Anze Kopitar weighs in on Kings’ frustrations

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Twenty-seven games into the NHL season, it was time to take the Kings’ temperature about such burning issues as a fading offense and home difficulties.

Staples Center has not provided a major advantage. The Kings are 8-7-1 at home and 5-3-3 on the road.

‘I think that it’s some kind of pressure that we feel toward playing at home and toward our fans,’ said center Anze Kopitar, the Kings’ leading scorer, on Wednesday after practice in El Segundo. ‘You want to do so well at home. And everybody knows how the homestands are important in trying to get points.

‘But I almost feel too much. It shouldn’t be an excuse. Bottom line, you have to do it. You have to get points.’

That has become difficult of late, and Kopitar spoke about the recent mood among the players.

‘I’d be lying if I wouldn’t say there’s no frustration in the room,’ he said. ‘Everybody would like to score more goals. Just frustrated where we are right now. I don’t think that’s the case if you look at the standings ... still in playoff position.

‘And I don’t think lately we’ve come close to playing our best hockey. We’re still in good shape. But we’ve got to turn it around. It’s been very frustrating. Sometimes for the guys it’s almost better if you lose 5-4 than 2-1 and 1-0. Because you get the sense you did something out on the ice.’

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-- Lisa Dillman