The Los Angeles Kings are skating through a storm right now, and while they’ve managed to pick up points here and there, it’s clear that moral victories aren’t cutting it anymore. Head coach Jim Hiller put it plainly after Friday night’s shootout loss: it’s not enough. Not when the team is this desperate for wins-real wins, in regulation-and not when the frustration is starting to show both on the ice and behind the bench.
Tonight, the Kings get another crack at the Ducks in Orange County, and while that matchup always carries weight, this one feels different. It’s not just about bragging rights in the Freeway Faceoff. It’s about salvaging a season that’s veering dangerously off course.
Let’s rewind to late November. At that point, Kings vs.
Ducks actually had playoff implications. Both teams were neck-and-neck atop the Pacific Division standings heading into a Thanksgiving showdown.
Anaheim was 14-8-1 with 29 points, LA just a step behind at 11-6-6 and 28 points. That game was billed as the most meaningful Kings-Ducks tilt in nearly a decade.
And it delivered.
Fast forward to now, and the stakes are still high-but for very different reasons. The Kings are trying to stop the bleeding.
Friday’s loss marked the 12th time this season LA has earned a point without securing a win, tying them for the most in the league in that frustrating category. Once again, they had a lead at home.
Once again, they couldn’t close it out.
That’s become a theme. The Kings get out in front, then shift into a defensive shell, trying to protect the score instead of playing their game.
Analyst Jim Fox nailed it when he said LA is “playing the score.” It’s a dangerous way to operate in today’s NHL, where teams are too fast, too skilled, and too opportunistic to let you coast to a win.
And yet, there’s still a chance for redemption tonight. A win against the Ducks-especially in the back half of a back-to-back-would be a much-needed jolt for a team searching for answers.
Three out of four possible points in a home-and-home with your biggest rival? That’s something to build on.
But getting that win? That’s the hard part.
There was no morning skate today, so any lineup changes will likely come down to game-time decisions. But Hiller made it clear postgame that he believes the best players for the job are already in the room. When asked about potential call-ups from AHL Ontario, he praised the efforts of young forwards Lee and Ward, but emphasized that the burden falls on the veterans.
“I think the guys that are here are our strongest players,” Hiller said. “Some other guys up in the lineup, those are the guys that have to deliver.”
He didn’t rule out shaking up the lines but cautioned that the options are limited. “There’s only so many guys,” he added.
“Will we have to mix a couple guys around? Maybe, we’ll see.”
One change that seems likely: Anton Forsberg in net. Darcy Kuemper got the start Friday, but Forsberg has been the more reliable option lately.
He also has recent success against Anaheim, stopping 25 of 26 shots in a win over the Ducks back on Dec. 27.
That kind of performance would be more than welcome tonight.
Stat Watch
- Alex Laferriere has been a thorn in Anaheim’s side, with seven goals and a +7 rating in 11 career games against the Ducks.
- All-time, the Kings are 35-34-7-10 on the road versus Anaheim-about as close as it gets.
- Anze Kopitar won’t suit up tonight due to injury, but he’ll be in the building. The Ducks are honoring him in a pregame ceremony at Honda Center, the same building where he scored his first NHL goal.
Projected Kings Lineup vs. Ducks
Forwards:
- Malott - Laferriere - Kempe
- Foegele - Byfield - Armia
- Fiala - Turcotte - Kuzmenko
- Lee - Helenius - Ward
Defense:
- Anderson - Doughty
- Edmundson - Clarke
- Dumoulin - Ceci
Goaltenders:
- Kuemper (starter)
- Forsberg
Scratches: (F) N/A, (D) Moverare
Injured Reserve: Anze Kopitar, Trevor Moore
Away for personal reasons: Corey Perry
How to Watch
Puck drops at 7:00 PM PT. The game will be televised on FanDuel Sports, and you can catch the Kings’ radio call via the ESPN LA app.
Across the Ice
The Ducks edged the Kings 3-2 on Friday night and will look to sweep the home-and-home. Here’s how Anaheim lined up in that one:
Forwards:
- Gauthier - McTavish - Strome
- Killorn - Granlund - Sennecke
- Harkins - Poehling - Colangelo
- Johnston - Washe - Moore
Defense:
- LaCombe - Trouba
- Zellweger - Gudas
- Mintyukov - Helleson
Goaltender:
- Dostál
On This Day in Kings History
January 17, 2015: The Kings retired Rob Blake’s No. 4 jersey. Blake logged 805 games in LA, racking up 494 points and becoming the first King to win the Norris Trophy (1997-98). A fitting tribute for one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
Bottom Line
Tonight’s Freeway Faceoff isn’t about first place-it’s about finding footing. The Kings need a win, plain and simple.
They’ve been close too many times. Now it’s time to finish.