Blake’s Hits: Quality, Not Quantity

He won’t get a trophy for his display case, but defenseman Rob Blake was voted the NHL’s best pure hitter in a poll conducted by The Hockey News.

The Kings’ captain doesn’t lead the league in hits, but most players and coaches are skeptical of the NHL figures because statisticians use different criteria in each city. However, the consensus among players interviewed by The Hockey News was Blake is the best because his open-ice hits pack a substantial wallop and are well-timed, and are backed by his strong skating and his ability to read plays.

Blake said he’s careful when dishing out open-ice hits because he doesn’t want to be caught should play suddenly turn toward the Kings’ defensive zone.

“I think with systems that are being played and the types of traps, defensemen are real reliable to be in the right position, and with an open-ice hit, you almost take yourself out of position to do it,” he said. “There’s a time and place for it, and anticipation is probably the biggest factor.”

Blake is also among the best practitioners of the nearly lost art of hip checking, in which he uses his lower body to pin an opponent.

“I use that along the boards,” he said. “The only reason I rely on that so much is when the hit is finished, you end up facing the whole ice. You’re facing the play. You know where the puck is and you know where the other players are. It’s more effective as far as jumping into the play.”

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Stephane Fiset started for the fourth time in five games. He began the game with a 2.93 goals-against average and .895 save percentage, both subpar. However, he said he’s not concerned about personal numbers. “They try to show me, I don’t want to look,” he said. “I don’t check. What matters to me is whether we win the game. I don’t care if it’s 5-4 or 5-0.” . . . King scouts have been following the New York Islanders, and they may be watching center Claude Lapointe. A solid defensive player, he’s also scrappy and energetic offensively. He has 11 goals and 22 points in 59 games with the Islanders, who apparently are intent on paring their payroll to the bare bones. Lapointe, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, is earning $600,000 and hopes to double that next season.