LOS ANGELES — Sometimes, you don’t need a perfect start to win a hockey game.
The Los Angeles Kings played a lousy first period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, working the puck mostly in their own zone while giving it up carelessly and not generating much offense. But Los Angeles improved as the game progressed, and went on to win 5-2.
The Kings made lineup changes, with head coach Jim Hiller notably slotting right wing Akil Thomas into the first line to take Kevin Fiala’s spot. The third line was the only unchanged forward unit from the last game.
Hiller also shook up the defensive pairings, penciling in Vladislav Gavrikov with Mikey Anderson—who luckily got the green light to play after taking a puck to the head last game—as the top-line blueliners, among other tweaks.
Notably, forward Samuel Helenius made his NHL debut and recorded his first career point for Los Angeles. Helenius centered the fourth line and showed solid skating ability, contributing on multiple chances by using his stout 6-foot-6 frame.
A second-round pick in 2021, Helenius was recalled from AHL Ontario in the wake of center Alex Turcotte’s injury-reserve designation and winger Tanner Jeannot’s three-game suspension. Helenius seemed to fit LA’s scheme nicely—even for his first game—grinding to create opportunities while also defending accordingly.
The next step for Helenius will be fully adjusting to the NHL’s elite skill level, where every little detail can severely affect any given play. Helenius spoke on the difference between the NHL and AHL.
“The speed is pretty much the same, but the little things happen so much faster,” Helenius said.
The Kings’ sloppy start included conceding a goal in the latter half of the first period off a Fiala turnover, one that allowed Columbus winger Justin Danforth to feed linemate Dmitri Voronkov in the crease and beat goaltender David Rittich. Fiala’s backchecking effort appeared minimal on the play.
Fiala would receive a benching for the remainder of the first period before returning to the ice at the start of the second. Fiala is no stranger to this, as he sat out for a portion of LA’s win over the Utah Hockey Club on October 26 after displaying poor discipline. While a different case, he was also scratched entirely from the Kings’ loss at San Jose on October 29 due to missing a team meeting.
Hiller clearly isn’t afraid to be stern with Fiala. And while Fiala is sometimes a reason for mistakes, he still has an integral role in the Kings’ offense when on form.
For the most part, the Kings rapidly improved the rest of the way. Gavrikov scored his second goal in as many games to tie the battle over four minutes into the second period, forcing the puck through traffic and past netminder Elvis Merzlikins. Merzlikins was screened heavily on the play, as LA set up its defenseman well for the point shot.
“In the first period, we didn’t get through the neutral zone. We tried to pass it through, we regrouped,” Hiller said postgame. “The second period was different. We got the puck in behind and got some forecheck.”
Helenius notched his first career assist on LA’s second goal, in which winger Warren Foegele scored on a two-on-one play off a beautifully accurate feed from Thomas. The Kings exerted solid transition chemistry, starting with defenseman Brandt Clarke fighting for the puck and displaying sound forechecking to lead the rush.
“[Helenius] understands the game and he’s committed to the details of the game,” Hiller said.
Both teams traded goals at the start of the third period, as forward Trevor Moore went top-shelf on a shorthanded play before Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov—a player the Kings are currently paying through salary retention—cut the deficit back to one off a rebound. But LA would retake a two-goal lead, putting the game away minutes later thanks to its breakout winger Alex Laferriere, who showed what he does best.
Laferriere used his elite puck awareness and well-positioned screen to tip in a point shot from blueliner Joel Edmundson for his ninth goal of the year, placing him toward the top of the league-wide leaderboard. Clarke scored on the empty net—the Kings’ 11th goal this season from a blueliner in just 16 games—which is tied for first in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets.
“Our forwards help us, they get to the net hard,” Anderson said. “I think they’ve done a good job creating traffic, and we’re just trying to shoot, get something down there and create something for them to get grinding.”
LA hasn’t lost consecutive bouts since its three-game losing streak in October. The team has shown resilience this season not only from game to game but also within individual matchups, often taking control in the third period to close out games.
Unsung difference-makers like Laferriere and Foegele are moving the needle night in and night out, leading to a surprisingly successful start for the Kings, who are third in the Western Conference.
A slow start against Columbus didn’t hold the Kings back. They tightened up their neutral-zone play as the game progressed, leading to an outpour of goals in the final 40 minutes.
Los Angeles will head on a brief road trip to Calgary and Colorado next. The Kings, now 9-4-3, will battle the 7-5-3 Flames on Monday at 5:30 p.m.