Mar 11, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) carries the puck in the course of the third interval towards the Anaheim Geese at Honda Middle. Obligatory Credit score: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Pictures Pierre-Luc Dubois did not final lengthy with the Los Angeles Kings. Only one season into his eight-year contract, he was traded to the Washington Capitals final June for goalie Darcy Kuemper.
Dubois will make his first return to Los Angeles when the Jap Convention-leading Capitals, who’ve gained 5 in a row, visit the Kings on Thursday night time.
Kings followers could not have lasting recollections of Dubois’ time in Los Angeles, however he hasn’t seemed again both, as a substitute settling in properly with one of many NHL’s finest groups.
Dubois had a objective and two assists in a 7-4 win towards the Anaheim Geese to open a three-game California swing on Tuesday. He has 17 objectives and 40 assists on the season, properly inside attain of surpassing his profession excessive level whole of 63 set with the Winnipeg Jets in 2022-23.
“I am liking the blokes I am taking part in with, that is for positive,” Dubois mentioned. “It has been enjoyable to be on this team. (My teammates) have helped me so much all through the season. They preserve serving to me, so it simply makes my life simpler. I simply have to do my job and so they’ll do theirs.”
Dubois has additionally landed in the center of a historic statistical pursuit.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin is 9 objectives from surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL-record whole of 894. Ovechkin didn’t rating towards the Geese, however he did contribute three assists.
“It is enjoyable, it is thrilling,” Dubois mentioned. “When he scores, 50 % of the gang will get up and celebrates, the opposite 50 % has a smile on their face.”
Ovechkin had a small window to shoot at an empty web in the ultimate seconds towards the Geese, however he opted to move to wide-open teammate Aliaksei Protas, who scored to full his first NHL hat trick.
“Together with his unreal accomplishment developing, and he makes that play, and the way pleased he’s with me, it says every part about him as a teammate,” Protas mentioned of Ovechkin.
The Kings have gained three straight to keep third place in the Pacific Division.
Kuemper continues to do his half for Los Angeles. He stopped 33 of 34 photographs in a 4-1 win towards the visiting New York Islanders on Tuesday and has surrendered simply 4 objectives on 84 photographs in his previous three video games.
“Darcy is clearly a large piece of our team,” ahead Phillip Danault mentioned. “If he performs like this each night time, we now have an opportunity to do one thing good.”
Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller mentioned goalie is “possibly not a very powerful participant, it is a very powerful place as a result of one man does not play all of the minutes. You want it on nights, notably when you do not have your finest as a bunch of forwards and defensemen, and that was (the case towards the Islanders). We relied on him means an excessive amount of, however he was there and he seemed good doing it.”
The Kings additionally can be centered on taking fewer journeys to the penalty field towards Washington.
Los Angeles was referred to as for eight penalties towards the Islanders, who went 0-for-8 on the ability play.
“We have to repair that,” Danault mentioned.
–Discipline Degree Media
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