Angeles Analysis – Time To Take A Breath

Exhale.

It wasn’t always perfect. It wasn’t always pretty. But it was certainly much needed.

The LA Kings earned two points in the standings in their final game before the NHL All-Star break, giving themselves a rare opportunity as of late to take a deep breath and exhale a bit. January has been the month from you know where. The Kings won just three times throughout the course of 31 days, but as they head into the NHL’s All-Star break, they’ll do so feeling a little bit better than they were coming into the day, following last night’s win over the Nashville Predators.

“We haven’t rolled over and quit,” Todd McLellan said after last night’s win. “It’s a reflection of the character of the group. We’ve still got a long way to go to get our game back, but to go into the break, feeling a little bit good about ourselves, is a real good thing.”

Make no mistake the Kings will take any win they can get right now. To get one going into a stretch of nine days off, though, is especially nice. The Kings had just two wins from their previous 16 games and that was draining on everyone. The players, the coaches, the staff.

“It was big for us, especially before this long break, you don’t want to go into that losing,” forward Trevor Lewis said. “We’ve just got to make sure we re-focus after this break and get back to where we were.”

For a group that’s had that level of struggles as of late, having nine days off is much needed.

Lewis, for example, wasn’t even a lock to play last night as recently as the morning skate. He fought through and delivered a big night, as a part of a fourth line that buried three times in the victory. Others are battling injury and illness as well and the time off presents an opportunity to reset and recharge the batteries a bit. Much of the NHL has already been on vacation. The Kings were one of six teams to play last night, the final day before the leaguewide break begins today. As such, they won’t take the ice again until practices on February 8 and 9, followed by a return to game action on February 10 against Edmonton.

While last night’s game was far from perfect, the Kings are hopeful it can be the moment that turns things around. It’s been a long time coming and the Kings still believe in the group they have. But, 14 losses out of 16 games is 14 losses from 16 games. Now it’s 14 from 17. Eventually, it has to start with one.

“I hope that this is going to help us flip the coin and start a stretch with wins,” goaltender David Rittich said. “It’s for sure great for us, we’re going to break after a win. Really important win against the team who was in the wild card and each win for us is really important in our situation. I’m glad we came to it.”

Important to have Rittich’s voice in there because he was likely the difference yesterday evening. Tending the net against his former team, Rittich made 39 saves, a season-high, as he backstopped his new club to a victory. It was his highest save total since April 28, 2022. They call him Big Save Dave and you could point to countless individual stops that would have turned the game on its head if the save isn’t made. A few posts went his way as well, but I mean how many of those bounces have gone against the Kings over the prior 16 games? Little bit of puck luck was probably overdue and don’t let it overshadow a strong night from Rittich.

As far as the team in front of him, last night’s performance is not one that the Kings will likely want to rinse and repeat. In controlling just under 45 percent of shot attempts at 5-on-5, it was the third-lowest percentage of the season. Just over 41 percent of scoring chances and just over 35 percent of high-danger chances were also the third lowest totals respectively of the season. Yet, so many times over the last 16 games, we’ve seen those numbers flipped. The Kings had numbers in the mid-to-high 50’s or even into the 60’s. There they were, though, on the losing side of the scoreboard. As a comfortable playoff berth in the Pacific Division quickly became a Wild Card spot, the Kings aren’t in a place to question the two points. They’ll happily take them. The formula for success will have to change coming out of the break, with a reliance on goaltending and overturning what the numbers suggest not the long-term plan going forward.

That’s why the title here is breath. Nothing more. That’s what yesterday gives everyone the opportunity to do. Getting the win going into the time off clears the air a bit, and it clears it right away. Over 9 days, even off a loss, the sting would eventually go away but getting the win going in speeds up that process. Last night is not a night that says the Kings are out of this. They’re not. Even if they beat the Oilers next time out, it doesn’t mean that the last month is forgotten. When it’s a lengthy run like the Kings were on, it’s about more than one game or two games in a row. It’s about finding a steady stretch of wins. We won’t know if last night’s win, despite its flaws, was the one that brings the Kings out of it for some time. For now, it’s a good way to reset and take us into the break on a high note.