Gameday Soundtrack: Stop That Russian Machine

OK GO – Here It Goes Again

Well this is a familiar but terrible road. The Kings are on yet ANOTHER losing skid, having dropped the 1st three games of their homestand, and they’re sniffing around tonight for a fourth. The Kings have been one hell of a rollercoaster ride this season. From losing streak to winning month to a slump again to a win streak, it’s just been a mess.

They are (and have been for a while now) camped out in the 3rd slot for the Pacific Division, but with the Coyotes and Dallas doing the playoff push right at their heels, every point matters, not only for the standings, but for my own personal sanity.

GZA – Stay In Line

Anyone who watches the Kings knows that they’re a team that just love to take dumb and inopportune penalties. Somewhere, offensive zone penalty master, Jarret Stoll hangs his head in shame.  With a perfectly mediocre penalty kill that sits at 12th in the league with 82.7%, the Kings can usually fend off their opponents when they’re a man down, but with the Capitals, it’s going to be a whole other ball game.

The Washington Capitals are tops in the league with their power play, and a lot of that has to do with a guy called Alexander Ovechkin. Ovi leads the league in PP goals with 20, which accounts for 43.4% of his goals. Helping him in this endeavor is Nicklas Backstrom who leads the league in power play points with 39 (Ovechkin is right behind right 34). Successful offence like this isn’t going to be easy, so if the Kings can just keep their penalties to a minimum, that’s half the battle right there.

Guster – Keep It Together

On the flip side, history is on the Kings’ side. In the last 5 games they’ve played against the Capitals, both home and away, they’ve come out on top. Let’s hope that in this case, history repeats itself, but it’ll be a battle. The Capitals are angling and fighting for a playoff position in the east, and they’re on a three game winning streak, so momentum is on their side.

Jonathan Quick is going to need to be on top of his game tonight because while the Capitals are league average in shots (2102), that one guy, who was it again, oh yeah Alexander Ovechkin is number one in trying his best to get that puck into the back of the net with 343. Quick has allowed 9 goals in his last three games, and that just ain’t gonna fly.

The Kings haven’t been so hot against the West Coast teams who matter, so maybe playing some teams from the East will help them get their groove back and right the ship on the way to the playoffs.