A quick stop at home for a divisional showdown with the Flames is set to go down tonight in Downtown LA before the Kings head right back out for an extended road trip following the conclusion of this contest.
Coming off a disappointing loss to Seattle a few days ago, the Kings will look to get back on track — something that has been a fairly consistent theme this season, as things continue to be a largely up and down ride as the club approaches the midpoint of their 82-game regular season schedule. Coach Jim Hiller is still seeking consistency from his offense, particularly at 5v5. Case in point: both goals on Wednesday came from special teams, which would typically result in a win on a normal night.
This year’s Kings squad continues to be ever so dangerous on the penalty kill, certainly more so than the power play has been at times this season. Joel Armia and Alex Laferriere have been tremendous in those situations, allowing veterans like Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe to rest when their team is shorthanded.
Overall, LA remains among the top three teams in the Pacific Division. With just a little more production from their offense, the team is in position to make a push for the division crown. They still have yet to really find their consistent A-game, and have found ways to stay afloat despite several key players in a cold spell offensively.
Look forward, young man. Don’t look back.
The Kings struggled against the Flames last season, going 0-3-0 against their longtime rival. Would this marking the first of three meetings this season, Hiller’s club will aim to begin a new streak — one filled with victories and banking points in the standings.
Statistically Speaking
— Among active skaters, Corey Perry (76 GP), Anze Kopitar (72 GP) and Drew Doughty (59 GP) rank second, third and fourth, respectively, in games played against Calgary.
— In 13 career starts against the Flames, goaltender Darcy Kuemper has posted an 8-3-1 record with a .950 SV% and a 1.75 GAA. Among all active NHL netminders who have faced Calgary at least 10 times, Kuemper’s SV% against the Flames is the highest while his GAA is the lowest. Additionally, Kuemper’s four shutouts against the Flames are tied for the most among active goaltenders with Jonathan Quick.
— Over the last five seasons, dating back to 2021-22, 10 players across the NHL have scored 10 or more shorthanded goals (SHG). The Kings are the only team to have more than one of those players: Joel Armia (10 SHG), Trevor Moore (10 SHG) and Adrian Kempe (10 SHG).
— The book on this year’s Flames team is similar to the Kings in many ways: they’re still not an offensive dynamo, and they have to grind out wins. Overall, Calgary is said to be playing better of late, specifically since recalling defenseman Yan Kuznetsov from the AHL. That has helped settle MacKenzie Weegar’s game, and consequently, the team has started to find a better rhythm.
What You May Have Missed
A pair of young players on both sides of this once very-heated Smythe Division rivalry got into some fisticuffs while cutting their teeth in the AHL. Could we see a rematch at some point in the NHL?
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Flames
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Laferriere – Kopitar – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Armia
Moore – Danault – Foegele
Kuzmenko – Turcotte – Perry
Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Clarke
Dumoulin – Ceci
Kuemper
Forsberg
Likely scratches: (F) Helenius, Malott and (D) Moverare
How to Watch the Game
Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm Pacific Time and will be televised by TNT. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app.
Get to know new Kings play-by-play voice John Kelly by checking out his interview here. He tells some interesting stories about joining the Kings broadcasts and what it was like calling games against them for most of his career.
Across the Ice
Calgary is coming off a 4-3 loss to Detroit on Wednesday. Here’s how they lined up in that matchup:
Huberdeau – Frost – Coronato
Sharangovich – Kadri – Farabee
Zary – Backlund – Coleman
Lomberg – Beecher – Klapka
Bahl – Andersson
Kuznetsov – Weegar
Hanley – Brzustewicz
NOTE: Dustin Wolf is expected to start tonight, per Flames reporter Ryan Pike.
On This Day in Kings History
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