The home opener was diminished by the Colorado Avalanche for the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night in a 4-1 convincing defeat yesterday. Drew Doughty and the Kings will be right back at it on Wednesday night (Oct. 8) for the back end of back-to-back games against the Vegas Golden Knights on the road at T-Mobile Arena.
Adrian Kempe notches a point in the Los Angeles Kings opener loss vs. the Colorado Avalanche
Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar assisted the Kings' power play goal on special teams in the third period, which was their only goal vs. Colorado in the home opener at Crypto yesterday night.
Doughty and Kempe gave their thoughts and reactions to the media postgame following the loss to the Avs in the home opener on Tuesday night.
Here's a look at everything Kempe and Doughty said to the media postgame after the Kings' regular season home opener loss to the Avalanche at Crypto Arena on Oct. 7.
Drew Doughty
On his reaction to the loss to the Avalanche in the home opener
"I thought, pretty even didn’t really have much either way and then the penalties just added up for us. Actually, penalty kill was really, really good today, we weren’t giving them a ton of looks and then eventually too many. That’s one of the best PP’s in the league, that hurt us. Second period wasn’t good enough, kind of were on our heels. We were turning the puck over too much, they were getting a lot of speed off turnovers and 3-on-2’s and stuff that hurt us. I mean, good response in the third, but too little too late."
On responding for the back end of the back-to-back games vs. Vegas
"We got to forget about that right away. I'm sure we'll watch a few things to see the things we
were doing wrong. But we all know what we were doing wrong in that game. We weren't playing our style of game and the way we're supposed to play. So, we'll put this one behind us and focus on tomorrow."
On anything the Kings did well vs. Colorado in the home opener
"I thought we responded well in the third, but like I said, too little too late, but we definitely played well in the third. Started doing the right things, drawing some penalties, and started getting some opportunities. I did think at times we did defend well, and I do think the PK was good. Overall, definitely not even close to good enough, but there are definitely some good things there."
On the Kings adjusting to the speed of the game vs. Colorado
"It’s a first game and honestly, in the first period, it feels like everything is happening so fast. Even for myself, playing so long, I’m a calm, poised player and things were happening so fast, just the adrenaline is going, both teams are flying around. The first period is hard to plan for either team."
On how he felt physically vs. Colorado
"I felt great tonight, I was moving well. I felt the best I’ve felt in the year."
On if he's at the same level he was pre-injury this past year
"I’ll be there. I’m not going to say that I played at that level tonight, but I’ll be there."
Adrian Kempe
On his takeaways from the opener last night for the Kings
"Overall, I think they were just a little sharper than we were out there tonight. I feel like they were more connected all over the ice. From all the way from D-zone to forecheck, a little bit more connected and a little bit more on the same page. Compared to what we were or what it felt like, at least I haven't watched the game, so it's obviously hard to tell right after, but that's kind of the feeling I have."
On not overreacting to the first loss this season
"Yeah, we talked about that in the intermissions. Obviously, it's frustrating when you go down early and you feel like you don't have anything going offensively, and killing a lot of penalties and all that kind of stuff. So that's something we talked about, not getting too frustrated and try to stick with it. But then on the other side of it, going into the third, I think we did a better job being on the same page, more connected. I think the forecheck was a little bit better."
On the physicality and chippiness in the game in the third period
"It was a little both back and forth. There were some things going on during the game, and it escalated little bit in the third. I don't really know exactly what happened. I wasn't too involved in that, but I think we wanted to play a little bit harder I think than we did as well. And you know, sometimes you go over the line a little bit, but I think it's the start of the season, first game, everybody's excited to play. You want to play hard, you want to play physical, that's just the way you go sometimes."
On getting an opportunity to win in the back end of back-to-back games vs. Vegas
"I think everybody if we could play that game again, I think we want to do it right now. So, tomorrow is going to be a great opportunity for us to show up again and play a better game and play another really good team, one of the best teams in the league. So, another good test for us, and I think it's going to be a tough month. We have a lot of good games coming up. I think we're all excited for us. We got to embrace it and play better than we did tonight."
On the late power play goal for the Kings
"Yeah, I think first couple power plays we didn't really have it. Pass it around a little bit too much. Then we get a five on three and started shooting the puck a little bit more but then after that on the five on four I think we had some really good chances too and that's what you get momentum from. I think that was uh at least one good thing that we can take with us tomorrow."