The Los Angeles Kings are well beyond the point of needing a “wake-up call” and could very well be in a full-blown crisis.
Marian Gaborik gave the Kings a 2-1 lead 2:19 into the third period on Thursday, yet they didn’t even earn a standings point. Instead, the Panthers scored two goals to win 3-2, giving Florida two straight wins and the Kings a third consecutive defeat.
Things get way uglier if you zoom out and check out the big picture for Los Angeles.
Since 2015 rolled around, the Kings only have three wins. Since Dec. 29, they’re 3-6-4.
They haven’t generated a single point in the first three games of a five-game road trip that continues in Tampa Bay on Saturday and ends in Columbus on Monday.
Yeah, there are a lot of bad ways to frame it beyond those meat-and-potatoes numbers:
Panthers had only 30 shot attempts (20 on goal). Third-period leads used to be automatic Ws for Kings. No longer.
— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) February 6, 2015
Add the Florida Panthers to the growing list of teams with more pts than the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) February 6, 2015
If you can't win one goal games in the NHL you won't make the playoffs. The Kings are 6-13-6 in one goal games this season.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) February 6, 2015
The Kings are seated at 54 standings points in 51 games with more road contests than home games remaining (not great for a team that’s now 5-12-6 away from the Staples Center).
Check out this video of PHT’s Jason Brough and Mike Halford breaking down the Kings’ woes for more on the embattled defending champs:
You come at the king, you best not miss. VICTORY! #LAKvsFLA pic.twitter.com/uD3TPqJZJe
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) February 6, 2015