It wasn't pretty, but the Los Angeles Kings (5-3-3) and defenseman Brandt Clarke came out of the five-game road trip finale on Tuesday night (Oct. 28) with a hard-fought 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks (2-6-2). Clarke and the Kings emerged from this five-game road trip with an impressive nine points out of a possible 10 and four wins in the past five contests.
The Los Angeles Kings are firmly in the playoff picture in the Pacific Division after Brandt Clarke's game-winning goal on Tuesday
The Kings got tremendous offensive production last night from the blue line against the Sharks, with goals scored from both Clarke and veteran defenseman Drew Doughty in the game's second and third periods.
It also helped that the Kings had a strong backbone in goal, with Darcy Kuemper stopping a season-high 38 shots on goal yesterday in the close one-goal win.
Doughty and Clarke spoke to the media about the Kings' road trip results and the win over San Jose in regulation yesterday.
The Kings have to feel good about the results from this road trip, especially with Clarke having multiple points in two of the past three games this week.
Here's a look at everything Doughty and Clarke said to the media postgame following the Kings' 4-3 win over the Sharks in San Jose on Oct. 28.
Drew Doughty
On the Kings grinding out a win last night vs. San Jose
"Just got to thank Darce really. He played unbelievable tonight. That’s our worst game of the season by far, but at the end of a roadtrip and we had a great road trip. We’ve got to learn from all the mistakes we made tonight, but at the same time, just move on."
On the team looking tired at times on the ice on this five-game road trip in the past week
"I don’t even know if it was our legs, it just felt like we were cheating for too many pucks. We’d have 50/50 pucks, and we’d have guys blowing the zone on a 50/50 puck. Then, all of a sudden, we’d have long shifts in our zone. You get tired, they get to change, and then you’re basically screwed. We just weren’t connected tonight. I don’t think anyone but Darce can say they were happy with their game. We just need to move on."
On the Kings letting the Sharks get back in the game after being up 3-0
"That should never happen. We’re one of the better defensive teams. I don’t know if the stats show it this year, but I know we are, and we should never be giving up a three-goal lead. Unfortunately, we did, but we stayed with it and won the game."
On tying the goal-scoring record with Rob Blake on defense
"I looked up to Blakey as a kid, I was a big Kings fan and he’s one of my favorite D. So, it’s kind of cool to be with him there. Wishing it hadn’t taken this long, but it has."
On the impact Corey Perry has made on the team
"I told everyone this was going to happen. He's a great player, great pro. My goal was solely because of him standing front of the net and we don't have enough guys that do that to be honest with you. He's one of our only ones and something our other guys should learn from him."
"I mean that definitely maybe happens, but we didn't have time to take the foot off the pedal. They just had the puck the whole time, and they were in our zone, and we were just battling and trying not to give up shots, and they're still getting them. So we didn't mean to take the foot off the gas pedal. They just put theirs on it harder."
On his feelings about the road trip overall
"Great, great trip. Very happy, like you said before, we had some hard travel, getting in at 2:30 in the morning, playing games and back-to-backs and traveling all over the place, that was a tough trip. So, very happy with that. We needed that."
Brandt Clarke
On thoughts from the win over San Jose
"They put the pressure on us, and they were they were making plays. Credit to them. But sometimes that's just weathering the storm, and even if a team's connecting well, we're finding a way to still disrupt pucks, still getting in shooting lanes, and take advantage when we can. But, credit to them. They played a good game, we weathered the storm well, especially in the third period."
On Darcy Kuemper standing out in goal for the Kings
"It was incredible. He was the reason we won tonight. He made so many key saves. He was finding the puck so well, especially in those last two, three minutes. He had four, five, five-alarm saves that he just saw at the last second. So, huge credit to him, and he's the reason we won tonight."
On the goal he scored in the third period vs. San Jose
"I just saw the far side kind of open. They were all kind of swarming the near side for Juice, and I was trying to get his attention to see me, and he made a good play. The puck was bouncing a little bit, so I just let it bounce off the wall, and it settled for me, and then the Dman was closing, so I knew I had to get a shot off and hit my spot."
On the Kings being resilient to win the game after giving up the three-goal lead
"There's going to be highs and lows in games, and there's going to be moment momentum swings, but you can't just let that dictate the way you're playing. Let them build confidence, and let them do whatever they want at that point. You just got to find a way. This isn't going to be the first time teams are connecting well against us this season. It's not going to be the last time teams are going to be connecting well against us. We just have to find a way to weather that storm.
Whether they come back, it doesn't matter. We're still going to play the way we play. And we know when we do that, good results are going to happen."
On his thoughts about the road trip overall
"We're really happy. Especially with the not-ideal start of the season. Tough conditions here. It wasn't easy. Guys weren't feeling 100 percent. But we made it work, and guys got up for the game. Huge credit up and down the lineup. Everyone stepped up, and everyone did the best they could."
On the Sharks young core developing in the Western Conference and the Pacific Division
"They're a good team. We were saying that in the room. They just find each other so well. They have so many good young players, and credit to them. They're building something good over in a couple of years, they're going to be really strong."