In the kick off of a Western Conference five-game road trip on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Kings (2-3-2) and head coach Jim Hiller toppled the St. Louis Blues (3-2-1) in overtime on Oct. 21. Hiller and the Kings never trailed the Blues' last night, leading to the team's most complete 60-minute effort early this fall in the regular season through eight games in the 2025-26 campaign.
Adrian Kempe's overtime goal leads Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings to the team's first non-shootout win of the regular season on Tuesday
Hiller spoke optimistically about the Kings' important overtime win over the Blues, by a score of 2-1, postgame with the media yesterday.
The Kings got a much-needed momentum builder with the overtime win over the Kings last night. LA got a boost from returns from injury on Tuesday night from key veterans like winger Corey Perry and Darcy Kuemper in net for the Kings.
Here's a look at everything Hiller said to the media postgame following the Kings' 2-1 overtime win over the Blues at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Oct. 21.
On the Kings playing a complete 60-minute game last night vs. St. Louis
"There were a few parts that we didn’t like, a few turnovers in the second period, didn’t like to give up a goal, but I didn’t think we gave them that much as far as quality. We didn’t get a lot either, but we worked, we were under the goal line a little bit, and got some shots from the top, which we hadn’t been doing. We’d like it to be easier than that, but I don’t know, it’s the way we win games, just start to finish, she’s usually a grind."
On scoring the goal on the 4-on-3 advantage in overtime to beat St. Louis
"That’s everything, right? It doesn’t go, then you've got time left on the clock, you’ve got a shootout potentially, so you can control your destiny in that moment. Just a beautiful goal. Great pass, great finish by Juice. He’s playing the top; we don’t see him over on that left flank too often anymore, but you see why he’s scored a bunch of goals from there."
On Darcy Kuemper making his first start since the lower-body injury this past week vs. Minnesota
"I thought that was a great part, a great story in the game is Darcy coming back. He only had the one practice, skated this morning a little bit and he really looked like himself. Big in the net, didn’t have much of a chance on the power-play goal. Yeah, that’s a good step for us. We feel pretty good when he’s back there."
On Corey Perry making his Kings' debut last night vs. St. Louis
"You guys saw him play. I thought he was dangerous, as dangerous as anybody up front. The intangible stuff, it’s just good to have him around, he’s a winner, and so that rubs off. I didn’t think I would play him. I think he played close to 15 minutes tonight, running three late, and he was out there. To me, it was a pretty amazing performance for the first time."
On using the win vs. St. Louis as a momentum-builder to flip the script early this regular season for the Kings
"I’m glad we came out of the right side, but I think there’s been some other games, what’s that the fourth overtime game now, I think there’s been others where we’ve had a chance to get on the right side of it, but it starts the trip and that’s all it is.
So, as good as that felt for us, we’ve got a couple hours to get on the plane and we’ve got to park that because we’ve dug ourselves a little hole. We’ve got to really be focused now on making this a road trip, not just one good game. That’s where our attention will turn pretty quickly."