The Los Angeles Kings (23-19-14) were unable to effectively battle and push back on the scoreboard on Thursday night (Feb. 5) in a 4-1 handling by the Vegas Golden Knights (27-16-14) in the Pacific Division on the road late this week. Hiller and the Kings looked lethargic and dispirited defensively in the zone again in the opening frame in the first period in the back end of back-to-back games.

A detrimental first period on the scoreboard leads Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings to drop another game in the Pacific Division late this week vs. Vegas

If you combine the game’s first period in the past couple of contests in a row in these back-to-back games this week on Wednesday night and Thursday, the Kings lost by a combined score on the scoreboard of 7-2.

The only goal the Kings scored on the board yesterday on the road in Vegas vs. the Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena was from winger Trevor Moore late in the opening frame in the first period.

Hiller gave his reaction to the media yesterday after the embarrassing loss on the road in the Pacific Division by a three-goal margin on the scoreboard against the Golden Knights in the first period.

Any momentum the Kings and Hiller had coming out of the road trip on the East Coast this past couple of weeks in the West has been buried deep late this week for the team.

Here’s a look at everything Hiller said to the media postgame following the Kings’ convincing 4-1 loss on the road vs. the Golden Knights in the Pacific Division on Feb. 5.

Jim Hiller

On the issues with defensive lapses and turnovers yesterday in the zone

“More glaring in that they were able to finish four times. The defensemen are pretty banged up, we haven’t talked about that. So, we can’t put them under duress. We put them under duress and our forwards had to do a better job, they didn’t. Then, we give good players chances like that, they don’t need two or three. That’s what we saw today.”

On the injury status of Andrei Kuzmenko for the Kings offensively

“He made his way back, so that was positive. Obviously, they checked him out, he was able to come back, but yeah, he just wasn’t able to finish, let’s put it that way. He was in good spirits. I haven’t seen him since he left again, but we wouldn’t have put him back out if he wasn’t okay.”

On what would’ve changed if the Kings had gotten on the scoreboard more times yesterday vs. Vegas on the road

“We needed one. We didn’t like the start, obviously, buried ourselves, but then there’s still lots of hockey game left. If you can get one, you get momentum, now you’re only down by two. You get another one, you get pull the goalie, whatever is going to happen, it gives you a chance. The best part of our game was the last 40 minutes but the game, unfortunately, is probably done if you can’t score consistently. That’s where we’re at.”

On the timing of the break for the Winter Olympics for the Kings this month in mid-to-late February

“Like every other team in league, we’ve got some guys playing that are quite a ways South of 100 percent, so we’ll need that time to get everybody back, just like everybody else. Then, we’ve got to sprint. Once we get back here, she’s a sprint to the end. It’s a challenge, right in front of us, and we’ll answer the bell.”

On where the team is at in the standings going into the break this week in the West

“It’s staring right in front of us. You can see where we’re at in the standings, you don’t have to be a math major to understand that when we get back here, there’s very little margin for error. That’s where we’re at. Hasn’t been good enough. So, get yourself ready, because we’ve got no margin for error, as I mentioned, and you’ve got to go. And it’s not just you, it’s everybody. That’s the challenge that we’re facing.”

On Anze Kopitar scoring 1,300 career points vs. Vegas

“I thought Kopi was good tonight, so that was probably his best game back. What can you say about this guy that hasn’t been said already? He’s not done yet. I think that’s probably the most important part of this, he’s going to get more than 1300, there’s more things, more milestones to accomplish here before the season’s over. We’re happy to have him back and get those games under his belt as we go.”