LOS ANGELES — It’s getting tiresome. Los Angeles Kings fans are tired of it, players are frustrated and head coach Jim Shearer has had enough.
Five of the Kings’ last eight games have gone to overtime. In four of those games, the Kings took the lead in the third quarter. The Kings took a 2-0 lead midway through the second quarter on Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks, but that lead evaporated within two minutes.
advertise
A scoreless third period sent the game into overtime, and a thrilling but scoreless overtime forced a penalty shootout. The penalty shootout was still a tough battle for the Kings, and they ended up losing 3-2.
“We enjoyed most of the game, but we didn’t deserve it because of those moments,” Shearer said. “We could have come in here and won the game, but I’d still be very disappointed with that stretch of hockey because it wasn’t the type of hockey that would have allowed us to win or given us the best chance to win.”
There have been five overtimes in the past eight games, four of which have been to conference opponents. Not just any division rival, but the Kings’ most contending rivals for a playoff spot in the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks.
advertise
Shearer and the players have said multiple times over the last month that they thought the team was playing well but was not getting results. Now, they feel they’ve moved beyond that idea.
“That’s not good enough,” Shearer said. “There’s no doubt we’ve been there. We’ve really been there for a while.”
In Friday night’s game against the Ducks, Joel Armia scored after returning from injury to make it 2-0 midway through the second period. By that point, the Kings had controlled the tempo of the game and looked like they were on their way to a much-needed routine win.
Then the error comes.
advertise
“We turned the puck over too many times,” Hiller said. “Our line changes were terrible. We were stuck on the wrong side of the neutral zone. Their defenders jumped up and got activated. So the last seven or eight minutes of the second quarter, I think they had four or five rushes, which is usually tough against us. So that’s the problem with tonight’s game.”
It’s not just about these eight games. The Kings are tied with the Golden Knights for the most overtime losses in the league (12) and have required the most overtime games with 19.
Part of the reason the Kings play so many overtimes is because of their defensive style. The Kings conceded the fourth fewest goals per game in the league at 2.72, but also scored the third fewest goals per game at 2.57.
advertise
With both teams’ offense suppressed, games often require overtime.
When it comes to staying on top, Shearer sees it as a lack of belief.
“We still had one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake, and like I said, we were caught in the middle and got bogged down four or five times with the odd rush,” Shearer said. “We just can’t do it. We’re not going to make these mistakes.”
The Kings currently have a record of 19 wins, 16 draws and 12 losses this season, one point behind the Sharks for the final wild card spot. They are in the midst of an 18-game hiatus with a 5-8-5 record.
The Kings have 10 games remaining before getting a three-week Olympic break. For them, it’s a chance to iron out kinks and build momentum for the end-of-season break.
advertise
“You can’t just stay sad or whatever,” Amiyah said. “You have to keep your head high and keep winning the next game.”
Something has to change. Shearer said he would consider making a few changes in the lineup, but he has no doubt the people in the locker room can turn things around.
“I think the guys here are our strongest players,” Shearer said. “Some of those guys are going to come back and filter in. You saw (Armea) do that. I think especially the younger guys (Andre Lee) and (Tyler Ward) because they haven’t been with the team all year. They’re playing really well. They’re playing great. You can’t ask for more.
“There are some other guys in the lineup who are the ones who have to deliver.”