Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices are from one game Friday.
Vilardi and new wave of Kings
Gabriel Vilardi Came into 2022-23 with 18 goals in 89 NHL games. This season, the forward has scored 10 in 19 games, putting him on pace for 43 over a full 82-game season. The 23-year-old is part of the new wave of younger Los Angeles Kings players who will be on display at the Vancouver Canucks (5-9-3) on Friday (10 pm ET; SNP, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW) . The Kings (11-7-1) are third in the Western Conference in goals (63) transitioning from veterans like 35-year-old center Anze Kopitar36-year-old defenseman Alexander Edler and 36-year-old goalie Jonathan Quick to the likes of Vilardi, a 24-year-old defenseman Sean Durzi and 28-year-old goalie Cal Petersen. It’s been a fun passing-of-the-torch process to watch, one general manager Rob Blake hopes is producing the building blocks for a foundation similar to the one that helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. They’re not there yet but are trending in the right direction. — Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Bo knows goals
Bo Horvat has been one of the most exciting players in the NHL this season. The cdnter has been a bright spot for the struggling Canucks, who started the season 0-5-2. Horvat (20 points; 14 goals, six assists) is tied with center Elias Pettersson for the Vancouver scoring lead and is second in the NHL in goals behind the Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, who has 15 in 17 games. Horvat has 10 goals in his past nine games, with four multiple-goal games in that stretch. He is on pace for 70 goals, which would obliterate his NHL career high (31 in 70 games last season), and will be a handful for the Kings. — Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
Fiala delivering for Los Angeles
Kevin Fiala has provided the offensive spark the Kings were looking for when they signed him to a seven-year, $51.125 million contract ($7.875 million average annual value) on June 30, a day after acquiring him in a trade with the Minnesota Wild. The forward is following up a career-high 85 points (33 goals, 52 assists) in 82 games last season with Minnesota leading Los Angeles with 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 19 games. He’s the Kings assist leader, tied for third in goals and tied for second in power-play points with five (two goals, three assists). Fiala had a three-game goal streak end in a 3-1 win at Edmonton on Wednesday, but Vancouver will need to keep an eye on him. — William Douglas, staff writer
Friday game
Los Angeles Kings at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Los Angeles is 5-0-1 in its past six games dating to a 5-4 win against the Florida Panthers on Nov. 5. Vancouver returns home after going 2-3-0 on an East Coast trip that ended with a 5-4 win at the Buffalo Sabers on Tuesday, when Horvat had three points (one goal, two assists). Kings forward Trevor Moore had three goals in a 3-1 win at the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and became the first California-born player (Thousand Oaks) to score a hat trick for a California-based team.
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