After an unplanned break in the schedule, the Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to five games when they open a five-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.
Because of wildfires in the Los Angeles area, the Kings decided to postpone their game against the visiting Calgary Flames on Wednesday.
They haven’t played since a 2-1 win against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning last Saturday, a game that Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller thought was the most “lopsided” of the season, as Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper “stole” them the victory with his 33 saves.
“You know, that can happen,” Hiller said. “I can remember earlier in the season we had a game, I think was against Chicago, that we probably should have won. We ended up giving one up late and they beat us in overtime. You hope that they balance themselves out, but we’ll take it.”
Kuemper won three of the four games on the Kings’ homestand and will likely start against the Jets, who feature one of the best goalies in the NHL in Connor Hellebuyck.
The Kings will also continue to count on defenseman Mikey Anderson, who has taken his game to another level this season and, once again, separated himself from the other Los Angeles defensemen against the Lightning.
“Somehow, some way, Mikey was elite with a group that really struggled,” Hiller said. “Power to him. He’s playing some hockey, boy.”
Hiller has leaned on Anderson and partner Vladislav Gavrikov by pitting them against the opposing team’s top forwards. The pair will likely see plenty of time against Winnipeg’s top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and former Kings player Gabriel Vilardi.
“They’re fun,” Anderson said. “They’re the matchups you want.”
The Jets ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
Hellebuyck made 26 saves in his 300th NHL win, which seemed to strike a chord with the 10-year veteran.
“You know, for the longest time I was just playing, taking it day by day, having fun, working hard and trying to get better,” Hellebuyck said. “As you get a little older in this league and things start to happen and you start to achieve some things, that kind of sets in and you start to realize that you’re doing some great things.”
The Kings beat the Jets 4-1 in Los Angeles on Nov. 27, when Winnipeg managed just 14 shots on net and the Kings sent 32 at Hellebuyck, getting three past him.
Winnipeg received a scare when defenseman Josh Morrissey collided with his own net in the second period against the Predators, tried to return for a shift and then departed for good.
Jets coach Scott Arniel said after Wednesday’s optional practice that Morrissey was feeling better and wasn’t ruled out for Friday’s game.
Winnipeg may also get defenseman Dylan Samberg back after he missed the past 21 games with a broken foot.
The Jets remain without defensemen Haydn Fleury, who has been sidelined since the Christmas break with a knee injury, and Colin Miller, who sustained a fractured larynx against the Detroit Red Wings last Saturday.
–Field Level Media
