In a different incarnation in 2014-15—Dwight King has replaced the injured Pearson—That ‘70s Line is providing critical offense yet again.
Legitimate concern over whether the team would even reach the postseason has been swapped for optimism following a six-game winning streak. L.A. has closed the gap in the Pacific Division and regained the Western Conference's second wild-card spot, and much of the recent turnaround has stemmed from the second line catching fire once more.
Despite offering a different look, the group remains deadly.
Production
The most dramatic statistical change involves King, who has posted eight points and a plus-seven rating in the past six contests. Over the previous 50 games, the hulking winger had managed just 13 points and a minus-eight rating.
Identified as one of the club’s key underperformers earlier in the season, the 25-year-old has settled nicely into his role of late.
Carter and Toffoli have also benefited from this configuration:
In the past six games, Carter has racked up nine points and a plus-five rating. In the six outings prior to that, he’d managed four points and a minus-two rating.
Toffoli, meanwhile, has registered nine points and a plus-six rating compared to three points and a minus-two rating in those respective spans.
During this streak, That '70s Line 2.0 has accounted for 13 of the team's 23 goals. From a strictly offensive standpoint, it has made all the difference.
This group’s success becomes even more important when considering the lackluster showings from big guns Anze Kopitar and Maria...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Kings
