The Los Angeles Kings finish their current three-game road trip against the Chicago Blackhawks. This will be the second-of-three meetings between these clubs during the 2024-25 NHL Regular Season; Chicago picking up a 4-3 shootout victory, in LA, on November 2, 2024.
The Kings have yet to pick up a point, thus far, on this trip.
Chicago return home from a three-game road trip where they went 1-1-1; finishing the trip with a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
In their last ten meetings, the Kings have had the Blackhawks' number with a 7-0-3 record and a goal differential of seventeen.
TRASH CAN KICK NUMBER TWO
If you've been following our game previews here at The Hockey News Los Angeles Kings, you're very familiar with the concept of kicking the trash can.
For those of you new to this channel, kicking the trash can is something I heard former NHL Head Coach Dave Tippett discuss. I'm paraphrasing, but, Tippet said, "as the Head Coach, you can only kick the trash can in the locker room three times a season before the boys tune out."
After the Kings gave up five goals in the third period to the San Jose Sharks on November 25, 2024, losing 7-2, I projected the first kick of the can was made.
On January 20, 2025, the Kings lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1. I didn't think it was a game that warranted a kick of the trash can but Kings Head Coach Jim Hiller seemed to think otherwise.
“I can tell you… I can probably count, maybe, only five times I’ve been disappointed in our team […] this season. Tonight was one of them; maybe the most.” – Kings Head Coach Jim Hiller after loss to Pittsburgh Penguins, January 20, 2025-
Still, if I were in Hiller's shoes, I would have reserved my last two kicks for a later day.
Well (in my opinion), that day came on Saturday (March 1, 2025) when the Kings were defeated by the St. Louis Blues 4-1. It wasn't the loss to the Blues that resulted in me saying the trash can got kicked. Rather, the culmination of a 12-16-5 record on the road, this season.
Something has to give on that front because LA will need to win games on the road during the Playoffs.
After the loss to the Blues, Hiller noted that he was personally, "encouraged," that Kings Captain Anze Kopitar told the team they have to, "raise the intensity. He's the guy — more so than me — who will get that done and get it straight in the dressing room."
Going back to the loss against the Penguins on January 20, 2025 — a game Hiller said was arguably the most disappointed he's been with the team, this season — Kopitar addressed the media echoing Hiller's disappointment.
“It was definitely not our game tonight. From top to bottom, we didn’t get anything going. Even when [we scored] the power play goal, they [came] right back and scored the fourth one which turned out to be a big goal. […] We just weren’t good enough, that’s the bottom line. Top to bottom, left to right, the game was not there.” – Anze Kopitar after loss to Pittsburgh Penguins, January 20, 2025-
Kopitar rallied the troops after the loss to the Penguins, now he's doing it after the loss to the Blues. I assume Hiller was the one who kicked the trash can after the loss to the Sharks, but, it sounds like Kopitar may have kicked the second trash can. That's good in one sense because the players are taking ownership of the locker room. However, I'd prefer it come from one of the new guys in the room; like Forward Warren Foegele.
Foegele is a mild-mannered guy who lets his play on the ice do the talking. That said, I'd love to hear a story spill out of the locker room that he kicked the trash can and told the team, "I didn't leave Edmonton and come to LA to lose. I came to LA because I know we can win!"
The Kings have eight more road games (including today's matchup against the Blackhawks) to right the ship.
Puck drop is slated for 5:35 PM PST. You can watch the game via the FanDuel Sports Network or listen live with the ESPN LA app.
Photo Credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images