The LA Kings returned to their old ways with questionable goaltending and woeful special teams to lose to the Flyers 4-2.
Goal Breakdown
1st period:
LAK: Adrian Kempe PPG (14), Assists: Drew Doughty (19), Kevin Fiala (27)
PHI: Scott Laughton PPG (8), Assists: Cam York (5), Owen Tippett (8)
LAK: Phillip Danault (12), Assists: Viktor Arvidsson (20)
2nd period:
PHI: Owen Tippett (12), Assists: Tony DeAngelo (15), James Van Riemsdyk (10)
3rd period:
PHI: Noah Cates SHG (4), Assists: Nick Seeler (5), Rasmus Ristolainen (2)
PHI: Travis Konecny ENG (18), Assists: Scott Laughton (10), Noah Cates (10)
Kings going as far as Copley takes them
It was a bit confusing to see Jonathan Quick lead the Kings out of the tunnel for warmups indicating he would be the game’s starter. Pheonix Copley has been the motor behind the team’s recent turnaround and to try to divulge from that momentum would be questionable. But I understood the argument to keep Quick fresh for the season. Unfortunately it wasn’t the performance you want to see from the current backup goaltender.
The first goal I didn’t have a problem with. Looked like a nice shot on a power play. The second goal should’ve been stopped. And while the third goal against was a bad play by the PP unit, a save has to be made. For now, the Kings will only go as far as the North Pole guy will take them.
Primary Arvidsson
Viktor Arvidsson is having quite the productive offensive season. And as of late, he’s been one of the main set up guys for the LA Kings handing out goals to anyone ready to shoot. His primary assists aren’t flukes either, each one has seemed prettier than the last. That was the case again yesterday with some sauce to Phillip Danault.
At the turn of the new year, Arvidsson is 3rd in the NHL in primary assists per 60 minutes played with 1.81, according to naturalstattrick.com, behind only Leon Draisaitl and Nikita Kucherov. Maybe that shoot first mentality has changed.
Special teams haunts LA
Yesterday’s game mark the tenth straight contest the LA Kings have allowed a power play goal against. It’s the longest such streak dating back to 2007. While the percentage may be going up, the consistent goals against while a man down make it hard to find any silver lining.
It was nice to not have to worry about a poor penalty kill when the power play was on fire earlier in the month. Even though Adrian Kempe was able to nail a one-timer goal during a 5-on-3, the PP failed to come through later on allowing a shorthanded goal which would end up being the game winner.
The Kings can’t afford to rely on Pheonix Copley much longer if the special teams is this poor.
UP NEXT: The Kings have two days off before returning home to play the Western Conference leading Dallas Stars on Tuesday at 7:30 pm PT.
Featured image: (Alex Cave/Hockey Royalty)