The Kings followed two of their strongest consecutive efforts of the season with a penalty-ridden collapse in Seattle , and now they’ll sneak home for a single match before hitting the road again.

They haven’t been alone in their one-step-forward-one-step-back trajectory, with much of the NHL and most of the Pacific Division finding itself in a similar pattern, including the two teams at the top. The Ducks snapped a three-game winning streak Thursday on Long Island while Vegas is below .500 in terms of winning percentage for the entire campaign.

But the Kings’ opponents Saturday have provided an exception. After an abysmal start, the Calgary Flames won seven of 10 games before falling 4-1 to Todd McLellan’s Red Wings, and have been the Pacific’s hottest team since Nov. 19.

The Kings

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