On Saturday in San Jose, the Kings were led from the top.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with the stats. <\/p>\n
The line of Artemi Panairn, Quinton Byfield and Adrian Kempe led the way early and often, all the way through the end of the night. Throughout the course of the game, all three players scored a goal, including Panarin\u2019s game-tying goal late in the third period. All three players collected multiple points, with Kempe and Byfield each finding the back of the net on the man advantage. <\/p>\n
How about the splits?<\/p>\n
With those three players on the ice, skating 5-on-5, the Kings had 20 shot attempts for, compared to just four against. Nine of those shot attempts were classified as scoring chances by Natural Stat Trick, as the Kings controlled more than 81 percent of them with those three players on the ice. Of the 20 forward lines with at least 25 minutes at 5-on-5 through the first week of games, the Panarin, Byfield and Kempe line is one of five around the NHL controlling more than 65 percent of shot attempts. <\/p>\n
What\u2019s more important, though is how it looked. <\/p>\n
I\u2019ve always felt that it is dangerous to make decisions off of small sample sizes early in the season. So, if it didn\u2019t jump off the page, I\u2019d pump the breaks. However, when those small sample sizes support the eye test, rather than inspire it, they become more important. The eyetest was what stood out first, with the supporting metrics amplifying what we saw. <\/p>\n
The reason it stood out is that it felt like every time that line was on the ice, the Kings were in the offensive zone, with the puck, making plays and creating chances. In fact, around the NHL, all three players rank in the 80th percentile or better in time spent in the offensive zone, with Panarin leading the way in the 91st percentile. For a team that is focused on increasing the offensive production this season, you look to your top guys first. Early days, but a good start in that area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought their game was on point, they created the entire night, I thought they were excellent the entire night,\u201d Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. \u201cQB, Bread and Kemps were really, I thought, pretty dynamic and generated an awful lot for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
It starts with Panarin, who has three points in his first two games, scoring goals both in Colorado and San Jose. <\/p>\n
The most productive season of Panarin\u2019s NHL career came under Laviolette in New York. Laviolette\u2019s system encourages forwards to make plays and with Panarin specifically, he wants to let him use his creativity and his ability to make plays. There\u2019s always a line, but with a player of Panarin\u2019s caliber, it\u2019s got to be a bit further out than most. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe way he thinks the game and the way he creates offense, it\u2019s at a very high level,\u201d Laviolette said during training camp. \u201cEverybody has to move inside of a mindset of how we\u2019re going to defend and how we\u2019re going to play offense, but his creativity, especially the offensive side of the puck, I don\u2019t think you can try to harness that. I think you have to let that go. I\u2019ve coached him before, I think he\u2019s a competitor, I think he\u2019s highly skilled, an elite player that can make a difference in a game. I don\u2019t want to do anything that constrains him from reaching that level.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the Kings, Panarin has the chance to really impact the game at the offensive end of the ice. There hasn\u2019t been a player of his makeup here in a long time. <\/p>\n
Panarin\u2019s chemistry with Kempe is already something known. Last season, Kempe scored at over a 50-goal pace when playing with Panarin. Adding Byfield into the mix is the change. While Byfield lacks Anze Kopitar\u2019s pedigree and production, he brings an element of speed that puts a pair of burners next to one of the NHL\u2019s best playmakers. <\/p>\n
Panarin joked he\u2019s just doing his best to keep up, but the element their speed adds opens up more space for him as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo pretty fast hockey players, which makes the puck on our side more, because they win lots of battles and they forecheck very well,\u201d Panarin said of his linemates. \u201cI try being fast too, but I\u2019m not that fast, so I\u2019ve got to a start earlier by a second, that\u2019s all. We had good moments. We start feeling each other more and more and I feel the second game was better for us, as a team as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The speed and the forechecking was a big part of the equation. <\/p>\n
Last season, there weren\u2019t many players in the NHL who could keep up with Byfield and Kempe. Per NHL Edge data, both players ranked in the 95th percentile or better in speed bursts of 22+ MPH and speed bursts between 20 and 22 MPH. Both players had a maximum speed burst over 23 MPH as well, ranking in the 89th percentile or better. <\/p>\n
That speed, in forechecking situations, can be deadly. Byfield, Panarin and Kempe rank first, second and third in loose-puck recoveries in the offensive zone this season among Kings forwards, which shows how routinely they\u2019re getting pucks back inside the offensive blueline. <\/p>\n
Look at Panarin\u2019s goal, for example. <\/p>\n
ARTEMI TIME https:\/\/t.co\/VbKPqLqBfh<\/p>\n