteen offensive-zone penalties in the last nine games, including three consecutive games (Washington, St. Louis, Nashville) where they took three individual offensive-zone penalties. That ain’t good, for reasons you’ll read about further down.
Footnote: for the THIRD straight nine-game stretch, I’ve removed Milan Lucic retaliations/offsetting penalties from the tally, as it’s not really in the spirit of this table. Once again, there was more than one; he and David Backes got into it after Lucic whacked Brian Elliott’s glove post-whistle, and just yesterday he took offense to a hit by Greg Pateryn.
Dustin Brown Points
It wasn’t a banner set of games for Dustin Brown, but it wasn’t a banner set of games for anyone, was it? On the bright side, we’ve got some nice number-point total synergy going on here.
Goals by Defensemen
It wasn’t a banner set of games for the defensemen, but it wasn’t a banner set of games for anyone, was it?
However, Luke Schenn scored again, equaling the departed Christian Ehrhoff, the in-limbo Jamie McBain, and the assists-first Brayden McNabb with two goals for the Kings this season.
Top King’s NHL Score-Adjusted Corsi For% Ranking
The current top FOURTEEN players in the NHL in even strength Corsi For% play in California. (min. 40 games) pic.twitter.com/BLF8pvqfXI
— Eric (@EricJFTC) March 5, 2016
Tyler Toffoli’s Average Time on Ice
We have found a steady equilibrium for Tyler Toffoli! That’s rather odd because Marian Gaborik was injured right before this nine-game stretch started; you would think he’d get a healthy chunk of ice time as a result. Toffoli did play nearly nineteen minutes in each of the last two games, though; perhaps he’ll continue to see a lot of ice down the stretch.
Power Play Percentage + Penalty Kill Percentage
Well then! The power play fell down to earth, and the PK continued its steady decline. The Kings are still above average in both departments, but especially considering how many penalties LA and their opponents over the last nine games, the struggles were concerning. LA scored three power play goals in their last nine games; Anaheim scored 16. SIXTEEN.
Most JftC Reader #1 Rankings for One Player
A challenger approaches! With Kopitar struggling with injury, he only earned the JftC #1 star twice in nine games. Tanner Pearson, however, picked up three wins in the past nine games. Amazing what happens when you score a lot. Alec Martinez was the only player without a #1 ranking who earned one in this nine-game stretch.