Regular Season Finale
The Kings got through 60 minutes of their 5-1 loss to the Calgary Flames unscathed on Thursday night, the most important goal for a team bound for the playoffs and a Game 1 grudge match with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
David Rittich stopped 24 shots in the Kings’ season finale at Crypto.com Arena, which was rescheduled from Jan. 8. Taylor Ward skated in his first NHL game and for one of the six franchises his father Dixon played for in his career, and scored his first goal during a late power play as the Kings’ four-game winning streak ended with only their fifth loss in 22 games since the trade deadline.
Playoff Bound
The Kings will face Edmonton in a best-of-seven first-round playoff series for the fourth consecutive season – but with home-ice advantage for the first time in a season when they have been dominant in their own arena.
Nazem Kadri continued to spearhead the Calgary attack with two goals, while captain Mikael Backlund contributed a goal and an assist. Dryden Hunt chipped in two assists. Dan Vladar had 30 saves. Four players made their NHL debut for Calgary on Thursday: Zayne Parekh, Sam Morton, Aydar Suniev and Hunter Brzustewicz, with Morton and Parekh both scoring in their auspicious beginnings.
Post-Game Reaction
“It is a little tricky, we had a lot of adrenaline against Edmonton and we had a good win against Seattle, but we still wanted to win this game, and, clearly, we weren’t good enough,” defenseman Jordan Spence told reporters. “At the end of day, we’ve got to move on. It’s Game 1, and we’re really excited.”
The game had been rescheduled due to the harrowing blazes that burned in January, and though the Kings lost their first home game after that in a dud against the Pittsburgh Penguins, they were an extremely tough out at home overall (an NHL-best 31-6-4).
Season Recap
“We’re proud of the regular season we had, extremely proud, as an organization, as a city, as fans. We had some lousy times with the city this year, and hopefully we provided some entertainment,” Kings coach Jim Hiller told reporters. “I thought we battled really hard, but it is over.”
The Kings’ 31 home wins are a franchise record that tied them with Carolina for the most in the NHL this season. They also stayed at 48 wins and 105 points, both of which tied franchise single-season records, from 2016 and 1975, respectively.
Notable Performances
Ward, 27, was rewarded for his enthusiastic performance with some extra-man minutes and reciprocated with a follow-up to Spence’s one-timer. The Kings have scored at least one power-play goal in five straight games and are 8 for 24 during that stretch. It was the first time since 2002 that three different players scored in their debut in a single game, per NHL PR.
“It was a long road to get here tonight, and I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to come and play here in this building, for this team. It’s the best night of my life,” Ward told reporters.
Conclusion
The Kings may have lost their regular-season finale, but they are looking forward to the playoffs and their matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. With their dominant home record and strong team performance, they are poised to make a deep run in the playoffs.
FAQs
Q: Who did the Kings play in their regular-season finale?
A: The Kings played the Calgary Flames in their regular-season finale.
Q: Who scored the Kings’ only goal in the game?
A: Taylor Ward scored the Kings’ only goal in the game, which was his first NHL goal.
Q: What is the Kings’ record at home this season?
A: The Kings have a 31-6-4 record at home this season, which is a franchise record.
Q: Who will the Kings face in the playoffs?
A: The Kings will face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.
