Kings Fall to Capitals 3-1 as Missed Opportunities Prove Costly
The LA Kings couldn’t keep their home momentum rolling Tuesday night, falling 3-1 to the Washington Capitals at Crypto.com Arena. It was a tight, hard-fought game-one that turned on a few key moments and the kind of fine margins that have become all too familiar for this Kings team lately.
Power Play Struggles and a Costly Transition
The Capitals struck first, taking advantage of their opening power play late in the first period. Washington cycled the puck effectively, keeping the Kings hemmed in before Tom Wilson cashed in at the netfront. It was Wilson’s 16th of the season, a rebound finish off a sharp shot-pass from Ryan Leonard, and it gave the Caps a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
The Kings responded early in the second. Adrian Kempe, now riding a mini hot streak, tied things up with his ninth goal of the year.
It started with a heads-up defensive play by Trevor Moore, who picked off a puck and quickly transitioned it the other way. On the ensuing 2-on-1, Anze Kopitar slid a perfect feed across to Kempe, who buried it to make it 1-1.
That’s now back-to-back games with a goal for Kempe, who continues to be a reliable offensive spark.
But just as the Kings seemed to be building momentum, the game turned again-ironically, just after their own power play expired. A blocked shot by Brandt Clarke led to a quick counter by the Capitals, and they made the Kings pay. Anthony Beauvillier finished off a slick feed from Connor McMichael to restore Washington’s lead, and that 2-1 score held until the final minutes.
The Caps sealed it with an empty-netter late, walking away with a 3-1 win and snapping the Kings’ bid for a third straight home victory.
Postgame Reactions: Frustration, but Focus
After the game, Adrian Kempe, Alex Laferriere, and head coach Jim Hiller all spoke to the media, and a few key themes emerged-chief among them, frustration with missed chances and the razor-thin margins that have defined many of the Kings’ recent games.
Laferriere, part of the second power-play unit, emphasized the importance of creating momentum even when the puck isn’t going in.
“If we’re not able to get one, we want to kind of have a positive shift for our team,” he said. “I thought Dumo [Brian Dumoulin] did great back there-he’s really solid, and he’s got some offensive upside too.”
Laferriere also acknowledged the team’s need to get to the dirty areas more consistently-especially when goals are hard to come by.
“It’s obviously hard to get there, but the more I can get there, it opens up for my linemates,” he said. “That’s what I try to do.”
Head coach Jim Hiller didn’t shy away from the turning point: the Capitals’ game-winner right after the Kings’ power play expired. He pointed to the need for awareness in those transition moments, especially with the penalty clock winding down.
“We have to be aware that the penalty is expiring,” Hiller said. “It’s not just [Brandt Clarke]-it was a mistake, yeah-but it’s more than just him.”
Hiller also addressed his decision to shuffle lines late in search of offense, including reuniting Quinton Byfield with Kopitar and Kempe.
“Just trying to find a spark,” Hiller said. “Q wasn’t getting a lot done in the middle with that line, so we go back and see if there’s any magic from the old days.”
On the power play overall, Hiller was candid.
“They scored one and we scored zero… In the end, we give one up, basically, on our power play, and I would say that was probably the difference.”
Clarke’s Growth Continues
Despite the breakdown on the Capitals’ second goal, Hiller had positive things to say about Brandt Clarke’s progression. He highlighted a strong defensive play earlier in the game as evidence of Clarke’s growing physicality and confidence.
“He’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s more aggressive,” Hiller said. “That play on Beauvillier for the first goal was something we didn’t see last year. Excellent defensive play.”
Danault’s Ice Time and Special Teams Role
Phillip Danault’s quieter season was also a topic of discussion. Hiller noted that while Danault is still logging solid even-strength minutes, his reduced role on special teams has affected his overall ice time.
“He just hasn’t really got it going yet this year,” Hiller admitted.
A Few Noteworthy Numbers
- Kempe’s goal was his ninth of the season and his second in as many games. He now has nine points in 16 career games against Washington-just one shy of Drew Doughty for second-most among active Kings.
- Kopitar’s assist on Kempe’s tally was his ninth of the season and his 22nd career point versus the Capitals. He’s now just 15 points away from tying Marcel Dionne for the most in franchise history.
- Trevor Moore picked up his seventh assist of the year and fourth in eight career games against Washington.
What’s Next
The Kings will be back on the ice for practice Wednesday morning in El Segundo, gearing up for Thursday’s home matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. With the Western Conference standings still tightly packed, every point matters-and the Kings know they’ll need to turn these close games into wins if they want to stay in the playoff mix.
The pieces are there. Now it’s about putting them together more consistently.