1/20 Preview – Players for LA + Players Talk Return Home, Rittich, Doughty/Laferriere skate

On By Littum

WHO: Los Angeles Kings (25-13-5) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (19-21-8)
WHAT: 2024-25 Regular Season Games
WHEN: Monday 20 January at 19.30 Pacific Ocean
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, California
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: Fan Duel Sports Network – AUDIO – ESPN LA App – TWITTER: @dooleylak & @lakings

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Kings are back home for just a few days, beginning a short, two-game homestand tonight against Pittsburgh.

HEAD TO HEAD: Forwards Anze Kopitar and Alex Turcotte scored for the Kings when these teams met in Pittsburgh, while defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov collected assists on both goals.

Kopitar leads the Kings with 11 points (2-9-11) from seven games played against the Penguins over the past four seasons. In that same span, forward Adrian Kempe has eight goals in seven games, the fourth-most goals in the NHL in that span against Pittsburgh specifically.

KING’S VITALS: After yesterday’s day off, the Kings hit the ice today for a full team skate this morning in El Segundo.

Goaltender David Rittich was the first goaltender off the ice this morning after the morning skate, making him tonight’s expected starter between the pipes for the Kings. Rittich has played against Pittsburgh four times during his career, posting a 1-0-2 record with a .906 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average.

Despite the full skate, I didn’t see formal streaks today. As such, here is last game’s lineup for reference –

However, do not expect any changes to the lineup tonight, apart from the goalkeeper. The Kings went 11/7 in Seattle, as did their preferred lineup, and both Akil Thomas and Andreas Englund skated late today.

Both Drew Doughty and Alex Laferriere joined the team in red, non-contact jerseys this morning. Neither are playing tonight, but still a positive sign. Laferriere is also unlikely to play on Wednesday, so we will reassess how the trip goes on the road. More on Doughty’s return below.

VITAL PENINS: Pittsburgh has won three of 12 games since the NHL’s holiday break, posting a 3-6-3 record in that span.

According to Michelle Crechiolo of PittsburghPenguins.com, here’s how the visitors lined up this morning in Los Angeles –

Forward Blake Lizotte will play at Crypto.com Arena for the first time as a visiting player after signing with the Penguins as a free agent over the summer.

Pittsburgh forward Rickard Rakell did not take the morning skate earlier today in Los Angeles and will not play tonight due to “family reasons.” Forward PO Joseph, who missed the Washington game due to illness, was on the ice today and is available to play tonight against the Kings.

Today’s story – playing for LA
It should be a special night in Los Angeles.

“We felt far away from it and we want to be here with our city,” Kings forward and California native Trevor Moore said this morning. “It’s good to be back and we’re looking forward to tonight.”

For the Kings, yes, there is a hockey game. Yes, it’s a big one, at home after a 2-3-0 road trip ended with a disappointing performance in Seattle. It’s likely to be an emotional one for the team, though, just like the game in Winnipeg was. Since the most recently scheduled home game on January 8th was postponed due to the wildfires throughout California, the Kings have not played a game in Los Angeles since they began.

Until tonight, with the Penguins in town for a Monday night faceoff.

“We’ve all seen the pictures of our home ice so it’s going to be really cool to see,” forward Trevor Lewis added. “Just to see the support for the city, the firefighters and everyone who comes in and gathers. I think it will be a good start for us.”

What Lewis is referring to is a specifically designed center ice logo that will be in place for games this week and likely through the 4 Nations Faceoff break at least.

The Kings have worn LAFD stickers on their helmets and patches on their jerseys during their recent five-game road trip. They are doing that again tonight at home. But the in-ice logo is a new element, something you don’t see very often in professional sports. The Kings were able to make it happen from tonight’s game and the players certainly voiced their support.

“I don’t think we can thank the first responders enough,” Lewis added. “For the rink to have that and come out and skate on it will be pretty special.”

For veteran players like Lewis, Los Angeles has become a second home. He and his family have spent so many years of their lives here. For Moore, who is from the area, it certainly hits a little closer to home as well. Moore also has friends and family here who have been affected.

“We’re just trying to play for something bigger than just hockey,” he added. “Sometimes it’s silly because it’s just a sport and it’s real people’s lives that were affected. Anything we can do to support them, we will.”

At tonight’s game, in addition to the center-ice logo, look for support and donation opportunities throughout the night, both to show appreciation for those who went above and beyond to help, and also to help those who were hit

As such, it is clear that there will be emotions tonight. It’s sure to be an emotional game for the Kings, that’s for sure. Only human, after all.

“Of course there will be, this is real emotion, real human tragedy, and you can’t just say ‘let’s put it aside,’ and you shouldn’t,” Hiller added. “So I think the players will feel an appreciation. I think that’s the biggest feeling they’ll feel is the appreciation of everybody who has gone out and done the work.”

Ultimately, as was the case in Winnipeg, we’ll see how it goes on the ice tonight. The Kings are certainly aware of everything going on, but also hope their focus will be between the glass when the puck drops at 7:30.

3 to look for –
– No, Drew Doughty will not play tonight.

But man, it was good to see him back with the team this morning. When the first 2-on-1 against him didn’t add up, he gave the big, Drew Doughty smile. His teammates smiled when asked about him. Just great to see him back.

Doughty skated today for his first practice with the team and participated in today’s morning skate in a red, contactless jersey.

No defined return date today at Doughty.

Hiller said “it’s coming” and “hopefully not too far away”. Wouldn’t expect Doughty to come back in a game without at least a full-contact drill, given how long he’s been out. The Kings are scheduled for full-team skates tomorrow and Friday, so we’ll probably get a better sense of how Doughty continues to develop.

– While he took a few shifts up front in Seattle, don’t expect Brandt Clarke to play there tonight.

Clarke admitted after the game that he had not played forward for a long time. It was something that Jim Hiller had thought about for a while in certain situations, but it hadn’t presented itself in a game. Hadn’t even been much of a conversation. Until it was.

Clarke is a defender and made it clear he wants to be a defender here for the long haul. Nothing changes there, neither from player nor team.

“I just want to do whatever I can to help this team win,” Clarke said. “At the end of the day, I love playing defense and defense is what I want to do for this team for the next decade plus, but whatever I can do, in whatever situation coach puts me in, I just know that I “I want to do the best I can, and that’s what I tried to do.”

Clarke was back in his usual spot this morning alongside Joel Edmundson on the blueline, where he is expected to play tonight. Hiller said there are no plans to make Clarke a forward or anything like that, but on a night when the Kings didn’t handle the puck well, he took one of his best puck handlers and tried to make something happen .

In the end, the Kings couldn’t find the match-winning goal and Clarke will be back in defense tonight.

– Finally, I found it interesting to share two statistics from LA Kings PR.

1. Kings (1.94) is the only team with a goal against per game (GA/GP) at home under 2.00 in the league, while their 2.42 GA/GP overall ranks second only to Winnipeg’s 2.40.
2. Among goaltenders who have played in at least 20 games this season, David Rittich’s (21 GP) 47 goals allowed and Darcy Kuemper’s (23 GP) 48 goals allowed are tied for first and second, respectively, in fewest goals allowed among netminders .

Rittich will be in net tonight, which makes sense after Kuemper has played four of the five games on the road. Certainly not an indictment of Kuemper’s performance in Seattle, as he gave the team a chance despite allowing three goals. The Kings have been elite defensively this season, especially at home. While Kuemper has been outstanding of late, Rittich has also given the team what they’ve needed most nights. The group also has confidence in him heading into his second start of the calendar year.

Kings and Penguins, good to see the team back here in Los Angeles. 19:30 puck drop here at Crypto.com Arena.