Kings Locker Room: ‘We Were Five or Six Players Shy of Having an Opportunity to Win’ Says McLellan

After the Los Angeles Kings lost to the New York Rangers on Sunday, head coach Todd McLellan wasted no time in diagnosing the problem. 

It was a subpar effort from the group and a disappointing loss.

Hear from McLellan, Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty postgame.

McLellan on things he did and didn't like from the game:

Well, obviously, dislike the result. But, I thought we were five or six players shy of having an opportunity to win and I'm not talking about the goaltender. I'm talking about positional players that just weren't sharp enough. They didn't make the plays they needed to make, they had opportunities to make them, it wasn't like they were under siege. And then on the other side, what I did like, I thought we had some players that were making plays. But it just goes to show, when you're playing the cream of the crop in the league, you can't have anywhere from six to seven guys have nights off and we had them.

On if anything dropped off after the first 10-15 minutes of the game:

Well, when we got off the ice after the first period we were in our end really three times. We turned our puck over once at the blueline, took a penalty off of it, now they're coming after us. We turned the puck over on a clean breakout, opportunity to get going the other way, maybe have an opportunity for an odd-man rush, and it's in our net. And we had one other turnover where we survived and killed it. That was it. It's not a bad start against the New York Rangers in this building. And then after that it was more of the turnovers and sloppy play that led to the goals.

On Quinton Byfield playing well but not getting points off it:

There's a balance between morale victories and the other side of it. Q's got a lot of confidence right now, he's worked hard for that and he's worked hard for his position on that line. And that line has actually scored a fair amount, unfortunately for Q, it's not coming off his tape. And we can stand here and be really down about that, or we can stand here and say, 'you know what, the three of them are most nights producing at a real high level.' And we have to be happy with that. Down the road, as the year goes on and the years go on, his centerman probably won't be there anymore and juice will be getting a little older, that's Kempe, and he's going to need to produce. But right now, he's doing some good things. I think he has opportunities. His shot, he's got to work on it a little, but it's going to come. I'm not disappointed in him.

Doughty on the five minute power play:

We had some good looks, I mean obviously you want to score a goal, but we did have some good looks. And it was unfortunate we didn't score because that would have made the game a lot tighter and it wouldn't have gotten away from us. So, yeah, disappointing not to score.

On if he liked the Kings' start and what changed during the game:

I did like the start, I think we started well. We didn't get pucks to the net, that was where we kind of let them back in the game. Not getting pucks on the net, maybe trying to hold onto the puck too long or look for something better. That's just not the way we're built, we've got to get pucks to the net, we've got to get gritty, get to the net and score goals that way.

On his reaction after the spitting incident:

I was just shocked, obviously. I don't think I even said anything to him after, I just immediately went to the ref to try to get the penalty, but you don't want to see things like that in this game. I don't know if I've ever seen that, I'm sure it has happened, but not that I've seen. Yeah, it's unfortunate. Whether or not he tried to do it, I have no idea, but it was a pretty big loggie on my face, so I was pretty pissed.

On whether he had any history with K'Andre Miller:

No, nothing. He was going after Kevin, kind of, the faceoff was already coming outside so I was like. I'm going to go say something to this guy or push him or something, and before I even got there he just did that. So, yeah, unfortunate situation. 

Kopitar on what he thought changed after a good start:

It was just a couple tough bounces really, there's nothing, or not a whole lot of stuff we didn't like in the first period and even in the second period. It's just, sometimes bounces don't go your way, I realize you've got to play for your bounces too and tonight they didn't go for us.

On anything he didn't like about the five minute power play:

We had chances, I mean, yeah you can always pick some stuff when you need to score when you're not getting on the board. Especially early in the game like that, but we had some chances, we had some looks just didn't score.

On if the spitting incident had any affect on the bench:

I don't think so. We're getting on a five minute power play so there's not a whole lot of time to get rattled, if that was going to happen.

On what he's saying to Byfield if he gets frustrated about the lack of points:

Yeah, it's obviously not the greatest thing when he's doing a lot of stuff right, and a lot of really good things, it's just getting passed by on the scoresheet. But, it will come, he realizes it, I think for the most part me and Adrian (Kempe) are in his ear to keep on going. So, we'll coach him and I guess guide him threw that and it will come for him too.