Kings look to put Flames out in Calgary – Press Enterprise

It was two points down and six wheels up for the Kings, who finished their brief homestand with a victory on Saturday before flying to Calgary for a match with the Flames on Monday.

That’ll be the first of three meetings with their red-and-gold-clad divisional foes, two of which will unfold north of the border. Last season, the two rivals split four meetings with the home team winning each game.

The duo of Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore has been generating both pace and production regardless of the venue lately.

Danault started the season with one point in his first five games and no goals in his first 11, while Moore irrigated a 13-game goalless drought with his shorthanded marker against Columbus on Saturday. Both players are currently coasting atop five-game points streaks, each having contributed six points during that span.

“I don’t think we really got any bounces early but we also weren’t, maybe, doing the right things to get those bounces,” Moore said. “So we’ve just been trying to work hard and trying to have the puck more. I still think we should have it way more in the o-zone, that’s something we’ve talked about.”

Their most frequent linemate has been Kevin Fiala, who found himself yanked off the top power-play unit briefly and effectively benched for the balance of the first period on Saturday. Fiala reminded us that his native Switzerland borders Italy as he served a pizza into the slot that was devoured by two Columbus counterattackers.

“We didn’t like the play, and there was a consequence,” Coach Jim Hiller said.

“Kevin has a green light to try to make plays, when the plays are there,” he added.

Hiller was unequivocally satisfied with a decidedly less experienced King, Samuel Helenius, who chipped in with an assist –– and more –– in his NHL debut Saturday.

“He made a few [skilled plays]. He made a nice play down the wing on [Alex Laferriere’s] tip goal. After that, he shot it and then he skated as hard as he could for a line change,” Hiller said. “He understands the game and he understands the details of the game.”