By Canadian Press

Room for Improvement: Kings frustrated after 1-3 road trip through Canada

Oct 15, 2018 | 9:45 PM

TORONTO — Los Angeles Kings head coach John Stevens couldn’t help but laugh when asked if his team needs to work on its breakaway speed.

“And not the offensive zone or not on the power play?” said Stevens after L.A. lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Monday. “I mean, that’s kind of a blanket statement to be honest with you, we’ve got to score more goals, period.”

Ilya Kovalchuk was the lone scorer as the Kings dropped to 2-3-1, ending a four-game road swing with a 1-3 record, a 3-0 win in Montreal the only highlight of the trip through Canada.

It would be easy to point to the absence of all-star goalie Jonathan Quick as the source of L.A.’s woes, but 26-year-old backup Jack Campbell has been capable in net to start the season as Quick recovers from a lower-body injury sustained in practice on Oct. 6. Stevens, instead, thinks the whole team needs to improve.

“I think it’s important that we keep getting better in all areas of our game,” said Stevens. “I thought there was some good stretches where we checked a lot better tonight, I thought we moved pucks with speed a lot better tonight, I thought our intention to get to the net was a little better, and I thought our power play created some better looks tonight.

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“Those are all things that have to get a whole lot better so we can come out on the other side of this equation.”

Although Stevens saw some improvement on Monday, the mood in the Kings dressing room was downcast. In the 90 seconds it took all-star defenceman Drew Doughty to speak with media all 19 of his teammates cleared out their lockers, packed their bags, and left, without a word muttered between them.

“It’s not like we played like crap or anything, I thought it was a pretty even game but they capitalized on their opportunities and we weren’t,” said Doughty, who led both teams with 25:53 of ice time. “I guess the power play went oh-for again and we gave them a power-play goal. It sucks. It sucks losing.”

Los Angeles went 0 for 3 on the power play, including being unable to score on two slashing penalties by Toronto’s Mitch Marner just over three minutes apart in the second period. The Kings have the worst power-play unit in the NHL so far this season, unable to convert on 21 man advantages.

“I don’t know how to fix it,” said Doughty. “If I knew, we’d fix it. And I don’t. I don’t have anything for you there.”

Called back into the locker-room to speak with reporters, Campbell blamed himself for the loss in Toronto and Saturday’s 5-1 loss in Ottawa. He had 21 saves against the Leafs and against the Senators he stopped 7-of-11 shots before being pulled in favour of Peter Budaj, who turned aside 10-of-11 shots.

“I thought we played really well but it’s tough to win when you give up four so I just have to make four more saves there,” said Campbell. “I just think the last two games I need to make a few more saves and we win, that’s it.”

Stevens defended Campbell, however.

“Jack’s played some great games for us, we’ve all got to be better,” said Stevens. “Don’t put the goalie on an island there, he’s one of the 20 guys that were dressed tonight and we’re going to need everybody to win.”

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John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press