The Los Angeles Kings will face a significant test as they host the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes on October 28, 2023, at Crypto.com Arena. The Hurricanes, the only remaining unbeaten team in the NHL with a record of 4-0-0, will challenge a Kings squad that has struggled, managing just one victory in five games this season (1-3-1).
The Kings’ recent performance included a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, where center Phillip Danault expressed frustration with the team’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Despite jumping to a 2-0 lead, the Kings surrendered four unanswered goals, continuing a trend of inconsistency. “We could have buried many more than two, that’s for sure,” Danault remarked after the game.
Injuries have compounded the Kings’ challenges. Team captain Anže Kopitar is sidelined with a foot injury and has been downgraded to “week-to-week” status. Meanwhile, goalie Darcy Kuemper is considered questionable for Saturday’s match due to a lower body injury. However, there is some positive news regarding forward Corey Perry, who is making progress towards a return from a knee injury.
The Kings’ struggles have been particularly evident on special teams, where they lead the league with 24 penalties taken. In their last outing, the team allowed goals both while on the power play and while short-handed. Jim Hiller, the Kings’ head coach, acknowledged the team’s struggles but emphasized the need to focus on improving rather than dissecting each setback. “We’re in a hole, and we’re in a funk, there’s no question,” he stated.
Despite the challenges, there were bright spots in the loss to Pittsburgh. Hiller highlighted the performances of Warren Foegele, who scored the opening goal, and rookie Alex Laferriere, both of whom delivered their best efforts of the season so far. On the defensive side, Drew Doughty and Brian Dumoulin formed the Kings’ most effective pairing, while Cody Ceci recorded his first point with a secondary assist and nearly added another goal, hitting the post with a shot.
The Kings have displayed moments of competitiveness, but overall, they rank among the bottom five teams in penalty-kill percentage and are tied for the sixth-most goals allowed per game in the league. Winger Trevor Moore noted the importance of confidence, stating, “We’ve shown that we can have really good periods and then, for whatever reason, it just gets away from us.”
As the Kings prepare to face the Hurricanes, they will need to find a way to put together a complete performance. While their strength of schedule has been a topic of discussion, it is clear that the Kings must improve across all facets of their game to compete with a Carolina team that boasts not only an unbeaten record but also the best goal differential in the league at +11.
The upcoming game promises to be a critical opportunity for the Kings to turn their season around against a formidable opponent. The puck drops at 6 p.m. on Saturday, and fans will be eager to see if the Kings can capitalize on their home advantage to get back into the win column.