Yes, in 2016: Setoguchi scores for Kings, Budaj shuts out Flames https://t.co/tzj98Vthhh
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) November 6, 2016
This is pretty much a really good summation of how the Kings’ season has been going so far. But, Devin Setoguchi not only got the monkey off his back but he actually scored twice. Joining him in the blow out of the Flames were Jeff Carter, Kyle Clifford and Trevor Lewis.
All of us: Wow! Trevor Lewis scored AGAIN.
Trevor: pic.twitter.com/EvQ0iQaTey
— THX BUD (@thxbud) November 6, 2016
Who honestly says it better than Thx Bud?
From start to finish, this was complete and total domination by the Kings. It was a game that harkened back to the days of old when the team could not only score, but also shut down an inferior team defensively and limit chances against.
This is the score-adjusted corsi (all shot attempts) chart, courtesy of Hockey Stats. From start to finish, the Flames had a difficult time generating any type of offense. This was in large part due to the Kings actually working as cohesive five-man units when out on the ice instead of individuals trying to carry the team on their back as had at least appeared to be the case when they were shutout by the Blackhawks and Ducks.
Despite a brief 5v3 and two consecutive power plays five and seven minutes in respectively, nothing happened on the man advantages. But that didn’t stop Carter from eventually scoring in the final minute of the period. Dwight King entered the zone with speed (yes, really) and drop passed to Carter who beat Brian Elliott short side.
Setoguchi followed that up 45 seconds later by scoring his first goal in two years. Dustin Brown sent a lovely feed to Nic Dowd at the goal mouth and the puck popped out to Setoguchi in front, who put it past a sprawling Elliott.
Just over halfway into the second period, Clifford tipped a Nick Shore shot. Shore got body position and out hustled a Flames defender to the puck while Clifford established himself in front of the net. Almost exactly eight minutes later, Setoguchi got his second goal of the game hacking and whacking away at a juicy rebound that Elliott had left. LA got a late power play when Matthew Tkachuk decided to elbow Carter in the face, though nothing came of it, as per usual.
Just a minute into the final frame, when everybody was still settling in with their beer and returning from last-second bathroom trips, Lewis scored on a Drew Doughty point shot. Parked in front of the net, Lewis tipped the puck past Elliott. There was a brief moment where the referees and linesmen huddled together to determine if he knocked it down with a high-stick, but was later deemed to be a good goal.
Brown and Doughty both took penalties in the latter half of the period, but the kill was strong as it has been since last game. Peter Budaj‘s shutout remained intact and the Kings actually got their first regulation win.
Up next for the boys in black is the annual November Eastern Canada road trip where they’ll swing through Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. On this leg of the journey, Manitoba and Colorado are also included as stops. It should be an interesting eight days.