Kings Face Capitals Amidst Doughty Injury Concerns, Laferriere’s Hot Streak
The Los Angeles Kings are poised to continue their six-game road trip against the Washington Capitals on Monday, but face a potential setback with veteran defenseman Drew Doughty likely sidelined due to a foot injury. The Kings, however, enter the contest riding a four-game point streak fueled by the strong play of forward Alex Laferriere.
The Kings secured a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, but the win came at a cost. Doughty, a cornerstone of the Kings’ defense alongside Mikey Anderson, left the game in the second period after blocking a shot. He was later seen wearing a walking boot, raising concerns about the severity of the injury. The 35-year-old has registered eight points in 19 games this season, averaging over 22 minutes of ice time per game.
“He’s obviously one of the biggest competitors in the league,” Anderson stated following the game. “It sucks to see him hurting, but he battles and he’s going to do anything he can to stay engaged.”
Laferriere provided the lone goal against Ottawa, extending his point streak to four games with his fifth goal of the season (two goals, two assists). Goaltender Anton Forsberg secured his ninth career shutout and first of the season, stopping all 17 shots he faced. The Kings have now posted a 9-1-2 record on the road this season.
“I thought both teams, there wasn’t a lot of room, a lot of chances either way, so I was really proud of our guys to get through that,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “It’s good for us to know that we can be that frustrating to play against.”
Monday’s game marks the first of two meetings between the Kings and Capitals this season. Last season, the teams split their two matchups, with each team winning on their home ice.
Capitals Seek to Rebound
The Capitals, meanwhile, are looking to snap a recent slump. They have secured only two wins in their last 10 games (2-6-2) and suffered a 3-2 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Despite the loss, the Capitals received a significant milestone performance from Alex Ovechkin, who scored his 902nd career goal. Connor McMichael also found the back of the net for Washington.
Goaltender Logan Thompson, the likely starter on Monday, made 29 saves in the loss to the Devils. Thompson boasts a 7-5-1 record with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage in 13 games this season.
“We’ve just got to stick with it,” Thompson said. “We feel like we’re generating chances each night. It’s frustrating… We’ve got to start getting some wins here and getting more points.”
Dylan Strome currently leads the Capitals in scoring with 11 points in 16 games.
“The process has been pretty good,” Strome noted. “We’re out-playing teams on most nights, and we’re outshooting teams a lot of times. We’ve got to find ways to get to the net and score goals.”
The Capitals will need to translate their strong process into results as they face a Kings team riding high on momentum and seeking a fifth consecutive victory.
–Field Level Media
