The biggest obstacle to a long race for qualifying series for the Kiss Maybe the airport.
Provided that the kings are making the playoffs, of course, and at the moment, things seem pretty good. With a 3-0 dominant victory THURSDAY Alex Ovechkin And the capital of Washington in Crypto.com Arena, the Kings jumped over Edmonton in second place in the Pacific division when entering Friday and moved less than six points from first place in Las Vegas.
Victory was the fourth consequence of the Kings, their longest sequence of victories in more than two months. But it was not only that the Kings won; This is how they won and where they won who counted.
They controlled all the phases of the game, surpassing and explaining the physical capitals. They have scored a power game goal while killing five penalties. And they eliminated the most score team of the NHL while eliminating Ovechkin, the second most score player in history, leaving him nine goals to beat a formerly inaugurated record of Wayne Gretzky of 894 goals.
“It was as complete as the whole year”, coach Jim Hiller said efforts of his team. “We had a match plan. We also joined there, for 60 minutes, as every player can.”
This is how they won. Where they won is just as important.
The Kings have lost in the regulation three times in 29 home games, the best NHL record. On the road, their 17 defeats are the most likely among the teams of eliminations of the Western conference. So if the team begins the playoffs with a trip to Lax, its post-season race could be short.
Which would not be new. The Kings have been eliminated in the playoffs in the first round in each of the last three seasons – and each time they have opened the playoffs in Edmonton. In fact, the team has never won a eliminatory series under the director general Rob Blakewhose work can depend on winning this spring.
But the Kings have never had a home advantage in a eliminatory series under Blake either. Finish the first or second in the division would give them this and potentially turn the script, because the Kings have not lost at home with the best NHL teams.
On the road, they only beat one of these same 15 teams in the past two months.
“We think, in particular on home ice cream, that no matter who we play. If we play our game, we will go out in front,” said goalkeeper Darcy Kuemper, who has not lost home regulations since November 7, corresponding to a 34 -year -old franchise record by winning a point in 11 consecutive games.
“Obviously, we have an eye on the test to go home for the playoffs,” said Kuemper, who posted his first bleaching since the day of the New Year against a team that had not been laundered since the seventh game of the season. “Each race team wants this and we know how important each point will be.”
“We are strong at home this year, much better than last year,” added Kevin Fiala, who had a goal and a decisive pass. “We feel comfortable that we can beat anyone and show it.”
Thursday's match had a feeling in the playoffs definitely, and the Kings took up the challenge, Warren Foegele giving them the only goal he would need when he struck in a loose puck on the edge of the fold with 6:52 to play in the opening period. The goal, the 19th of the Foegele season, gave him 200 points for his career.
Fiala doubled her head with her 22nd goal on a 65-second power game after the third period, and while the goal was announced, Quinton Byfield made 3-0 on a decisive pass from Fiala.
It was Kings' 15th goal in the four home game sequence; They only scored 16 times in the last eight games on the road.
“In the locker room, we have always believed,” said Fiala. “Regardless of the ranking. Whatever we fight. But tonight we beat the best team in the league.”
The game became Chippy while the minutes walked away, with five players sharing penalty boxes at some point. But the Kings did not fall back. If they play like that in the playoffs, they could win a lot of matches.
“I believe that our players know that if we are all together, we all do the same thing and play the game as we think that our team must play it to succeed, so we can beat anyone,” said Hiller.
Especially if they play at home.
