Both nights in back-to-back games were embarrassing and humiliating on the ice for the Los Angeles Kings (23-21-14) and head coach Jim Hiller in the Pacific Division in the middle of this week in this past 48 hours. So much has happened for Hiller and the Kings in this past few weeks in the West in the Pacific Division for the team.
Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings get cleaned out by Edmonton in the Pacific Division on Thursday
The Kings have not only lost multiple key players in the active roster lineup offensively in the zone due to injuries, including wingers Kevin Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko, but also made a huge big splash trade in early February this month for star forward Artemi Panarin for the core forward lines group this regular season.
Overshadowing all of these storylines for Hiller and the Kings has been the struggles on the ice and with the coaching staff this regular season in the West in the Pacific Division. The Kings suffered back-to-back embarrassing losing in the final frame in the third period earlier this week vs. the Edmonton Oilers (29-23-8) and the Vegas Golden Knights in the front end of back-to-back games on Wednesday (Feb. 25).
This is not necessarily a bad team in the active roster lineup. But something has to give for the Kings to improve the results in the standings in the West this regular season in the Pacific Division and on the ice this past week before the calendar turns to March next month.
Against Edmonton earlier this week in the back end of back-to-back games, Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg were both left out to dry in goal for the Kings defensively.
Here are the takeaways from the Kings' absolutely embarrassing 8-1 loss on home ice against the Oilers in the Pacific Division at Crypto Arena on Feb. 26.
Playoff hopes are on life support for the Kings
This past week in the West, the Kings and Hiller had tremendous opportunities in the Pacific Division to pick up valuable points in the standings for the playoff race this upcoming postseason this spring. The Kings now have to move on and focus their attention to an important game in the West on the road this weekend on Saturday (Feb. 28) vs. the Calgary Flames.
Hiller spoke about his job status with the Kings and the front office this regular season in the West after the embarrassing seven-goal loss on the scoreboard on Thursday night vs. Edmonton in the Pacific Division.
"My focus is trying to win on Saturday. We sign up for this job. I think you’re probably always concerned when you’ve got a job in the coaching world, so that’s just something that’s always tucked away. But, what overrides all that is trying to get your team to win games."Jim Hiller
For most of this regular season, the Kings have been able to count on at least picking up a point in the standings in the West in extra time in overtime. But even that hasn't been reliable for Hiller and the Kings recently.
February has been a disaster of a month on the ice
Everything that seemingly can go wrong for the Kings in the defensive zone on that end of the ice this month has for Hiller and staff in this past few weeks in the month of February in the West. This team has to quickly improve on the ice on the defensive end in the month of February in their own zone.
"I think everyone came back, everyone was energetic, you’re ready excited to play. Everyone’s in the same boat, you’ve got to try and get your engine going. For whatever reason, we just haven’t been as sharp as the teams we’re playing. That’s the result we’re getting."Mikey Anderson
I can't really think of a worse stretch in the Pacific Division in the West this regular season that Hiller and the Kings have faced in this past few months on the ice. The Kings have lost multiple games on home ice at Crypto.com Arena in the month of February in the past few weeks after holding leads by at least one goal on the scoreboard.
In their last four games in the Pacific Division in the West in the month of February since the three week break for the Olympics early this month, Kuemper and the Kings are 0-4-0 with an average goals against of over six per game.