On October 17, 2017, the writer of this article wrote the following:
Kempe is going to play Wednesday night with Michael Cammalleri and Justin Auger. If that’s not a message to Kempe to be the speedy playmaker LA needs him to be, nothing is.
47 minutes into the Los Angeles Kings’ matchup with the Montreal Canadiens on October 18, 2017, Kempe showed how well that message had come across. By that point, the Kings were tied 1-1, Lewis had swapped up in place of Auger, Jeff Carter was injured (and will remain so), and LA needed a spark. Here’s what they got:
Hat trick for @adriankempe #juice pic.twitter.com/JDmliBze68
— Mike Altieri (@MichaelAAltieri) October 19, 2017
Kempe scored three goals (and an assist) in 10 minutes and 50 seconds, combining with Michael Cammalleri on all four tallies to turn a 1-1 struggle into a 5-1 laugher. Watch all three of Kempe’s goals below.
Kempe and Cammalleri both had plenty to say about their performances after the game, and you can watch Kempe share his immediate feelings with Jim Fox below.
It was a big night for Adrian Kempe. Hear what he has to say about it now! pic.twitter.com/eqYSNtZtcr
— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 19, 2017
Early-season scoring binges are fun because they allow me to factually say things like “Kempe is on pace for 40 goals!” and “Cammalleri is a point-per-game scorer!” At any rate, it was a glorious night for both players, and a much-needed one at that.