Kings Coach Terry Murray considering changes to power-play unit

Another fruitless effort by the Kings’ power-play unit had Coach Terry Murray considering a lineup change for the team’s game Monday at Ottawa against the Senators.

Murray said Sunday that he is thinking about substituting Jake Muzzin on defense for Peter Harrold, hoping Muzzin’s solid shot might energize a power-play unit that has been shut out three times in the last four games and is one for 15 in that span. Muzzin has been scratched the last two games and three of the last four, including the Kings’ 4-3 shootout victory Saturday at Boston.

“I keep coming back to Muzzin,” Murray said of the rookie defenseman, who started the season with the Kings but was sent to the minors, recalled, sent back again and recalled again Nov. 9.

“He’s played pretty good and he also gives us a good shot on the second power-play group. It seems to me that once we get by [Drew] Doughty and [Jack] Johnson we’re not getting what we’d like. We’ve got to get pucks from the blue line to the net more. That’s something we need to keep building on.”

Murray said he intends to keep together the fourth line of Brad Richardson, Trevor Lewis and Kevin Westgarth, which produced a goal by Richardson on Saturday in its first shift as a unit. Kyle Clifford, who had been on the fourth line, moved up to the left side with Michal Handzus and Wayne Simmonds.

“You never know what happens when you throw the puck toward the net,” Murray said. “It could possibly go in.”

Sad visit

The Kings worked out off the ice in Boston before flying to Ottawa, where Murray had a sad mission to complete.

His plans included a condolence visit to Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson, whose 14-year-old daughter, Daron, recently committed suicide. Murray has known Richardson’s family for decades. During Murray’s playing days he had a summer job laying phone cable for a company owned by Richardson’s father, Glen, and he has known Luke since the younger Richardson was a child.

In addition, Murray’s older brother Bryan, the general manager of the Senators, played hockey with Glen Richardson years ago. Terry Murray said that during the summer he will spend full afternoons visiting with Richardson’s father.

“It’s the ultimate tragedy to lose a young child like that,” said Terry Murray, a father of two daughters.

Slap shots

Murray said he and his brother Bryan have long gotten past the novelty of one’s team opposing the other’s. During the season they stay in touch, he said, but they don’t talk a lot. “Whenever we do, it’s more about, ‘How’s the family?’,” not about their respective teams, he said. “We don’t get into hockey too much. We had the family reunion this summer, everybody’s at the lake. A hundred-plus people. So that was pretty nice. But we don’t get into hockey too much.” …

Anze Kopitar’s six-game point streak ended Saturday in Boston when he was shut out, but Justin Williams’ assist on the Kings’ third goal gave him points in 12 of his last 13 games and 19 points in his last 17 games. Center Jarret Stoll, who scored his 100th career goal Saturday, has 11 points in his last 10 games. … The Kings’ shootout victory at Boston improved their record to 3-0 in the tiebreaking procedure. …

Center Brayden Schenn, loaned to Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League last Wednesday, had two assists and an even plus/minus rating in his first three games with the Monarchs. He can stay there up to 14 days.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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