Kings go back to basics after two big losses

Although the Kings gave up 13 goals in their last two games — as many as they had allowed in their previous seven games — Coach Terry Murray’s plans Friday didn’t include a “bag skate,” in which players skate until they heave.

“Those only make me feel better. They don’t make the players feel better,” Murray said after an exacting practice that emphasized execution, concentration and attention to fundamentals.

No member of the Kings felt particularly good Friday, but an unforgiving schedule left them no time to mope. Saturday’s game against San Jose will be the fifth of six in nine days, a stretch they began with back-to-back victories over the Ducks and at San Jose before losing their discipline in a 6-3 loss at Phoenix on Wednesday and a 7-4 home loss to Philadelphia on Thursday.

Their priority is clear, team captain Dustin Brown said.

“Getting into the game. The last couple games we haven’t played a full 60 or there’s been lapses in our compete level which can’t happen,” he said.

“Mistakes are going to happen in a hockey game. That’s what hockey is all about. You can’t have a lack of compete level. There’s no way you’re going to win if you’re not working and competing. The last few games we’ve had spurts where we haven’t done that, and that’s not acceptable.”

Right wing Justin Williams said that in the two losses the Kings lost touch with what had made them successful.

“I feel sometimes we forget how hard we actually worked when we won those games,” he said. “It’s hard to win in this league, especially with how tight the West is. Everything is big. Nights off are not allowed. You take too many of them you’re going to be at the bottom.

“We’re still in good position. We’ll get it. We’ll understand it. We’ll be better for it. Eventually it needs to click with us and everyone’s on board saying, �Hey, that was tough. That was fun. Let’s do it again.’”

He’s got the worlds on a string

Prospect Brayden Schenn had a goal and an assist Friday but was stopped in the shootout as Canada lost to Sweden, 6-5, in a preliminary-round game at the world junior hockey championships in Buffalo, N.Y. Schenn leads the tournament with seven goals and 14 points in four games.

Defenseman Drew Doughty is following Schenn’s progress. “We’re all rooting for him on this team and want him to do really well,” Doughty said.

The 2008 tournament was a pivotal moment for Doughty, whose performance influenced Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi to choose him second in the June entry draft.

“It was great to win a gold medal, my first real gold medal at a real tournament. It was a huge steppingstone in my career,” Doughty said.

“Before that I was kind of highly touted for the draft, but I really think it had a big part in me becoming a member of the L.A. Kings because Dean told me the one time where he really saw me kind of take over a game was at the world juniors.”

Slap shots

The NHL’s Winter Classic between the Penguins and Capitals at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, pushed back to start at 5 p.m. PST Saturday in response to forecasts of rain, will be shown on the center-ice scoreboard at Staples Center before the Kings’ game.

[email protected]

twitter.com/helenenothelen