The Los Angeles Kings concluded their two-game road trip with a split 1-1 record after a commanding 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. This victory capped off a six-win out-of-seven-game stretch and was a good rebound from their disappointing 3-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday.

Road Trip Recap

A balanced effort across the roster marked the Kings’ latest trip to Chicago. Trevor Moore opened the scoring in the first period, giving Los Angeles an early lead. Alex Turcotte made it a two-goal cushion in the second period, depositing his eighth goal. 

LA Kings (@LAKings) on XThursdub 🙌 #GoKingsGo

Despite a Chicago surge that began when rookie sensation Connor Bedard got the Blackhawks on board, Joel Edmundson's empty-netter ultimately secured the win for the Kings. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper backstopped the Kings with 17 saves, extinguishing Chicago's limited scoring opportunities.

The victory followed Monday night's disappointing 3-1 defeat to the Wild that saw LA’s five-game winning streak snapped. The Kings could not penetrate Minnesota's tight defensive approach in that contest. 

Strength Against Strong Competition

Even though the Kings lost to the Wild, who have been playing solidly this season, Los Angeles is still an excellent team against top-heavy teams in the league. 

At 22-15-3 against teams with a record of better than .500, the Kings have consistently been able to push elite competition. Their success comes from the combination of defense-based structure and scoring at the correct times, exemplified in the Kings' latest victories over playoff contenders like the Washington Capitals, the Winnipeg Jets twice, and even the Vegas Golden Knights on three separate occasions this season. 

Quinton Byfield's extra-session heroism vs. Nashville on March 15 demonstrated the Kings' resiliency. During that span, Byfield extended his goal streak to six consecutive games.

Looking Ahead

The Kings are home now for a highly critical three-game homestand. They will start with back-to-back games this weekend against. Carolina and Boston before finishing off against the Rangers on Tuesday night. 

LA will also finish the season playing 11 of its remaining 15 games at home, which will be a big test in deciding where it will finish in the Pacific division and who its matchup will be come playoff time. 

Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) on XUpdated Pacific standings after tonight’s games. Kings finish with 11 of their remaining 15 games at home starting with a back-to-back this weekend vs Carolina and Boston.

With the Western Conference standings tightening up, Los Angeles must continue playing defense with discipline and convert on prime scoring chances to stay atop the pursuit.

Byfield and Moore are also guys to watch. Byfield is emerging as a consistent scoring threat, and Moore has rekindled his goal-scoring ability. Kuemper's ability to keep his cool in the net will also be key, particularly against high-scoring teams like Winnipeg and Edmonton.

With momentum restored after the win in Chicago, the Kings can ride their good play back home to Crypto.com Arena. As the playoff push intensifies, Los Angeles' performance against quality teams determines its postseason standing and capacity to perform when it counts most.