It’s been 14 years since the Los Angeles Kings won their first four home games of the season.
Meanwhile, it only seems that long since they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Kings can continue their undefeated home start with a sixth consecutive overall victory against the Blackhawks on Saturday.
Los Angeles followed its 3-2-2 opening stretch — all on the road — by winning three of its last four games. The three latest wins came at home, most recently 6-3 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.
Captain Anze Kopitar had a goal with two assists, Adrian Kempe recorded one of each and Brandt Clarke added three helpers for Los Angeles, which last opened with four consecutive home victories during an 8-0-0 start in 2010-11.
“Consistency is something that we’re going to have to bring a little more often and be something that we have to be prepared for, both mentally and physically before every game,” said Kempe, who has four goals and six assists in the Kings’ 10 games.
“It feels good when you have the puck and you make the right plays and then the puck eventually goes in.”
Kempe has a goal with six assists in his last three games versus Chicago. Meanwhile, Kopitar, who recorded his 800th career assist Wednesday, has four goals with an assist in his last three contests against the Blackhawks.
The Kings have outscored Chicago 20-8 during a five-game winning streak since their 2-1 overtime road loss on Nov. 3, 2022. Los Angeles is 8-0-2 since its most recent regulation defeat against the Blackhawks on Oct. 27, 2019.
Two of Chicago’s three wins through 11 games this season have come on the road. The Blackhawks, however, dropped to 1-2-0 on their current five-game road stretch after Thursday’s 3-2 loss at San Jose.
First-period goals from Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi gave Chicago a 2-1 lead, but it allowed two goals in the second and failed to catch up. The Blackhawks were left frustrated after totaling 28 shots on goal and going 0-for-3 on the power play for the night.
“You’re disappointed in yourselves,” Donato told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s a hard loss.
“We’ve been saying in the locker room that we’re not going to take any moral victories, and getting chances is just not good enough.”
While the Blackhawks have been held to fewer than three goals seven times this season, Donato is the team leader with six tallies. His career high in his previous seven NHL seasons was 16 goals in 2021-22.
Donato did have a goal with an assist during the Blackhawks’ 5-4 overtime loss at Los Angeles during the most recent meeting from April 18 of last season.
Petr Mrazek (3.05 goals-against average) made 26 saves for Chicago on Thursday in his fifth straight start. Meanwhile, backup Arvid Soderblom (2.52 GAA) has dealt with an illness of late, and made just two starts on the young season.
Los Angeles’ Darcy Kuemper made 23 saves Wednesday against Vegas and has a 3.16 goals-against average while going 3-0-2 this season. Teammate David Rittich has allowed 11 goals in his last three starts after yielding six through his first three of 2024-25.
–Field Level Media
