Kings Fight for California Playoff Spot

0:00On April 9, as the NHL regular season winds down, the Western conference wildcard race is razor tight for that second spot. The Los Angeles Kings trail the national predators by one point, but have a game in hand. The San Jose sharks sit three points back with two games left to play, both chasing a playoff berth alongside their California rivals, the Anaheim. Ducks. Last season, the Kings were the only California team in the playoffs, extending their four year streak. Now, they're fighting not just to qualify, but to avoid dropping to third in the state behind the ducks in surging sharks. Fans and analysts see a bigger shift brewing. The sharks boast generational talents, like 19-year-old Maclin Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa, giving them a stacked, young core. Their general manager nailed a full rebuild, while the Kings patched together in aging roster, nearing the end of Anze Copatars' prime. Both teams face easy schedules ahead, per strength of schedule rankings, so no excuses

1:02to falter. The Kings hold a defensive edge this year, allowing 2.95 goals per game against the sharks, 3.53. In this final push, the Kings aim to delay the inevitable sharks take over in California hockey. Buying time to stay relevant come playoff spring. I'm Corey with The Story. Watch your NHL News today update AI-powered and always on.