After some much-needed rest and relaxation that scattered Kings players about the continent since their last game on Jan. 31, the extended All-Star break will give way to the stretch run on Saturday night, when the Kings will host the archrival Edmonton Oilers.
It will be the first game as head coach for Jim Hiller, who was promoted last week to replace Todd McLellan after he was relieved of a role he held for 4½ seasons. Hiller had a firsthand account of the Kings’ rapid descent from Western Conference contender to wild-card hopeful.
“When it’s not going real good for you at different times, it makes the job harder. When you lose a little bit of your swagger and your confidence, and too many guys lose it at the same time, then it can blossom,” Hiller said. “That’s, I believe, what it did. So, the break is good. Let’s just get back to it, let’s understand who we are, get back to the identity of the L.A. Kings and go back to work.”
“I don’t how quick they can get their heads back together and back feeling confident and all that stuff,” he continued. “We know sometimes that the only way to do that is go out there and earn it through our work ethic. If we do that, and we get rewarded, I don’t think it takes long to get your confidence back. If you don’t work, then it’s probably going to take longer and you’re rolling the dice a little bit. I have full belief.”
The Kings won three of their past 17 games, while the Oilers, who made an early-season coaching change of their own, have won 16 of 17. They fell on Tuesday to defending champion Vegas in Edmonton’s first loss since Dec. 19. They’ll face the Kings on a back-to-back turnaround after visiting the Ducks on Friday.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid and the Scottie Pippen to his Michael Jordan, Leon Draisaitl, combined for 49 points across their 16 triumphs.
Meanwhile, the Kings’ two most prominent players, two-time champions Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, were the…
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