LOS ANGELES | After Anaheim and San Jose, the Canadian ends his trip to California with a stop at the Crypto.com Arena for a game against the Kings. The CH is aiming for its third win in a row.
• Also read: “The Sharks managers wanted me to touch the puck”: Thomas Bordeleau’s difficult debut in San Jose
The Journal offers five items to keep an eye on in this matchup against the Kings.
1 – A departure for Allen
It was Samuel Montembeault in Anaheim, Cayden Primeau in San Jose and now Jake Allen in Los Angeles. The goalkeeper carousel continues.
Allen has lost his last four games. He hasn’t won a 4-3 shootout win against the Jets since Oct. 28. Apart from the goalkeeper change, CH will use the same formation as against the Sharks.
On the Kings’ side, Pheonix Copley is likely to be Todd McLellan’s right-hand man. Like CH, the Kings will play a second game in as many days. Cam Talbot was in net during Friday’s 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
2 – Consistency
According to Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky played one of his best games in the NHL on Friday against the Sharks in San Jose. In the opposing team’s locker room at the SAP Center, Slafkovsky admitted that he was gaining confidence, but wisely reminded him that, above all, he needed to keep up the pace.
3 – Dubois is still in adjustment mode
Pierre-Luc Dubois was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets over the summer and signed an eight-year, $68 million (average $8.5 million) contract extension with the Kings on June 27. In his first season in Los Angeles, Dubois is still finding his feet. He has 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) in 18 games.
4 – Byfield on the rise
Patience always remains a weapon for young players. As the second overall pick in the 2020 auction, Quinton Byfield is quietly establishing himself as an impact player this season.
Before the Habs’ visit, he had already collected 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) in 18 games. On a team that has many good centers in Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault and Dubois, Byfield finds himself on the left wing of the first unit.
5 – Two different realities
Coaches talk about the struggles of special teams all the time. The Kings have a big advantage in this category. At least on paper. The Kings are second in the NHL due to shorthanded goals at 88.9% (7 goals allowed on 63 opportunities). They have two of the best defensive centers in the league: Kopitar and Danault.
The Habs are now one of the most undermanned teams in the NHL. Martin St-Louis’ team is in 30th place with 72.8% (22 goals allowed in 81 opportunities).
The Probable Origin of the Canadian
Newhook Suzuki Gallagher
Caufield-Dvorak-Slafkovsky
Pearson-Monahan-Anderson
Pezzetta-Evans-Ylönen
Matheson Barron
Guhle-Lindström
Struble Kovacevic
Allen