It’s a pattern by now: the Kings win Game 2, and their opponent loses all their cool.
In the end, Jeff Carter got a hat trick, Jonathan Quick got another shutout, and Martin Hanzal got himself a disciplinary hearing.
The game was a more even affair to start, though the Kings were still out-shooting the Coyotes by a fair margin. Dwight King tipped in one of Drew Doughty’s shots to give them a 1-0 lead in the first, and Jeff Carter scored his first of the night at 4:47 of the second. Then a parade to the penalty box began. Daymond Langkow was set to go off for slashing Brown when Doan — who has faced disciplinary action for boarding before — caught Trevor Lewis with an awkward hit when he turned to play the puck. Lewis’ head slammed into the boards and was cut, and Shane Doan earned a five minute major for boarding. Shortly afterward, Mike Smith decided to tomahawk chop the back of Dustin Brown’s knee, but the Kings made him pay with another power play goal 49 seconds later.
The targeting of the captain didn’t end there: Martin Hanzal lined up Dustin Brown and boarded him at 11:01 of the third, earning him a misconduct and a call from Shanahan later today. Fortunately for the Kings, Brown was able to get up and skate away, albeit a bit more battered and bruised.
Jeff Carter completed his hat trick in the third, but by then, the game had already been sealed. We wait to see what kind of answer, if any, the Coyotes can muster for Game 3. Right now they look frustrated, reckless, and unhinged.
[Boxscore] [Head-to-head time on ice] [Shot differential (Fenwick/Corsi)] [Faceoffs] [Zone starts]
[Shift Charts] [Shot Timeline]
Corey S. also tracked the scoring chances over at NHL Numbers. His excellent summary is a must-read.
Highlights and questions after the jump.
Let’s discuss!
So…who’s your most hated Phoenix player now?
Who was your unsung hero of the night?
What are your concerns looking ahead to Game 3?
Are our power play woes finally over? That could make LA unstoppable.
And finally…why does Jeff Carter look so much better with a beard?