As the wins pile up, the nucleus flourishes and the new additions contribute, the Kings have built confidence for a rigorous push through the final quarter of the regular season.
“It’s up there for sure. I think we definitely feel like we can play with the best teams and I think we showed up and really showed that we can play with these teams that have made it far in the playoffs,” said winger Adrian Kempe, who scored twice in a win over defending champion Colorado on Thursday, the Kings’ season-high fifth consecutive victory.
Next up for the Kings will be the Nashville Predators in the rubber match of a season series that has seen the Kings win in a shootout and fall in regulation in a pair of showdowns in the Music City.
Kempe noted that special teams haven’t been as sharp for the Kings lately – it has been 10 games since they outscored an opponent on special teams, where they’ve trailed 8-4 over that stretch – but five-on-five play has been sound for the Kings (38-20-8, 84 points). That’s been especially true on offense. Since the All-Star break, the Kings have scored the fourth-most goals per game five-on-five in the NHL. They’ve also scored the third-most goals five-on-four, thanks to slathering on seven power-play goals in three games right after the pause.
“Our 5-on-5 game has been really good lately, it’s been winning us games. If we can get all of the puzzle pieces together here, we’re going to have a good stretch,” Kempe said.
Kempe is one of several Kings enjoying a good stretch. He has four goals in his past three games and he’s eclipsed both the 50-point and 30-goal marks for the second consecutive season. Once a beacon of inconsistency, Kempe has grown to be a steady, prolific producer who also creates tempo and excels on zone entries.
“He’s been hot for the majority of the season. Yeah, he’s had a couple bumps in the road, but it’s always a safe bet to give him the puck,” linemate and team captain Anze…
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