That’s how you would expect the Kings to play against the Ducks.
LA closed out the season series against their crosstown rivals with a 3-1 victory at on Saturday night and are well positioned to clinch third place in the Pacific Division — there’s still some work to do, yet the victory was a solid step in that direction.
Our postgame article following last week’s disappointing effort in Anaheim mentioned how LA would be looking for revenge in their contests against Calgary and Anaheim. Not only did the Kings achieve this, they also did so in a convincing fashion by outsourcing both opponents by a 7-2 margin.
Entering the final frame up 2-0, the Ducks cut that lead in half midway through the period. However, the Kings were able to reestablish momentum and added an insurance goal off the stick of Kevin Fiala.
FIALA PUTS LA UP
@LAKings I #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/wow2vVyFqG
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 14, 2024
Saturday’s final score of 3-1 matched the Kings record against the Ducks this season. Additionally, LA has now won four straight home contests against Anaheim dating back to April 2022.
Stat Sheet Takeaways: Despite scoring only three goals on Saturday, nine different Kings registered points in the victory. Depth has been one of the most consistent aspects of LA’s team throughout the season, and it shined through once again in the Freeway Faceoff finale.
Dubois to 1C: With captain Anže Kopitar resting on Saturday night, PL Dubois was given a golden opportunity to showcase what he can bring in an elevated role – and he delivered. Dubois scored his sixth power play goal of the season midway through the second period, in addition to winning 80% of his faceoffs over 19:59 of ice-time.
PLD ON THE POWERPLAY@LAKings I #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/oDQdTMDKGN
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 14, 2024
Defensive Hockey: The Kings have only surrendered 11 goals in their last six games (1.83 goals against per game). In an encouraging sign, the Kings have shown an increased commitment to playing strong in their own end — especially with Edmonton and Vancouver as two likely opponents in the first round; teams with impressive offensive depth.
Out-of-Town Scores: Speaking of Edmonton and Vancouver, the Canucks defeated the Oilers on Saturday and are only one point shy of clinching the Pacific Division title. Meaning, it’s looking more and more like LA and Edmonton V3 will be happening. Buckle up.
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