Game Day Thread
Game #41/82 - 1/5/26
>>7:30pm<<
on FanDuel
Minnesota Wild vs. Los Angeles Kings
Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, CA
**Game Time 7:30pm**
TV: FanDuel
Radio: ESPN LA app, Kings app, & Sirius
ESPNLA 710 AM
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Quinton Byfield & Jim Hiller 1/3 Post-Game Quotes
Quinton Byfield
On how it felt to come out with a win in a close game
Yeah, I mean, those losses are so tough when you’re right there, kind of let them back in the game. Feels like you’re giving them the game. Those ones sting, so it feels good to kind of just close out the game somewhat and get it done in the shootout.
On if the result of the Tampa Bay game was on the team’s minds late
The past years, we’ve been able to close out games really well and I feel like this year it’s been a little bit tougher for us. We’re starting to let up a few 6-on-5 ones to tie the game or even Tampa they got two on us there. Those are tough, it’s something that we got clean up, and obviously we let one in today, but we still got the win so that’s a positive there.
On seeing a goal go in on the power play for his unit
Perry has been doing that for 20 years, so when he’s in front of the net, you kind of just want to get there as much as we can and he’s always making the right play down there and he’s got so much skill, you just want to get him to puck as much as we can. Clarkie’s playing great hockey, and then Kuzy’s also really good on the power play, so I feel like it’s a good unit and we’ve got to keep rolling here.
On if he knew the goal credited to him was his
I did not, no. I mean, it shouldn’t be. That was terrible. It’s good, I think there’s been two now that have been like that so, I’ll take them as they come.
On where his game is at right now
Honestly, you look at the stats, probably not where you want to be but for myself, feel like there’s still a lot of games left and I’m still giving the effort, just trying to check and win games. I’m starting to play against team’s top lines and I take a lot of responsibility in that, trying to shut them down, but also being productive offensively. I think there’s still a lot more to come.
Jim Hiller
On if it was a must-win for his team
I would call every single game a must win, 1 through 82, that’s what it feels like, not just this year, every year, so we feel like it’s always a must win. It’s just a mindset. If you say this one’s must win, but this one’s not quite……they’re all must wins. They’re all important in the end, they all add up to some number [of points].
On the play that led to Helenius’ third period goal
Kevin had a really good game tonight, I think just everywhere he was making a lot of plays. That one was really good and Sammy came off the bench, so he didn’t know, he just delayed, and Sammy came late. Sometimes that happens, good and bad, both ways, a guy comes off the bench and he comes kind of out of nowhere sometimes, and he’s hard to pick up for the defensive team. He made a really good play and a really good pass by Kevin to find him.
On using Brandt Clarke in the shootout
Yeah, well, probably should have used him ahead of Kopi and Kev, I guess. But no, Brandt’s ready for the moment. Really happy for him get the first one. I know the pressure doesn’t bother him whatsoever. So he’ll find his way in there again, probably in the top three.
On his team’s play in the second period after a good start in the first
I didn’t think the Tampa second was that poor, we just didn’t shoot the puck in the second period against Tampa. Tonight, we were able to shoot the puck and sustain some o-zone time. I thought what we did well, was play in the o-zone. We didn’t have the rush but we really worked the puck behind their goal line. They played yesterday, so we really wanted to try to make their defenseman work and I thought when we when we committed to that, we shot the puck, we put it in, we got down there, those were the strongest moments of the game for us.
On how his team handled the see-saw nature of the game
We’ve got some good experience with that this year, with all the close games we’ve had, but I would say this, that was as focused, as emotionally engaged, I think, as our team has been all year, this particular game. So despite even when the one went in to tie it, which obviously nobody liked, I thought we were calm and confident, as calm and confident as we’ve been all season. It was different for us tonight, which is a good sign.
On if tonight can be an emotional swing in the right direction
I hope it’s the spark we need. I really do. I believe it is, we’ll see in a couple days from now, but we needed a game where we beat one of the top teams in the league. At Colorado, it was close, Tampa, you’re right there. We needed to show that we could play and beat – because we showed we can play with the best teams – we needed to show we could beat them. I’m hoping that’s the spark we need here to get us going to the second half.
Lineups Courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com
==========================
WILD PROBABLE LINEUP
Former Kings Draft Picks
Brock Faber
Jake Middleton
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GOALTENDING COMPARISON
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
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**POLL QUESTION GAME**
*TWO GAME QUESTION (total Kings goals) carries over,
so just one question tonight*
At what TIME will the GAME WINNING GOAL be scored?
You can take 4 guesses
+/- 2:00 = 1 point, +/- 1:00 = 2 points, +/- :30 = 3 points
you can also guess SO for 2 points if correct
use the ___min:___sec of the ___ period format
only your closest guess counts for points
PREVIOUS GAME'S WINNERS
Congratulations to the following posters who correctly guessed 7 points for the Olympians:
Drum4Pigs
Forum Gold
RoS
symbology
jammer06
POLL GAME WIN TOTALS
King of the Mountain - 42 points
KernCoKingFan
40 points
DRice
38 points
Nyssa42
36 points
VegasHockey
35 points
Chateau Bow Wow
Clif
Drum4Pigs
VCRW
34 points
mugs
33 points
Birdman
32 points
Cross Traffic
Guinevere
31 points
notbob
30 points
HiFi
motolare
pray4mojo
RoS
Rusty
29 points
Angel Eyes
empire
jammer06
SirJW
28 points
hornman
27 points
DRGinLBC
Forum Gold
Liz4LA
McSorleyFan
randdog
Rogie-Vachon
26 points
dannybuoy1
25 points
Hockey53
24 points
beady eye
symbology
23 points
sonnyboy11
22 points
21 points
Dr. Tran
20 pts
CIrvine
Rog or Reg?
TooCool
14 points
Shackleford
12 points
Ecktore
9 points
JC6388LAKings
8 points
ICE24
6 points
kingsmen93
5 points
Rinkrat
3 points
JETS GARAGE
2 points
Sevenhole
GO KINGS GO!!!
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