The Los Angeles Kings and interim head coach DJ Smith needed a win in the West in the postseason in the playoffs on Tuesday night (April 21) against the Colorado Avalanche in the Mile High City in Game 2 early this week. The task for Smith and the Kings' coaching staff is now to turn the attention to later this week in Game 3 in the West in the postseason in the playoffs vs. Colorado.
Anton Forsberg has been tremendous defensively for the Los Angeles Kings in the West this postseason in the playoffs stopping pucks in clutch time
Kings' goalie Anton Forsberg has gained valuable postseason experience in the playoffs in the West this spring in this past week on the ice in the Mile High City. Forsberg played behind some great goalies in the postseason in the playoffs in the West in this past decade or so in the league in the NHL.
He played behind Sergei Bobrovsky with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Corey Crawford with the Chicago Blackhawks in the late 2010s decade over five years ago, and Linus Ullmark with the Ottawa Senators this past year north of the border in net.
Darcy Kuemper has been the reliable starting goalie and Vezina Trophy finalist in the postseason in the playoffs in the West in this past couple of years for the Kings in the spring in the league. Kuemper didn't look like himself this past couple of months defensively for the Kings in the West this past regular season.
Forsberg has proven he is the goalie the Kings needed this spring in the postseason in the playoffs in the West. Even though Forsberg has stopped at least a dozen medium and high-danger scoring chances in the middle frame and in clutch time in the final frame in the third period in the last two consecutive games for the Kings (per Natural Stat Trick), LA has come up short in back-to-back games in the West.
In this past couple of games, the Kings have held at bay the best offense in the zone in the league in the NHL this past regular season in this past few months. The Avalanche have scored just four goals in seven periods, including the overtime in the extra time after the final frame in the third period yesterday.
"At the end of the day, we’ve got to look on how we’re playing. We believe in our plan and I mean, we’re right there with one of the best teams in the league. You’ve just got to stick with it and hopefully find a way here."Anton Forsberg
The Kings nearly pulled off the shocking upset in clutch time in the final frame in the third period yesterday in the West vs. Colorado in the Mile High City on a goal from forward Artemi Panarin on special teams on the power play on the 5-on-4 man advantage late in the game on the scoreboard.
"It’s the same game. It is. Obviously, everybody’s trying a little bit harder, but it’s still the same game that you’re playing. It’s one puck, there’s five players on the ice and two goalies, one goalie on each team. It’s the same way. We’ve just got to do what we do and focus on that."Forsberg
I would expect the Kings to have a more aggressive approach in the zone offensively, scoring the puck late this week in Game 3 on Thursday night (April 23) in the West.
"We had some good looks. We had some guys that were in alone, I thought we really had the momentum in overtime; we were out-changing them at that point. Then, maybe a bad bounce, or a turnover, whatever, it ends up in your net. To a man, this team is playing hard, and we got to find a way to win, though."DJ Smith
Forsberg has been a consistent and calm anchor defensively for the Kings in the zone in this last two consecutive games in the postseason in the playoffs to command the team. The Kings have played physical and aggressive in the zone defensively and on the blue line in this series in the West in this past couple of games vs. Colorado.
I would expect Forsberg to play well enough defensively in the crease for the Kings this postseason in the playoffs this spring late this week and this upcoming weekend in the West vs. Colorado for the team to tie the series 2-2.
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