Is today a preview of things to come? All signs point in that direction.
Or do they?
Heading into Saturday night’s contest, the Kings sit just three points back of first-place Vegas in the Pacific Division. With only seven games remaining on that 2024-25 regular season schedule, though, time is running out to close that gap.
Which gets us back to Edmonton and the story everybody in hockey has been talking about for weeks — a likely fourth first-round playoff series between the Kings and Oilers.
With both clubs fighting for home ice advantage in that particular matchup, today’s game means just a little bit more than your average Saturday afternoon contest. While short several key players, including Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the always dangerous Oilers will still be a handful for coach Jim Hiller’s squad once the puck drops in downtown Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena.
Regardless of how the whole thing shakes out over the next two weeks, come playoff time, this will be a different Oilers team — and not just because of Nos. 97 and 29. Evander Kane and Trent Frederic are also said to be nearing a return. That’s four key forwards that the Kings won’t have to worry about today but will have to contend with come mid-April.
Make no mistake about it, today is still important for both teams. Besides what the outcome will mean toward the standings, this is the front-half of a home-and-home series between the two teams, as today’s game will be followed by a rematch next weekend in Edmonton. Both events will be an opportunity for LA to show their Canadian rival that they mean business this time around. Any way you slice it, games against the Oilers just mean more to the guys in the Kings room, especially those who have been part of the three previous postseason matchups.
Statistically Speaking
— Per stats guru Blake Warye, Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper has now allowed two or fewer goals in 12 consecutive starts, topping a franchise record once held by Jonathan Quick (11).
— More from Wayre: The Kings have not allowed a first period goal in 14 of their last 15 games. The last team to allow one or fewer first period goals in a 15-game span was the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2015-16 season.
— The Kings are 12-1-3 in Saturday home games this season, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 49-28 in this situation.
— Warren Foegele’s plus-27 rating through 36 appearances at Crypto.com Arena this season is the highest home-ice rating among all NHL forwards and is tied for second among all League skaters.
— Quinton Byfield scored an overtime game-winning goal the last time these two teams met at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 28, 2024.
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Oilers
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Kuzmenko – Kopitar – Kempe
Foegele – Danault – Moore
Fiala – Byfield – Laferriere
Malott – Helenius – Lewis
Anderson – Doughty
Gavrikov – Spence
Edmundson – Clarke
Kuemper (starter)
Rittich
Likely scratches: (F) Thomas and (D) Burroughs, Moverare
Injured: Turcotte (day-to-day, upper body), Jeannot (out for extended time period)
Key Game Info
Puck drop is set for 1:00 pm Pacific Time and will be televised locally by FanDuel Sports Network. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app (which is the new home for Kings radio this season, they’ve moved off of the iHeart platform).
More on the ongoing TV situation here.
For those live in attendance, the LA Kings Booster Club will offer their popular ‘Puck for a Buck’ contest — featuring Warren Foegele for this game. Just $1 could win you an autographed puck from an NHL star. Visit their table outside sections 317-318 on the upper concourse for more information.
Across the Ice
Edmonton is coming off a 3-2 victory over San Jose on Thursday. Perhaps the bigger news is that they’ll enter today’s contest without their top two forwards.
On This Day in Kings History
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