The Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild have been miles apart for most of the 2023-24 campaign. They’ll get together one more time on Monday night in Los Angeles before going their separate ways for good this season.
The Kings (43-26-11, 97 points) are headed to the Stanley Cup playoffs for a third straight season, while Minnesota (38-33-9, 85 points) will miss the postseason for just the second time in 12 years.
The Wild are using their last few games to take a long look at some of their top prospects.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, wants to maintain its winning ways over its final two regular-season games while also being mindful of its veteran players.
“We want to play well,” Kings interim coach Jim Hiller said. “We’ll take the wins. We want to win, of course, but we just want to be feeling good. Whether that’s winning or playing well and maybe not quite getting it done, just feeling good going into (the playoffs).”
Hiller kept veteran forward Anze Kopitar out of the lineup for the first time this season on Saturday night in a 3-1 win against the visiting Anaheim Ducks because of “something nagging.” Hiller also indicated Kopitar would have played if it were a postseason game.
It’s unclear if the 36-year-old captain will face the Wild.
Regardless, the Kings want to remain in peak form.
“If you can go into the playoffs feeling good, I think it just kind of helps your team’s mindset and you just kind of feel more ready,” Kings defenseman Matt Roy said. “You don’t want to go in losing focus or confidence. You want to be ready to go and you want your teammates to be ready to go as well.”
Los Angeles also has a chance to run its home winning streak to nine games, which would be its longest since a 12-game run in 1992-93.
The Kings set an NHL record by winning their first 11 road games this season.
“We knew we had to dial it in at home because we weren’t doing well at all in the beginning,” Roy said. “I’m glad we did.”
The Kings have played the Wild once at home and once on the road this season and combined to outscore them 13-3 while picking up a pair of wins.
Minnesota will have a different look this time, however.
Rookie left winger Liam Ohgren, the 19th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, will likely suit up against the Kings for his third NHL game.
Ohgren had a goal and an assist in a 6-2 win at the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night for his first NHL points. He made his NHL debut on Friday night in a 7-2 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights.
“It felt much better,” Ohgren said of his second game with the Wild. “Obviously, maybe not so much nerves that I had (in the first game), but it feels good and I think it will only be better and better.”
Rookie center Marat Khusnutdinov scored his first NHL goal against the Golden Knights, and the Wild’s second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft picked up an assist against the Sharks.
Jesper Wallstedt, a first-round pick of Minnesota’s in 2021, could get another start in goal after making 27 saves against San Jose for his second straight win in his third NHL start.
“They’re certainly making an impact,” Wild coach John Hynes said of the young players.
–Field Level Media