If Tverdovsky plays, more power to them

When defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky plays, the Kings score power-play goals.

Connecting the dots might not involve a straight line, but there is value in the argument that having an experienced defenseman, adept at moving the puck, is going to help a power play. Tverdovsky has played in three games and the Kings are seven for 34 on the power play in those games, including four for 12 in a 4-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday.

“There are things you can work on in practice, but there are some things you can only work on in games,” Tverdovsky said. “You see something that might work and you have the opportunity to try it. You build confidence that way.

“It’s something that is tough to do if you don’t play that often. That’s the situation I’m in right now and I’m going to do the best I can in it.”

Tverdovsky, acquired late in training camp from the Carolina Hurricanes, played with stay-at-home defenseman Aaron Miller against Phoenix, a pairing that Coach Marc Crawford says is better for him.

“Oleg can energize young guys out there,” Crawford said. “I think playing with a solid citizen like Miller helps him. Oleg seems more comfortable playing with a defensive-orientated defenseman. It allows him to jump into the play.”

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The empty seats have not escaped notice at ice level, as players and coach have noted the dwindling number of fans at Staples Center.

“I think the turn the team had last season and the turnover that has occurred have people waiting to see what kind of team we have,” defenseman Rob Blake said. “There’s a lot of competition for the entertainment dollar in this city.”

The Kings, at the moment, are losing that battle. They have had three announced crowds of fewer than 15,000 for the first time in five seasons. They failed to sell out a game with the Detroit Red Wings, a first since Staples Center opened in 1999. As of Saturday afternoon, tickets were available for today’s game against the Ducks, an opponent that has produced a sellout all but once since the Kings moved into the arena.

“It can be an ugly game and we win and the uneducated fan may not notice the mistakes that were made,” Crawford said. “We could play great and lose on a bad break and the uneducated fan might not notice. The biggest thing fans want to see is results.”

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Crawford said he would wait until today to decide who would play in goal against the Ducks. Dan Cloutier remains the No. 1 goaltender, but Mathieu Garon stopped 40 shots in shutting out the Coyotes and has won two of three starts. He leads the NHL with a .952 save percentage and is second with a 1.68 goals-against average.

“We play five games in seven days and we’re going to need both our goaltenders,” Crawford said. “The way it lays out is Dan will get three and Matt two.”

TODAY

Ducks at Kings, 3, FSNW

Site -- Staples Center

Radio -- 1150, 830.

Records -- Ducks 5-0-2, Kings 3-4-1.

Season series -- Ducks 1-0-0.

Update -- The Kings played brilliantly in their victory over the Coyotes. Now they must prove it against a top team in the Western Conference. The Kings are 0-4-1 in games against the Ducks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild this season.

Tickets -- (888) 546-4752.

chris.foster@latimes.com