Jewels from the Crown was suffering from various ailments over the weekend (flu, exhaustion, temporary amnesia, thankfully no concussions), and no recap was posted from Saturday’s game. So here’s a rundown of what happened on Saturday, as we look to tonight’s rematch against Calgary.
1 Sentence Summary
On Kelly Hrudey’s Legends Night, the game started off with some good old ’90s-style back-and-forth offensive hockey, but the Los Angeles Kings took over in the latter stages for a 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames.
2 Key Moments Which Didn’t Show Up in the Box Score
1. Mike Richards Takes a Big Hit from Tim Jackman
This hit has fluctuated between “disastrous” and “irrelevant” for the Los Angeles Kings over the last couple days. Here was the aftermath, from a Mike Richards perspective:
- knocked out of the game
- returned to the bench in the third period
- cited as being injured
- watched the Kings call up Tyler Toffoli as a potential replacement
- announced to be in the lineup tonight
On the one hand, I feel better about the Kings’ quiet room procedures knowing that Richards (probably) wasn’t rushed back on Saturday night. On the other hand, we may not know the full implications of Jackman’s hit. Jackman was eventually called to fight against Kyle Clifford in the third, but we’ll see if that’s the end of it tonight.
2. Drew Doughty Breaks Up a 2-on-1
Late in the second period, Calgary had a chance to draw back within a goal when they got a 2-on-1. We’ve seen Drew break up a few odd-man rushes this season simply by being positioned well and making the right decision, but this time, it took some bonus hand-eye coordination. As Calgary charged in and the pass was made from left to right, Doughty was a little behind the puck, but he dove backwards and knocked the puck out of the air with his stick. Doughty’s traditional stats have rebounded despite a lack of goals, as he is a +8 in his last eight games. He’s also done a good job covering for Jake Muzzin, who is showing his gratitude by selfishly stealing all the goals. Terrible!
3 Meaningful Quotes from the Game Preview, Revisited
Their winning streak righted the ship — but the West is so tight, that doesn’t mean they have much breathing room at all.
The West is going to be tight for the rest of the year, and the Kings’ victory means that they currently sit in fifth place instead of tenth. A win tonight puts the Kings in fourth.
[Quick’s save percentage has] improved a hair to .895 — but that’s still replacement-level goaltending, far below where it needs to be. “Below average” doesn’t cover it.
Jonathan Quick’s save percentage on Saturday? .895. Go figure. Quick didn’t have much of a shot at stopping the two Calgary goals, though, and it appears he’ll have another start tonight to work on the save percentage. And he was better than Miikka Kiprusoff, who has been replaced by Joey MacDonald tonight.
Continuing the Kings’ run of inspired free giveaways, every fan in attendance will receive a classic Hrudey-style bandana. Luckyyy.
You may have had the privilege of seeing Patrick O’Neal, Anson Carter, and Dustin Penner rock the bandanas on Kings Live after the game. They were indeed classics. Also, if you have an extra, feel free to send it on my way. I’ll find a way to repay you.
4 Incredibly Insightful Suggestions
- Bring back Hrudey as a third man in the booth if at all possible. (Also, LA Kings Insider has the audio of his speech.)
- As Robert pointed out on Twitter yesterday, Keaton Ellerby is taking more penalties than almost any other player in the NHL; he took another boarding minor on Saturday. I’d suggest putting in Drewiske, but he’s not far behind Ellerby, so how about: don’t take penalties. Yes, I am brilliant.
- Don’t defend the 5-on-3 by putting your three players in a straight line down the middle of the ice. Note Mike Cammalleri (13), gleefully preparing for the easiest goal of his life.
- Score six goals more often.
5 Stars of the Game
Five, because why stop at three? The three announced stars of the game were Slava Voynov (three assists), Anze Kopitar (a goal and an assist), and Justin Williams (a goal and two assists). The bonus fourth star will go to Trevor Lewis, whose fourth goal of the season set a new career high. Imagine what he’ll do with 82 games next year! Finally, a quick nod of appreciation for Doughty, who played another 26 1/2 minutes.
6 Kings Goals! (Highlights courtesy of NHL.com)
- Jeff Carter makes it 13 in 13, scores off of a gorgeous buildup and feeds from Voynov and Brown.
- Jake Muzzin continues his hot streak, rings one in off the post.
- Trevor Lewis, sniper.
- Justin Williams tips in a pass (shot? Nah, pass) from Voynov.
- Anze Kopitar receives a great lead pass from Williams and converts on the rush.
- Colin Fraser chases Kipper with a one-timer, thanks to a perfect backhand feed from Jordan Nolan.
Now that you’re all caught up, read langluy’s preview of tonight’s showdown with Calgary! GKG.