Here’s what Terry Murray said this morning about trying to avoid the slow starts that have cost the Kings in the last couple games. First-period play has, without question, cost the Kings one point in each of their last two games…

Question: In trying to avoid the slow starts, do you do anything in particular to try to shake it up or get them in a different rhythm?

MURRAY: “You talk about it, that’s what you do. You bring it to the focus and make it a focal point in your meetings, to have good starts and do the right things. But you go back over the five road games we had, and when we talk about our starts, we talk about setting up and establishing a forecheck and making sure we’re doing the right things with the puck through the middle of the ice. That’s not a big change. You might repeat it a few more times.

“The thing we have to be careful of is taking penalties. We talked about that specifically. Those are hard when they come early in the game. Or if you get a power play right at the start of the game too, like against Edmonton or Calgary, sometimes you’re not ready for it, so that’s a focal point. You just have to try to take advantage of those situations. At least, if you get a power play, establish some offensive-zone time and get that confidence from moving it around. Create a couple chances, and even if you’re not scoring, it carries over to your 5-on-5.”