When the Kings begin their six-game road trip Sunday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, their fans won’t just be paying attention to the scoreboard; they’ll pray the Kings show a pulse.
Right now, Los Angeles Kings fans are leaving the arena early, and the area is starting to quiet down. The season might already be hanging by a thread if the Kings don’t get their act together.
It’s not just another loss for the Kings; it’s the fact that they're losing at home time after time, now falling to a 1-4-2 record on home ice, leading to boos echoing through Crypto.com Arena.
The Kings' Defense No Longer Holds at HomeIt’s becoming very tough to watch the Kings play hockey right now. Every question mark that Kings fans had coming into this season for this team has not only come true, but it’s become a big disaster.
Season on the Brink
Following the King's recent defeat to the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers, Los Angeles has now lost five of their last eight games, including four straight home losses.
A team that was considered a playoff contender coming into the season now sits near the bottom at fifth place in their division. The offense has dried up, the defense looks dried up, with no effort being played out there, and even the goaltending, once the team's biggest strength, has shown cracks.
The effort on their home ice tells the tale, where boos are now common, like the sound of goal horns. It’s even more embarrassing that the Kings are way better away from their home, sitting at 5-1-2.
But the recent play the Kings have put forth at home doesn’t give confidence that they can come out of this six-game road trip playing five of the six teams above .500. If the Kings can’t at least go 4-2 or even 3-3 on this road trip, this stretch can define what their season looks like going forward.
King's Home Woes ContinueThe Los Angeles Kings (5-4-4) couldn’t overcome a slow start offensively and fell 4-1 to the New Jersey Devils (9-3-0) on Saturday night at <a href="http://crytpo.com">Crypto.com</a> Arena. Despite scoring their lone goal in the third period, the Kings' search for their first home win of the season continues.
Home Versus Road Numbers
By the numbers, the Kings' struggles at home are puzzling. Los Angeles has allowed 3.4 goals per game at home compared to 2.7 on the road, which suggests that when they play in front of their home crowd, they get too comfortable and fade, and don’t feel the need to play big like they would in a tough environment on the road.
Offensively, the Kings have actually scored more goals on the road than at home, by a significant margin. Los Angeles has scored a total of 28 goals away and averages 3.2 goals per game away from Crypto, while at home, 15 goals, averaging two goals per game.
An Important Road Trip
The Kings’ upcoming road trip is tough:
@Pittsburgh Pirates
@Montreal Canadiens
@Toronto Maple Leafs
@Ottawa Senators
@Washington Capitals
@San Jose Sharks
Los Angeles will need to step up in their upcoming road trip if they have any hopes of making the postseason in a tough Western Conference. This trip should show us what the Kings are really made of and if they can rediscover their identity, reignite the defense, and prove they can compete every night.
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