The Kings headed into Saturday’s rubber match of their three-game homestand with serious concerns about their power play, as well as some individual offensive players they were hoping to get back afloat against the Seattle Kraken.

They eliminated the Detroit Red Wings to start the homestand — which is part of a nine-game stretch that will be played in California — but they were closed for the first time this season on Wednesday Buffalo Sabers.

The Black and Silver have become the not-so-proud owners of the NHL’s worst power play since Nov. 10 — they haven’t scored a power-play goal since Nov. 9, and that was a goal — and have the fourth-worst conversion rate from the entire 2024-2025 period.

Their 0-for-5 performance in a 1-0 shutout by Buffalo was their third showing of the season, including an 0-for-6 showing in a loss to lowly San Jose. They have gone 0-for-4 on four other occasions and have gone without a power-play goal in 13 of their 20 games so far.

Their newly assembled top five forward unit had the vibe of Dean Smith’s four-cornered attack at times and produced little more than near misses at best. The second unit’s struggles have lasted a season, with ineffective play from both groups making the Kings’ many bromances about “look” and “movement” meaningless.

Their struggles were not limited to the power game either. Overall, they have lost four of their last six games and in those defeats they have managed 1.25 goals per game.

Forward Quinton Byfield signed a lucrative extension this summer with the expectation that he will push up the Kings’ top flight. But instead of following captain Anže Kopitar, Byfield’s production more closely mirrored that of checker Trevor Lewis.

The No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft has overcome several setbacks: a broken ankle and not one but two viral illnesses, one of which robbed him of roughly 25 pounds. Last season he looked primed for a breakout, but mixed form, tentativeness and luck inhibited him in the first quarter of this campaign.

“He had some tough times before he came out,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “If anyone faced adversity, it was him through the first round of his career here. So, he’s been through it, he’s going to get through it.”

Hiller noted that Byfield “wasn’t alone” among the players who couldn’t convert on Wednesday. He was also not unaccompanied in a host of fallen kings.

Defenseman Kevin Fiala has been held scoreless in six straight games and defenseman Jordan Spence has spent much of the season turning the puck over like he’s cooking it on a grill. Meanwhile, Brock Faber, who the Kings dealt along with a first-round pick for Fiala, has been the No. 1 defenseman for the West’s second-best team so far, the Minnesota Wild.

Even the Kings’ early season wipes have cooled significantly. Brandt Clarke has been held scoreless in four straight games and six of his last seven. In his last two games, he and the top power-play unit have clearly missed each other.