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 Heart. Necessary Credit score: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Photos 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 Japanese Convention-leading Capitals, who’ve received 5 in a row, go to the Kings on Thursday evening.
Kings followers could not have lasting recollections of Dubois’ time in Los Angeles, however he hasn’t appeared again both, as a substitute settling in properly with one of many NHL’s finest groups.
Dubois had a purpose and two assists in a 7-4 win towards the Anaheim Geese to open a three-game California swing on Tuesday. He has 17 targets 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 fellows I am taking part in with, that is for positive,” Dubois mentioned. “It has been enjoyable to be on this workforce. (My teammates) have helped me rather a lot all through the season. They preserve serving to me, so it simply makes my life simpler. I simply need to do my job they usually’ll do theirs.”
Dubois has additionally landed in the midst of a historic statistical pursuit.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin is 9 targets 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 group 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 within the closing seconds towards the Geese, however he opted to cross to wide-open teammate Aliaksei Protas, who scored to finish his first NHL hat trick.
“Along with his unreal accomplishment arising, and he makes that play, and the way blissful he’s with me, it says all the things about him as a teammate,” Protas mentioned of Ovechkin.
The Kings have received three straight to take care of third place within 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 targets on 84 photographs in his previous three video games.
“Darcy is clearly a large piece of our workforce,” ahead Phillip Danault mentioned. “If he performs like this each evening, we have now an opportunity to do one thing good.”
Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller mentioned goalie is “perhaps not crucial participant, it is crucial place as a result of one man would not play all of the minutes. You want it on nights, notably when you do not have your finest as a gaggle of forwards and defensemen, and that was (the case towards the Islanders). We relied on him method an excessive amount of, however he was there and he appeared good doing it.”
The Kings additionally shall 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 got to repair that,” Danault mentioned.
–Area Degree Media
