The Kings dropped their second consecutive game to begin their five-game road trip on Monday night. This time falling in regulation to the Detroit Red Wings, the Kings loss drops their record to 26-15-6.
The Kings opened the game strong for the second consecutive game. Having a clear shot-first mentality in the period, the Kings racked up a dozen shots on their former goaltender Cam Talbot and found the back of the net while doing so. The game’s opening goal came with 5:10 remaining in the opening period, beginning a busy sequence to close out the first 20 minutes. Coming from a trio that are all heating up, Alex Laferriere earned an assist in his second consecutive game along with Jordan Spence picking up his fourth helper in the last five games when their passes reach Kevin Fiala, who ripped a wrist shot from the high slot into the net. Fiala’s goal was his 16th of the year and is his seventh point (2-5=7) in the last six games. The Kings then doubled their lead to 2-0 after barely touching the puck. After a face-off including Quinton Byfield in the Detroit zone was won back by the Red Wings, defenseman Moritz Seider misplayed the puck as it rolled off the end of his stick. The puck bounced off the post, off of Talbot’s skate and into the net. Because Byfield the last King to touch the puck he was credited with his 11th goal of the season. Unable to carry that momentum into intermission, the Red Wings struck back immediately. Coming just 35 seconds after the own goal, Lucas Raymond started off his big night by backhanding in a puck in front of Darcy Kuemper. Surrendering late response, the Kings went into the second period leading 2-1 and carried a shot advantage of 12-5.
Unfortunately the Kings offense had concluded for night by the time the second period started. Scoring five unanswered goals, the Red Wings continued their comeback when given a 5-on-3 power play for over a minute. Converting on the two man advantage 6:03 into the period, Raymond fed Alex DeBrincat for a one-timer and the American potted his 21st goal of the season, tying the game. Even at two’s late in the period, Elmer Soderblom found the eventual-game winning goal after a failed Kings breakout attempt. Trying to exit their own end, the Kings breakout pass found a Red Wings stick and kept the puck in the zone. An eventual one-timer from the point created a rebound for the Red Wings and the 6-foot-8 winger pocketed the loose puck for his first goal of the season.
Finding a separator midway into the third period, the Red Wings went the other way with the puck after Adrian Kempe nearly tied the game. Raymond sprung Marco Kasper for a 2-on-1 after deflecting the puck past a pinching Mikey Anderson and the rookie first round draft pick from 2022 beat Kuemper with his own rebound after a shot. Kasper added an empty net goal for his third point of the game, while Raymond picked up his fourth point of the game with another helper.
Kuemper made 23 saves on the night.
Next up, the Kings will head south to Florida to take on the Panthers.
