The Kings losing streak was extended to four games (0-3-1) on Monday night in Chicago. Wrapping up a three-game road trip against Central Division opponents, the Kings fell 5-1 to the Blackhawks to bring their season series record against the 31st ranked team to 0-1-1 with one more meeting to play out later this month.
The Kings played an extremely strong opening period in Chicago, but surrendered the game’s first goal just past the halfway point of the first period. Breaking the scoreless tie was the two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Kings Alec Martinez, whose point shot found its way through three screening bodies in front of Darcy Kuemper and into the net. The Kings immediately responded after the Martinez goal and it was the captain Anze Kopitar who evened the score at one’s just 42 seconds later. Beginning with a strong backcheck from Alex Turcotte that broke up a prime opportunity for the Blackhawks in the slot, the puck made its way to linemate Adrian Kempe and the Swede found the streaking Turcotte heading into the offensive zone. Upon entering the zone, Turcotte fed Kopitar and the captain quickly snapped a shot high glove past the Blackhawks newest member Spencer Knight. Kopitar’s goals was his 14th of the season and his second in the past 23 games. Building off the Kopitar goal, the Kings totaled 17 shots in the first period, but could not beat a stellar Knight for a second time.
The game went south for the Kings after the first period as the Blackhawks flipped the script in the middle stanza. Retaking the lead just 46 into the period, the Kings lost Tuevo Teravainen in the slot and after a wide open shot went unsuccessful on Kuemper, Ilya Mikheyev banged in a rebound on a wide open net. The Blackhawks then doubled the lead with 6:30 to go in the period off of an offensive zone set play. Winning the draw cleanly, defenseman Ethan Del Mastro made his way down the boards with the puck and centered it across the Kings crease. Benefiting from some puck luck, the pass deflected off of Jacob Moverare’s skate and into the net for the rookie's second career goal in game 13 of his young career. Shots were 9-9 in the second period, but the Blackhawks dictated play and because of it took a 3-1 lead into the third period.
Like the second period, the Blackhawks found the back of the net early in the third period to extend the lead to three goals. Another former King scored on Monday, this time being Andreas Athanasiou. Coming off of a clean defensive zone face-off win by the Kings, Colton Dach intercepted the attempted D-to-D pass behind the net and fed a wide open Athanasiou in slot, who one-touched a snap shot into the back of the net. Ryan Donato added an empty net goal and sent the Kings back to LA with zero of a possible six points on the trip.
Knight, who made his team debut for the Blackhawks after being traded to Chicago over the weekend made 41 saves on 42 shots. Kuemper made 14 saves on 18 shots.
