By Bobby Berger
The Los Angeles Kings have been undergoing a renaissance of sorts. As previously documented, since the return of Viktor Fasth, the team has caught fire. What has been lost in the shuffle was a small line change. Veteran Ryan Ckowe was placed on the second line, while rookie Riley Tufte has been moved to the third.
Tufte, a 24 year old left wing, was acquired by the Kings in the offseason from Winnipeg in exchange for a prospect, a 2nd and 2 3rd round picks. The goal was to add depth to an area where the Kings needed. Tufte started the year on the second line, but his production had sputtered. However, since his move to line 3 he has caught fire. Tufte currently has a six game goal scoring streak, a period which has seen him score seven goals and add two assists.
If your third line is able to put up these kinds of numbers, it helps to better explain why the team has gone streaking. The Kings hope that the magic continues as they start a run of games against western conference foes. How the Kings do in the next week will help determine how GM Berger acts heading into the trade deadline.
5/17/2022 - 205 words
