CHICAGO — Following four consecutive overtime games and a lengthy late-night shootout in Nashville, the Los Angeles Kings arrived in Chicago around 1:30 a.m.
For the second-oldest team in the NHL, it would have been easy for the Kings to make excuses against the league’s third-youngest group, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Instead, coach Jim Hiller shut down any such narrative pregame by touting the team’s success in back-to-back games, before his group defeated the Blackhawks, 3-1.
“I thought we weren’t going to be sharp tonight on that kind of back-to-back, but we could check and try to simplify the game and give ourselves a chance,” Hiller said.
The Kings rallied to its first regulation win in its tenth try, playing its second contest with full-strength lines of skaters with the return of center Anze Kopitar this weekend.
After a sloppy save attempt by Forsberg on a tipped first-period shot by Connor Bedard allowed an early goal to slip in for the Blackhawks, the netminder finished with 22 saves and no more goals allowed.
The Kings bounced back swiftly in the second period with goals from wingers Alex Laferriere and Kevin Fiala within the first five minutes.
After being outshot 11-6 in the first period, the Kings rallied to a 15-15 mark by the end of the second period.
The Kings successfully killed five power plays despite entering the game 25th in the NHL with a kill rate of around 71%. But it also failed to convert on any of its three man-advantages.
“I thought we really played to our identity in the second two-thirds of the game,” Hiller said. “And then, what was an Achilles heel for us to start the season, was penalty kill … And then, of course, tonight, we did a really nice job throughout the game. And then, of course, and at the end, you know when really the game was on the line.”
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Winger Joel Armia capped off the victory with an empty-net goal, smiling as he skated back to the bench after dropping his stick on the tap-in for his second score of the weekend.
Defenseman Warren Foegele exited the game in the first period with an injury, and Hiller said he would have an update Monday or Tuesday.
Foegele’s linemate, Phillip Danault, praised the winger’s work rate and checking but also noted that the team has players who can step up. Should the team have to move to 11 forwards and seven defensemen, the 32-year-old expressed confidence.
“I felt like it was natural, played like that a lot of other games last year, and even (the) playoff(s), I think maybe,” Danault said. “But yeah, it didn’t change much.”
After enduring a four-game road stretch, the Kings return to home ice on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks.