2 studs, 1 dud from LA Kings shutout win vs. Vancouver

What had to be a much-needed win in the standings in the West in the Pacific Division yesterday on the road north of the border in Canada vs. the Vancouver Canucks (21-42-8) resulted in a convincing 4-0 shutout win for the Los Angeles Kings (29-25-18) on the scoreboard.

Quinton Byfield has the third straight multi-point game in the Los Angeles Kings' 4-0 Pacific Division win over the Canucks on Thursday night

New interim head coach DJ Smith and the Kings took an early 1-0 lead on the scoreboard in the opening frame in the first period on the ice and never looked back in the middle frame in the second period. Scott Laughton set the tone on the ice and on the scoreboard for the Kings yesterday on the road vs. Vancouver, scoring a goal on special teams on the power play in the opening frame in the first period, on a marker assisted by forwards Trevor Moore and Quinton Byfield.

I thought most respects of this game on the ice and on the scoreboard the Kings looked good and handled the Canucks on the stat sheet yesterday. The Kings scored at least one goal in each period yesterday in the convincing win vs. the Canucks, including a couple of goals on the scoreboard in the middle frame in the second period against Vancouver.

Byfield sealed the game winner on the scoreboard for the Kings yesterday on the road vs. the Canucks with an empty-netter in the final frame in the third period late in the game to seal the 4-0 win for LA and Smith.

Here are two studs and one dud from the Kings' convincing 4-0 shutout win over the Canucks on the road in Vancouver north of the border in the Pacific Division on March 26.

Stud: Trevor Moore, W

The game's first two goals on the scoreboard were both contributed to the Kings and Smith yesterday on the road vs. Vancouver in the Pacific Division by Moore. He registered the secondary assisted on the game's first goal on the scoreboard in the opening frame in the first period for the Kings on the goal scored by Laughton on special teams on the power play.

And then, Moore gave the Kings an even more comfortable lead on the scoreboard early in the middle frame in the second period by a couple of goals vs. the Canucks with his first goal of the game.

"We haven’t had a ton of bounces, to be honest, and it’s a great screen, gets a touch on it, and it goes in. So, hopefully that’s a sign of things to come, I guess, that we’re going to get some bounces. "

DJ Smith

Had it not been for Moore getting the game's second goal on the scoreboard in the middle frame in the second period yesterday vs. Vancouver on the road, the Kings would've had a really disappointing period of not scoring until Artemi Panarin's goal late in the frame before the second intermission in the locker room.

Dud: Brian Dumoulin, D

Veteran defenseman Brian Dumoulin played a month-low and a game-low of just 14 minutes on the ice in the game yesterday vs. the Canucks for the Kings on the blue line for the coaching staff. Dumoulin was mostly shut down on the bench in the final frame in the third period on the blue line on defense yesterday on the road vs. Vancouver north of the border.

The defensive pairing on the blue line for the Kings and Smith of Dumoulin and Cody Ceci has struggled on the ice recently in this past couple of weeks in the West for LA this regular season. Dumoulin and Ceci had multiple defensive-zone turnovers for the third consecutive game in this past week on the blue line on defense for the Kings (per Natural Stat Trick).

Stud: Quinton Byfield, F

No Kings' player offensively in the zone is hotter in this past couple of weeks on the ice for the team's active roster lineup this month in mid-to-late March than forward Quinton Byfield. He not only registered an assist (the primary assist on the goal) on the game's first goal on the scoreboard for the Kings yesterday offensively, but he also sealed the game-winner on an empty-net goal in the final frame in the third period.

Byfield has played well on both ends of the ice and in the zone offensively this past couple of weeks on the ice for the Kings and Smith. He registered multiple points and won over a half dozen faceoffs in the middle frame in the second period and in the final frame vs. the Canucks yesterday on the ice.

"We were talking about him, especially in the faceoff circle, the last stretch, he’s been like 60 some percent, so it’s nice when they’re winning draws, they get the puck right away. He’s big, he’s fast and he’s using it. He’s playing well on both sides of the puck and with Mooresie and Laf together, they’re really finding a good stride."

Mikey Anderson on Quinton Byfield

No player has produced as much in the zone offensively for the Kings in the active roster lineup this past week or so this month in mid-to-late March than Byfield, registering nine points in the last six games for the team in the West.