The Los Angeles Kings will try to pull out of another rut when they host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
The Kings have lost four straight games (0-1-3) to match their longest losing streak of the season. The past three losses have come after regulation, dropping their record to 7-13 in that situation this season.
“Guys are frustrated, but we’re staying with it together,” Kings forward Warren Foegele said. “The only way we’re going to get out of this is doing it together and trying to play the right way and, hopefully, get some bounces our way.”
The extra point earned by reaching overtime in a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks has helped the Kings stay close in the Western Conference wild-card race. They are tied with the Seattle Kraken, two points behind the Ducks for the second wild card.
“This group battles every single night and that’s the frustrating thing,” Foegele said. “Because the effort is there, it’s just we haven’t been able to get the results that we’d like.”
The Kings also have dropped four in a row at home, a stretch that began with a 4-3 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 7. They surrendered the tying goal with 1:03 left in regulation in that game.
“You’ve got to do more, because what we’re doing isn’t enough. That’s clear,” Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller said. “That falls on everyone, coaches included.”
Los Angeles received some encouraging news at practice on Monday.
Corey Perry returned after missing the past three games because of a family matter. Perry, who took line rushes with Adrian Kempe and Alex Laferriere and also worked with the No.1 power-play unit, has contributed 10 goals and 13 assists in 37 games this season.
The Rangers played in Anaheim on Monday night and lost 5-3 for their sixth defeat in the past seven games (1-5-1).
“It’s tough when you turn the puck over the way we turned it over,” New York coach Mike Sullivan said. “When you give them those types of opportunities, they’re going to end up in your net.”
New York general manager Chris Drury wrote a public letter last week that stated the Rangers likely will be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline as they try to retool their roster.
“We believe that we have good players and we just have to make sure we’re executing out there,” Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider said. “We have a good team, and I think we just need to keep pushing it to make sure that we’re getting to that next level that we all know we can get to.”
Sullivan told reporters that he started Spencer Martin in goal for against Anaheim so Jonathan Quick could face the Kings, where he played from 2007-23, winning two Stanley Cup titles and setting several club records, including wins (370) and shutouts (57).
Quick has faced the Kings three times since leaving Los Angeles, including two starts, and has allowed just three goals on 63 shots in those games for a .952 save percentage and 1.18 goals-against average.
Quick made his lone appearance at Crypto.com Arena as a visitor on Jan. 20, 2024, making 24 saves in the 2-1 loss by the Rangers.
