The Kings host the Chicago Blackhawks today for a nice and early 1 pm game. The last time they met in the previous season, Adrian Kempe took the puck immediately from the faceoff and went bar down 6 seconds in to win in overtime 5-4 while outshooting the Hawks 36-13 (!) in a comeback win that saw the Kings clinch the third playoff in the Pacific Division.
The Hawks have struggled on the road this year, going 2-4-1. Their overall record, reflecting a team still going through the building process, is 3-7-1. They are led offensively in the forward group by phenom Connor Bedard, who has 9 points (3 goals) in 11 games. Defensively, they are led by veteran defenseman Seth Jones, who posted 7 points (1 goal) in 11 games in his fourth year with the Hawks.
Career-wise, forward Taylor Hall has done well against the Kings, 9g-13a-22p, in 29 games.
Blackhawks lines in practice
Kurashev-Bedard-Donato
Hall-Foligno-Bertuzzi
Mikheyev-Dickinson-Teräväinen/Anderson
Maroon-Reichel-Smith— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) November 1, 2024
The Kings (6-3-2), on the other hand, are perfect in their relatively short stretch at home this year (3-0-0), outscoring the opposition 12-7. Per LA Kings PR, dating back to February 2nd, the Kings under Jim Hiller are a league-best 17-3-1 at home with a winning percentage of .833.
In the forward group, the Kings are led by future Hall of Famer Anze Kopitar, with 12 points (4 goals) in 11 games. Defensively, they are led scoring-wise by young Brandt Clarke, who is tied for fourth for defenseman (Victor Hedman-TB, Rasmus Anderson-CGY) by being a point-per-game player through eleven games.
Kopitar has put together an excellent point portfolio against the Hawks, with 15g-25a-40p in 54 career games, leading the team in that category. It is important to note that while Kopitar has the most points, Phillip Danault has the highest point-per-game percentage against his former team, the Hawks.
With 7g and 7a in 16 career games against the club that drafted him, today’s game represents a prime opportunity against a club he is comfortable playing with to get going offensively.
While certainly not a house of horrors (i.e. Kings at Buffalo), Chicago has not won in LA since March 2022 and has lost 7 out of its last 10 in LA, dating back to 2017. The Hawks have been outscored 39-26 in that stretch.
After a dreadful season last year, the Hawks had a decent facelift, by adding Tyler Bertuzzi, and welcoming Tuevo Teräväinen back. They just lost to the struggling San Jose Sharks and will chomp at the bit to get one back in the win column.
Editors’ prediction?
The Kings are a solid team at even strength but poor on special teams thus far. They should win this game if they can stay out of the penalty box (which has been a struggle). Even without Drew Doughty, I still believe this lineup on paper is mightier than the Hawks.
4-2
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