Dud: Andrei Kuzmenko, W
The past few games have not been friendly to Kings' forward Andrei Kuzmenko. After he scored on the power play on special teams for the Kings this past week in the team's 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on home ice at Crypto Arena, Kuzmenko was demoted to the second power play unit with the forwards.
Hiller and the Kings staff moved Kuzmenko to the third-line forward group early this week. He played on the third line today in the first period for the Kings, playing alongside center Phillip Danault and winger Trevor Moore.
He didn't register any high-danger scoring chances and only had one scoring chance and one shot on goal in the game's first two periods this afternoon (per Natural Stat Trick).
Kuzmenko didn't really get any playing time in the final frame in the third period today. He played a season-low of under eight minutes of time on the ice today for Hiller and the Kings offensively.
Despite scoring over 45 goals in the first two seasons he spent in Vancouver, Kuzmenko was benched with the Canucks a few seasons ago in the West.
I think Hiller and the Kings' staff needs to put Kuzmenko back on a more offensively adept forward line this fall if they want to get his game going in the offensive zone this regular season.