Ahead of the LA Kings planned scrimmage at the Staples Center on Saturday, the team had some tough news to deal with.
The LA Kings were set to have an intrasquad scrimmage at the Staples Center on Saturday afternoon. According to head coach Todd McLellan, the game was going to be as realistic as possible.
“It will be a drop the puck and play situation and they’ll create their own situations. We need that right now. It’ll be that type of scenario, where line changes will be important and shift length will be important. Stuff that you can’t always control and practice.”
But before the Black and White scrimmage, the team was hit with some news.
Five players absent from today’s team-issued roster:
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) January 9, 2021
Gabe Vilardi
Kurtis MacDermid
Sean Walker
Cal Petersen
Matt Villalta https://t.co/lDp1gRbuef
We’ll see if this impacts the season start date, but it could be a situation where one player tested positive for COVID-19 and contract tracing prevented the other four from playing. And from my discussion with Dennis Bernstein, he made a good point that the team DID continue with scrimmage.
Team White opens the scoring, as Jeff Carter gets on the board with an unassisted tally.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 0 ⚪️ - 1 I 17:00 Left, 1st Period
Mark Alt with an opportunity for Team White from the right, created by Blake Lizotte. Grosenick with a glove save to bring us to the first media timeout of the scrimmage.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 0 ⚪️ - 1 I 13:36 Left, 1st Period
Michael Amadio capitalizes off of a defensive-zone turnover by Team White and fires past Jonathan Quick to tie the game at one.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 1 ⚪️ - 1 I 10:31 Left, 1st Period
Austin Strand walks in from the right point and fires a shot on goal from the right-hand circle. Quick makes the stop and holds for a whistle and the final media timeout of the first period.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 1 ⚪️ - 1 I 5:38 Left, 1st Period
Carl Grundstrom and Matt Luff nearly connect on a goal for Team White, but Grundstrom's shot from a sharp angle hits the crossbar, waived off.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Luff's rebound opportunity is stopped by Grosenick and Team Black clears.
⚫️ - 1 ⚪️ - 1 I 3:42 Left, 1st Period
All square through 20 minutes. Grosenick and Quick each with a handful of stops in the second-half of the opening period.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 1 ⚪️ - 1 I First Intermission
https://twitter.com/mayornhl/status/1348021397457494016?s=21
Second Period Is Underway!
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 1 ⚪️ - 1 I 20:00 Left, 2nd Period
Dustin Brown finishes a nice passing play by Team Black. Brown beat Troy Grosenick through the five-hole off an assist from Adrian Kempe.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️ - 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 19:10 Left, 2nd Period
Nice passing play from Team White.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Lizotte ➡️ Athanasiou ➡️ Carter at the back post, but the final shot goes just wide of Grosenick's left pad.
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 15:03 Left, 2nd Period
Austin Strand dodges a man at the offensive blue line, drags onto his forehand & creates a shot on goal. Jonathan Quick covers and holds for a media timeout.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 10:27 Left, 2nd Period
Andreas Athanasiou with a nifty deke in the offensive zone to draw a tripping call against Markus Phillips. Team White to the power play.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 7:31 Left, 2nd Period
Lizotte - Carter - Anderson-Dolan - Athanasiou - Clague is the PP unit as Team White starts its man advantage.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 7:31 Left, 2nd Period
Nice offensive-zone pressure from the forward unit of Grundstrom - Eyssimont - Luff to earn another PP for Team White. Man advantage to come after the final media timeout of the second period.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 4:04 Left, 2nd Period
For Team White, Anderson-Dolan with a shot on goal, and a couple of good passing plays, on the PP.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
For Team Black, Olli Maatta with a body check on Lizotte to win the puck and clear the zone on the PK.
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 2:24 Left, 2nd Period
Late chance for Team Black, as Rasmus Kupari wins a footrace down the left wing and gets a breakaway, but unable to beat Jonathan Quick.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 2 ⚪️ - 1 I 1:19 Left, 2nd Period
Olli Maatta steps in from the left point and one-times a shot inside the post and past Quick's right pad.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Trevor Moore and Austin Wagner with the assists on the play.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 1 I 0:22 Left, 2nd Period
Team Black holds a two-goal advantage as the second period comes to a close.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 1 I Second Intermission
End of 40 minutes ar the stapler...
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) January 9, 2021
3 Team Belanger
1 Team Ahola
🚨 Dustin Brown, 🍎 Kempe
🚨 Maatta, 🍎 Moore, Wagner
Third period is underway!
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 1 I 20:00 Left, 3rd Period
Two partial breakaways for Team Black, from Kopitar and Madden, but neither result in a goal. Action rolls on early in the third.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 1 I 17:45 Left, 3rd Period
Team Black to the power-play early in the third.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Starting unit is Kopitar - Iafallo - Brown - Kempe - Doughty.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 1 I 15:18 Left, 3rd Period
Team White pulls a goal back while shorthanded. Carl Grundstrom with the finish and Jeff Carter picks up his second point of the afternoon with the assist.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 2 I 14:16 Left, 3rd Period
Another power play for Team Black, as Dudas sits for slashing. First media timeout of the third period, Team Black leads by a goal.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 2 I 12:37 Left, 3rd Period
Anze Kopitar, working down the right wing, attempts to make a move around Daniel Brickley, but the Team White defenseman is whistled for interference.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Third PP of the period for Team Black, as we pass the halfway mark of the frame.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 2 I 9:32 Left, 3rd Period
At one end, Trevor Moore is denied by Jonathan Quick at the back post. Carl Grundstrom and Andreas Athanasiou then go the other way, 2-on-1, and draw a penalty.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
4-on-4 for 24 seconds, followed by a Team White PP.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 2 I 7:56 Left, 3rd Period
Now a 5-on-3 for Team White, as Athanasiou draws another penalty driving to the net.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
48 seconds of two-man advantage for Team White, trailing by one.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 2 I 6:44 Left, 3rd Period
Tic-Tac-Toe!
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Jaret Anderson-Dolan hits Andreas Athanasiou on the goalline, who feeds Jeff Carter for the tap-in at the back post.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 3 I 6:03 Left, 3rd Period
And another for Team White, just 28 seconds after tying the game!
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Matt Luff gets the power-play tally, this at 5-on-4.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 4 I 5:25 Left, 3rd Period
Good work below the goal line from Austin Wagner creates a pair of chances for the forward from close range. Quick with both saves to keep Team White on top.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 4 I 3:58 Left, 3rd Period
Adrian Kempe goes end-to-end, and hits Drew Doughty at the back post. Shot was blocked, but draws a penalty.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Team Black PP, down a goal, with 3:01 remaining.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 4 I 3:01 Left, 3rd Period
Empty Net, 6-on-4 for Team Black.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 4 I 1:49 Left, 3rd Period
Team White wins (in regulation) by a 4-3 final.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
The teams will now play a five-minute period of 3-on-3.
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 4 I 0:00 Left In Regulation
After 60 minutes (OT next)
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) January 9, 2021
4 Team Ahola
3 Team Belanger
🚨 Grundstrom, 🍎 Carter#Goalstrom
🚨 Carter, 🍎 JAD, AA#allhedoesisscore
🚨 Luff PPG
Brandon Kozun Trophy (awarded annually to the black/white scrimmage MVP*) goes to Jeff Carter.
* Annually aka established 2021
Team White wins, but we’re playing OT anyway.
Durzi weaves into the offensive zone and hits Jeff Carter in the slot, who gets a good chance on Grosenick, but is denied.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 4 I 1:48 Left in 3-on-3
Mikey Eyssimont forces a turnover in his own end, leads a 2-on-1 rush the other way, and snipes on past Troy Grosenick on the glove side from the right circle late in the 3-on-3 session.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
⚫️- 3 ⚪️ - 5 I 0:28 Left in 3-on-3
Practicing all the real-game scenarios
The teams will now do a shootout -
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Black: Kopitar - ✖️
White: Carter - ✅
Round 2: 0-2
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Black: Kempe - ✖️
White: Athanasiou - ✅
Round 3: 0-3
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
Black: Amadio - ✖️
White: Andersson - ✅
FINAL from STAPLES Center - Team White comes out on top in all three phases, 4-3 in regulation, 1-0 in "overtime" and 3-0 in the shootout.
— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) January 9, 2021
A scrimmage no-less, but Jeff Carter had a big game. More to come on postgame quotes from Todd McLellan.