The Los Angeles Kings are in pretty good shape, nearing the halfway mark of their second seven-game road trip of the year. Their first one was on the positive side of things, but this time, things could be looking even better. The Kings' first road trip saw them finish with a 3-2-2 record. To start the year that way, on the heels of losing their number one defenseman, Drew Doughty in the preseason, was entirely respectable. The Kings are already 2-1-0 to start the current seven-game swing. As mentioned in a previous story, the Kings fell apart during the same time and a similar road trip last year. They were 16-4-4 and near the top of the league in standings entering last year's trip before the collapse on Long Island. This time, the daunting road trip has been used to propel them towards the league's top. The Kings dominated poor teams like the New York Islanders and New York Rangers and stayed within striking distance against the New Jersey Devils, an elite team in the league. So far, the team hasn't been consistently tested on this trip, and they've taken full advantage of it. The rest of the road trip doesn't present the same challenges as it did a year prior. They'll play a sub .500 club in the form of the Pittsburgh Penguins, then travel over to play a barely over .500 club in the Philadelphia Flyers, which have been linked to the Kings in a potential trade [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/report-kings-and-flyers-talking-trade]. The Kings will then play the disastrous Nashville Predators on the first half of a back-to-back, before closing out the trip against the surprisingly sensational Washington Capitals. For that game, a little reunion that will send Kings fans down a rabbit hole will also occur. It doesn't matter whether it’s on the road or at home good teams should beat poor teams, it's just that simple. Various outlets labeled the Kings as being 'fake good' last year. This year, the same grouping and yours truly, pegged them as a 'middling team'. Due to their recent play, this “middling team” sits seventh best in the league. They are the second-stingiest team in the NHL (75 GA) while slightly being in the league's lower half of goal production (17th - 92 GF). If anything, the identity drum for this team has rolled on without one of their most important cultural leaders. The Kings should be getting more credit for what has been accomplished to date. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings/latest-news/kings-winning-streak-is-a-new-york-state-of-mind] The identity of being one of the most challenging teams to play against is still fostered and maintained regardless of the new personnel or significant injuries. Yes, they lack consistent goalscoring across the lineup despite throttling the disparaging Rangers 5-1. That is an age-old problem for this franchise. You can never look too far ahead, but this trip doesn't represent the same challenge as it did a year ago. The Kings have used the trip to their advantage in the standings and solidified their overall identity for this season. Most polarizing, the Edmonton Oilers are starting to regain their expected form, and the Vegas Golden Knights keep humming along; the Kings have moved into a three-way battle for the Pacific because of their play on this trip and the winning streak that got them going. So, while 'fake good' is still in play because actual middling opponents are making up most of the trip, the Kings can utilize the rest of the trip to continue progressing up the standings and start changing phrases describing their team across the league. KeithFriesKeysTHNWeek3
