For the past few home games, when the Kings get a win, the arena plays Hollywood Nights by Bob Seager and the Silver bullet band. It’s a fantastic song and great to hear because the home stand has brought them a 9-game win streak. Home cooking must be excellent because something is truly working.
During this homestand, the Kings have only allowed the opponents two or fewer goals. Even if the Kings only score three goals and then hold the other team to only two goals, it’s an impressive display of defense. Drew Doughty, the Kings’ defenseman, has said, “We’ve still got to play good defense to win games, and our goalies have both played great too.” The term tossed around in the locker room for all this great play is buy-in.
Simply explained, the team is all playing on the same page. Not to say they were every man for themselves, but back in December, they did not see the light at the end of the tunnel. If this goes well enough, the playoffs are in sight, and the solid team play is getting them there. Goaltending has not been an issue now(even though fans are still bummed) Korpisalo and Copley have brought the heat. Both goalies doing a good game-to-game rotation has been the secret to their success. No one is playing for more starts over the other. With solid goaltending, the Kings can concentrate on other areas, such as power play and penalty killing. Even back in December, the team was near last in penalty killing, even with a few slip-ups in February and March. From then on, this buy-in has lit the fire on everyone, and seeing the playoffs on the horizon is looking excellent. You must keep playing like you have been to get past the first round.
Even the whole month of February has been the best month so far. That is when this good-luck streak started. With a 13-0-2 record, even with three overtime losses, they sit at 29 points just in that month. Now on into March, and the playoffs are looking sweet right now. If you had asked any fan back in December, they would have said not likely. Then once the trade deadline came and went, it was an awakening. The play is better, and the buy-in is working.
I have heard that hockey players are superstitious, so whatever mojo is working, take it on the road with you so you can keep going on this wonderful win streak; playoffs here we come- “Hollywood night above all the lights Hollywood nights.”
