The Kings will look to extend their home winning streak to double digits when they welcome the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.
That matchup will conclude their homestand and be their last game until Jan. 20 at Crypto.com Arena, where they’ve won nine straight. If they reach 10, they will have tied for the second-longest surge on home ice in team history.
Though their chain of victories á la maison formed its first links while he was out with a lower-body injury, goalie Darcy Kuemper has been as significant to the streak as any King. Since returning to action, he’s gone 7-0-2 overall (.937 save percentage, 1.76 goals-against average) and 4-0-0 at home (.957, 1.23).
Kuemper was named one of the NHL’s three stars of the week behind his shutout against the resurgent New Jersey Devils on Wednesday and an even more impressive performance in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, in which Kuemper applied his five-finger discount once again.
“First, you’ve got to look at the goaltender, every night,” said Kings coach Jim Hiller when asked how his team was able to win without its best effort at times this season.
Mikey Anderson’s defense has also been critical, though his offense has been on more prominent display this year while he has adapted to life without the injured Drew Doughty, his usual defense partner. Anderson scored his fifth goal Saturday against Tampa Bay. After the game, retired former Kings captain Dustin Brown made a cameo in the dressing room and chirped Anderson for not having scored even once in the two seasons they were teammates.
Anderson actually scored three goals in those two campaigns, but this year he has already matched his career high, from 2022-23, in less than half as many games. While Anderson said he would “plead the fifth” regarding his preference between playing with Doughty or current running mate Vladislav Gavrikov, he shared some observations as to how his role had changed.
“Playing with Drew, he’s so talented, he wants (the puck) all the time, so I’d spend a lot of time trying to figure out when he wants it and giving it to him,” Anderson said. “This year, maybe I’m getting more touches that I don’t necessarily get with Drew, on breakouts or coming out of the zone.”
Anderson had to shoulder an even larger load than his usual first-pairing minutes Saturday because of an injury to Joel Edmundson, who was low-bridged by one-time Kings prospect Michael Eyssimont. Edmundson missed Monday’s practice and returned Tuesday in a red non-contact jersey, per multiple reports, so he should be considered doubtful for Wednesday.
Edmundson, who became a father earlier this season, figured to be replaced by an even more recent first-time dad, Kyle Burroughs, who missed Saturday’s game after the birth of his son.
Organizationally, however, the Kings are light one player after losing winger Arthur Kaliyev to waivers on Monday. He was claimed by the New York Rangers, sending the Staten Island kid much closer to his childhood home and reuniting him with former Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.
Despite having a waiver-exempt forward, center Samuel Helenius, who did not dress Saturday, the Kings opted to end a saga that saw them bury Kaliyev on the depth chart during last season, fail to trade him over the summer and then re-sign him to a one-year deal right before he broke his clavicle in training camp.
The Kings have now lost three of 2019’s top 50 draft picks to waivers: Tobias Björnfot (No. 22 overall), Kaliyev (No. 33) and Samuel Fagemo (No. 50), who later returned to the organization via waivers as well.
Awaiting whatever configuration of the Kings strides onto the ice Wednesday will be the Flames, who have stayed in the wild-card race despite having been one of the more aggressive sellers in the trade market over the past year.
Jonathan Huberdeau paces Calgary in goals and points. In goal, former Junior King Dustin Wolf has run with his opportunity to become a No. 1 netminder, compiling a 12-6-2 record and entertaining fans in the Stampede City with his athletic style of play.
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV: FDSNW
