LA Kings vs. Wild: Three takeaways in 5-3 loss against Wild
Takeaway #3: The LA Kings veterans still lead the way.
The LA Kings are in the midst of infusing more youth into the lineup, but the veteran players still have a lot to contribute. All season Captain Anze Kopitar has been outstanding, and tonight was no different. Kopitar picked up two more assists to bring his total to 11, which leads the league.
At the pace he’s putting up offensive numbers, Kopitar has to be considered an early candidate for the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.
The Kings’ former captain, Dustin Brown, also had a good night. Brown kicked off the LA scoring with the previously mentioned deflection of an Anze Kopitar shot on the power play. He also contributed the primary assist on Alex Iafallo’s goal in the third period.
Kopitar credited with the PPG. May have gone off Brown. Anyway, 3-1 MIN. #LAKings pic.twitter.com/Gta4jYcfs9
— Rink Royalty (@RinkRoyalty) January 29, 2021
Despite the Wild scoring five goals, Brown was even in the +/- category, and he also chipped in one shot and one hit.
The last veteran that stood out tonight was Drew Doughty. Like Brown, Doughty had both a goal and an assist. With the Kings defense corps being decimated by injuries tonight, he logged a whopping 32:19 of ice time while also getting in 3 shots on goal.
On a side note, thank you to the LA Kings PR department for making him available for the post-game zoom press conference – he’s always a great interview!
Trending. Doughty’s perfect pairing partner remains a mystery. light
LA Kings Schedule
Going forward, the Kings’ next game is Tuesday night, February 2nd at the Staples Center against the Anaheim Ducks, where they will debut the new Reverse Retro jerseys. Stay tuned for updates on the injury front.