We saw in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the opening round this past weekend on Sunday afternoon (April 19) that the Los Angeles Kings and interim head coach DJ Smith can hang with the style of play of the Colorado Avalanche on the ice and on the scoreboard this postseason in the playoffs.
A personnel change could help the Los Angeles Kings in the top nine forward lines core group offensively in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
I think the Kings and Smith and the coaching staff did a good job of holding their own offensively in the zone against the Avalanche superstar duo of Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon on the ice yesterday this past weekend. The Kings have played competitive and close games on the scoreboard this past few months in this past regular season in the West in the Pacific Division.
Assuming that Colorado was the best team in the league in the NHL this past regular season in this past few months, the Kings have proved that they can remain competitive on the ice and offensively in the zone, scoring the puck. We'll see if the Kings can maneuver that into wins on the scoreboard this postseason in the playoffs vs. Colorado in this upcoming next couple of weeks.
Here are the lineup adjustments to the active roster lineup that Smith and the Kings' coaching staff should make going into Game 2 vs. Colorado on April 21.
Andrei Kuzmenko boosts the top-six scoring forwards
If Smith and the Kings' coaching staff decides to make personnel changes in the active roster lineup tomorrow vs. the Avalanche in the postseason in the playoffs early this week on Tuesday night, one big option is winger Andrei Kuzmenko. The Kings could get a jump in confidence and offensive intensity, scoring the puck in the zone if Kuzmenko is inserted into the active roster lineup tomorrow. night on the road for the team in the core forward lines group.
It makes sense for the Kings to get the offensive boost scoring the puck in the zone with the skill, and speed, and playmaking that Kuzmenko brings to the table in the active roster lineup for the core forward lines group up front. I think it would be the best choice for the Kings to put Kuzmenko in the active roster lineup offensively tomorrow instead of Mathieu Joseph and/or Jared Wright.
Give Brandt Clarke more minutes on the blue line on defense
Defensively, the Kings played well in the zone and in front of goalie Anton Forsberg in front of the net in Game 1 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs vs. Colorado this past weekend on Sunday. The Kings allowed under 20 medium and high-danger scoring chances in the zone defensively yesterday (per Natural Stat Trick).
Defenseman Brandt Clarke registered an assist and one total point on the blue line yesterday for the Kings in the zone. Clarke played under 20 minutes in time on the ice on the blue line on defense this past weekend for the Kings.
Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin played just about as many shifts at even strength at 5-on-5 on the blue line on defense for the Kings yesterday as Clarke and defenseman Joel Edmundson.
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