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The Ducks and Kings have never met in the postseason (that might change in a few months, though), and because of this, the supposed Ducks-Kings rivalry (known as the "Freeway Faceoff") has often felt more like a marketing gimmick than a genuine rivalry. However, the Kings and Ducks have met 111 times throughout the history of our franchise, with the Kings leading the series 51-42-12.
Below is a list of every single Ducks-Kings match (as promised), with special emphasis on a few. Feel free to discuss your favorite Ducks-Kings games in the comments section!
1993-94 season (Kings win 3-2)
12/2/1993 at LA Kings, 3-2 (L)
The inaugural Ducks-Kings game took place on enemy turf, at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood (now known as the Forum). The two teams were a study in contrasts: the Kings were coming off of an appearance in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, and counted the likes of Luc Robitaille, Jari Kurri, and Wayne Gretzky among their ranks. The Ducks, at this point, were a motley collection of players culled from the expansion draft. They were also about to play their 27th game ever. However, both teams had a measly 20 points entering the game.
Despite being outshot 33-10 in the first period, Peter Douris scored a power-play goal in the first period to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead. However, Luc Robitaille of the Kings responded later in the period to even the score. At the end of the third period, Jari Kurri erupted for two goals. Shaun Van Allen scored a goal at 18:38 in the third period, but it was not enough. The Kings would walk away with a win.
12/26/1993 vs LA Kings, 3-2 (L)
1/29/1994 at LA Kings, 5-1 (L)
2/11/1994 vs LA Kings, 5-3 (L)
3/16/1994 vs LA Kings, 5-2 (W)
3/30/1994 at Kings, 5-2 (W)
1994-95 season (Ducks Win 2-1-2)
2/5/1995 at Kings, 3-2 (W)
3/21/1995 vs Kings, 3-3 (T)
The Ducks led the Kings, 3-2, in the waning moments of regulation. However, referee Dennis LaRue ruled that the Ducks' Bob Corkum deliberately dislodged the net. The Kings were awarded a penalty shot with 1:07 in regulation, allowing them to tie the game.
4/9/1995 vs Kings, 5-1 (W)
4/23/1995 at Kings, 2-2 (T)
4/30/1995 at Kings, 2-1 (L)
1995-96 season (Kings win 3-2-1)
11/13/1995 vs Kings, 4-2 (L)
12/27/1995 at LA Kings, 7-1 (L)
The Kings took advantage of sloppy defensive play from the Ducks, and goalie Kelly Hrudey would have had a shutout if it was not for Jason York's garbage goal with 53 seconds remaining in regulation. At this time, the Ducks had a losing streak of 5 games, and a winless streak of 0-5-2 on the road.
12/31/1995 vs Kings, 2-2 (T)
1/27/1996 at Kings, 5-4 (L)
This game featured the two worst jerseys in the history of the NHL. Good thing this video isn't in HD, it could cause serious eye damage.
2/17/1996 at Kings, 2-1 (W)
3/10/1996 vs Kings, 3-2 (W)
1996-97 season (Ducks win 3-1-1)
11/8/1996 vs Kings, 7-4 (W)
1/25/1997 at Kings, 2-2 (T)
2/20/1997 at Kings, 3-1 (L)
3/19/1997 vs Kings, 6-2 (W)
A season later, circumstances were very different for the Ducks. This matchup versus the Kings allowed the Ducks to tally their 12th consecutive win. (The Kings had only won one of their last six games.) And furthermore, Teemu Selanne scored his 45th and 46th goals of season, tying him for second in the NHL with then-Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jaromir Jagr.
4/9/1997 vs Kings, 4-1 (W)
1997-98 season (Kings win 3-1-1)
1/12/1998 at Kings, 3-2 (L)
1/24/1998 vs Kings, 3-3 (T)
2/7/1998 vs Kings, 5-2 (L)
3/9/1998 at Kings, 4-3 (L)
4/18/1998 at Kings, 4-1 (W)
1998-99 season (Ducks win 5-1)
11/16/1998 vs Kings, 3-1 (W)
12/13/1998 at Kings, 3-0 (W)
People who were fans of the Ducks in the late '90s and early '00s often describe the era as the "Selanne and Kariya" show, and this particular game epitomized the era. Teemu Selanne, fully recovered from a thigh injury, scored two of the Ducks' goals. Prior to this game, Selanne had experienced a seven game goal drought. Paul Kariya also ended a six-game goal drought, tallying the Ducks' third goal.
2/15/1999 at Kings, 3-1 (W)
3/3/1999 vs Kings, 2-1 (W)
3/18/1999 at Kings, 4-2 (W)
4/15/1999 at Kings, 4-3 (L)
1999-00 season (Tie 2-2-2)
12/3/1999 vs Kings, 1-1 (T)
2/8/2000 at Kings, 5-3 (W)
3/15/2000 vs Kings, 2-2 (T)
3/21/2000 at Kings, 5-2 (W)
4/1/2000 at Kings, 2-1 (L)
4/9/2000 Kings, 4-3 (L)
2000-01 season (Tie 2-2-1)
10/23/2000 vs Kings, 5-4 (L-OT)
10/25/2000 at Kings, 6-2 (L)
12/03/2000 vs Kings, 4-0 (W)
3/4/2001 vs Kings, 4-0 (W)
3/24/2001 at Kings, 3-3 (T-OT)
2001-02 season (Kings win 4-0-1)
10/18/2001 at Kings, 4-1 (L)
12/16/2001 vs Kings, 3-2 (L-OT)
12/27/2001 at Kings, 2-2 (T-OT)
1/21/2002 vs Kings, 4-2 (L)
4/14/2002 at Kings, 1-0 (L)
2002-03 season (Tie 2-2-1)
10/16/2002 vs Kings, 4-2 (L)
11/29/2002 vs Kings, 2-2 (T-OT)
12/19/2002 at Kings, 5-4 (L)
1/22/2003 vs Kings, 6-5 (W)
3/04/2003 at Kings, 2-1 (W)
Adam Oates scored the Ducks first goal of the game 44 seconds into the first period (off of a feed from Paul Kariya). Sandis Ozonlish also assisted on the goal, scoring his 500th NHL point. The Ducks' dominant penalty-killing unit was active during this game, killing three penalties in each of the three periods. And ultimately, it was fan favorite Sammy Pahlsson who scored the game-winning goal with 2:44 left in regulation.
2003-04 season (Kings win 4-1-1)
1/07/2004 vs Kings, 4-4 (T-OT)
1/24/2004 at Kings, 4-2 (L)
1/28/2004 vs Kings, 4-3 (L-OT)
2/28/2004 at Kings, 2-1 (L)
2/29/2004 vs Kings, 6-3 (W)
3/14/2004 at Kings, 5-1 (L)
2005-06 season (Ducks win 5-1-2)
10/25/2005 at Kings, 3-1 (L)
12/16/2005 vs Kings, 4-3 (L-SO)
1/09/2006 vs Kings, 6-2 (W)
1/23/2006 at Kings, 3-2 (L-SO)
1/28/2006 at Kings, 6-2 (W)
1/30/2006 vs Kings, 4-3 (W-OT)
Teemu scored his 1000th NHL point in this game with his classic backhand shelf move that he would eventually use to perfection against Dominik Hasek in game five of the 2007 Western Conference Final. Also Scott Niedermayer scored the ninth overtime game winner of his NHL career, setting the League record for a defenseman.
4/04/2006 vs Kings, 6-2 (W)
4/08/2006 at Kings, 4-2 (W)
2006-07 season (Tie 4-2-2)
10/06/2006 vs Kings, 4-3 (W)
A 19-year-old Anze Kopitar scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game. No matter what you think of the Kings, this goal was spectacular, walking around Chris Pronger and schooling Jiggy.
10/22/2006 at Kings, 3-2 (W-SO)
12/02/2006 at Kings, 4-3 (W)
12/03/2006 vs Kings, 3-2 (L)
2/17/2007 at Kings, 3-2 (W-SO)
2/18/2007 vs Kings, 4-3 (L-SO)
3/01/2007 at Kings, 4-3 (L-OT)
3/18/2007 vs Kings, 5-3 (L)
2007-08 season (Ducks win 6-2)
9/29/2007 at Kings, 4-1 (L) and 9/30/2007 vs Kings, 4-1 (W)
The 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Ducks began the 2007-08 season at the O2 Arena in London, England with a back-to-back series against the Kings. This event was the first ice hockey game ever played at the Arena, and the Ducks and Kings split the series. Bobby Ryan scored the Ducks' goal in the opener it was his first goal and his first game in the NHL. The second game of the series marked the NHL debut of Jonas Hiller (Jean-Sebastian Giguere was injured at the start of the season).
11/13/2007 vs Kings, 4-3 (W-SO)
11/15/2007 at Kings, 6-3 (W)
11/25/2007 vs Kings, 3-2 (W)
1/24/2008 at Kings, 3-1 (L)
3/26/2008 vs Kings, 2-1 (W-SO)
4/5/2008 at Kings, 4-3 (W)
2008-09 season (Kings win 3-2-1)
10/14/2008 at Kings, 6-3 (L)
11/04/2008 at Kings, 1-0 (W-OT)
11/16/2008 vs Kings, 2-0 (W)
1/06/2009 vs Kings, 3-1 (W)
1/08/2009 at Kings, 4-3 (L)
Even though Bobby Ryan is now an Ottawa Senator, this game epitomized why he was a fan favorite. This game was full of foreboding elements: an earthquake happened midway through the first period, and the Kings had built up a 3-0 lead by the second. However, Bobby scored a power-play goal late in the second period. His second goal of the evening was the product of a rebound on a Ryan Carter wristshot. And a minute later, Ryan Getzlaf fed Bobby the puck. Bobby then did a spin-o-rama around Kings defenseman Peter Harrold, and tucked the puck past Jonathan Quick. This was Bobby's first career hat trick, and also the fastest hat trick in Ducks history at 2 minutes and 21 seconds. Unfortunately, Alexander Frolov's power-play goal sealed the Kings' 4-3 win, but the effort was magnificent. [Ed. Note: Also unfortunately, Bob Miller called him Bobby Smith on the amazing hat trick goal. -CK]
2/18/2009 vs Kings, 4-3 (L)
2009-10 season (Kings win 4-2)
12/1/2009 vs Kings, 4-3 (L)
1/14/2010 at Kings, 4-0 (L)
2/4/2010 at Kings, 6-4 (L)
2/8/2010 vs Kings, 4-2 (W)
4/3/2010 at Kings, 2-1 (W)
4/6/2010 vs Kings, 5-4 (L)
2010-11 season (Ducks win 4-2)
11/29/2010 vs Kings, 2-0 (W)
12/26/2010 at Kings, 4-1 (L)
2/23/2011 vs Kings, 3-2 (L)
3/19/2011 at Kings, 2-1 (W-OT)
4/08/2011 vs Kings, 2-1 (W)
4/09/2011 at Kings, 3-1 (W)
The Ducks swept a home and home series with the Kings to finish off the regular season and secure home ice in the first round of the playoffs (although it didn't turn out as planned against Nashville). But more importantly the regular season finale at Staples featured Teemu fighting Brad Richardson, possibly the peak of on ice hatred in the Southern California Feud.
2011-12 season (Kings win 5-1)
11/16/2011 at Kings, 2-1 (L-SO)
11/17/2011 vs Kings, 5-3 (L)
12/06/2011 vs Kings, 3-2 (W)
12/22/2011 at Kings, 3-2 (L-SO)
3/03/2012 at Kings, 4-2 (L)
3/16/2012 vs Kings, 4-2 (L)
2012-13 season (Kings win 2-1-1)
2/2/2013 vs Kings, 7-4 (W)
2/25/2013 at Kings, 5-2 (L)
This gamed marked Teemu's 100th game vs Kings (he is the Ducks' all-time scoring leader versus the Kings). This game also marked Viktor Fasth's first loss after 8 consecutive wins. As we all know, Fasth's win streak was a subject of fascination for the national media, and led to a 2 year contract extension from the Ducks organization.
4/07/2013 vs Kings, 4-3 (W-SO)
4/13/2013 at Kings, 2-1 (L)
2013-14 season (Kings lead 1-0)
12/03/2013 vs Kings, 3-2 (L-SO)
Tomorrow, the Ducks will play their 112th game against the Kings at Honda Center. Let's hope it's a good one.
Note: Stick-taps to databaseHockey.com, Hockey-reference.com, and the LA Times archives.