The Canucks came into Los Angeles on the back of an embarrassing loss in San Jose, riding an eight-game losing streak. The story practically wrote itself before the puck was even dropped.
Is there an end to rock bottoms for this team? Embarrassing losses to good teams are one thing. Managing to lose to the Canucks — see again: eight-game losing streak — however, that’s something different entirely.
The game wasn’t even fun-bad; you know, the kind of game where the Kings put 45 shots on net and still lose. The kind of chaos that at least makes for tense viewing. A moral victory, at least, when you can say that at least you outplayed the other team and hit on a hot goalie.
This was the Vancouver Canucks. All due respect to Canucks fans, but also: yikes.
The Kings don’t have time to stew over this one; they’re right back at it tomorrow as they take on the Edmonton Oilers.
Sigh.
Here are three good things about this game:
- Matt Luff’s playing like he got a fire lit under him. His third goal in three games was a beauty of a breakaway. If we’re slogging our way through the rest of this season, we’re going to have to hope Luff keeps playing like this, at least to give us something fun to watch./
That may have been the Luff-liest goal we’ve seen all season long 😍#GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/TPxRYSurOo
— LA Kings (@LAKings) November 25, 2018
- Cal Petersen continues to play a strong game. His bounce-back effort was solid, after a less than stellar outing against the Avalanche. The greater awareness now of some areas he needs to improve in will make him a better goalie in the long run, and the fact that he doesn’t seem to let himself get down after allowing a goal means that he’s already got the mental confidence that will help him out in the NHL.
- The ceremony honoring Willie O’Ree prior to the game. /
It’s been over 60 years since Willie O’Ree broke the color barrier of the NHL and paved a path for many to follow. Thank you for everything you have done for hockey, Willie O’Ree ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZkHX7IuwsN
— LA Kings (@LAKings) November 25, 2018
Here are three bad things about this game:
- Dion Phaneuf’s attempt at a breakout pass, which led to Elias Pettersson’s goal. The rookie’s fun to watch, sure, but also maybe don’t pass the puck directly to him for essentially an uncontested breakaway. /
.@_EPettersson puts his team up 3-2. pic.twitter.com/J4o4C458Oi
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) November 25, 2018
- How about, ugh, like, all of this:/
The Kings managed 22 shots on goal in a home game against a team that had lost 8 straight and played last night. They now have a -27 goal differential in just 22 games for the year. Sheesh 🚮
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) November 25, 2018
Or also this:
Game stats say Kovalchuk had only 27 seconds of power play time. Wasn’t he signed for $6.25 million per year for his power play production?
— Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) November 25, 2018
- If you’re looking for answers, they’re not coming. Willie Desjardins doesn’t appear to have any, other than some nonsensical choices in so far as the distribution of ice time. This game, more than perhaps any other of the many, many losses so far this season, feels the worst of them. You keep thinking there’s not much further down to go, but down we go anyway. /
Is anyone else as tired as me?