Rest and Recovery were two things the Los Angeles Kings needed before the holiday break. Being on the road for 15-plus days isn’t easy and it was starting to catch up to them, as they dropped the last two games of their seven-game road trip.
The chance at a few days off couldn’t have come at a better time as they prepared to take on a team they have been all too familiar with over the past three years: their bitter rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, another Pacific Division heavyweight.
Heading into Saturday’s game (Dec. 28), the Kings and Oilers were separated by just one point in the standings. The Kings, who have played the least amount of games at home, returned to Crypto.com Arena where they have collected most of their wins this season. With an 11-2-1 record at home this season, this is a place where the Kings thrive. They knocked off the Oilers 4-3 in overtime.
Foegele Is an LA King
Speaking of the word “thrive”, how about the acquisition of Warren Foegele by the Kings in the offseason? To put it mildly, it has paid dividends and we’re seeing a player who is running away with the biggest opportunity he has been given in his NHL career.
“(Jim Hiller’s) been crucial for me, giving me that voice of confidence, believing in me, and I haven’t really had a coach that fully entrusts me in my whole time in the league,” said Foegele.
It was his first game against his former team and boy did he not disappoint, finishing the game with a goal and two assists. You could tell there was that added bit of energy from Foegele, and why wouldn’t there be? Everyone wants to have a great performance against their former team.
“The first thing I really wanted was the win, super proud of the guys for digging in the whole game and obviously scoring against your former team, doesn’t matter how it goes in, you know, it feels pretty special,” said Foegele.
It’s been him alongside Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot for a while now and it would be foolish to overlook the fact that this trio has been the Kings’ best line as of late. All three bring a different type of style but they seem to mesh well together. It’s a very simple and direct game from those three and it feels like they are constantly playing the offensive zone whenever they are on the ice.
It’s where goals are scored and against the Oilers, that line was on the ice for all three Kings goals scored in regulation. In fact, each of the three of them scored once.
Patience Is Paying Off with Byfield
The amount of chatter there was earlier in the season about how the Kings should give up on Byfield and try and see what they could get for him was mind-blowing. It was a major overreaction from frustrated fans and people in the hockey community in general, although it wasn’t surprising. Why was a second-overall pick having this much trouble producing after breaking out the season before?
I wrote a story a few weeks ago about how it was too soon for everyone to start panicking about Byfield’s production. People needed to have some patience with the 22-year-old in his second full season in the NHL.
Related: Kings Shouldn’t Be Too Concerned With Byfield’s Lack of Production
Well, that patience is starting to pay off, as Byfield now has seven points in his last six games. Ever since the Kings played the New York Rangers on Dec. 14 where Byfield beat Igor Shesterkin, there seems to be a new level of confidence that he has found and it has continued to become more visible as each game passes.
Byfield found the back of the net twice and collected an assist in yesterday’s game against the Oilers, and the way he scored them just proves that it was a confidence thing he needed to get over. We saw Byfield do what makes him Byfield. That power and explosiveness to get to a dangerous area on the ice was on full display. When he is playing and producing the way he did yesterday, it brings a whole new layer to this Kings team.
“Coming into camp I felt really confident, felt really good, and then the first couple of games weren’t my best and I kind of let that hold over me for a little bit of the season. So, just kind of finding it back again, confidence with the puck, taking guys 1-on-1, using my speed,” Byfield said. “Just feels like I can beat goalies again.”
Kings Finally Come Out on Top in Overtime
The Kings haven’t faired well in overtime this season, coming into yesterday’s game 0-5. Not only have the Kings lost every time they reach overtime, but they also don’t seem to last very long either. It was completely different against the Oilers as they were finally able to come out on top in extra time. It must have felt pretty good to be able to get over the hurdle against a team that has ended their season three years in a row. That extra point is crucial when you take a look at the bloodbath that is the Pacific Division right now, too. That extra point allowed the Kings to tie the Oilers in points with 45 and jump back into second place in the division.
It was hungriest the Kings have been for that extra point this season. They wanted the win badly and they did everything they could to get it. After the game they had, it was no surprise to see Byfield and Foegele start in overtime. They set the tone early and from then on, no matter who came onto the ice, one thing was clear: the Kings wanted it more.
It wasn’t until three forwards were on the ice that the Kings finally put the nail in the coffin. Phillip Danault, Adrian Kempe, and Byfield worked the puck around in the offensive zone till Byfield decided to call game. He made an outside move on Adam Henrique before wiring one high glove-side past Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner.
There’s no doubt that this group will enjoy this win but it’s a quick turnaround for them as they welcome in the Philadelphia Flyers tonight (Dec. 29). Both teams are on a back-to-back and the last time these two teams played it was the Kings who ran them out of their own building with a 7-3 win.
