Dud: Andrei Kuzmenko, W
There was a chance early in the final frame in the third period yesterday for Kuzmenko to give the Kings the lead back on the scoreboard before clutch time. But he was denied by Joel Hofer for the Blues in net on a scoring chance around the goal in the crease early in the final frame yesterday.
After he registered a nice goal offensively with the puck this past week in the regulation 4-3 win on home ice at Crypto Arena over the New York Rangers from the East on Jan. 20, I was hoping for Kuzmenko to build on that momentum scoring the puck offensively vs. St. Louis on the road.
Kuzmenko didn't get much of a role yesterday in the final frame in the third period on the road vs. St. Louis. He played the fewest minutes in time on the ice of all the top nine forward core line groups for the Kings and Hiller yesterday in the third period in clutch time in the final frame.
It was nice to see Kuzmenko get involved in some gritty plays defensively on the ice yesterday with the Kings' forward lines core. He registered a season-high two blocked shots, including one in the third period in the final frame, and a takeaway in the neutral zone in the second period in the middle frame vs. St. Louis.
He played under 15 minutes in time on the ice for the first time in the last three consecutive games in the West yesterday.