“Trusting” Line of Grundstrom, Lewis & Lizotte Proving Their Worth Early In The Season

An identity goal if I’ve ever seen one.

lizzOMG IT'S 4-2 pic.twitter.com/otNoc3uzZI

— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 25, 2023

Carl Grundstrom barreling around the net to force a D-to-D pass. Trevor Lewis going in hard on the other defenseman, leading to a soft outlet pass up the wall. Drew Doughty pinching in to intercept and feed Blake Lizotte, who found a soft spot of ice in the slot. A wrist shot through a bit of traffic, created by Grundstrom going to the net, and it’s a goal for the Kings.

On Tuesday against Arizona, that trio was rewarded for their work with a pair of goals, with Lizotte’s holding up as the game-winning goal.

“I think you like any goal you score, but yeah, I think that was kind of the identity of our line,” Lizotte said after the game. I think the majority of the game was how we were supposed to play. Hard, on the forecheck and create chances……I think it’s just what our line’s here for, bring energy and chipping on offense when we can.”

Last night against Vegas, they did it again.

Lewis was the first player in on the forecheck, with Grundstrom hot on his tail to force the puck up the wall to Lizotte, who exited with clean possession. Two plays later, the puck is loose in front and Lewis, who started the sequence, was on hand to bury the rebound for another gritty goal, the seventh overall this season for that line.

“We take a lot of pride in the little things, but it’s nice to get rewarded on the scoresheet,” Lizotte said of his line’s contributions.

Lewy makes it 2️⃣ pic.twitter.com/mqDhjZ1EsA

— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 29, 2023

Over the last two seasons, as the Kings have risen from the bottom of the standings to the postseason, the fourth line has regularly been a line of flux, both from a personnel standpoint and a stylistic standpoint.

As younger players have come through the organization and have looked to establish themselves as NHL players, much of that journey has begun on the fourth line. That’s led to a line that was, in many ways, a developing line of players who embraced their role, but ultimately projected as different types of players. As injuries have occurred, it’s typically the fourth line that experiences a shuffle of personnel, with players moving up and into different roles. That can make it tricky to establish chemistry over 82 games.

So far this season, however, personnel has been relatively consistent. In Grundstrom, Lewis and Lizotte, there are three guys who are capable of playing higher in the lineup at times, certainly, but also three players who are all in on playing the way they believe a fourth line can and should play.

Grundstrom – We play pretty direct and we all work hard, we help each other out. I like our line, we try to help out as much as we can. [Being a tone-setting line] is going to be key for us this season.

Lewis – The three of us, we’re trying to go out there and wear out the other team, cause a little chaos. We want to be a line that Todd can trust to put out there in any situation and help contribute when we can. That’s the way our line wants to play and needs to play.

Lizotte – We’re here to create energy and I think Lewis and Carl understand that as well. We want to score every time we can, but we’re going to be good defensively and create chaos with great energy.

Todd McLellan perhaps summed it up best in fewer words.

“Those three have an identity that they play to all the time.”

A lot has been made of the roster moves that have led to the establishment of a strong top nine for the Kings. And rightfully so, considering the commitment to strength down the middle and the dynamic talent on the wings. Don’t forget about that fourth line, though.

Three guys who might fly under the radar on a team of stars, but three guys whose value is felt by the Kings within their locker room. With strong outputs like we’ve seen early in the season, it makes the competition for ice time that much greater, amongst a group that was competitive as it is. With the Kings playing back-to-back this weekend, having four lines able to play was paramount in maintaining energy levels, as the Kings picked up three of a possible four points. Saturday’s game against Vegas was the tightest distribution of minutes yet, with a more balanced approach needed in the second game in as many days.

“It’s nice to be able to roll lines,” McLellan said. “What it does is it affects some other guys that are used to playing a little bit more and if we’re able to continue playing the way we are, we all have to accept that it’s probably going to be a little bit less and that’s just the way it is. We’re fortunate to have Lizzo’s line playing as well as they are right now.”

Now, there might not be goals scored each game for this group, though their start to the season might be pushing that narrative a bit. With three goals in the early goings, Grundstrom has showcased his nose for the net seemingly as much as anyone not named Trevor Moore. Lewis and Lizotte have also chipped in with two goals apiece, providing balanced and depth scoring throughout the Kings lineup. Seven goals from eight games, not a bad way to start things off.

Through eight games, each of the Kings forward lines has at least six goals. None has more than eight. If you narrow those totals down to even-strength goals only, two of the four lines have scored five goals, two have scored six. When the Kings are at their best, they’ll have the ability to utilize their entire lineup, with each line bringing something different up front. When you add in that the Kings have also gotten six goals from their defensemen early in the season, the depth scoring the Kings desire has been present throughout the lineup all season along. You don’t get that type of depth without everyone pulling their weight and that’s what the Kings have done in the early goings.

As they move forward, the listed fourth line will look to continue their offensive contributions, but it won’t come at the expense of the style of hockey they like to play together. None of Grundstrom, Lewis or Lizotte is a player who cheats the game in any way. Just three honest, trusting and hardworking players who have earned their minutes together as a line.

“Ultimately, this is what we all asked for, we asked for trusting players that were true NHL players,” McLellan said. “When you ask for that, you have a responsibility to perform at a high level and often give something up and that comes with ice time. There’s no reason why Lizzo, [Lewis] and Grundy shouldn’t get ice time when they’re playing really well.”

Asked and received.

Heading onto the road, the Kings will hope to get a continued display from that line and throughout the lineup, with four teams posting a combined record of 21-9-3 to start the season on the horizon. More of the same…more of the same.