The Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks faced off for the first time this season on Friday. They see each other for a total of four times in the regular season.
However, that may not be the last of the Freeway Face-Off as there is potential to see a first-round playoff matchup between the two Californian teams.
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After Anaheim’s 5-4 overtime win against Los Angeles, the Ducks lead the Pacific Division, with the Kings right behind them with a two-point difference.
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As of right now, the standings wouldn’t set up a first-round matchup, but with how close each team is to each other in the division, and the rest of the league for that matter, it wouldn’t take much to see teams get moved around after a few outings.
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The circumstances that would allow the Ducks and Kings to face off in the first round of this year’s post-season aren’t all that complicated, nor far-fetched.
To match up in the playoffs’ preliminary stages, Anaheim and Los Angeles must control the second and third spots in their division, or one team finishes first in the division and the opposing team in either the first or second wild-card spot, depending on the makeup of the other division in the Western Conference, the Central Division.
As mentioned, it wouldn’t be surprising if the stars aligned for a Freeway Face-Off first-round series since the difference between the Pacific’s leaders and fifth place is just four points.
Pavel Mintyukov and Alex Turcotte (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
The last time Los Angeles and Anaheim played against each other in the playoffs was in 2014. They met in the second round, which saw the Kings take the series in seven games. Los Angeles went on to win its second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
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In terms of meeting in the first round, that has never happened in the history of these two franchises’ existence. Specifically for the Ducks, they haven’t seen playoff hockey since 2018, when they were swept by the San Jose Sharks.
The Freeway Face-Off rivalry would reach heights never before seen.
Not to mention, there’s a great dynamic in terms of the contrast between the two organizations. While the Kings have some youngsters like Brandt Clarke and Quinton Byfield, the roster is filled with veterans, including captain Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty.
For the Ducks, they’re scattered with veterans like Alex Killorn, Chris Kreider, Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba. But the main driving factor with this Ducks team is their youth, including Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, and more.
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It would make for a great playoff series, and fans may not have to wait many more seasons to witness it.
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