The Los Angeles Kings have finally grabbed their first win of 2024 after beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 Monday afternoon.
Not only was it their first win in 2024, it was their first win dating back to Dec. 27, and broke an eight-game losing streak.
After a tight first 40 minutes that saw the two teams tied at one, the Kings came out of the gates hot in the third, grabbing three goals in the first 5:20 of the final frame.
The Hurricanes answered with a goal of their own just before the 10 minute mark, but couldn't mount a serious comeback.
Trevor Moore then buried his 20th of the season into an empty net to seal the game.
His 20th goal made Moore the first California born player to score 20 goals for a California team in league history per Kings PR.
Obviously, getting a win and snapping an eight-game losing streak is huge for the Kings, but how they grabbed the win is more important.
Two goals from the bottom six proved to be crucial, giving the Kings a three goal cushion to work with in the third they could defend.
The lack of even-strength production from that group, and in particular the third line, has been a massive problem over the last eight games. So, seeing them get on the board is massive.
Especially for Pierre-Luc Dubois whose struggles have been well documented.
On the negative side of things, Blake Lizotte left Monday's game and did not return. He was labeled as "doubtful" for Tuesday's game and will be re-evaluated on Wednesday when the team returns to Los Angeles per head coach Todd McLellan.
I'd expect Trevor Lewis to fill-in as the 4C Tuesday in Dallas, and if Lizotte is out long-term, for someone to be called up.
Samuel Fagemo is the obvious option, but Akil Thomas has also been on a tear in Ontario and could provide cover up the middle in Lizotte's absence.
It was also a strong game from David Rittich who stopped 30 of 32 shots on Monday.
This is a big win for the Kings and one they can build upon. However, this isn't a sign that all of their problems have been fixed.
One lose, or losing streak, doesn't mean the end of a season and neither does a single strong win.
The Kings need to prove they can put together this kind of performance on a consistent basis again and can start that process Tuesday.
Facing the Dallas Stars on the second night of a back-to-back is a difficult challenge, but a strong performance can go a long way.
Even with a win tomorrow, two wins in 10 is a tough stretch, but the can start the climb back up the mountain with another strong performance.