#LAKings Kings seek better discipline in road-trip finale in Chicago (Daily News)
The Kings will look to finish their three-game road trip on the left side of the ledger as they visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
It was a tale of two second periods that propelled the Kings to victory and condemned them to defeat in a split back-to-back set earlier this week.
Four goals in just over six minutes of the middle frame Monday torpedoed the St. Louis Blues and chased goalie Jordan Binnington from the game, prompting him to chirp the Kings’ bench. But the Kings came unraveled Tuesday in Dallas when the Stars struck three times in 90 seconds to pull away with their own second-period outburst.
The loss to Dallas snapped a modest two-game win streak and interrupted a stretch in which the Kings had won three of four matches.
“Yeah, (it’s disappointing), especially because we know how good we can play and how good we can be as a team. We want to improve every game,” Kings center Phillip Danault said.
Danault and Coach Todd McLellan bemoaned a lack of discipline. The Kings were touched up for three power-play goals Tuesday, dropping their penalty kill back into the bottom 10 league-wide. More alarmingly, they have taken 60 penalties, the most in the NHL this season.
“Concerning for me is the back-to-back and not being able to manage it real well with the mental part of the game,” McLellan said.
To the Kings’ credit, they’ve excelled drawing penalties again this season. Their total of 59 is tied for second in the league.
Similarly, key players who had slow starts are beginning to gather steam. Winger Kevin Fiala has racked up eight points during a five-game scoring streak. Winger Viktor Arvidsson has six points in his past five contests and has strung together a three-game point streak.
The Kings will almost certainly be without center Quinton Byfield (illness). Defenseman Brandt Clarke cracked the lineup in Dallas for his ninth career game thanks to the Kings’ first configuration with seven defensemen this season. A stick to the mouth sent him to the dressing room late in the game, but he should be an option Thursday in the Windy City.
Chicago had an eventful summer in which it reversed course from the past offseason. After going all in to acquire defensemen Seth Jones via trade in 2021, 2022 saw the ‘Hawks move on from young talents like Alex DeBrincat (traded to Ottawa), Kirby Dach (traded to Montreal) and Dylan Strome (not tendered a qualifying offer and signed by Washington).
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With all those parts jettisoned, many felt Chicago positioned itself well to chase the No. 1 pick and top prospect Connor Bedard. Instead, it has maintained a .500 points percentage to keep pace in a tightly bunched Central Division. Entering Wednesday’s action, Chicago even sat ahead of defending champion Colorado.
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, holdovers from the glory years when Chicago won three Stanley Cups in six seasons, pace the team in scoring. Former Kings winger Andreas Athanasiou has stayed healthy to date, accumulating five points in 10 games.
Kings at Chicago
When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: United Center, Chicago
TV/Radio: Bally Sports West/IHeartRadio
https://www.dailynews.com/2022/11/02...le-in-chicago/
It was a tale of two second periods that propelled the Kings to victory and condemned them to defeat in a split back-to-back set earlier this week.
Four goals in just over six minutes of the middle frame Monday torpedoed the St. Louis Blues and chased goalie Jordan Binnington from the game, prompting him to chirp the Kings’ bench. But the Kings came unraveled Tuesday in Dallas when the Stars struck three times in 90 seconds to pull away with their own second-period outburst.
The loss to Dallas snapped a modest two-game win streak and interrupted a stretch in which the Kings had won three of four matches.
“Yeah, (it’s disappointing), especially because we know how good we can play and how good we can be as a team. We want to improve every game,” Kings center Phillip Danault said.
Danault and Coach Todd McLellan bemoaned a lack of discipline. The Kings were touched up for three power-play goals Tuesday, dropping their penalty kill back into the bottom 10 league-wide. More alarmingly, they have taken 60 penalties, the most in the NHL this season.
“Concerning for me is the back-to-back and not being able to manage it real well with the mental part of the game,” McLellan said.
To the Kings’ credit, they’ve excelled drawing penalties again this season. Their total of 59 is tied for second in the league.
Similarly, key players who had slow starts are beginning to gather steam. Winger Kevin Fiala has racked up eight points during a five-game scoring streak. Winger Viktor Arvidsson has six points in his past five contests and has strung together a three-game point streak.
The Kings will almost certainly be without center Quinton Byfield (illness). Defenseman Brandt Clarke cracked the lineup in Dallas for his ninth career game thanks to the Kings’ first configuration with seven defensemen this season. A stick to the mouth sent him to the dressing room late in the game, but he should be an option Thursday in the Windy City.
Chicago had an eventful summer in which it reversed course from the past offseason. After going all in to acquire defensemen Seth Jones via trade in 2021, 2022 saw the ‘Hawks move on from young talents like Alex DeBrincat (traded to Ottawa), Kirby Dach (traded to Montreal) and Dylan Strome (not tendered a qualifying offer and signed by Washington).
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With all those parts jettisoned, many felt Chicago positioned itself well to chase the No. 1 pick and top prospect Connor Bedard. Instead, it has maintained a .500 points percentage to keep pace in a tightly bunched Central Division. Entering Wednesday’s action, Chicago even sat ahead of defending champion Colorado.
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, holdovers from the glory years when Chicago won three Stanley Cups in six seasons, pace the team in scoring. Former Kings winger Andreas Athanasiou has stayed healthy to date, accumulating five points in 10 games.
Kings at Chicago
When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Where: United Center, Chicago
TV/Radio: Bally Sports West/IHeartRadio
https://www.dailynews.com/2022/11/02...le-in-chicago/