The Los Angeles Kings have had great success early and it is no secret why. The defense as a whole has committed to team defense and it is paying off in a big way. Los Angeles is third in the Pacific Division, one point behind the Edmonton Oilers and six points behind the Vegas Golden Knights. The Kings are one of the superior teams in team defense, and they are elite in a few categories. What has made them so successful? A few different areas highlight their success.
Kings’ success comes from the back end
Los Angeles has given up 88 goals this season, which are fewest in the league. They have a +16 goal differential, also in the top half of the league. A 2.56 team goals-against-average is third-fewest in the game per game, and their penalty kill is 11th in the league, killing penalties at an 81.7% clip. Their 24.6 shots against per game is also the lowest in the league.
So who is responsible for these numbers in the net? David Rittich, Darcy Kuemper, and Erik Portillo have combined to give the Kings a lethal tandem in net. They have been exceptional between the pipes and are a big reason why Los Angels has had the success it has had so far. Rittich is in his second season with the Kings, Kuemper has returned for another run, and Portillo is only beginning his NHL career. Rittich is 10-8 with a 2.46 goals-against-average and a .891 save percentage. Kuemper is 8-2 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.40 goals-against-average, while Portillo is 1-0 with a .966 save percentage and a 1.02 goals-against-average.
The offense is clicking, scoring 1-04 goals this season, but has been a bit streaky. Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar lead the offense, with youngsters Alex Laferriere and Alex Turcotte adding depth scoring. The forward group is solid and every line has capable two-way players.
Overall, things are coming together for Los Angeles. All lines and defense-pairings are contributing and the goaltenders are winning games on their own. Aside from being in third place, the Kings may be throwing out the best roster they have had in a few years. The team is solid from top to bottom and can be scary if they get the offense clicking on all cylinders.
(photo: NHL.com; Robby Stanley) (photo: lakingsinsider.com; Zach Dooley)
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