"Every time you have a coaching change, you got to look yourself in the mirror too. Obviously, we haven't been performing up to our standards, and we have 20 plus games to salvage the season and squeak into the playoffs. It's all or nothing now, and we've got to play with desperation."
"The Kings showed that they wanted it last night, and all four lines were rolling in such a way that sparked a lighter crowd at Crypto.com Arena, and gave the fans a product that was worth cheering for. The relentless forecheck, the focus on not just getting the puck on net, but getting pucks to the net from good areas, the ability to retrieve the puck, cycle, and create plays in the offensive zone, and the discipline and unified commitment to finish every check, were all things that popped out."
The Los Angeles Kings face a critical juncture in their season with over 20 games remaining and multiple teams ahead of them in the playoff race. General manager Ken Holland replaced head coach Jim Hiller with interim coach D.J. Smith, signaling that the team's previous direction was unacceptable. Captain Anze Kopitar acknowledged the team must perform at higher standards and play with desperation. In their first win under Smith, the Kings defeated the New York Islanders 5-3, displaying aggressive play across all four lines. The team demonstrated improved forechecking, puck retrieval, cycling, and disciplined checking that had been absent throughout the season, offering fans a competitive product worth watching.
Read at The Hockey Writers
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