The Kings and Coyotes faced off against each other for the second straight game. In the second of the home-and-home matchup, goals again came quick and often. In a game of momentum swings, it was the Kings who had the last laugh in the eventful game.
The offense began just 37 seconds into the game with a Mattias Maccelli goal, beating Pheonix Copley blocker-side. The five-goal first period continued with a Mikey Anderson game-tying goal just five minutes later as the defenseman finished off a beautiful set-up by Quinton Byfield. Tied up 1-1, the rest of the scoring would be all Arizona. In a span of 1:08, the Coyotes scored three goals and chased Copley from the Kings net. J.J. Moser and Jack McBain each found the back of the net 35 seconds apart and ended Copley’s night after 8:21 of gameplay. In came Cam Talbot and 34 seconds into his night the former King Sean Durzi pushed the lead to 4-1 with a nice in-tight move. From that point on, it was all Kings. Trailing by three on the scoreboard and 7-3 in the shot department with 11:05 to go in the first period, the rest of the game saw the Kings outscore the Coyotes 4-0 and outshoot them 36-17.
It took a bit of time to begin the comeback, but Drew Doughty’s big game started in the second period with 4:49 to go in the second period when the veteran defenseman piped home a power-play goal to cut the deficit to two. No offense would play out the rest of the period, leaving the Kings with an uphill battle in front of them.
Fear not, the Kings took over by controlling possession and pressuring the Coyotes defensive side of their game. Early into the third period, Quinton Byfield was rewarded for his outstanding game with a goal coming just after the conclusion of a power play as he tipped in an Arthur Kaliyev shot-pass. With the goal, Byfield now sits one goal shy of last year’s total. The Kings continued to push and eventually evened the score when Anze Kopitar netted his 397th career goal and fourth of the young season with a seeing-eye shot through traffic with 13:06 remaining in regulation. Keeping their foot on the gas pedal, the Kings then took their first and only lead of the game with 1:59 remaining in the game with a second Doughty one-timer goal on the night.
Cam Talbot, who entered in relief of Copley made 17 straight saves after allowing a goal on his first shot to earn his third win of the season.
