The Los Angeles Kings host the Ottawa Senators for the second-and-final matchup of the 2024-25 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season.
In their first contest on October 14th, 2024, in Ottawa, the game spiraled out of control offensively, the Senators picking up an overtime 8-7 victory: the highest combined scoring game in the NHL, this season (15G).
Let’s consider this game the ‘Battle of the Three Win Streaks’ as neither LA nor Ottawa have been able to string together more than two wins.
The Kings are coming off wins against the Winnipeg Jets and Anaheim Ducks, goaltenders David Rittich and Erik Portillo giving up just one goal in each contest. Rittich is likely to suit up for the Kings on this, the second night of a back-to-back. However, with head coach Jim Hiller’s propensity to throw lineup curveballs, I wouldn’t be shocked if he goes back to the well with Portillo.
Ottawa is heading into the second game of their California road trip which will conclude on Sunday, in Anaheim, having already defeated the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, 4-3. Prior to making the trek out west, the Senators got a taste of the Pacific Division when they hosted: Edmonton, Vegas, Vancouver, and Calgary, going 1-3 in that span.
YOUNG CROWN’S THIRD SHOWDOWN AGAINST HOMETOWN… CLUB
Ottawa, Ontario native Brandt Clarke has played two career games against his hometown Senators.
The first game, back on March 7th, 2024, was played at Crypto.com Arena where Clarke got just a taste of action against his favorite childhood team in 7:28 TOI. In the second meeting, earlier this season, Clarke put on a show for family and friends in attendance tallying three assists.
“It was special,” said Brandt Clarke on playing in Ottawa for the first time as an NHLer. “I saw a lot of my family in the glass in warmups […] cheering me on.”
So far, Clarke has sixteen points on the season (3G, 13A) in twenty-four games played. Two of those goals have come on home ice, six assists as well.
STUT-ISTICS
Senators forward Tim Stutzle leads the team in points (28) and assists (19), tied for third in +/- (+3). Currently on a five-game point streak, Stutzle has been consistently putting up numbers with three goals and eight assists in eight-of-his-last-ten games played.
There will always be career comparisons between Stutzle and Los Angeles forward Quinton Byfield who were drafted third-overall and second-overall in 2020, respectively.
The Kings seem to get…