Los Angeles Kings Defeated in Shootout by Nashville Predators 4-3

Tuesday night the Los Angeles Kings were in Nashville taking on the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Nashville came into the game with a record of 13-5-2, and an impressive home record of 7-1-1. Nashville was second in the Central Division and tied for fourth in the Western Conference with 28 points.

Los Angeles entered the game with the worst road record in the NHL, of 1-4-3, but a good overall of 11-6-4. L.A. had 26 points ranking fourth in the Pacific Division and sixth in the Western Conference.

Backup goaltender Martin Jones got the start for the Kings. Starter Pekka Rinne was between the pipes for the Predators.

The game was expected to be tight, and physical. It lived up to expectations. Play was back and forth, but it was the home team that scored first.

Poor positioning by the Kings created this goal. Nashville defensemen Anton Volchenkov wrapped the puck around the boards in the Predators zone. Colin Wilson picked it up at the blue line and zipped a pass over to Craig Smith. Kings defensemen Jake Muzzin was pinching on the play, which allowed Smith to get behind him, receive the pass and skate in on a breakaway. Smith fired a shot beating Jones 5-hole.

The Kings answered back five minutes later. Kings recently signed free agent defensemen Jamie McBain got his first goal of the season. McBain jumped up on a breaking play and went to the front of the Predators net. McBain was able to tip a shot taken by Justin Williams, find his own rebound after Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne made a pad save, and slap it into the net.

In the second period the Kings took the lead.

One minute and one second into the second Jeff Carter pulled a Dwayne Robertson “Cowboy” alley-oop pass like the end of D2: The Mighty Ducks. Carter was on the halfboards in the Kings zone when he lofted a pass high into the air. Marian Gaborik raced down the ice, beating Nashville defensemen Ryan Ellis to the puck and slapping it top shelf over Rinne’s shoulder.

The Kings held the lead, but by the end of the period it evaporated, changing hands again. The last three minutes of the second were not good for L.A.

Nov 25, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators left winger James Neal (18) reacts after a goal by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won in a shoot out 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

With 2:24 left in the second Nashville tied the game, with Ryan Ellis making up for Gaborik out-skating him earlier in the period. The Kings couldn’t get the puck out of their zone, and Colin Wilson kept it down below the Kings goal line. With the Kings running around and flustered Wilson put a pass out to Ellis at the point. Ellis one-timed a powerhouse slapshot into the net, past Jones.

Then with 1:32 left in the second the Predators held the puck in. Predators superstar defensemen Shea Weber took a shot from the point. Jones made the save but kicked the rebound out to Taylor Beck. Beck separated himself from Matt Greene, spun around and fired a low shot. A foot off the crease Eric Nystrom tipped the puck and recorded Nashville’s third goal.

It looked like it was over for the Kings.

But then, in the third, the juggernaut appeared.

Herrrrrrrre’s Dewy.

36-seconds into the third period Kings defensemen Drew Doughty rushed the puck coast-to-coast and beat Rinne to tie the game at 3 goals apiece. Dewy took the puck behind his own net, brought it to center beating one Nashville forward in the process. Doughty brought the puck into the Predators zone, made a nifty move to get between two Nashville defenders and fired a wrist shot from the high slot that beat Rinne.

No exaggeration, Doughty looked like the legendary number 4. Bobby Orr himself would have been proud of that goal.

With the third all tied up the game would require overtime.

A couple posts hit in overtime kept the Kings alive. Filip Forsberg and Shea Weber each hit the post in the five-minute period. Weber smacked the post on a blast that Martin Jones never saw.

This one was going to the shootout.

Derek Roy shot first for Nashville. Jones made a glove save at the top of the crease to deny Roy.

Jeff Carter was first for the Kings, trying to swing the puck around Rinne who came out of his net aggressively, played the puck and made the save.

Filip Forsberg was second for Nashville. Forsberg came in and fired a shot that was stopped by Jones.

Marian Gaborik went second for L.A. skating wide, Gaborik lost control of the puck and never got the shot off.

Ryan Ellis was stopped on a deke attempt by Jones.

Anze Kopitar shot third for Kings, Rinne faked open 5-hole, Kopitar tried to beat Rinne 5-hole, and hit the goalie’s stick.

Craig Smith’s deke attempt was denied by Jones.