Before hitting the road again for a three-game road trip in the East this upcoming week for head coach Jim Hiller's squad, the Los Angeles Kings (14-8-9) hosted the Calgary Flames (13-16-4) in the Pacific Division for one game at home at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night (Dec. 13). In a familiar narrative story for the Kings and Hiller early this regular season, LA fell short of the Flames in the Pacific Division in overtime yesterday by a score of 2-1.
Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings continue to struggle winning games on home ice vs. the Flames in the Pacific Division
Yesterday was a tough game for the Kings on home ice on both sides of the ice vs. the Flames. The Kings were nearly doubled up in shots on goal, and the Flames had more scoring chances and high-danger scoring chances than the Kings in the offensive zone.
Hiller gave his initial thoughts and reactions to the media after a slow and frustrating loss in overtime yesterday against the Flames in the Pacific Division at home.
Yesterday continued the trend issues of Hiller and the Kings not converting offensively in the West against teams in the Pacific Division this campaign for the group.
Here's a look at everything Hiller said to the media postgame following the Kings' 2-1 overtime loss at Crypto Arena at home to the Flames on Dec. 13.
Jim Hiller
On how the team played vs. Calgary yesterday
"For the first 40 minutes, no question. Didn’t like the first 40, if it wasn’t for Darcy, obviously the game would have been over. The third period, we were better, they didn’t attack us as much. We still didn’t generate a whole bunch. The first 40, that was poor."
On if the Kings could have avoided some of the difficulties in challenges last night
"I thought where we got in the most trouble was the d-zone faceoff losses. Not only did they win them, but they won them clean. That got us spinning. I think they had, somebody said they had 15 faceoffs in our zone, in the first period, and they won 10, so that’s going to make it difficult. We had a hard time containing them in the o-zone. That, to me, was the biggest issue. We couldn’t close them. We got better at that as the game went on, but originally, they had their way with us, and that’s usually a strength for us."
On how Andrei Kuzmenko could get back in the forward lineup for the Kings
"It's been a tough one. You know, Kuzy played so well for us last year. Arguably, as well as anybody, when he came in, if you look at his points and just his overall contribution, and we expected something like that again this year, maybe not as much, and it just hasn't gone as well for him so far."
On how Quinton Byfield performed yesterday vs. Calgary
"In practice yesterday, I told somebody, he shot the puck really well, scored about four goals in practice, guys are banging their sticks on the ice for him, and that just didn’t carry over to tonight. He had some real looks. Sometimes they’re not perfect, but I think you just got to start there. You’ve just got to start putting them on net, even if it’s from bad angles. You might be out just a little ways, and so I’m sure he’d be the first one to say that he passed a couple up."
On how the team played yesterday vs. Calgary compared to the past few games in the West
"Seattle didn’t have that much at 5-on-5, they had their stuff in the power play. Tonight, these guys had plenty of 5-on-5, that wasn’t good enough, but in both those last two games, we just didn’t generate again. I mean, that’s just the bottom line. If we’re in the o-zone and hanging on to pucks and even spending time just wearing them out a little bit, it happens to you, you’re out there for 20 seconds, now you pretty much just put the puck out and go make a line change, and that’s what was happening to us.
It wears you out, and you don’t have the energy to push back and spend time in their zone. We just didn’t do that tonight, minus the third period a little bit."
On Darcy Kuemper's play in net for the Kings
"It just seems pretty obvious, the way he’s played, that he has to be in serious, serious consideration. Not just this year, right? Let’s take it right back. He’s been just incredible for us. Biased or not, it would be hard to say that he doesn’t deserve to be there."