Draft:Golden Knights–Kings rivalry

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Golden Knights–Kings rivalry
Teams
First meetingNovember 19, 2017
Latest meetingApril 6, 2023
Next meetingTBD
Statistics
Meetings total33
All-time seriesVGK, 19–14–0[1]
Regular season seriesVGK, 15–14–0
Postseason resultsVGK, 4–0
Largest victoryVGK, 6–2
April 14, 2021
LAK, 6–2
October 14, 2021
Longest win streakVGK, 4
Current win streakVGK, 1
Postseason history

The Golden Knights–Kings rivalry is a professional ice hockey rivalry between the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Both teams play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference and are only separated by their respective states' borders (California and Nevada). The rivalry is a fairly new one for the Kings, as the Golden Knights commenced their inaugural year for the 2017–18 NHL season.[2] In addition to sharing medieval themes due to their team names, the rivalry is a fitting one, as both teams have featured players that played for them at one point or another.

History[edit]

The Los Angeles Kings have a history of playing hockey in the Las Vegas area, dating back to an exhibition game on September 28, 1991; the Kings faced the New York Rangers, winning 5–2. Every year, from 1997 up to 2016, the Kings held an annual competition called Frozen Fury exclusively in Las Vegas. Once the Golden Knights joined the NHL, Frozen Fury was relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah.

At a league owners' meeting on June 22, 2016, in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas expansion bid was approved by a unanimous vote, with play to begin in the 2017–18 NHL season.[3][4] On November 22, 2016, the team name was revealed as the Vegas Golden Knights.[5]

Upon joining the league in 2017, the Golden Knights shocked numerous sportswriters and analysts alike as they became the first expansion franchise to win their first eight of nine games. Meanwhile, the Kings had regressed gradually following their 2014 Stanley Cup Victory, losing control of the division to the arch rival Anaheim Ducks for the previous two seasons. Upon their inaugural season, the Golden Knights immediately took control of the division. They played their first regular season game against the Kings on November 19, 2017.[6] Former King Brayden McNabb, who was selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, would play against his former team that night, a 4–2 win. The two teams met 3 more times that season, with Vegas winning 1 game, and Los Angeles taking the next 2.

The Kings would meet the Golden Knights in the opening round of the postseason, with Los Angeles returning to the postseason after missing it the previous year, and Vegas qualifying for its first appearance. The Golden Knights emerged victorious, winning in a sweep, and would go all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Washington Capitals in 5 games.

In the ensuing years that followed, the Golden Knights would notably have more postseason success than the Kings, as they would miss the playoffs for 3 seasons until returning in 2022. Coincidentally, the Golden Knights would miss the playoffs for the first time that season.

Beginning in 2021, the Kings would face the Golden Knights in Frozen Fury SLC I. The Kings won 3–1. The following year, at Frozen Fury SLC II, the Golden Knights won the game 6-4.

Former Kings Alec Martinez and Jonathan Quick, who both previously won Stanley Cups with their former team in 2012 and 2014, would win their third title with the Golden Knights in the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "mcubed.net : NHL : Series records : Vegas Golden Knights against Los Angeles Kings". mcubed.net. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  2. ^ "LA Kings: The Vegas Golden Knights are now the LA Kings biggest rival". March 21, 2021.
  3. ^ Carp, Steve (June 22, 2016). "Las Vegas awarded NHL expansion team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 8, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  4. ^ Rosen, Dan (June 22, 2016). "Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  5. ^ "Vegas Golden Knights reveal name, logo". NHL.com. November 22, 2016. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  6. ^ "Golden Knights Forging Rivalries". December 4, 2017.
  7. ^ Rosen, Dan (June 14, 2023). "Martinez, Quick share unusual path to Stanley Cup with Golden Knights". NHL.com. Retrieved June 14, 2023.


Category:Los Angeles Kings Category:Vegas Golden Knights Category:National Hockey League rivalries

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