A contest that was filled with reviews and challenges early in the game's first period in the opening frame impacted the Los Angeles Kings (12-6-7) and head coach Jim Hiller against the Vancouver Canucks (10-13-3) last night in the Pacific Division. The Kings came out on top from a rock fight of a game against the Canucks after three goals were called back in the game's first period.
Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings extend the point streak and home winning streak with an overtime 2-1 victory over Vancouver
Center captain Anze Kopitar and forward Adrian Kempe scored the two goals (including the game-winning goal from Kempe in the overtime period yesterday) to defeat the Canucks by a score of 2-1.
The win over the Canucks puts Hiller and the Kings in a tie with the in-state foe Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division standings in the West this fall.
Hiller gave his takeaways and thoughts to the media after the Kings' messy 2-1 overtime win at Crypto Arena on Saturday night over the Canucks from Vancouver.
Yesterday's win was big for the Kings to extend their points streak at home in the Pacific Division in the West, and extend the home winning streak at Crypto.com Arena to two games in the past week.
Here's a look at everything Hiller said to the media postgame following the Kings' 2-1 overtime win on home ice at Crypto Arena on Nov. 29 against the Canucks.
Jim Hiller
On all the reviews and challenges to start the game in the first period yesterday
"First of all, what a start! Anybody seen anything like that before? How far in, four minutes in, less than five, and you’ve got to review it, and that took the flow right out of the game. It started like that, and then the overtime was kind of crazy for a short time too; that was pretty exciting, I guess. In between, there wasn’t much going on."
On the Kings playing in so many one-goal games early this regular season
"It teaches you to play in tight games, but you don’t always want to be in those tight games. It’s hard on everybody. The players understand that they probably play a little more cautious than they would normally, when you’re that tight, so it’s been hard for us to get into a rhythm. We’ve talked about not scoring a lot of goals, sometimes you feel a little more loose, and then you can make things happen.
This is, you can’t make a mistake, it’s almost like playoff hockey, you chip it out, you chip it in. I think probably all those games, it’s helped us, the mentality, but it’s probably just hurt us, feeling good with the puck."
On making adjustments to the lineup in the game yesterday
"We ran Quinton, Kevin and Adrian for a good portion. I wanted to make sure I put them together and give them enough of a run that we weren’t just yanking their chain. They were alright, I don’t think we saw what we what we hoped from that, so it was time to get those broken up. This was as good a time as any, because there was nothing going on."
On the Kings going 0-for in the back-to-back games in the past few days on the power play
"I think you’ll probably see some broader changes when Drew ends up coming back into the lineup. There’s considerations. Normally, we’re afraid of five forwards at the end of a power play, when it’s expiring, because the other team comes out of the box and they put on their best players, and you can get pinned. It limits us a little bit on what we can do exactly, but I think when Drew comes, you’ll see some different looks."
On the Kings being able to find success in some of these close one-goal games
"We try not to give teams too much time and space. I think we're known as a team that's difficult to play. I think Vancouver didn't challenge us too much in the neutral zone. They were pretty satisfied to put it in deep and forecheck us. I thought we did a pretty good job there. Maybe three or four shifts in the third period where we pitched and they came roaring at us off the rush.
Those were really the chances that we were giving up. And when it's that tight, you need what? You need your goalie to make saves. I thought for us that was really important. You look and say, I didn't get that much work. I thought Forsberg was really important for us tonight. That's the pressure on the goalie because it's tight and there's not a lot of goals going in."
On Kempe scoring the overtime goal vs. Vancouver
"Tonight, there wasn’t a lot of room. Last night, he had some pretty good looks in and around the net, got some sticks on them. Tonight, there wasn’t much for anybody. It’s a big moment, somebody’s got a score and I think he’s shown us over the years here that usually, if you’re going to bet on somebody, it would be him."