In the pursuit of invigorating their offensive prowess, the Los Angeles Kings may have discovered a potent forward trio in Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, and Quinton Byfield. Although it remains uncertain whether this combination will be repeated in their upcoming clash with the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, their recent impact was unmistakable.
During Monday night’s face-off with the Vegas Golden Knights, Kempe, Fiala, and Byfield were teamed together in the second period, a strategic move that played a pivotal role in the Kings’ resounding 5-2 triumph. Four electrifying, unanswered goals were netted by the Kings in the third period, with the last three being initiated while the new trio was on ice.
“They made a significant impact and exhibited stellar performance,” remarked Kings’ coach Jim Hiller. He went on to express uncertainty over the trio’s future, stating, “We’re not sure if we will see this combination again in the next game or in the future, but it’s definitely a topic for the coaching staff to discuss.”
The decision to align Kempe with Fiala and Byfield was a tactical change, deployed when the Kings were struggling to generate offense. Hiller observed a spark ignited by Kempe during the last few shifts of the period and decided to maintain this lineup in the third.
Byfield, who had a career-best four assists against Vegas, praised Kempe as a seamless addition to the line, calling him one of the NHL’s most underrated players. He also lauded Kempe’s 200-foot game and his ability to play the game right. “You just want to pass them the puck,” Byfield said about playing with the high-skill duo of Kempe and Fiala.
Kempe has been predominantly paired with Anze Kopitar throughout this season. However, Hiller has been grappling with the challenge of finding a productive left wing for that line. The recent shuffling was an attempt to regain the line’s traction that, according to Hiller, had propelled them through the first half of the season.
The Kings currently hold a six-point lead over the Canucks for third place in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile, the Canucks are locked in a fierce competition with the Calgary Flames for the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot, a race that has heated up after Calgary’s recent 3-1 win over the Washington Capitals.
After a triumphant run in the final three games before the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, the Canucks have stumbled, suffering losses in their first two matches post-break and scoring a meagre two goals.
“We have players double-clutching right now,” admitted Canucks’ coach Rick Tocchet. He voiced the need for practice and confidence-building for his team during the upcoming two-day break.
Elias Pettersson, a consistent performer for the Canucks with a track record of scoring at least 32 goals in each of the past three seasons, has been experiencing a dry spell. Despite being credited with an assist in the 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday, Pettersson has gone 11 consecutive games without a goal. Tocchet appealed to Pettersson to be more proactive, saying, “I’d rather him just rip a puck right now. He’s not moving his feet.”