The Los Angeles Kings have averaged just 2.00 goals per game in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. Only teams who were eliminated in the first round have done worse this year.
Losing forward Mike Richards to what’s believed to be a concussion hurts, but the Kings’ scoring woes predate that injury. Still, Kings defenseman Drew Doughty thinks that two goals per game should be enough.
“It’s enough if we’re playing well defensively and doing the right things that way, but we haven’t been, obviously,” Doughty said after Chicago’s 3-2 victory, according to LA Kings Insider. “We’ve been giving up too many goals. We’ve been relying on Quick to make too many big saves, and we’re not playing the right way.
“We’re not playing the way this team is capable of, and if we’re only getting two goals, we can easily win...games with Quickie back there and our defensive team.”
With the Kings’ anemic scoring, the pressure certainly has been on goaltender Jonathan Quick. He’s only allowed three or more goals in two of his last nine starts and the Kings lost both of those games.
Chicago now has a commanding 3-1 series lead, but the Kings have previously come back from significant series deficits and won while facing elimination in the 2013 playoffs, so they know they are capable of overcoming adversity.
“We’re looking forward to the next challenge,” Doughty said. “It’s a big game Saturday night, and it’s a must-win, obviously. So we have to have everyone rise to the occasion and be a good team.”
Scoring a third goal might help.