Game Twenty-Two Preview: Kings @ Sharks

The Los Angeles Kings hit the road for a quick trip to San Jose facing the 6-12-5 Sharks.

This will be the third-of-four meetings during the 2024-25 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season between these two clubs, who won’t see one another again until March 30th, 2025.

The Kings picked up the win in their first matchup, on October 24th, 2024, in Los Angeles, with a final score of 3-2. LA forward Warren Foegele finished the night with two goals and a +2 rating during his 15:16 TOI. The Sharks won the second meeting five days later, in San Jose, 4-2.

The immediate takeaway from both games is that the home team came out the victor. A win for the Kings would not only buck that trend but would increase their road win percentage to above .500.

Both clubs played this past Saturday with the Kings picking up a victory against the Seattle Kraken, 2-1, and the Sharks losing to the Buffalo Sabres, 4-2. LA will need to be sharp against a Sharks team who are coming off a three-game skid.

RITTICH-ULOUS

Since joining the Los Angeles Kings last season, goaltender David Rittich has faced the San Jose Sharks six times. He’s been lights out, posting a 4-1-1 record with a .915 SV% while allowing just one goal scored in three-of-the-six contests.

Rittich has backstopped the Kings in their last three games played, giving up just one goal in each contest. He could get the nod against San Jose, but with goaltender Erik Portillo recalled from the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Ontario Reign on Sunday, it’s possible Rittich has earned a well-deserved night off.

Aside from the expletives, LA head coach, Jim Hiller, made sure Rittich was acknowledged for his efforts (against Seattle) when addressing the team postgame, simply pointing at his netminder and exclaiming, “Ritter!”

ASK-AROV AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov was recalled from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda on…