The LA Kings extended their point streak to four games but dropped another game that extended past 60 minutes, as they fell 5-4 in a shootout against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday afternoon at Honda Center.
The Kings scored the only goal in the opening period, as they took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin worked the puck to forward Trevor Moore, who had rotated up to the center point. Moore’s shot was blocked down in front but forward Alex Laferriere won the netfont battle and got his shot to go between the legs of Anaheim netminder Ville Husso and in for his sixth goal of the season and a 1-0 advantage.
Skating on their first power play of the game, Anaheim tied the score at a goal apiece. Off a faceoff win in the offensive end, the Ducks held possession and forward Troy Terry fed forward Chris Kreider in front of the net, with Kreider gaining inside position to bury his 11th goal of the season, tying the game at a goal apiece.
Just 63 seconds after Anaheim tied the game, forward Kevin Fiala restored the one-goal advantage for the visitors. As the Kings entered the offensive zone in transition, capitalizing on a line change, forward Quinton Byfield fed Fiala, who worked his way in between the circles. With the puck on his forehand, Fiala fired underneath the crossbar and in for his team-leading tenth goal of the season and a 2-1 lead.
The Ducks made it three combined goals in just 2:03 of game action, as defenseman Owen Zellweger activated offensively to tie the game at two. Zellweger worked his way into the left-hand circle, took a feed from forward Alex Killorn and in one motion, fired low inside the near post and in for his fourth goal of the season. Forward Leo Carlsson collected his second, secondary assist of the game to make it a multi-point performance.
After a strong first two periods, the fourth line cashed in early in the third period to put the Kings up 3-2. Attacking off the rush, defenseman Brandt Clarke activated down the right wing and found a charging Alex Turcotte going to the net, with the centerman getting a stick on the pass, sending it past Husso and in for his first goal of the season and the third one-goal lead of the day for the Kings.
Three and a half minutes later, defenseman Joel Edmundson made it 4-2 with a cannon from the right point. Edmundson took a feed from defenseman Mikey Anderson in his wheelhouse and fired it first time, through a screen by forward Corey Perry in front and in for his second goal of the season.
Midway through the third period, Anaheim pulled a goal back through defenseman Pavel Mintyukov to make it a 4-3 game. Mintyukov activated from the left point, found himself open in the slot and after he took a feed from forward Beckett Sennecke, he found the back of the net, high on the blocker side, for his first goal of the season, as the hosts made it a one-goal game.
Inside the final two minutes of regulation, Anaheim found the game-tying goal through Carlsson to force the contest into overtime. After the Kings were unable to clear their defensive zone, the Ducks turned the puck around and Carlsson buried a centering feed from defenseman Jackson LaCombe to force the game into 3-on-3 hockey.
Neither team scored in overtime, which sent things into a shootout, where Anaheim scored twice to secure the second point.
Hear from Turcotte, defenseman Brian Dumoulin and Head Coach Jim Hiller following today’s game.
