Kings Address ‘Unacceptable’ 5-on-3 Power Play Struggles with Practice
The Kings hit the ice today to work on their 5-on-3 power play after some really tough losses. In their last two games, both ended 2-1, and they had over a minute of 5-on-3 time in each but couldn’t score. This season, they’ve spent more time in 5-on-3 than any other team—2 minutes and 51 seconds—with zero goals to show for it. Adrian Kempe called it ‘unacceptable’ after the latest game, saying they need to move the puck more and get shots on net.
Against Florida, the main issue was getting into the zone cleanly; they only succeeded once out of four tries. In Vegas, entries were better, but they still didn’t create much in-zone. Too many passes broke up, and they didn’t get enough shots. Artemi Panarin emphasized moving around and taking simple shots instead of overpassing. They practiced rotation today, with players like Panarin and Kempe shifting positions to find open lanes.
Panarin said the key is to shoot more and not overcomplicate things. Even a simple wrister can work if you find the right spot. Peter Laviolette added that sometimes the simplest play is the best, like getting pucks to the net with traffic. The Kings need to stop overpassing and start shooting first, especially in tight games where a goal can make all the difference.