A recent hockey season means the renewal of rivalries and all that they create – pleasure, depth, typically chaos, and most of all, enjoyable and leisure. And whereas the rivalry between the Anaheim Geese and Los Angeles Kings has been somewhat one-sided lately, an excellent outdated ‘Freeway Faceoff’, particularly the primary of the season, is at all times trigger for pleasure.
Associated: 5 Should-Watch Geese Video games for 2024-25
Contemporary off a recreation that they had no enterprise being in – a 4-3 additional time loss to the Colorado Avalanche – the Geese sit up for their first of 4 matchups with the Kings in 2024-25. The all-Southern California affair would be the Geese’ second house recreation of the younger marketing campaign and ought to be an intense, aggressive, and enjoyable matchup between the longtime rivals. Let’s take a look at why in at the moment’s preview.
Story of the Tape
The Kings (2-1-2) enter the matchup off a Northeastern highway journey to start out the season, throughout which they collected factors in 4 of 5 video games. Maybe the largest storyline out of Kings camp is how they had been going to proceed with the gaping gap on protection left by Drew Doughty, who sadly fractured his ankle within the Kings’ first preseason recreation (Sept. 25). No single participant will substitute him, and as a substitute can have to take action by committee, one that features Brandt Clark, Mikey Anderson, Joel Edmundson, and Jordan Spence, amongst others. They’ve gotten into some monitor meets within the early going, together with an 8-7 additional time loss to the Ottawa Senators (Oct. 14) and a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs (Oct. 16), so their protection stays leaky. Therein lies a chance for the Geese.
The Geese (2-1-1), alternatively, have collected factors in three of 4 video games however are coming off a loss that was paying homage to their 2022-23 days, the place they equipped minimal offense and hung their goaltender out to dry. Ryan Strome spoke on the loss, stating that they “had been fairly horrible.” He’s proper, and the most effective factor to do in a recreation by which you performed terribly is to show the web page and deal with the duty at hand. The Geese haven’t fared properly in opposition to the Kings in current seasons and have solely earned factors in seven of their earlier 20 matchups, so there’s a lot to maintain the minds of head coach Greg Cronin and the Geese busy.
Well timed Scoring and Goaltending Have Been Early Season Saviors
Early on, the Geese have enormously benefited from well timed scoring and very good goaltending. Each elements have allowed them to maintain tempo with the Avalanche and Utah Hockey Membership, two superior offenses. Troy Terry particularly has gotten off to a scorching begin with three targets in 4 video games. He produced the game-tying aim within the last seconds of the third interval in opposition to the Avs on Friday to push the sport into additional time. Pavel Mintyukov scored twice in opposition to Utah, together with the tying marker late within the third interval as properly, which preceded Leo Carlsson’s candy game-winner on a breakaway. It’s a small pattern measurement, however the Geese have discovered their offense at crucial instances in video games, which has given them alternatives to snag some extent or two when it beforehand appeared unlikely. Well timed scoring will likely be wanted tonight if the Geese are to maintain up with the Kings’ assault, led by Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, Quinton Byfield, and the ageless Anze Kopitar.
Goaltending has been central to the early season success of the Geese as properly. James Reimer, picked up off waivers two weeks in the past, made his lone look in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights group (Oct. 13) that was coming off 12 targets in its earlier two video games, and held them to 3. He figures to spell the younger however stellar Lukáš Dostál from time to time till John Gibson is again to full well being.
Dostál has been sensational in his three appearances up to now, which have included a 30-save shutout win, a 26-save additional time win, and a whopping 45-save additional time loss to the Avalanche, who manhandled the Geese from begin to end and would’ve received by 5 targets or extra if not for the play of Dostál. He got here into the season showing to already problem for a starter’s workload, and all he’s finished in Gibson’s absence is show but once more that he’s the person in internet for the Geese. Certain, it’s an extended season, and sturdiness is essential, however thus far, so good, and Gibson will likely be in a difficult spot when he does come again. Tonight, the Geese ought to be in a great place with both Dostál or Reimer in internet.
Geese Skater to Watch: Frank Vatrano
A number of of the gamers within the Geese lineup that we anticipated to get within the aim column by now have finished so. Terry has three, Carlsson and Mintyukov have two, and Zegras and Strome have one. Nevertheless, there are those that haven’t – Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, and Frank Vatrano. Let’s deal with Vatrano for a minute.
He missed the sport in opposition to the Avalanche however has been his traditional aggressive and scrappy self in any other case. He began the scoring sequence that led to Terry’s aim in opposition to Utah and registered three photographs and two photographs on aim in opposition to the San Jose Sharks and Golden Knights, respectively. Cronin has plugged him into the ability play as properly, the place he has performed on his sturdy facet and tried a couple of one-timers. Vatrano, who has skated alongside Strome and Terry thus far, is in an excellent place to interrupt by way of quickly. A rivalry matchup is the precise form of recreation that can deliver the most effective out of Vatrano, so search for him to make so much occur tonight in opposition to the Kings.
Geese’ Key to Victory: Higher Offense and Facilitation From the Protection
Victory tonight is determined by quite a few elements, the least of which is a conversion on the ability play, however let’s deal with higher facilitation from the blue line. The Geese couldn’t get something going in opposition to the Avalanche, partly as a result of the protection didn’t successfully advance the puck. Doing so in opposition to the large and expert forecheck of the Avalanche is not any simple process, however the level is, you want your protection to generate offense. That begins with a protection that may break the puck out with their toes or with an important first go.
This additionally extends to the ability play. The quarterback place is akin to a degree guard in basketball, in the best way that they need to each see the ground and the way performs are creating and determine alternatives to set their group as much as rating. That hasn’t occurred at even power or particular groups. Exterior of Mintyukov, we haven’t seen a lot offensively within the early going from Olen Zellweger, Tristan Luneau, or Cam Fowler. Nevertheless, ought to any one among them begin to flip that round tonight, then the Geese’ probability to win grows exponentially. The primary Freeway Faceoff of the season goes tonight at Honda Heart, 5 PM PST.
