Early this regular season this fall, the Los Angeles Kings (14-8-7) are 2-0 when the moms are in attendance for games on the mom's trip. The Kings and head coach Jim Hiller topped the Utah Mammoth (14-14-3) in a two-goal road win in regulation at the Delta Center on Monday night (Dec. 8).
Four combined points from Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala lifts the Los Angeles Kings past the Utah Mammoth in regulation
The Kings harnessed the offensive momentum early in this game against the Mammoth, grabbing a commanding 2-0 lead in the opening frame in the first period behind goals from Adrian Kempe and winger Joel Armia. Kevin Fiala assisted both goals the Kings scored in the game's first period on Monday night in Utah.
In the final frame in the third period, Kempe, Anze Kopitar, and the Kings responded to the Mammoth scoring a second period goal with two more tallies of their own late in the game. The win over the Mammoth early this week on Monday gave the Kings another successful road win early this regular season in the West.
Kempe and Fiala gave their reactions to the media after the Kings' two-goal road win early this week over the Mammoth in Utah at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
The Kings have won two games in a row and reached double-digit road wins in the West early this regular season with the victory over the Mammoth on Monday night early this week.
Here's a look at everything Fiala and Kempe said to the media postgame following the Kings' 4-2 regulation win on the road over the Mammoth in Utah on Dec. 8.
Adrian Kempe
On the team building momentum after the offensive outburst last weekend vs. Chicago
"Confidence booster for everybody, I think, after that game on Saturday. You come in here and feel good about your game. Obviously you don’t expect to go out and score six every game, but we kind of kept it going in the first period and then it was a tough game from there on. I think second period, they kind of came back at us and then third, I think we started playing better again. It was tight game all the way to the end, but a pretty solid effort I think."
On the goal he scored in the first period vs. Utah
"A good play by Kevin to hold the puck, wait for their D to come to him before he slid it to me. Then, just kind of little bit of luck, getting in the d-man’s triangle there and then I had more speed, I just tried to take it to the net and make a move, it worked out. Felt good."
On the impact Kevin Fiala had on the game for the Kings offensively vs. the Mammoth on Monday
"He’s pretty much unstoppable when he gets hot and when he gets into these types of games where he’s feeling it. We’ve seen it before. When he gets hot, he’s one of the best players out there. It’s fun to watch."
On Anze Kopitar scoring vs. Utah on Monday
"He told me that after the game, I didn’t know that, so that was nice. They should have probably given him an assist there at the end too, but it felt good. He played a really solid game tonight, so it’s fun to watch him too."
Kevin Fiala
On the Kings carrying over momentum offensively into the game vs. Utah
Yeah, I think so. In the start, [we had] odd man rushes here and there, made some nice plays, got some goals, and felt good. It's been fun the last two games for sure."
On the play he made to set up the Joel Armia goal vs. Utah
"I was in the middle for any defensive recovery. went behind the net, and I looked. I saw him open, so yeah, it was good that he went through."
On the Kings being able to respond each time the Mammoth were scoring on Monday
"Tonight was a night where we didn't panic at all. No matter if they had a push, you know, it's hockey, so both teams are going to push, they're going to have chances, and we just stay with it. Didn't have any panic, and when it was our chance to push, we pushed right back, and they had great chances."
On having the moms in Utah for the mom's trip for the Kings on Monday
"Yeah, of course. Any type of mom trip, that's always great, you know, got your moms in town. I got my mother-in-law here, so it's great. Very fun and lots of energy, lots of love. Obviously, they're the glue to the family, and so we take that energy, and we gave it all to tonight on the ice, and I think you saw that."