At 5-on-5, the LA Kings had 66 shot attempts yesterday against Buffalo. Despite playing the third-lowest amount of 5-on-5 time in a game this season, that was a season high in that category.

In doing so, the Kings controlled 60 percent of shot attempts at 5-on-5, which was the second best rate of the 2026-27 season so far.

It wasn’t just a case of quantity, either. The Kings had a season-high 31 5-on-5 scoring chances, per Natural Stat Trick. Their 13 high-danger chances were the second-most in a game, behind only the loss to San Jose at the start of October, a game I think we all know the Kings created a lot of good looks.

These are the kinds of numbers that should support a win. Instead, they support a 3-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabres.

Over the summer, there was a massive priority placed on special teams. Ken Holland said it before even putting together a roster or a coaching staff. The Kings would be aggressively addressing those units. Holland said bluntly that the Kings would not qualify for the playoffs again if ranking in the bottom-five in both PP and PK, as was the case during the 2025-26 season.

Upon hiring Peter Laviolette and his staff, it was clear that the priority was shared by the new bench boss. Multiple assistant or associate coaches would help support both the power play and the penalty kill. For a team that was one of just two in the NHL to rank in the bottom-five in both categories during the 2025-26 season, it was obvious that from the top down, special teams would be a priority.

The Kings spent a lot of time in training camp working on them. That’s carried over into the regular season. I think the staff has managed time efficiently, prioritizing things like the power play on days that are maybe lower tempo or intensity, between two games. It’s routinely worked on during morning skates. The time and attention is being put into special teams, that cannot be argued.

But it isn’t working.

The Buffalo game is a prime example of how important special teams are. It’s the reason that game was a loss. Certainly the reason it was a loss in regulation, at the very least. The Sabres scored two power-play goals, including the game-winning goal on a massive moment in the game in the third period. The Kings did get a power-play goal late in the second period to get back in the game, but they also had a chance after Tage Thompson put the visitors ahead and they didn’t get the job done. In total, Los Angeles had five power-play looks against the Sabres, in addition to a 6-on-5 sequence with the goaltender pulled. Losing the special teams battle is pretty simply why the Kings lost the game. It’s a big reason why they continue to find themselves on the wrong side of one-goal games.

I’ll add that the situation should never had unfolded the way that it did. Shortly before the penalty that led to the game-winning goal, a clear as day, blatant interference call was missed, as Andre Lee was taken out on a pick play, which led to Buffalo extending its shift in the offensive zone. It should have ended the play right there, setting up a Kings power play. Instead, the play continued and a tripping call was assessed shortly thereafter. The rest was history.

In writing about the special teams, though, it would be naïve to suggest that the Kings would have simply won the game on that power play. It certainly changes the way the game goes, though. Ultimately, whether you get the call or not, the penalty kill needed to come up with a moment in that situation and it didn’t happen, as a part of a 1-for-3 showing overall.

All in all, while I think we’ve seen some changes in other areas, special teams has remained the same. Again, it’s not a lack of trying or a lack of attention. It’s a lack of performance. Last season, the Kings were one of two teams to rank in the bottom-five in both categories. This season, they’re one of four teams to rank in the bottom-ten in both categories.

By the numbers, you can look at four games this season as being decided by special teams. One win, three defeats. The Kings lost one-goal games to Vegas, Chicago and Buffalo, games when the even-strength goals scored were tied but Los Angeles lost the special teams battle. The Kings won the special teams battle against Ottawa, with four even-strength goals each way. Within other games, one-goal defeats to Boston and New Jersey, the power play has had third-period chances to get the job done and didn’t. Overall, the Kings have scored on five of their last 30 chances, but of the five, one was Erik Gustafsson’s end-to-end rush goal in Washington. Two came from the second unit, including the goal versus Buffalo. One came 5-on-3, Artemi Panarin’s goal against Ottawa. Those 30 attempts span nine games and the top power-play unit has only scored one 5-on-4 goal in that time, which was Panarin’s in New York.

While the penalty kill has been less responsible for wins and losses, the Kings have allowed a power-play goal in six of the last seven games and it’s hard to overcome that. They haven’t had consecutive games without allowing a power-play goal this season. The 6-for-6 showing against Florida early in the season feels a long time ago, with just two perfect nights since then.

When you put them both together, there has not been one game this season when the Kings have both scored a power-play goal and allowed none. A collection of things everyone knows isn’t cutting it.

Sometimes I feel like the answers are obvious. Here, I think the problem is obvious, but the solutions are a bit trickier. I can’t sit here and tell you I have them. Is it personnel, is it execution, is it structure, is it opponent, is it luck…….I’m not sure. When the 5-on-5 scoring isn’t there, I think it’s easier to look at and find the reasoning. It’s less clear here, in my opinion, which makes it a trickier analysis.

The Kings were probably good enough to win yesterday afternoon and didn’t, despite the best statistical showing of the season at even strength. Each year, there’s a team that overachieves what you think they should be based on special-teams performance. I think that is part of what the Kings tried to build this summer. For a team that seems like it will be in a lot of one-goal games this season, special teams can be the difference maker, but it hasn’t been so far.