The Washington Capitals (16-9-2) and Alex Ovechkin swept the regular season series in the past couple of months against the Los Angeles Kings (12-7-7) after a slow 3-1 loss on home ice at Crypto.com Arena early this week on Tuesday night (Dec. 2).
Jim Hiller and the Los Angeles Kings lose to the Capitals for the second time in the past three weeks this fall
In the game's first two periods, the Capitals took advantage of more power play opportunities on special teams than the Kings. It was special teams that ultimately cost the Kings' the game yesterday on the scoreboard, with the Capitals scoring a breakaway goal in the third period in the final frame coming out of the box.
Jim Hiller and the Kings have played many close games this fall early in the regular season. This game didn't go to overtime yesterday vs. Washington, but it was a close one-goal game until the Capitals scored an empty-netter late in the game's third period.
Hiller gave his reaction to the media after the Kings' slow two-goal loss offensively vs. the Capitals at home on Tuesday night.
The Kings and Hiller had their two-game home winning streak snapped at Crypto Arena yesterday in the 3-1 loss to Washington.
Here's a look at everything Hiller said to the media postgame following the Kings' lacking 3-1 loss on home ice at Crypto.com Arena on Dec. 2 against the Capitals.
Jim Hiller
On the Capitals' game-winning goal on the breakaway coming out of the penalty box
"We have to be aware that the penalty is expiring, for sure, but it’s more than just him. It’s not just him, but it was a mistake."
On making so many adjustments to the lines offensively for the Kings recently
"I wouldn’t say it’s frustrating, just trying to find a spark, right? So, we stick with it. You’re probably referring to Q going back with Kopi and Juice, he wasn’t getting a lot done in the middle with that line, so, we go back and see if there’s any magic from the old days."
On the specific adjustments with the forwards this season
"I got plenty in the back pocket. Yeah, you guys have seen that over the last couple years. No, it's spontaneous. I mean, it's based on who might be tired. Kopi's winning face off. There's a lot of different things that go into it relatively in the moment, but you got to plan ahead sometimes, of course."
On his takeaways from seeing how the power play performed yesterday vs. Washington
"They scored one and we scored zero and they scored on the other side, so, you can’t feel very good about it. They moved it around, so that part of it was good, I thought the group with Dumoulin, the puck was moving, looked like there was some action there in and around the net. That part was good, but in the end, we give one up, basically, on our power play and I would say that was probably the difference."
On Phillip Danault's play lately for the Kings this fall
"Probably the ice time is a bit of a reflection on the evaluation, right? It’s just, he just hasn’t really got it going yet this year and he’s not playing special teams as much, that’s always minutes. I think if you look at his even-strength minutes versus everybody else in the team, the group of forwards, it’s up there. It’s just he’s missing some of those special teams minutes and that’s why the ice time is down."
On the missed call on the slashing play that broke Trevor Moore's stick in the third period
"I think he’s in a dangerous spot. We didn’t get there very often. It looks like that’s going to be probably our best chance of the period and it’s an odd place for the stick to break."
On what he liked from the goal Adrian Kempe scored yesterday
"I thought that's as well as Kempe skated, maybe since I can remember this season. Maybe there were other games. I don't know, but I really thought he was quick and on the goal for sure. But there was other times that he really looked like he had his legs. He really looked dangerous. And if he can keep doing that, he's going to get more of those types of looks."
On how he thought Brandt Clarke played yesterday vs. Washington
"He was good. This is something we didn’t see last year, right? The play made on Beauvillier for the first goal was something that wasn’t in his game last year, and so we’ve talked about it quite a bit, he’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s more aggressive, he can knock people off the puck like he did. It’s an excellent defensive play, excellent."