The LA Kings’ road trip hit its first snag Saturday night, with New Jersey skating away from Prudential Center with a 3-1 win.
It was a game that stayed tight early and stayed stubbornly low-scoring until the Devils finally cracked it open in the third period. The opening frame produced nothing on the scoreboard and very little in the way of offense, with the two teams combining for just nine shots on goal even though each side had a power play chance.
Los Angeles broke through first in the second period, and did it against the flow of play. Scott Laughton, fresh out of the penalty box, slipped into the slot and finished off a feed from Adrian Kempe for his second goal of the trip, giving the Kings a 1-0 lead. The assist pushed Kempe’s point streak to four games, a run that has included all three games on this trip.
New Jersey answered before the period ended. With less than 90 seconds left in the middle frame, Anthony Mantha worked the puck inside the left circle during a Devils zone cycle, made two moves to shift it onto his forehand, and beat Anton Forsberg high on the glove side to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the intermission.
The Devils took control for good just over eight minutes into the third. Brett Pesce, working from the right circle, pulled the puck around Andre Lee and fired through traffic with a moving screen in front of Forsberg. The shot found its way short side and in, putting New Jersey ahead 2-1.
Arseny Gritsyuk added the empty-netter to lock in the 3-1 final.
Afterward, the Kings were set to hear from Trevor Moore, Joel Edmundson and head coach Peter Laviolette following the loss in New Jersey.
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Darcy Kuemper is in line to start again after his strong performance against the Islanders, giving Los Angeles a steady option in goal as it tries to keep the streak going. The Devils will have a notable change of their own in net, with Connor Hellebuyck unavailable for this game after their recent trade, leaving both sides to navigate a familiar kind of early-season roster wrinkle. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Suddenly Have An Early Problem They Cant Ignore
The Kings left Prudential Center with a 3-1 loss to the Devils, and the bigger concern was how little trouble they caused on offense while New Jersey kept rolling to a third straight win. Los Angeles put only 13 shots on goal and never found much rhythm against Jake Allen, a flat showing that fit the frustration coach Peter Laviolette and several players voiced afterward about the teams second-period issues and the need to play with more aggression.
For a club that has talked about establishing its identity early, this was the kind of night that cant be brushed aside. The Devils were able to take control with a late second-period push and then finish the job from there, leaving the Kings to sort through a loss that felt more revealing than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Got A Frustrating Reminder About Ontario In Texas
Ontarios trip through Texas brought another reminder of how thin the margin can be for the Kings AHL affiliate, as the Reign fell 5-2 to the Texas Stars at H-E-B Center at Cedar Park. Lane Pederson did his part to keep the game within reach, scoring both Ontario goals, while Cole Guttman chipped in two assists and Hampton Slukynsky stopped 14 shots in the loss.
The frustration, though, came in the special teams battle, where Ontario never found a way to cash in on repeated opportunities. The Reign went 0-for-7 on the power play, a stretch that loomed even larger as the game slipped away and left them searching for the kind of timely finish that could have changed the night. [Read more 🡒]