Fifteen: Los Angeles (1st Pacific)

Los Angeles is a very solid team. But in any sport, if you don't focus you lose. Drew Doughty D was on the ice a lot in those recent losses. Anze Kopitar C was out there a lot, too. These two are key shutdown guys, so if goals are going in against them, LA probably isn't winning.  I figure coach Darryl Sutter will be able to refocus this group. They have played some unbeatable hockey this season.

Record: 20 - 11 - 2 42pts (projected: 24 - 13 - 3 51pts)

18 - 8 - 1 37pts ( projected: 23 - 9 - 1 50pts)

Significant Injuries:
No significant injuries.

Next Fifteen Days: 12/25/2015 - 1/8/2016
Saturday at Arizona
Monday at Vancouver
Tuesday at Edmonton
Thursday at Calgary
Saturday Philadelphia visits
Monday at Colorado
Thursday Toronto visits

I look for the Kings to bounce back coming out of the Christmas break and, really, this is a light part of the schedule. If they take any of these lightly, however, they could lose some important points. Edmonton, Calgary, Philly and Colorado are playing much improved hockey in December.

9 out of 14pts

4 - 2 - 1

Last Fifteen Days 12/10/2015 - 12/24/2015:
WIN 3 -2 (SO) at Pittsburgh
LOSS 1 - 2 (OT) at Buffalo
LOSS 3 - 5 at Ottawa
WIN 3 - 0 at Montreal
LOSS 0 - 5 at Toronto
LOSS 3 - 5 San Jose

A nice road trip or two. This will be a great measure of just how focused the Kings are. They've got a five game win streak going now. I think they could lose to either Pittsburgh or Montreal but neither are playing so great right now. LA could come away from this with an 11 game win streak at Christmas.

How wrong I was. The opposite occurred. They beat Montreal and Pittsburgh and have some very ugly losses in the others. I can't say I watched many of these games. That loss to Toronto and losing in the 3rd period to San Jose are huge.

5 out of 12pts

2 - 3 - 1