Los Angeles Kings Can’t Keep It Together, Lose 3-2 to Florida Panthers in Waning Minutes
This road trip needs to end.
The Los Angeles Kings have been traveling down the East coast from Boston to Washington to Sunrise, Florida. Each stop along the way has been a tally in the ‘L’ column.
Three games for the Kings, 0 points collected.
Florida Panthers forward Brandon Pirri picked the right moment to keep his four-game scoring streak alive.
With 3:05 left in regulation the Panthers jumped on a Kings turnover at center-ice. Panthers forward Thomas Fleischmann made a dipsy-doo deke, putting the puck through the legs of Kings defensemen Drew Doughty, and left a drop pass for Pirri. Pirri came in on a tough angle and ripped a wrist-shot up over Jonathan Quick’s shoulder.
Los Angeles Kings
Pirri’s goal was one of three in the third period.
Marian Gaborik ripped one home at the beginning of the period on the power-play.
Then the Panthers scored the two unanswered goals to win the game. Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad intercepted a bad no-look backhand pass by Jake Muzzin in the Kings zone. Muzzin put it right on Bjugstad’s tape in the slot, setting up a free goal on an unprepared Quick.
Final shots in the game: Kings-31, Panthers-20.
L.A. needs to learn how to finish. Finish putting the puck in the net. Finish games by skating for a complete 20-minutes. Finish with a solid effort if they want to make it into the playoffs, which will be a race to the finish. Just finish.
The Kings are now 5 points back from a Western Conference playoff spot. What’s worse, the Kings are giving up ground, sliding further and further back. Their missteps have allowed the Colorado Avalanche to take over 9th place in the conference, pushing the Kings back to 10th.
Kings defensemen Jamie McBain made an immediate impact in his first game back in the lineup. McBain scored the Kings first goal. Tonight was McBain’s first game in the lineup since January 8th. McBain was a healthy scratch for nine games over the span.
L.A.’s top line of Dustin Brown, Marian Gaborik and Anze Kopitar showed some signs of life.
More from Editorials
- Kings vs. Oilers prediction and odds for NHL playoffs Game 2
- The LA Kings Goalie Controversy No One Saw Coming
- LA Kings’ Adrian Kempe is an Underrated Swedish Star
- Kings’ Stanley Cup odds are disrespectful
- Rink Royalty goes behind the scenes with Union and Blue for LAK-CBJ game
Gaborik had a goal and an assist. Brown had two helpers, and Kopitar recorded one. In the Kings last three games the team has a collective three goals. The first line had a collective five points tonight.
Gaborik and Kopitar had tremendous chemistry in the playoffs last year. There’s been a few stints and sparks of it this season. Nothing consistent enough to help the Kings win on a regular basis.
It’s the race for the playoffs and the Kings are on a three-game losing streak. In their last 10 the Kings are 2-5-3; in their last 15: 3-7-5. In the words of Magic 8-ball: Outlook Not Good.
L.A.’s next game is Saturday in Tampa Bay. The Lightning are the top team in the Eastern Conference; they have four regulation losses at home. Puck-drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. PST (5:00 p.m. EST).
More from Rink Royalty
- LA Kings goaltending could be better than expected in 2023-24
- LA Kings should consider taking a chance on these 2 free agents
- 2 forwards listed as “movable pieces” by the Los Angeles Kings
- LA Kings Need a Goalie: Here’s Our Wishlist of Potential Targets
- Checking in on the LA Kings players in the IIHF World Championship
Feb 5, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Florida Panthers center Nick Bjugstad (27) celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Kings in the third period at BB&T Center. The Panthers won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports