Los Angeles Kings Keys to Victory vs. St. Louis Blues

By Fansided and Ian Smith/FanSided via Rink Royalty
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Here are some keys to victory as the Los Angeles Kings prepare to square off against the St. Louis Blues at Staples Center.Exploit Jake AllenThe 17-10-3 record that Allen boasts is impressive, but his other stats don’t quite measure up. His .902 save percentage ranks just 38th among qualified goaltenders, and his GAA of 2.70 ranks just 29th. The Blues win games through offensive production. St. Louis doesn’t give up many shots per game, ranking 5th fewest in the NHL with 27.9 shots on goal per game given up. However, they also give up the 7th most goals per game at a 2.98 total. With Allen expected to get the start between the pipes, the Kings aren’t facing a daunting force in net.More from Rink Royalty1/12 - Los Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues Game Preview1/11 - Los Angeles Kings Midseason Hockey Report Card1/10 - Los Angeles Kings Carter and Doughty Named All Stars1/9 - Los Angeles Kings Lose Scoring Fest to Dallas Stars 6-41/9 - Los Angeles Kings Keys to Victory vs. Dallas StarsStay Out of the Penalty BoxThe Blues rank 5th in the NHL with a power play percentage of 22.6%. The good news for the Kings is that they rank in the lower half of the NHL in amount of times being short handed, so this isn’t a case of a penalty prone team going up against an opponent known for capitalizing on their chances on the man advantage. Vladimir Tarasenko and Kevin Shattenkirk both have 6 power play goals this season, which lead the Blues. Alexander Steen doesn’t have any power play goals, but he does have 10 power play assists. It’s best not to let this explosive unit get many chances to showcase their stuff.Next: Los Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues Game PreviewPlay Stingy DefenseThe Blues only rank 27th in the NHL in shots on goal per game at 27.9, yet rank 8th in the league with 2.83 goals per game. They have a roster full of capable scorers who can make plays on the offensive end. Tarasenko leads the team with 20 goals, but he’s not the only threat to score. Jaden Schwartz has 12 goals. Robby Fabbri has 11 goals. David Perron has 10 goals. The Kings give up the fewest shots on goal in the league by a full shot per game. Los Angeles needs to keep this game manageable for Peter Budaj, who is likely to get the start in net.More from Rink RoyaltyLos Angeles Kings vs. St. Louis Blues Game Preview1 h agoLos Angeles Kings Midseason Hockey Report Card21h agoLos Angeles Kings Carter and Doughty Named All Stars1 d agoLos Angeles Kings Lose Scoring Fest to Dallas Stars 6-42d agoLos Angeles Kings Keys to Victory vs. Dallas Stars2d agoThis article originally appeared on