Every player has a stretch where they just can’t quite find the back of the net every once in a while.
Andrei Kuzmenko is in one now and he’s doing his best not to let it get him down.
The Russian winger has scored only once heading into Friday night’s game against the Nashville Predators, while adding eight assists in 17 games for the Calgary Flames this season. That’s well off his pace from last year, when he scored 14 in 29 games after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks, and significantly behind the 39-goal pace he set in 81 games in his first season in the NHL two years ago.
Kuzmenko is a natural sniper with a proven goal-scoring track record, so it must be frustrating. His last goal came against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 15, a full month ago. He’s now gone 13 games without scoring. He also went goalless for 13 games last season before finding a way out of his slump while he was still with the Canucks, though. He’s trying to keep that in mind.
“I have every season a little problem with scoring,” Kuzmenko said. “I have a couple games where I don’t score and I understand: Keep going, keep going, keep going.
“Doesn’t matter what’s happened, just need to work. If you have good work on the ice and have good work in the game, you have a good chance to score.”
The Flames don’t seem to be sweating Kuzmenko’s goal-scoring slump much, although he’s definitely a guy they’re relying on to light the lamp.
But even with a player like Kuzmenko, his impact isn’t only judged purely on goals and assists. Yes, it would be helpful if he could find a way to put more pucks in the back of the net, but if that’s not happening, head coach Ryan Huska wants the 28-year-old to focus on being effective in other areas.
“(His game) is not where, I think, he would like it to be,” Huska said. “He’s a player who we do need to be generating for us, that’s the strength of his game but at the same time when it’s not falling for you or the offence isn’t there, you want to be good in the other areas of your game.
“If it isn’t a stretch where you’re not finding the looks or the chances you’d like to have then you’d better be good with your details, that’s our challenge with him right now. For offensive players, they go through streaks or stretches like this, and he’s going to come out of it but while he’s in it just make sure the other parts of his game are good.”
When Huska was asked if Kuzmenko was showing signs of progress with those other details, he responded with a simple “Getting there.”
The Russian has had some impactful moments in recent games, including a gorgeous assist on Jonathan Huberdeau’s game-winner against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.
At Friday’s morning skate, he was on a line with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil. On paper, at least, that’s a trio that you’d expect to be able to generate lots of scoring opportunities.
Whether the goals start coming immediately or not, the Flames want Kuzmenko focused on moving his feet, winning puck battles along the boards and being responsible in the defensive end.
Do those things, and the goals will come.
“After every game I’m feeling a little better but I understand I maybe need one more goal or two more goals for a good condition or good feeling about scoring, I need it,” Kuzmenko said. “Keep working hard, so simple, a lot of players have this moment with no scoring, I understand, so simple, keep working, go to the net, shoot.”
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