The Los Angeles Kings are proving that home-ice advantage isn’t a big deal for them. After routing the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 on Tuesday afternoon, the Kings have now defeated Montreal nine straight times, dating back to their matchup on October 30, 2021.
It’s a nice little stretch the Kings are on: they began this six-game road trip with fans giving them no hope of winning, but are off to a 2-0 start so far and looking very dangerous in the Western Conference.
Kings Road Dominance Continues With Victory Over Canadiens
Kings dismantle Canadiens with lockdown defense and promising offense, continuing their road dominance.
Road Success
The King’s formula for success away from Crypto.com is to play disciplined, prepared, and ready for every team they face. Against Montreal, they dictated play from start to finish, not looking careless or unprepared, unlike at home this season.
Their performance on the road isn’t an aberration. Los Angeles has one of the best road records in the league at 7-1-2, and one of the best road goals per game and goals against average, showing their all-around balance on the road in November.
The recent strong performances from Corey Perry, Quinton Byfield, and Kevin Fiala have kept the Kings moving afloat in this grueling road stretch. Their calm presence has helped the team transform long flights into opportunities to focus on the road rather than fatigue.
Consistency and Identity
What fans were complaining about early in the season was that coach Jim Hiller lacked an identity for this team. The players would just go on the ice and have no clue what play to run or what to do next.
Hiller was being called out for not having his players prepared for big games, especially at home, where they’ve struggled this season, but the players and Hiller have looked like they’re on the same page now, and it’s resulting in more wins.
Even with injuries plaguing this team early on, now that it is fully healthy, Los Angeles looks very good with its full roster and is a scary dark horse for any team that will face it in the West playoffs.
When Kevin Fiala hit 500 career points earlier this week, players and Hiller gave him a standing ovation, crediting him for what he brings to the team and how happy they are to be on the same team together.
“He’s got extreme skill, he’s one of the most talented guys in the league,” Darcy Kuemper said. “I’m glad he’s on our side, and I only have to face him in practice.”
Bottom Line
The Kings are doing more than surviving their road schedule; they’re proving just how dangerous they are with these statement wins. As the season still unfolds, one thing is clear: this team is much better on the road this season, and that’s what counts come playoff time, where the Kings have struggled to adapt in recent years.
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