Los Angeles Kings host the Minnesota Wild
The final game of Thursday will be hosted by the Los Angeles Kings as they face the Minnesota Wild at the Staples Centre. This will be the fourth and final meeting between the two sides as they meet for the second time in the year. None of the three games
were decided in regulation time with the Kings winning the first game while the Wild have won the last two meetings.
The last game between the two sides saw the game go right down to the wire as the scores were level on 0-0 after regulation time and overtime. The game went into shootout from where the Wild emerged as 1-0 winners of the game.
The Kings have spent a whole month on the road trip which finally ended this past Wednesday as the Kings faced the Anaheim Ducks. The 10 games long road trip saw an interesting end today as the Kings came up with a good 2-1 win against the Ducks. The Kings
move into the sixth position in the Western Conference after winning six games in regulation time, one game in overtime and losing three games on the road trip.
"It's been a great road trip," Kings coach Terry Murray said. "That's 15 points out of a possible 20, that's a nice road trip. It's important that we keep our focus on how that happened -- the hard work, the intensity, the concentration every game to bring
it every day and do things right."
One of the main reasons as to why the Kings have come across a lot of success recently is that they have come across contributions from all of the players in the roster. The Kings have developed the habit of winning close games more often. This can be seen
from the fact that they won five of their seven games which had the score line of 1-0.
"That is something we are starting to do a better job of because we are not a high-scoring team," Mitchell said. "That is something we really have to focus on and have it be the strength of our hockey club."
Both the teams have played 60 games during the course of the season so far out of which the Kings have won 33 games in regulation time, four games in overtime to score 70 points. The Wild on the hand have won 32 games in regulation time, six games in overtime
to score 70 points as well.
The Wild are in the fifth spot in the Western Conference and have won two of their last three games in regulation time. Their most recent game against the Edmonton Oilers saw them winning comfortably 4-1.
"We weren't our best for the first two periods," forward Kyle Brodziak said. "There were a lot of execution things we weren't happy with. We were turning the puck over a lot. We knew, just talking it over with everyone, we had another level to get to. We
definitely took it there in the third."
The game will be very close and entertaining as both teams look to notch up important points as they pursue hopes of making it into the play-off cut.
Tags: