The Los Angeles Kings open a seven-game homestand against the Utah Mammoth on Saturday night, looking to earn crucial points in the Western Conference wild-card race.
Los Angeles is four points back of the Mammoth, who sit in the first wild-card spot, entering Friday night’s action. The Kings, who hold a game in hand on the Mammoth, trail the Nashville Predators by a point for the second wild-card spot.
Saturday marks the third and final meeting between the Kings and the Mammoth this season. Utah edged Los Angeles 4-3 in overtime on Sunday in Salt Lake City after the Kings won the opener 4-2 on Dec. 8.
The Kings return home for their final games at Crypto.com Arena of the regular season following a 4-0 win in Vancouver on Thursday to snap a four-game winless skid (0-1-3).
Their 10 home wins this season are the third-fewest in the league.
“We’re creating enough right now, we’ve just got to make sure we’re defending enough, we’re disciplined,” said interim head coach D.J. Smith. “For whatever reason, we haven’t been great at home. I think it’s our time now to get hot here in the last little bit and really give ourselves a chance.”
Trevor Moore and Quinton Byfield each scored a goal and added an assist, Scott Laughton and Artemi Panarin also tallied while Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves in the Vancouver shutout.
Defenseman Mikey Anderson added a pair of assists.
“We haven’t been great at home, but it’s a good chance for us,” said Anderson. ” … It’s a great time for us to build momentum at home and play ourselves in and try and get hot coming down the stretch.”
Utah (37-30-6, 80 points) travels to Los Angeles following a 1-3-0 homestand.
“Everyone’s got to look in the mirror, we all got better and we all know that,” said captain Clayton Keller, who paces the Mammoth with 49 assists and 71 points in 73 games. “Still super confident with our group. This is the most exciting part of the year and the most exciting hockey. We’re all positive and we’ll learn from it and go to L.A.”
Dylan Guenther scored twice, while Logan Cooley and MacKenzie Weegar also found the back of the net in the Mammoth’s 7-4 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday.
Keller and Mikhail Sergachev each had three assists for the Mammoth, who are 3-5-2 in their last 10.
Vitek Vanecek allowed six goals on 23 shots before being replaced by Karel Vejmelka midway through the third.
Saturday marks the start of a three-game road trip for Utah, which will travel to Seattle on Thursday before wrapping it up in Vancouver on April 4.
The Mammoth, 18-16-3 on the road, have yet to visit Los Angeles this season. Utah dropped a pair of games at the Kings last season.
“We’ve got to adjust quickly and make sure we’re matching the intensity other teams are bringing,” said Cooley. “Everyone is pushing to be in a playoff spot or get home-ice advantage, so every game is so important. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for a great test against L.A.”
–Field Level Media
