Image Source: Alex Hutton
Key Takeaways
- The Los Angeles Kings suffered a frustrating 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, despite outplaying them in many statistical categories.
- The Kings have had four close losses since the start of the new year, all against teams in playoff contention, leaving them searching for answers.
- The team currently holds the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but is just two points back of third place in the division.
- The Kings’ players and coaches are trying to stay positive and focused on playing the right way, despite the frustrating losses.
- The team has 11 overtime and shootout losses, the second-most in the NHL, which is making it difficult for them to gain ground in the playoff race.
Introduction to the Kings’ Frustrating Loss
The Los Angeles Kings had a frustrating night as they fell to the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime, despite having numerous chances to win the game. As forward Adrian Kempe said, "Hard to say exactly what it is that’s not working, but clearly it’s something that’s not going right for us." The Kings outplayed the Golden Knights in many statistical categories, but were unable to capitalize on their scoring opportunities. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Kings had the advantage in nearly every statistical category that measures scoring opportunities, but that didn’t reflect in the end result.
The Kings’ Struggle with Close Games
The Kings have had a tough time in close games, with four losses since the start of the new year, all against teams in playoff contention. This has left the players searching for answers and trying to stay positive. As defenseman Mikey Anderson said, "You look at where everyone is in the standings, you win four games, or even two games, you can jump up four spots. And you play a team in your division, feel like you play a pretty good game. The extra point can be a big difference right now. So we’re happy to get the point. I think everyone’s just a little frustrated, but we got to stay positive and keep doing it the right way." The Kings’ inability to win close games has resulted in 11 overtime and shootout losses, the second-most in the NHL.
Coach Hiller’s Perspective
After the game, head coach Jim Hiller expressed disappointment rather than frustration, saying "It sucks. This is not an easy game. Emotions go up and down, and you’ve got to earn it, and obviously we haven’t done enough to earn it. But [the players] shouldn’t feel bad about themselves." Hiller believes that frustration is a wasted emotion and that disappointment is a better approach to take. He said, "I believe frustration is just a bit of a wasted emotion. For me, disappointed is a better approach to take, because you can get back over that quicker. I think frustration can build too much. Maybe it’s semantics, I don’t know, but that’s just how I think about it." Hiller is trying to keep his team focused on playing the right way and staying positive, despite the tough losses.
The Kings’ Playoff Hopes
The Kings currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference, but are just two points back of third place in the division. The team is trying to stay focused on the present and not get too caught up in the standings. As Kempe said, "I feel like we have the right mentality going into every game. You know, we’re staying positive, and I think that’s the most important thing right now, that we’ve just got to keep grinding and keep doing our thing." The Kings are holding onto the belief that they are playing the right way and that they will eventually get on a run. As Hiller said, "I’ve been saying it for a while. We’re gonna get on a run. It’s just really hard to believe that we haven’t yet."
Conclusion
The Los Angeles Kings are facing a tough stretch of games, but they are trying to stay positive and focused on playing the right way. Despite the frustrating losses, the team believes that they are close to turning things around and making a push for the playoffs. As Hiller said, "I don’t begrudge [the players] for being emotional, but we come back with the same effort, it’s all we can do." The Kings will look to bounce back from this tough loss and get back on track in their next game. With their playoff hopes still alive, the Kings will need to find a way to win close games and capitalize on their scoring opportunities if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs.
https://www.thesportingtribune.com/2026/01/14/kings-miss-offensive-opportunities-overtime-loss-golden-knights
