11-9 Practice – Winning 1-0, McLellan on Quick and Power Play, Roys Growth and Consistency

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• News post

• Zach Dooley

The Kings were back on the ice this morning in El Segundo in between home games. The current four-game homestand is off to a great start from a results standpoint, with a pair of victories and a very interesting beginning from a stylistic standpoint.

• Viktor Arvidsson
• Jonathan Quick
• Matt Roy
• Sean Durzi

• Todd McLellan
• Trent Yawney

# Todd McLellan

For the last three weeks we’ve talked about can we win a game 2-1 or 1-0. We found a way to do it.

Yes, it is [important]. Trent Yawney always says don’t critique a win, a win’s a win, it goes in the bank and you need it and however you can make that deposit, make it. Over the long run, you have to play the right way to increase the account and part of doing that was being able to check our way to a win. I thought we did that last night and they were rewarded. When you question a group and they’re able to do it, it’s powerful.

I could keep you here all day and say nice things about [Jonathan Quick] because it’s easy to do. Start with everybody around him, we all work with him and I’ve said this before, I think goaltending is a tough position and I personally believe that the team either plays for that individual rather than just being an extra position. I think when Quickie is in, our guys want to play for him and I think that’s really important. He’s competitive, a leader, I know that once or twice there’s been a “C” put on a goaltender and we’re not going down that route, but that doesn’t mean you can’t lead. He’s been able to take Clarkie under his wing, just the things he does for his teammates without anybody knowing is pretty remarkable. I could talk about his saves and all that other stuff, but sometimes you don’t know the person and I think that’s more of what you’re asking me about, the person.

Our power play last night was anemic and we didn’t create enough momentum for us to get energy off of that. I thought it took a little energy away from our team. We had the opportunity to regroup after the second period and re-focus, which was important, but had the outcome from that game been different, say 1-0 the other way, we still would have focused on power play, but I would have likely been pointing more fingers at it. The other reason is I think we played well enough to win in Chicago, we did some really good things, but the power play was ineffective there as well. It’s time to get it together and play like we can. We’ve been really good on the power play in some games it’s been outstanding, but it kind of matches a bit of our game, which hopefully we’re coming out now at 5-on-5 where the inconsistency is too great.

Some of the younger players try and figure it out and they struggle with it early. They may be up on the plane until two o’clock in the morning playing cards when they need to be rested, they may be playing at night when they should be sleeping and hours get mixed up. That’s part of growing up and learning and Matt Roy has done that. He’s a man, he’s matured, he does a very good job of it and that’s part of why he’s so consistent.

# Viktor Arvidsson

Yeah, obviously it was nice to shut out a team. I think we played a solid game and it was tight checking the whole game and we won. We just want to win games and it’s hard in this league, so that’s good.

# Sean Durzi

Recovery, taking care of your body, the older guys preach it, taking care of your body physically and mentally and [Matt Roy] is a guy who is really good at that. We got together on the road just in the hotel, whether we’re using the amenities there, the sauna, stretching, hydrating, it’s all part of being a pro and a successful NHL player.

# Matt Roy

I’ve been tinkering with a few things over the years. I do some breath-work before games and before I go to bed, but I think the main part is just trying to eat healthy, stay hydrated and trying to get into the sauna when we can. It just feels good, it’s something I feel like helps to do. It can be a good substitute to just get a good sweat in, it’s more so just about feeling good and feeling ready.