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Golden Knights-Kings rivalry

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Golden Knights-Kings rivalry
Vegas Golden Knights logo
Vegas Golden Knights
LosAngelesKings
Los Angeles Kings
Statistics
Meetings total 33
All-time series 19-14-0 (VGK)[1]
Regular season series Golden Knights, 15-14
Postseason results Golden Knights, 4-0
Largest victory Kings, 6-2
October 15, 2021/Golden Knights, 6-2 LAK
April 14, 2021
Longest win streak Golden Knights, 4
Kings, 3
Current win streak Golden Knights, 1
Postseason history
* 2018 First Round: Golden Knights won, 4-0

The Golden Knights-Kings rivalry also know as "The Royal Rumble," is a professional ice hockey rivalry between the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). One of the more recent rivalries to grow in the league, the Golden Knights joined the league as an expansion team prior to the 2017–18 NHL season.[2] The Kings have been longtime members of the league, particularly in the Smythe Division (later the Pacific Divsion) since their founding in 1967. The Golden Knights immediately ascended to playoff success upon their first season; reaching the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals and eventually winning the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. At the time of the inception of the Golden Knights, the Kings had long been the most dominant team in the division during most of the 2010s, winning two Stanley Cups in the process.[3][4][5] Both currently play an ongoing preseason matchup in Salt Lake City known as Frozen Fury.[6] The two teams have met once in the postseason during the 2018 First Round, with the Golden Knights winning the series in a 4-0 sweep.[7] Las Vegas currently leads the all-time series 19-14.

History[]

LA Kings-Vegas Golden Knights "Royal Rumble"

The NHL had sought for numerous years to grant an expansion team in Las Vegas given its rapid population boom during the 2000s. In 1991 the Kings and New York Rangers played an exhibition game later known as the Frozen Fury series in which the Kings would regularly play a preseason matchup in Las Vegas. The series later ended in 2016 once the league announced the creation of a new expansion franchise for Las Vegas. Despite the series coming to an end; the Kings and Golden Knights revived the Frozen Fury series, playing an annual game in Salt Lake City.

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; Las Vegas immediately took control of the division, meeting the Kings in the opening round of the postseason, winning in a sweep.[8][9] Despite defying all expectations of an expansion franchise; Las Vegas ultimately fell to the Washington Capitals in an upset series loss of their own. During the 2019-20 season; Kings' fan-favorite defenseman Alec Martinez would be traded to Las Vegas.[10]

The Kings managed to rebuild their franchise and slowly dispose of inconvenient contracts, returning to the postseason in 2023, but falling to the Edmonton Oilers in both 2022 and 2023. During the 2022-23 season, longtime Kings' goalie Jonathan Quick would also be traded to Las Vegas on March 1, 2023.[11][12][13] Despite his notable decline with the Kings for numerous seasons following their two Stanley Cup victories, both Quick and Alec Martinez proved to be pivotal pieces of the Golden Knights' title push, walking up together to lift the trophy after defeating the Florida Panthers in five games.[14]

See Also[]

Other Rivalries between Los Angeles and Las Vegas based sports teams.

  • Chargers-Raiders rivalry
  • Angels-Athletics rivalry

References[]

  1. ↑ mcubed.net : NHL : Series records : Los Angeles Kings vs. Vegas Golden Knights.
  2. ↑ Vegas Golden Knights VS Los Angeles Kings Rivalry Gaining Steam (March 2018).
  3. ↑ Vegas Golden Knight Webcast (October 15, 2020).
  4. ↑ LA Kings: The Vegas Golden Knights are now the LA Kings biggest rival (March 21, 2021).
  5. ↑ I Guess We're Officially Rivals Now, Vegas (April 11, 2018).
  6. ↑ Golden Knights, LA Kings set to renew budding rivalry (February 26, 2018).
  7. ↑ SERIES PREVIEW: LA Kings, Vegas Golden Knights Set for Royal Rumble.
  8. ↑ Golden Knights hold off LA Kings in round one of Pacific rivalry (November 20, 2017).
  9. ↑ Golden Knights get the best of the Kings in new division rivalry (November 20, 2017).
  10. ↑ Vegas Golden Knights ready for the rivals during the 2021-22 season (July 22, 2021).
  11. ↑ Quick's Starting Gig in Vegas Adds to Heated Rivalry with LA Kings (March 20, 2023).
  12. ↑ Weekend Takeaways: Has Quick's trade ignited a Kings-Knights rivalry?.
  13. ↑ Elliott: Kings 'a little scared of the fire' Jonathan Quick will bring to Vegas rivalry.
  14. ↑ Panthers? or Golden Knights? a Stanley Cup Final Rooting Poll.
Los Angeles Kings
FranchiseTeam • 1967 Expansion • Expansion Draft
HistoryPlayers • Coaches • Draft Picks
PersonnelGeneral Manager: Rob Blake • Head Coach: Todd McLellan • Team Captain: Anže Kopitar • Current Roster
ArenasLong Beach Arena • Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena • Great Western Forum • Staples Center
Retired Numbers4 • 16 • 18 • 20 • 30 • 99
Stanley Cup Finals (3)Wins: 2012, 2014 • Losses: 1993
Seasons1967–68 • 1968–69 • 1969–70 • 1970–71 • 1971–72 • 1972–73 • 1973–74 • 1974–75 • 1975–76 • 1976–77 • 1977–78 • 1978–79 • 1979–80 • 1980–81 • 1981–82 • 1982–83 • 1983–84 • 1984–85 • 1985–86 • 1986–87 • 1987–88 • 1988–89 • 1989–90 • 1990–91 • 1991–92 • 1992–93 • 1993–94 • 1994–95 • 1995–96 • 1996–97 • 1997–98 • 1998–99 • 1999–00 • 2000–01 • 2001–02 • 2002–03 • 2003–04 • 2004–05 • 2005–06 • 2006–07 • 2007–08 • 2008–09 • 2009–10 • 2010–11 • 2011–12 • 2012–13 • 2013–14 • 2014–15 • 2015–16 • 2016–17 • 2017–18 • 2018–19 • 2019–20 • 2020–21 • 2021–22 • 2022–23 • 2023–24
AffiliatesAHL: Ontario Reign - ECHL :Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Vegas Golden Knights
Founded in 2017 Based in Paradise, Nevada
FranchiseTeam - General managers - Coaches - Players - Captains - Draft picks - Expansion draft - Seasons - Current season
HistoryRecords - Award winners - Broadcasters
PersonnelOwner(s) Black Knight Sports & Entertainment (Bill Foley (85%), Maloof family (15%))
General manager - Kelly McCrimmon - Head coach - Bruce Cassidy -Team captain - Mark Stone - Current roster
ArenaT-Mobile Arena
RivalriesLos Angeles Kings - San Jose Sharks
AffiliatesAHL:Henderson Silver Knights - ECHL:Savannah Ghost Pirates
MediaTV: KMCC - Radio KKGK (AM 1340/FM 98.9) - KENO (AM 1460) (Spanish)
Culture and lore"Viva Las Vegas" - "Vegas Lights" - "Whatever It Takes" - City National Arena - Fortress Invitational - Frozen Fury - NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe - 2024 NHL Winter Classic
National Hockey League rivalries
PacificCanucks–Flames - Ducks–Kings - Flames–Oilers - Kings–Sharks
CentralBlackhawks–Blues
AtlanticBruins–Canadiens - Bruins–Maple Leafs - Canadiens–Maple Leafs - Lightning–Panthers - Maple Leafs–Red Wings - Maple Leafs–Senators
MetropolitanCapitals–Flyers - Capitals–Penguins - Capitals–Rangers - Devils–Flyers - Devils–Rangers - Flyers–Penguins - Flyers–Rangers - Islanders–Rangers
IntraconferenceBruins–Flyers
HistoricalCanadiens–Nordiques - Blackhawks–Red Wings - Avalanche-Red Wings
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