Los Angeles Kings Fall to Chicago Blackhawks 4-1

Monday night the Los Angeles Kings took on the Chicago Blackhaws at the United Center in the windy city. Chicago got the win, defeating the Kings 4-1.

The Kings battled hard all game long. It was quick back-to-back goals in the second period that did L.A. in.

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Right out of the gate the Kings were physical and moving the puck forward. Unfortunately, L.A. still gave up the first goal of the game.

5:31 into the first period Chicago Blackhawks forward Bryan Bickell picked up the first goal of the game. Bickell was standing in front of the net and when the Kings allowed Brandon Saad to walk around from behind the goal. Saad turned and fired a shot that hit Bickell’s stick and tipped the puck over Jonathan Quick’s left pad toe.

Jake Muzzin tied the game with 33-seconds left in the first. In the Hawks zone Muzzin picked the puck up off the boards, blindly throwing it at the net. The shot went untouched through the legs of Chicago goaltender Scott Darling.

39-seconds into the second period Andrej Sekera took at 2-minute penalty for roughing against Kris Versteeg.

With Sekera in the penalty box and the Hawks on the power-play Chicago was able to set up a Duncan Keith one-timer that beat Quick. Andrew Shaw and Robyn Regehr provided the screen in-front.

1:04 later Blackhawks defensemen Niklas Hjalmarsson scored his 3rd goal of the season by jumping on a poor, missed breakout pass by the Kings. In one quick motion Hjalmarsson took the puck, cut into the slot and fired a low wrist-shot through traffic.

The Blackhawks were able to really tighten up the game and put the squeeze on the Kings after getting the two-goal lead.

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In the third Marian Hossa scored the lone goal, his 22nd of the season, with just under seven-minutes left to play.

The Kings were limited to 9 shots in the third period. Most were from outside areas, limiting any solid scoring chances. The Kings continued to push, but never regained the game’s momentum.

L.A. will return to Staples center with a 3-2-0 record from their five-game road-trip.

It was good to see the Kings played an inspired game; they never gave up. That doesn’t make the loss any less painful. However there have been times this season that we, even as Kings fans, would have to admit the team didn’t skate hard for the full 60-minutes.

Knowing the Kings have the energy and will to keep pushing is important for the future. There’s nothing we can do about tonight’s loss. It happened. It’s over.

L.A. is going to need that same fighting spirit to get wins going forward. If they want to play all the way to the end of April there can be no give-up. A number of Pacific Division opponents are waiting, and they are games that represent two-points the Kings desperately need.

The other bad news of the night: the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames both won their games. Vancouver beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1, and the Flames toppled the Dallas Stars 5-3.

The hill the Kings have to climb is getting steeper.

L.A.’s next game is Thursday night against the Edmonton Oilers. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PST.

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Mar 30, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) is defended by Los Angeles Kings center Mike Richards (10) during the third period at the United Center. The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

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