Consistency has begun to form for the Los Angeles Kings as they have now picked up points in four straight games, delivering the Minnesota Wild their first regulation loss of the season at home with a 5-1 win on the road. To make it even more impressive, the Kings accomplished this on a back-to-back against a team that has been red hot to start the season.
The Kings didn’t get off to the greatest start as the Wild came out with an extra bit of energy putting loads of pressure on the Kings early. So much so, that they ended the period outshooting LA 9-2. While the Kings virtually generated nothing offensively in the first period, they were able to withstand the early push from Minnesota and exit the first period scoreless.
Throughout the game, the Kings took care of their own zone. They remained structured in the defensive zone not getting caught out of position chasing pucks and had active sticks disrupting passing lanes, which allowed them to turn the puck up the ice pretty often. Defensively they looked great and they capitalized on their chances, and in back-to-back against a team playing as good as the Wild are right now, you couldn’t have asked for a better performance.
“Obviously back to backs are hard, the first period was definitely their period and we had to kind of focus in and start playing our game but two big wins on the road it’s big for us and hopefully we can carry this momentum,” said forward Quinton Byfield.
David Rittich lived up to his alternate name “Big Save Dave” stopping 23 of 24 shots, finishing with a .958 save percentage, and standing strong in the first period to allow his team to find their legs and not have to play from behind early.
A Good Night for a Few Different Kings
When a team scores five goals, usually multiple players are getting on the scoresheet. Against the Wild a few Kings had memorable nights and for different reasons.
Trevor Lewis at the age of 37 scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals for his first two of the season. Lots of fans have made their opinions clear on Lewis remaining in the lineup and while most of it is warranted with the fact that he’s aging and taking away a spot from a younger player, he brings in a veteran presence that includes leadership and mentorship and he played his best game of the season last night. He was all over the puck taking six shots (tied for the most shots on goal by a King), leading in expected goals with 1.144, and top four in Fenwick (includes all unblocked shot attempts, shots on goal plus shots that miss the net) with 75%. The entire fourth line had a great night generating offense. Just from the eye test, Lewis was great in the defensive zone as well. He was in the right spots and stripping pucks.
“He just gives you what he’s got every night and he does so many little things, faceoffs, penalty kill, the leadership, the example that he sets for our young players [..] to see him in the league at this age and still getting out there and hitting milestones like that, everybody in that room is pretty happy for him,” said head coach Jim Hiller.
Related: LA Kings Game Notes: All-Around Performance Earns Shutout Win vs Predators
It’s no secret that Byfield has been snakebitten to start the season. He’s had countless opportunities and grade A looks but nothing seemed to be falling in his favor. Whether it was missing the net or not getting the shot off quickly enough, the reason he hasn’t been producing has not been due to a lack of effort. Last night he finally got the monkey off his back picking up his first goal of the season, redirecting a shot-pass from Vladislav Gavrikov. He had many opportunities throughout the game and could have easily ended up with two or three goals, but the hope is now that he finally potted one, the rest will come a little easier.
Kevin Fiala has been on another level since his scratching and on a road trip where he played two of his former teams, he did not disappoint. He picked up another goal last night finishing off a beautiful one-timer set up by Alex Laferriere on the power play. He has the second most goals on the team now with seven, just one behind Laferriere.
Special Teams Were Perfect
Special teams have been a touchy subject when talking about the Kings so far this season with how iffy and inconsistent it’s been but against the Wild both the penalty kill and power play were perfect. Now, the power play only had one opportunity but what’s remarkable is that the Kings actually converted on it. We have talked so much about how bad the power play had been and how that shouldn’t be the case with the personnel they have and it was nice to see the power play, especially the first unit, land on the scoresheet.
The penalty kill was huge and played a key role in the Kings winning the game. Going 4/4, the aggressive penalty kill the Kings like to display a majority of the time worked perfectly. They intercepted pucks and made it very difficult for the Wild to set up cleanly. It was just how the Kings drew it up and it came up big multiple times throughout the game.
“There’s nothing more frustrating as a powerplay when you don’t get set up and at least get some good looks and our penalty kill has been doing a good job not letting them set up […] you can gain a little momentum for it and that’s been an important part of the game for us,” said Hiller.
A very successful two-game road trip is in the books for the Kings as they improve to 8-3-3 on the season and sit atop the Pacific Division with 19 points. The Kings head back home to take on the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
