The Los Angeles Kings (14-10-9) got numerous scoring chances and high-danger scoring chances yesterday on the road against the Florida Panthers (18-13-2), but ultimately came up short by one goal on the scoreboard. Alex Laferriere and the Kings jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on the scoreboard in the game's first period in the opening frame, thanks to a power play goal on special teams from Joel Armia on a tip-in shot.
Alex Laferriere and the Los Angeles Kings stretch the losing streak in the West to four games late this week
Laferriere and defenseman Brandt Clarke assisted the game's first goal in the opening frame yesterday scored on the power play on special teams by Armia.
Defensively, the Kings got behind on the scoreboard in the game's second and third periods. The Kings and Mikey Anderson were physical in the game's third period, but they ultimately couldn't close the gap in the scoring margin. The Kings fell to the Panthers by a score of 3-2 yesterday on the road in Sunrise.
Laferriere and Anderson gave their takeaways to the media yesterday after the one-goal blown-lead loss to the Panthers on the road in Florida.
The loss to the Panthers yesterday makes it well into double digits that the Kings have had blown-lead losses this regular season in the past couple of months.
Here's a look at everything Anderson and Laferriere said to the media postgame following the Kings' close 3-2 loss to the Panthers in Sunrise on the road on Dec. 17.
Alex Laferriere
On how the Kings played yesterday vs. Florida
"It was good in the first. Got away from us a little bit in the second and then a tough start to the third, but I thought we responded really well to that and took it to them a little bit in the third and just got to bear down on our chances and try and score goals. We just can't score goals right now. So it's frustrating, but I think it'll show the resilience of our group."
On the breaks not going the Kings way yesterday in Florida
"We're getting chances and just can't seem to bury them, and then they're getting some lucky bounces, and it's going in for them. It's a long season. It's hockey. It happens, and right now we just got to bear down on those chances and try to score."
On the goal the Kings scored on the power play on special teams
"That's what our power play tries to do. We try and get the puck to the net and create havoc. We've got we got Perrs down there, Army down there, and they're two unbelievable net front guys. So, anytime we can get it towards the net, it's a positive thing.
Clarky had a good sifter there, and Army got a good piece of that. That's just what we try and do."
On how Anton Forsberg played for the Kings yesterday vs. Florida
"He was the reason we were still in that game. He made some unbelievable saves. Came up huge for us in big moments and I think it gives the guys in front of him a lot of positive feelings towards the rest of the game when we know we have him back there to bail us out when we need him to. He definitely did that for us tonight."
Mikey Anderson
On his thoughts on the loss to Florida yesterday
"Tonight, even in Dallas, I thought overall, it’s pretty solid games both nights. If you’re not getting points, it feels almost useless. I know no one’s really happy. Obviously, you’re happy with the way you play, but if you don’t win, it doesn’t really make you feel any better for having a good game. It’s one, two bounces, but we need those to go our way if we want to go where we want to go."
On how Anton Forsberg has played in net for the Kings this week
"He’s been great all year. Whenever he’s been in, he’s been good. Last game, again, comes in a tough situation, cold, and thought he was good. And again, same thing tonight, made some big saves when we need him to. So it’s good when you can get a guy like him, and you have Darcy and even Copper now behind us, you feel comfortable to go out there and play, and they make it easier for us."
On the Kings not getting bounces to go their way vs. Florida yesterday
"It’s the way it goes. We get one today off them trying to shoot it out of the zone, and somehow goes in. So maybe we feel like we haven’t gotten a lot of those, but at the end of the day, we’ve had other chances to score, and maybe we don’t find a way, or we have got a chance to break up a play in the other way, and we don’t. End of the day, it comes back to us finding different ways to either put it in, keep it out, and get points."
On how desperate the Kings are playing right now
"Every game, you look at how tight everything is from top to bottom, you lose one or two games, and you can go down four or five spots. We don’t want to come out of here with nothing. We had a great road trip last time. We’ve been pretty good on the road all year. We like what we’re doing, but it’s results-based. So we got to find a way to come out tomorrow and get two points."