LA wrapped up their three-game set at home with an overtime win against Tampa Bay on Saturday night.
‘Pace’ would be a great word to describe the contest played at Crypto.com Arena. Both teams traded rushes and scoring chances for the majority of the game. Goals from Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore had the Kings leading 2-1 after 40 minutes. Mikey Anderson then scored just 1:12 into the third period, putting LA up 3-1 and giving them a lead they held until under five minutes remaining in regulation.
A pair of tallies from Steven Stamkos – who now has 24 points in 21 career games vs. LA – tied the contest and sent the game into OT. It was a script that followed what had happened when the teams met up in Tampa Bay earlier this season. In both matchups against the Lightning, the Kings have seen 2-goal leads slip away after the midway point in the final frame.
Saturday had a different result than their Jan. 9 affair, thought. Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov sniped a shot past fellow Russian Andrei Vasilevskiy; ending the game only 25 seconds into the extra frame.
GAVY SAYS GOODNIGHT
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Home Cooking: Since coach Jim Hiller took over after the All-Star break, the Kings own a record of 9-2-1 on home ice. It’s a stark contrast to how they opened the season, where they seemed disconnected and never put together any sort of momentum. Now, it’s the time of year when teams need to sharpen up aspects of their game, and the Kings have done just that when it comes to playing in Los Angeles.
Stat Sheet Takeaways: The Kings and Lightning combined for 42 blocked shots during Saturday’s contest. With the plethora of chances generated by both teams, it was impressive how each side was equally committed defensively.
Dubois’ Hot Streak: The most recent five-game stretch has arguably been PL Dubois’ best as a King. With an assist on Moore’s goal Saturday, the big center registered his sixth point (1G, 5A) during this span, continuing to look engaged both offensively and physically. The ability to place Viktor Arvidsson on Dubois’ wing is finally an option for Hiller, and it appears to be working very well.
Western Canada Swing: The Kings are heading out on a four-game trip beginning Monday against the Canucks. Three of these opponents – Vancouver, Edmonton, and Winnipeg – could be potential first-round matchups for LA this year; it’ll be interesting to see how they fare in these games. As noted yesterday, rookie Alex Turcotte will not be going on the trip and the Kings are not expected to call up an additional forward at this time.
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