Los Angeles Kings (1-1-1) @ Minnesota Wild (2-1-0)
2023-24 Regular Season Game 4
Thursday, October 19, 2023 – 5:00 p.m. Pacific
Xcel Energy Center — St. Paul, MN
Watch: BSW
Listen: iHeartRadio
The Opposition: Wild for Hockey
The Kings turned in a dominant performance against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday as they picked up their first win of the season. Pierre-Luc Dubois netted his first goal in a Kings uniform, fittingly against his old team, whose fans serenated him with “Duuuub” or “boooo”, depending on who you’re asking.
The team hopes to build off of that momentum as they prepare to take on the Minnesota Wild tonight.
Three Things To Watch
- Meet the new Kings, same as the old Kings. The Kings being slow to start is a worrying trend that’s carried over from last season. The game against the Jets was the first time the Kings have had a lead to work with so far in the young season. While the Kings have the slight edge in first period shots (35-32), they’ve been outscored 4-1 in that same frame and have frequently started games in a sluggish way. “Kings show up late to own game” is an ongoing gag that would be great to be able to retire.
- Morning skate was largely optional but it looks like Cam Talbot will be getting the start against his old team. Talbot played for the Wild from 2020-22. Does another solid performance from the veteran netminder solidify his leading role for the Kings?
- Trevor Moore was — pun intended — flying high against the Jets, recording two goals and an assist. After dealing with injuries last season, a return to form from the California native is more than welcome, especially considering the long-term deal he inked. Moore looks to continue his hot streak and put to rest any doubt about what he can contribute to this team.
No one appears to have any useful line predictions for this game, so here’s the Wild’s team dog: