Home cooking has never tasted so good. The Los Angeles Kings have 26 games left to play in the season, 16 of which will be at home. As they get closer down the stretch, a few games stand out as games that could seal the fate of the Kings come playoff time.

For the Kings, that means matchups and a cultivated swagger playing in front of their fans, producing a record of 16-2-2 in their last 20 at home. Reminiscing about the 16-4-4 start last year, this similar record burns favorably towards dominance for a team that has traditionally been a stronger road team in recent history.

Matchups are key, particularly come playoff time. Regarding the playoffs, home-ice advantage might never have felt more vital than it has now. The ability to throw out Quinton Byfield, the team's growing ace in the hole down the middle, against whatever center the West may throw his way will be a major factor in the Kings' playing until Summer.

The obstacles in the way are simpler than it seems. The road to the cup almost has to go through Edmonton (shades of 2013 and 2014 playoff runs with Chicago); even if they don't play them in the first round, it seems fated. Even if Edmonton is not played in the first round, there will likely be a first-time matchup with Vegas since the Hart snubbed the 2017-18 Anze Kopitar season, to which the team was swept in four games, signaling a start of a quick rebuild around 8/11/32.

Does home-ice advantage fully matter against the juggernaut teams out West? They have played well against them in the form of Dallas, Vegas, Edmonton, and Winnipeg. They have only one game played against Colorado, a 4-2 loss. However, the team has statement wins against Winnipeg (twice), Vegas (twice), Edmonton (once), and Dallas (twice). Does it scare me that most of these teams may significantly upgrade at the deadline? Yes, yes, it does.

The matchups were already very close or slightly unfavorable: Vegas missing Shea Theodore, Dallas missing Miro Heiskenen/Tyler Seguin. I'm skeptical the Kings, under Rob Blake (who has mostly been silent at the deadline for three seasons outside a Vladislav Gavrikov/Joonas Korpisalo move), will make a move that keeps the team up to pace with the big boys out West.

That just brings me back to the question of home-ice advantage and their record so far. Can they win the Pacific Division and have home ice for the first round or two? It's possible, but it will be pretty difficult. Vegas has an even split of 12/12 home and road, and Edmonton has an 11/13 split. Edmonton has recently gone on a first-time this season type-of-skid, dropping five straight. I doubt that spirals out of control with the world-class talent installed in Oil Country. Vegas is as strong as ever and will be the favorite to win the Division again.

For me, that means the season might come down to three games. Three games should be circled on the rest of the calendar as potential 'playoff style-game seven-high stakes' type games: March 9th in Vegas, April 5th against Edmonton, and April 14th at Edmonton. These three games could seal the fate of the Division and home ice for the Kings come playoff time.