For the first time this fall in the preseason, the Los Angeles Kings and head coach Jim Hiller dropped a game to the Anaheim Ducks in a two-goal loss to head coach Joel Quenneville's squad on Saturday evening (Sep. 27). The Kings let their foot off the gas after building a one-goal lead early in the third period after the Ducks rallied for three straight tallies in clutch time in the game's final 10 minutes.
Despite an early third-period goal from Trevor Moore, the Los Angeles Kings fell to the Anaheim Ducks yesterday
Anaheim scored two quick goals in the middle-to-latter stages of the third period and then put the game away with an insurance goal on an empty-netter late in the frame to seal the win over the Kings.
The Kings struggled staying out of the box and made some undisciplined plays that cost the team late in the third period, which resulted in the team's first defeat to the Ducks this preseason.
Here are two big overreactions after the Kings' 5-3 loss to the Ducks in the preseason at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, CA, on Sep. 27.
Kings power play is in trouble
Penalty trouble and poor execution with the special teams on the power play and with the penalty kill unit late in the third period cost the Kings the game yesterday against the Ducks. The Kings were 0-for-6 on the power play, despite getting over a dozen shots on goal on special teams yesterday.
Petr Mrazek was solid in net for the Ducks as the backbone of the Anaheim penalty kill.
"We had a lot of looks on the power play. I think, you know, Mrazek played really well. We would take those looks. I think most nights you’d get a couple on the power play. Obviously, we didn’t. They cash in at the end. Not so much off structured looks, just some bounces and some thrown puts the net. "Jim Hiller on the Kings' special teams
Instead of just sending the puck to the net and hoping it goes in, the Kings need to press for rebounds and more high quality shot opportunities with the top special teams units on the power play.
Of the Kings' double-digit number of power play shots on special teams against the Ducks yesterday, only three of them resulted in high or medium-danger scoring chances against Mrazek in net.
Trevor Moore will rebound this season and score 30 goals
The only goal the Kings scored in the third period in yesterday's loss to the Ducks came off the stick of Trevor Moore early in the frame that beat Mrazek to the stickside in goal.
"Saw a guy that fell down, got lucky. Then the goalie I think was just kind of cheating over towards Phil so it just gave me a lane."Trevor Moore
Moore looked really good for the Kings yesterday. He had a good jump in his step and he won multiple puck battles in the neutral zone and with special teams on the power play and the penalty kill. His quick release on his shot was also looking as good and quick as ever when he scored the goal on Mrazek yesterday early in the third period for the Kings.
It was also encouraging to see the line with center Phillip Danault, winger Warren Foegele, and winger Moore look so natural and proficient for the Kings in the offensive zone against the Ducks.