Kings Coach Terry Murray calls off skating drills, hopes to reenergize tired team
He opts for the Kings to have off-ice workouts to get the team some rest before flying out on a five-game trip, starting in Chicago.
Instead of the sound of shrill whistles, skates and gliding pucks permeating the rink at the Kings' practice facility, there was complete silence.
Kings Coach Terry Murray canceled the skating portion of Sunday's practice and opted for the team just to conduct off-ice workouts.
The Kings had a noon flight to Chicago for the beginning of a five-game trip starting with Monday's game against the Blackhawks (8-5-2). Murray also pointed to the Kings' 3-1 loss Saturday to the Nashville Predators as evidence that the team was "lacking in energy" and needed some rest.
"The road trip is coming at a pretty good time," he said. "It's important now as we start that trip off to get refueled and energized."
Center Anze Kopitar said the team welcomed Murray's decision, and added the time away from the ice helped "clear our minds a little bit."
But the Kings (10-5-2) pledge they'll still remember what led to their loss to the Predators, which marked the first time in nine games the team hadn't registered a point in the standings.
"It goes back to the work ethic," said Kopitar, who was part of the top line with Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams that didn't generate a goal for only the second time this season. "You have to work on any given night. I know it's hard sometimes and fatigue comes in, but you have to work smart."
Murray said he noticed the depleted energy and effort even before the Nashville loss.
He had lauded the team's resiliency for staging comebacks last week against Phoenix and Pittsburgh after trailing in the first two periods. But Murray also said that highlighted the Kings' inconsistency.
"That's the lesson that I think that we have to take out from all of our games so far," he said. "It's a dangerous way to approach it if you're not coming through the first shift right to the end."
_______________
Ersberg may get time during trip
Murray said he will decide Friday at the team's morning skate in Atlanta whether goaltender Jonathan Quick and backup Erik Ersberg will split time during the Kings' back-to-back games Friday and Saturday against the Atlanta Thrashers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
"I've been thinking about that," Murray said regarding playing Ersberg. "He needs to get another start fairly soon."
Quick has started in 16 of the Kings' 17 games this season, posting a goals-against average of 2.61 and a .900 save percentage. Ersberg made his lone appearance Oct. 14 in a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers, a decision Murray had said he regretted making.
Ersberg said the coaching staff hasn't discussed his playing time for the back-to-back games, but he maintained he's ready to play.
"Obviously, that was a disappointing game," he said of his performance in New York. "But you can't still have that in your head too much. That was a long time ago. It's just one game. It doesn't bother me at all."
"If they put me in, I'm going to do my job. Stop the puck, that's all I can do and try to play my game and try to help the team to win the game."
He opts for the Kings to have off-ice workouts to get the team some rest before flying out on a five-game trip, starting in Chicago.
Instead of the sound of shrill whistles, skates and gliding pucks permeating the rink at the Kings' practice facility, there was complete silence.
Kings Coach Terry Murray canceled the skating portion of Sunday's practice and opted for the team just to conduct off-ice workouts.
The Kings had a noon flight to Chicago for the beginning of a five-game trip starting with Monday's game against the Blackhawks (8-5-2). Murray also pointed to the Kings' 3-1 loss Saturday to the Nashville Predators as evidence that the team was "lacking in energy" and needed some rest.
"The road trip is coming at a pretty good time," he said. "It's important now as we start that trip off to get refueled and energized."
Center Anze Kopitar said the team welcomed Murray's decision, and added the time away from the ice helped "clear our minds a little bit."
But the Kings (10-5-2) pledge they'll still remember what led to their loss to the Predators, which marked the first time in nine games the team hadn't registered a point in the standings.
"It goes back to the work ethic," said Kopitar, who was part of the top line with Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams that didn't generate a goal for only the second time this season. "You have to work on any given night. I know it's hard sometimes and fatigue comes in, but you have to work smart."
Murray said he noticed the depleted energy and effort even before the Nashville loss.
He had lauded the team's resiliency for staging comebacks last week against Phoenix and Pittsburgh after trailing in the first two periods. But Murray also said that highlighted the Kings' inconsistency.
"That's the lesson that I think that we have to take out from all of our games so far," he said. "It's a dangerous way to approach it if you're not coming through the first shift right to the end."
_______________
Ersberg may get time during trip
Murray said he will decide Friday at the team's morning skate in Atlanta whether goaltender Jonathan Quick and backup Erik Ersberg will split time during the Kings' back-to-back games Friday and Saturday against the Atlanta Thrashers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
"I've been thinking about that," Murray said regarding playing Ersberg. "He needs to get another start fairly soon."
Quick has started in 16 of the Kings' 17 games this season, posting a goals-against average of 2.61 and a .900 save percentage. Ersberg made his lone appearance Oct. 14 in a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers, a decision Murray had said he regretted making.
Ersberg said the coaching staff hasn't discussed his playing time for the back-to-back games, but he maintained he's ready to play.
"Obviously, that was a disappointing game," he said of his performance in New York. "But you can't still have that in your head too much. That was a long time ago. It's just one game. It doesn't bother me at all."
"If they put me in, I'm going to do my job. Stop the puck, that's all I can do and try to play my game and try to help the team to win the game."
