-
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson, right, skates against Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, left, and Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish vie for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala is congratulated for his goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson, left, shoots against Los Angeles Kings goaltender David Rittich during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg, right, celebrates his goal with center Ryan Strome during the first period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
of
Expand
LOS ANGELES — Battling to a shootout in the latest installment of the Freeway Faceoff, the Kings and the Ducks relied on special teams to generate offense Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Tied 2-2 after regulation and overtime after trading a trio of power-play goals and a shorthanded effort, the Kings secured two points against their Southern California rival with shootout conversions from Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala, sending the Ducks back to Orange County with a deserved point for their efforts.
The contest was more of a firefight than the scoreboard indicated.
At the end of regulation, the Kings doubled up the Ducks with shots on goal, 48 to 24, adding two more during the extra five minute period.
However, the King’s futility at even strength for the second game in a row allowed the Ducks to hang around.
Limited two nights ago by Nashville to 14 combined shots through the first two periods, the Kings unleashed 19 on Ducks goalkeeper John Gibson during the opening 20 minutes.
The Ducks also had several dangerous chances among 11 first-period attempts, at times forcing Kings’ netminder David Rittich into uncomfortable scrambling situations.
Languishing second to last in the Pacific Division, the visitor’s broke through on the power-play against the best penalty killing unit in the NHL when Jakob Silfverberg scored his sixth of the year at 9:33.
His attempt between Rittich’s legs was partially blocked yet snuck inside the far post.
The goal was the first penalty kill concession in seven home games for the Kings, who have now allowed just 10 on the power-play in 74 chances dating back to Jan. 1.
Rittich was fortunate to give up just the one in the first period.
The Ducks’ Isac Lundestrom could not execute on a wraparound and Leo Carlsson, playing his first Freeway Faceoff in enemy territory, mishandled a good look at a backhand.
The Kings (29-17-10, 68 points) leveled the score when Kevin Fiala notched a goal for the third straight game, quickly converting on a power-play at 14:23 with a snapshot from the left circle off assists by Drew Doughty and Adrian Kempe, who extended his points streak against the Ducks to 10 games.
Special teams scoring persisted in the second. So did the game’s intensity, which led to several mix-ups and minor penalties for roughing.
Down a man after Frank Vatrano tussled with Brandt Clarke, the Ducks retook the lead with a shorthanded 2-on-1 that Sam Carrick jammed in for his eighth of the season on Adam Henrique’s 21st assist at 9:08.
Related Articles
- NHL |
Kings host Ducks in a Freeway Faceoff rivalry rematch - NHL |
Kings’ 4-game win streak ends as Predators stifle them - NHL |
Ducks erase 4-goal deficit before losing to Blue Jackets - NHL |
Kings seek to put some distance between them and Predators - NHL |
Quinton Byfield scores highlight-reel goal as Kings beat Blue Jackets
Scoring their second power-play goal of the night, the Kings made the Ducks (20-23-2, 42 points) pay for a tripping call against Alex Killorn when Doughty’s 13th of the season beat Gibson on a low wrist shot through traffic at 14:24.
The final period netted nothing as the Kings continued to pepper Gibson, who made 48 saves to keep the Ducks, playing the first-half of back-to-back games, alive. Two of those saves came within 30 seconds of each other late in the third period: first with an outstretched right leg to deny a wraparound by Brandt Clarke and then an alert save off his blocker against Phillip Danault.
The result gives the Kings eight straight wins against the Ducks, outscoring them 32-15 in that span.
The Ducks conclude the seventh of their 11 back-to-backs this season at home on Sunday versus Nashville. And the Kings head on the road for three straight in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.
Continue reading...
