It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish, right?
Well, the Kings didn’t finish Thursday night’s game in the same manner they started.
After returning home from a tough road trip and looking to bounce back with a solid win, the Kings early energy was high against the visiting Penguins. LA came out of the gates strong, opening the scoring thanks to a relentless forecheck that led to a cycle goal from Warren Foegele. Their ability to generate cycle chances has been a strength this season, and they showed why they’re ranked sixth in the league in that category.
Shortly after, Kevin Fiala added his third goal of the season, giving the Kings an early edge. It came at the tail end of a series with Quinton Byfield, yet Joel Armia deserved — and later received — much of the praise for starting that play; continuing his recent run of impressive performances in an elevated role.
Even with a 2-0 lead, perhaps the first period was most notable for its discipline, as neither team took a penalty — a first for the Kings this season.
While the remainder of the game delivered plenty of excitement, including momentum swings and special teams playing a decisive role, the tide ultimately turned for Los Angeles early in the second period. Similar to other recent contests, the Kings took a penalty and the Penguins capitalized. They slipped a goal through Anton Forsberg’s legs; and moments later, Pittsburgh struck again. Their second marker of the night was a weak goal that snuck under the goalie’s pad. Byfield tried to spark the Kings offense, but despite his efforts, the period ended in a tie.
In the final frame, both teams tightened up defensively, minimizing mistakes. The Penguins made the first error, handing the Kings a powerplay opportunity. However, it was Pittsburgh who seized the moment, scoring a shorthanded goal on a jam play. Late in the period, LA pulled the goalie for an extra attacker, which worked in Minnesota. This time they weren’t so fortunate, and Sidney Crosby sealed the game with an empty net goal. Despite a strong start and plenty of chances, the Kings couldn’t recover, ultimately falling 4-2.
It was a disappointing loss for LA after such a promising start, but there were positives to take away. The Kings created numerous opportunities, and if they keep up this level of play, the goals are sure to come.
Game highlights can be viewed here:
Additional game notes:
— Pittsburgh was one of three NHL teams LA didn’t score a win over last year. Following Thursday’s loss, they’ll only have one other shot against the Penguins this season. LA will see them on the road on Nov. 9.
— LA has struggled at times in the faceoff dot this season. Despite their top man on draws, Anze Kopitar, being scratched from the game, they still managed to win 61% (35-of-41) on Thursday night. Alex Turcotte won 7-of-9 draws (78%), continuing his excellent numbers in this area thus far this season.
— Byfield led all Kings players with six shots on goal. Foegele and Adrian Kempe each had five SOG.
Pregame notes and lineups can be found in the article linked below.
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