Los Angeles Kings Shutout the Struggling Buffalo Sabres 2-0

Another shutout win for the Kings.  It might not be a streak, but it’s impressive.  The Los Angeles Kings got their second shutout in three games, defeating the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Kings outshot the Sabres, putting 39 pucks on the net.  Shots against allowed by the Kings continues to be unusually high; the Sabres had 29 shots on goal.  The Kings average shots against per game during the 2013-2014 season was 26.2.  As the Kings have become more offensive this season, opening up their game, they’ve surrendered more shots against, with teams like Minnesota and St. Louis putting up 40 shots each.

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The Sabres entered the game the 5th best penalty-killing unit in the NHL, killing of 89.7 percent of their penalties.  The Kings on the other hand have been terrible on the powerplay this season, going 2-for-20 on the man advantage.

Despite the numbers the Kings put the Sabres penalty-kill to shame.  29 seconds into the game Sabres defensemen Tyler Myers was called for a two minute hooking penalty against Anze Kopitar.  36 seconds into the game it was 1-0, Kings.  Anze Kopitar won the face-off in the Sabres zone, Tyler Toffoli passed the puck back to Drew Doughty.  Doughty worked the puck over to Jeff Carter at the left, or the near, penalty-box side point.  Carter took one step and fired a low wrist shot that went through the legs of one Sabres player, through the screen by Tanner Pearson and past Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth.

Halfway through the first period Kings defensemen Brayden McNabb hit Sabres forward Torrey Mitchell along the boards.  It was a hard hit.  McNabb caught the dipping Mitchell a little high with an elbow to the head.  Sabres forward Drew Stafford took exception to the hit and went right after McNabb.  Both players dropped the gloves, and McNabb got two good shots in, but it was a short fight.  Stafford wrestled McNabb to the ice, shoving his face into the ice for a few seconds before the linesmen were able to separate the two players.  McNabb got two minutes for roughing and five for fighting; Stafford received two minutes for instigating, five for fighting, and a ten minute misconduct for going after McNabb.

McNabb came to the Kings from the Sabres as part of a trade deadline trade last season, so it was interesting to see the two former teammate acquaintances go at it.

Nearly six minutes into the second period there was another fight.  The unknown, unspoken Kings-Sabres rivarly is a nasty one.

After Tyler Myers dumped Kings forward Andy Andreoff in the Sabres corner, Andreoff got up and followed Myers into the slot, challenging him.  Myers graciously accepted.

Andreoff didn’t really get any good shots in, at least not past Myers helmet.  Andreoff managed to tackled Myers after the two tied each other up, ending the fight.  It was a fiesty and gutsy move by Andreoff who stands at 6’1, 201 pounds; taking on a much bigger Myers who is 6’8, 219 pounds.

Tyler Myers saw a lot of the penalty box in this game.  After getting out from the fight Myers had 2:21 before taking another seat in the sin-bin for cross-checking Alec Martinez.  Myers wouldn’t have to wait long in the box.

This time it was Anze Kopitar on the powerplay.  With 8 seconds left in Myers penalty Kopitar held the puck in the Sabres zone at the blue line.  Blocking a clearing attempt by Sabres defensemen Josh Gorges Kopitar controlled the puck, skating to the face-off dot on the right of the Sabres net.  Kopitar passed the puck below the goal line to Jeff Carter.  Carter was skating toward the net and as soon as he received the puck made a give-and-go pass back to Kopitar who one-timed the puck through the 5-hole of Enroth.  2-0 Kings.

There was no scoring in the third period as the Kings controlled play, dumping the puck deep and forcing the Sabres to retrieve and regroup repeatedly.

Oct 23, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Cody Hodgson (19) and Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) get ready for a third period face-off at Staples Center. The Kings went on to a 2-1 win. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

No shutout comes easy, though Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick didn’t have to elevate his play to the same level as when he faced the St. Louis Blues.  Sabres forward Tyler Ennis had a good chance late in the third period as he came off the boards on a cycle and fired a shot while breaking towards the net.  In the dying seconds of the game, Sabres forward Chris Stewart shot a bouncing puck on net.  Quick was in position, juggled the puck, and managed to play it into the corner.

Oct 23, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) makes a glove save during third period action against the Buffalo Sabres at Staples Center. Quick recorded a shutout as the Kings won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

This game was Quick’s 33rd shutout performance of his career.  When the horn blew, Quick officially passed legenedary goaltender Rogie Vachon for Kings career shutouts.  It was fitting that Quick broke the record at home, in front of the Kings faithful, at Staples Center.

The Kings powerplay looked much better going 2-for-3.  Both goals were scored on the powerplay, so it was special teams that decided the outcome of the night.

The Kings next game is on Sunday, October 26th, at 1:00 p.m. PST against the Columbus Blue Jackets.  It is the final game of a six game homestand for the Kings.  After Sunday’s game the Kings will embark on a five game road trip meeting four teams from the Eastern Conference, then wrap up the trip in Dallas against the Stars.