The Los Angeles Kings finish their five-game road trip against the Carolina Hurricanes.
LA have struggled mightily on this road trip, picking up just one of a possible eight points.
Carolina is wrapping up a quick two-game homestand, coming off a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
The Kings are 2-6-2 in their last ten games against the Hurricanes. In their last three meetings, the Kings earned four of a possible six points (1-0-2).
In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Hurricanes shocked the hockey world on January 24, 2025, acquiring Forward Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche.
JUST ENJOY THE SHOW
For this game preview, I’m going to deviate from the usual format and shoot from the hip.
In the grand scheme of things, the most the Kings can get from this game is two points in the standings. It’s not a measuring stick game. It’s just a game. That’s it.
Some might say that’s an oversimplification—That today’s matchup could be a preview of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals; or, that Carolina is the caliber of team LA will have to face if when they make it to that point.
But the outcome of this game, win or lose, won’t matter then.
It’s just game fifty-one of an eighty-two-game Regular Season.
The hubbub of nonsensical trade speculation surrounding Defenseman Brandt Clarke… constantly pushing the narrative that this team needs help from the outside… the throw up your hands and act as though you could be doing a better job clickbait articles… mean nothing to the players/personnel who are fighting in the trenches while their detractors sip Mai Tais at the swim up bar.
The Kings are in good shape. The fact I even have to mention that is absurd, considering it’s been evident for not just weeks but months.
As Head Coach Jim Hiller said, "This is the same group of guys who played extremely well and won a lot of games," prior to this stretch.
It’s still just the Regular Season. It’s not time to panic, it’s time to play.
You’re going to win. You’re going to lose. But most importantly, you’re going to learn. If you're really learning, you're correcting your mistakes. If you're correcting your mistakes, you're maturing. If you're maturing, you can contend with any challenges life throws at you.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqB7f9hZaFg[/embed]
Puck drop is slated for 4:05 PM PST. You can watch the game on television via KCAL or listen live with the ESPN LA app.
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