Thanks to a good start to the game in the opening frame and a clutch game in net in goal from Anton Forsberg on Tuesday night (Jan. 20) on home ice at Crypto Arena, the Los Angeles Kings (20-16-13) ended a losing streak with a big 4-3 regulation win over the New York Rangers (21-24-6). Forsberg stopped 28 out of the 29 shots he faced, and double-digit high and medium-danger scoring chances to get the Kings a clutch one-goal win on the scoreboard early this week.
Anton Forsberg deserves the first star in a clutch performance for the Los Angeles Kings in a win over the New York Rangers this past Tuesday night
Head coach Jim Hiller and the Kings were fast starting out of the gates in the opening frame in the first period scoring the puck offensively on Tuesday night, including early goals from forwards Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe. Taylor Ward and Andrei Kuzmenko added to the Kings' goal tally count in the middle frame in the second period.
Forsberg and Kempe gave their reactions to the media on Tuesday night after the resilient and clutch 4-3 regulation win over the Rangers from the East on home ice.
It was very valuable and crucial for the Kings and Hiller to pick up two points in the standings in the West this past Tuesday night with the clutch one-goal win on the scoreboard over the Rangers from New York.
Here's a look at everything Kempe and Forsberg said to the media postgame following the Kings' clutch 4-3 regulation win on Tuesday night (Jan. 20) over the Rangers on home ice at Crypto.com Arena early this week.
Adrian Kempe
On how Anton Forsberg played in net for the Kings vs. New York on Tuesday
"He came in really well. We weren't sure really what happened to Darcy or if he had to go out or not, but Forsy came in, did a great job, and [you] can only imagine how it is, sitting on the bench and not that warm at that point, but came in later in the first and did a great job the rest of the game. Really happy for him."
On how the Kings set the tone with a fast start in the first period in the opening frame vs. New York
"I think the start's been good all year. I feel like we just haven't capitalized on our chances and stuff. So it was nice to get one off early, and I think the rest of the team built off that as wel,l and we just went out there, played with instinct, not thinking too much, and it was obviously nice to get one on the board early."
On the forecheck that the Kings put pressure on New York offensively on Tuesday
"I felt like we stayed on their D. I felt like we played a little bit more more aggressive with our defenseman as well, pinching a little bit more, but on the other side of it, I think we covered well for them and kept pucks alive. This is the way we have been playing recently. The pucks haven't gone in for us. It's just another pretty good game from us, I think."
On the goal he scored in the first period in the opening frame vs. New York
[Brandt Clarke's] great. He's offensively very talented. I think he's been taking big steps all year. It was a nice play coming out of our zone. Perrs made a great play to me up the ice, and then Clarky joined. That's what we need from our D-men, too. When you have your guy beat up the ice, that's when you can get all man rushes, and that's something that we want to get better at too, creating odd-man rushes against the other opponents. But yeah, he did a great job there, made a great pass to me.
On facing Jonathan Quick in net vs. the Rangers on Tuesday at home for LA
"It's been awesome. I'm not sure how many times I've played against him here before, but it's obviously special to play against former teammates, and Quickie is definitely one of them, where we played with him for a long time, and what he did for this organization when he played here as well. So, he means a lot to the fans and to us still, and I'm happy to see that he's still playing and he's doing great, and it's fun, like I said, to play your former teammates because you're not always going to play with the same guys for your entire career. It's been a great couple of games against him, and you never know, might play him next year again."
Anton Forsberg
On what his mindset was like going into the game vs. New York
"It happened so quick, so it was end of the period, a couple of seconds left, so at that point, just get through the first and then see what happens after that. Focus on what I can do and just play my game. Came in here and I found out that I was going to play the whole game, so at that point, it’s just focusing yourself. It’s nothing different from starting a game from the start, still the same game. I have the same job no matter what."
On how important the penalty kill on special teams was on the 5-on-3
"I thought we won the game by killing that off. Every time you kill a 5-on-3, it brings a lot of energy and I thought we did a really good job of getting that off the books and we scored right after that, and kind of were in the front seat there."
On how the Kings set the tone in the opening frame vs. New York in the first period on the ice
"I thought we started real well. I mean, we were coming out there, we’re creating a lot of chances. I thought we created chances the whole game. They played a good game too, but we scored more goals, and that’s who wins the game. It was fun to watch, to watch our offensive side of the game today, I thought it was great."
On if he's ready to step up if Darcy Kuemper will miss any time this regular season for the Kings
"It’s my job, so I’m as ready as I can be."