Los Angeles Kings Beat Washington Capitals At Staples Center
By Jon Gillette
Jonathan Bernier and the Los Angeles Kings took on the Washington Capitals on Monday night at the Staples Center for the Kings 21st sellout of the year. After giving up an early goal, the Kings turned things around and started playing like we all know they can. Kyle Clifford got his first goal in 37 games on a nice backhander. This goal appeared to remind the Kings that they can actually put the puck in the net as Anze Kopitar scored his 12th goal of the season with under a minute left in the first. 2 goals in the first period? Well, we were well on our way to a season high in total goals in a game. That achievement was not to be reached but 5 goals can be classified as an offensive outburst for this team.
Jack Johnson continued the scoring on a nice 3 on 1 early in the second. That’s a play the Kings have been failing to finish on. Jarret Stoll added goal number 4 on the night and we were all thinking the exact same thing: Give Jonathan Quick 4 goals a game and we’re probably the best team in the league right now. Quick had to be watching and shaking his head.
Say it ain’t so. On this night, the Kings actually scored a power play goal. Justin Williams pounded one in after a scramble in front of the Washington goal. Johnson made a nice play to keep the puck in and fed it over to Drew Doughty who threw the puck on net and mayhem ensued.
KINGS WIN!!!
See you Thursday night at Staples Center. I’ll tweet my location after I pick up the tickets from will call. Come on by and say hi. I’ll be there for the Patriots Hockey charity game that takes place immediately following the Kings/Stars game. If you don’t have tickets yet, go to LAKings.com/Patriots. Come on out and support a great cause. For more details on this charity, visit my earlier post here. All contact info and ticket info is in the article. You also have the option to donate tickets to Marines wounded in action. We’ll see you Thursday!
Notes:
11 Kings players had at least 1 point.
Kings have killed 84 of their last 87 penalties, good for 96.6 percent.
The Kings are 11-0 this season when scoring at least 3 goals.
The Kings are 6-1-3 under coach Darryl Sutter and currently sit in 6th place in the Western Conference and have only allowed 6 goals in the last 7 games. By the way, can anyone understand what Sutter is saying during the post game presser?
Some guy from the Capitals had 2 goals.
Bernier looked good enough to get something decent in return on a trade from a team who’s desperate for a good goaltender. Don’t look for speculation here, there’s plenty of other sites for that type of thing.
Dustin Penner and pancakes? Awe, to hell with it. That’s been beaten like, well… I’m not gonna finish that one either.
Did anyone catch that Boston Bruins vs. Vancouver Canucks game over the weekend? Man, that’s what hockey is all about. That blood isn’t going to cool down anytime soon. Brad Marchand says ‘I don’t care what my reputation is really’. Now THAT’s a hockey player!