The Los Angeles Kings (14-8-7) started December with the final three games of their homestand. The Kings started off the homestand with the first game on Tuesday, Dec. 2, against the Washington Capitals, followed by games on Thursday, Dec 4, and Saturday, Dec. 6, both against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Los Angeles Kings looking to build more momentum on home ice in early December
The first home game started with superstar Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. The scoring started with a power play goal by forward Tom Wilson of the Capitals in the first period. The only goal of the second period was by Kings forward Adrian Kempe, tying the game at one-all.
The third period started with a goal from Anthony Beauvillier of the Capitals, which turned out to be the game-winner. The third period also saw an empty-net goal by Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas. The Kings could never get anything going after the Kempe goal. The 3-1 victory for the Capitals was a rough start to the homestand.
Dec. 4 started off a two-game set against the Chicago Blackhawks in a span of less than 48 hours. Thursday’s game started off with a scoreless first period. The scoring opened up for Chicago in the second period with Connor Bedard scoring his 18th goal of the season (which was a power play goal).
Wyatt Kaiser scored near the end of the same period, giving Chicago a 2-0 advantage. The third period saw the Kings score their only goal of the game by Trevor Moore, assisted by Warren Foegele, his first game back from injury. The 2-1 loss put the Kings on their heels.
The third and final game of the homestand wrapped up on Saturday, Dec. 6, with their second game against Chicago. The first period started off in the same way as Thursday’s game, with no score on either end. Goal-scoring action finally picked up when Warren Foegele, in his second game back from injury, scored his eighth goal of the season.
The only assist on his goal came from Trevor Moore. The second period action began with Andrei Kuzmenko giving the Kings a 2-0 advantage with a power play goal. Followed soon after by a Brandt Clarke goal, making the score 3-0. Clarke started the third period with his second goal of the night, making the score 4-0. Mikey Anderson then scored his second goal of the season, making it 5-0. Alex Turcotte sealed the blowout with his second goal of the season, making the score 6-0. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper earned his second shutout of the season.
They have a quick two-game road trip starting Dec. 8 in Utah, facing the Mammoth and then the Kraken on Dec. 10 in Seattle, during the annual Mom’s Trip, so we expect them to perform well. It is the first matchup of the season for both teams.
The Kings then return to Los Angeles for a quick home game against the Calgary Flames on Dec. 13, which is their first game of the season against the Flames as well. After playing Calgary at home, they head out for a three-game road trip beginning Dec. 15 in Dallas against the Stars. Florida is their next stop to play the Panthers on Dec. 17 and then the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 18