While a pronounced hot streak has vaulted the Los Angeles Kings to near the top of a crowded Pacific Division, the New York Rangers are still trying to emerge from a lengthy slump.
The Rangers will look to work out the kinks on Saturday afternoon when the teams meet in New York.
The Kings posted a 21-12-1 record after coach Jim Hiller replaced Todd McLellan last season. Los Angeles dropped three straight games in the opening week of this season but has gradually earned points thanks to both an 8-3-3 start and its current run.
Since recording consecutive road losses to the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche, the Kings are 8-3-0 in their past 11 contests. Los Angeles has won those games thanks to an ability to prevent goals as it has allowed two goals or fewer in each victory.
Los Angeles outscored foes 21-8 during a six-game winning streak that ended with Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Defenseman Jordan Spence scored the lone goal and captain Anze Kopitar did not produce a point for only the third time in his past 14 games.
The Kings are hoping to show a more aggressive approach to their offense after finishing with 14 shots on goal and allowing two goals in the third period, including a tiebreaking tally to Jack Hughes.
“Maybe a little more aggressive right from the get-go,” Los Angeles forward Phillip Danault said. “It wasn’t a bad game. They capitalized a little more, but I would say the pace was there. I didn’t mind our game, it’s just a matter of capitalizing.”
The Rangers are 10-12-0 in 22 games since starting 5-0-1 but their woes have been on display since winning three consecutive contests on Nov. 14-19. New York has split six games since dropping five straight from Nov. 21-29 in a stretch that coincided with general manager Chris Drury telling teams he was willing to make trades.
Drury traded captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6 and the Rangers have split four games since the deal. They earned a 4-2 home win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on that day but followed it up with poor performances in losses to the Seattle Kraken and Chicago Blackhawks.
New York avoided a third straight loss by holding on for a 3-2 win over the host Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. Struggling Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal while Reilly Smith and defenseman Adam Fox also scored in a game that followed a 2-1 loss to Chicago in which coach Peter Laviolette cited the team’s lack of effort.
“That’s what we talked about before the game,” Zibanejad said. “Just one win. That’s all we care about. And obviously you want to be able to stand here with an unbelievable effort for 60 minutes, and have only positive stuff. But I’ll take the win. We’ll take the win. And keep building.”
The win came at a cost since K’Andre Miller landed on injured reserve Friday due to an upper-body injury he sustained Wednesday. Miller has two goals and the Rangers recalled Connor Mackey to replace the former first-round pick and pair him with Braden Schneider on Saturday.
“We feel like we have good pieces in place to come up,” Laviolette said after practice Friday. “Now it’s their turn to step up.”
