The LA Kings ended the preseason with a 5-2-0 record following today’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Anaheim Ducks in their exhibition finale.
The Kings opened the scoring inside the game’s first five minutes, with forward Quinton Byfield cashing in on the power play. Byfield, stationed in the bumper position between the circles, took a pass from forward Andrei Kuzmenko and got off a bit of a changeup of a shot, which threw off Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal and went in on the blocker side to get the hosts on the board early.
Midway thoruhg the opening period, the Kings made it 2-0 with an even-strength marker. Defenseman Brandt Clarke went D-to-D across the blueline, finding his partner Joel Edmundson for a one-timer from the right side. Edmundson’s shot was kicked out by Dostal, but forward Phillip Danault corralled the rebound with his skate, kicked it onto his stick and buried on his second attempt for a 2-0 lead.
Just before the end of the first period, the Kings made it 3-0 with Clarke and Danault adding another point to their game total. Danault fed Clarke down the left-side wall, allowing the defenseman to operate down low. Clarke, moving out from the goal line, found forward Warren Foegele at the back post for the slam-dunk goal as the Kings took a three-goal advantage into the first intermission.
After neither team found the back of the net in the second period, the Kings made it 4-0 early in the final frame of regulation. Some good puck movement in the offensive zone, started by defensemen Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin, ultimately found Dumoulin inching in from the left point. Dumoulin drew the pressure towards himself before he dropped the puck back to Danault for a one-timer from the center point for his second goal of the game and a four-goal lead.
Anaheim got on the board midway through the third period through forward Mikael Granlund. As he rounded the Kings net, Granlund went for a wraparound attempt that was initially not ruled a goal on the ice, though play was called back and the goal was awarded from the Situation Room in Toronto, as it had clearly crossed the goal line.
The Ducks made it two goals in under two minutes of game time as forward Leo Carlsson pulled the visitors within 4-2. Carlsson worked his way down the right wing, with a good move to generate some space with the puck, before he went short-side high on Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper to make it a two-goal game with 7:51 remaining in regulation.
In a span of just 27 seconds, Anaheim tied the game late in the third period to force things into overtime. Carlsson played the role of creator in both instances, as he scored his team’s third goal to make it a 4-3 game before his shot from the slot was deflected past Kuemper and in by forward Mason McTavish to tie the game at four. Carlsson finished the game with three points for the Ducks.
The game then went into overtime and after the Kings killed off an early penalty in a 4-on-3 situation, forward Kevin Fiala went on to score the game-winning goal. Fiala and Foegele executed a nice give-and-go play, with Fiala finishing on a one-timer from the right-hand circle to give the Kings a 5-4 win.
Hear from Danault, forward Joel Armia and Head Coach Jim Hiller following today’s victory.
Joel Armia
Phillip Danault
On what he saw in today’s game in his own game and that of his line
Line chemistry was there. Dumo made a great pass on second one. [On the first one], got the puck on net, I was there at the net. We also played three games, four with tonight, so we’ve been better, and been playing the same way last four games, so at one point we get rewarded and that was tonight.
On his power-play unit and the way the connected to score a goal
We were aggressive, we’re trying to attack the net right away. Our mentality was shot on that play, just like moving well, good entry as well. Yeah, it was a good PP all around.
On the biggest challenges & ambitions starting the regular season
Two big challenge to start, obviously, two massive teams, good power plays, a good four lines all around with these, so big challenge for us. We definitely have to be better in third than the third period tonight, but we know what to expect though so there’s no surprises there.
On Brandt Clarke’s game and his ability to contribute offensively and on the power play
He always joins the rush, he’s fast, quick thinking offensively. It’s always good to have a D activating in the o-zone, just like at the end with Dumoulin activating there and the pass. A lot of movement in the o-zone and it seems like it’s a thing right now, our D are moving well, so we need that just to score some goals.
Jim Hiller
On if he saw the regular-season intensity he was hoping for
Yeah, well for 50 minutes, right? Then we saw, you guys saw it too, then we got tight, and you see what happens really quickly. That’s why it’s a great game. Great League, great game. You don’t do it right, sometimes the coaches complain all the time, do it right, players get tired of hearing it and then every once in a while you get that and that’s why you have to keep it saying it.
On if a scare like that can be good to get out of the way in the preseason
Yeah, I would say so. I mean, there’s two ways to look at it. We could have locked that thing down and felt really good about ourselves, or we could play like we did for a little bit and start panicking and realize, whoa, this isn’t how we have to do it here starting Tuesday. In the end, we’re happy we won. It was a really nice goal to finish the game. Great penalty kill, three versus four, Kopi and Phil doing a great job as well with the D. I don’t know if this was good for us or bad for us, we’ll see on Tuesday, but we’ll put it behind us for sure.
On Joel Armia’s game and what he’s seen as he’s settled in with the Kings
I’ve really come to appreciate Joel’s game. I think in training camp, originally it jumped out at me how big he is, I didn’t know he was that big and then you get on the ice beside him, and then how well he moved for a big guy that size. For the full training camp, he’s the one player for me that I’ve just come to appreciate more and more. He played a lot of minutes tonight and I thought, Phil, you can argue Phil was probably our best forward, I know he had two goals and an assist, played really well, but Armia was right there with him, I thought. Tonight, he really complimented those guys. He showed us he can play – I don’t know where we’re going to put him – but much like Turc, he can go anywhere up the lineup, but he’s really made a good, strong impression through preseason.
On Alex Laferriere’s status and if he’ll be ready for Opening Night
I don’t know for sure. He’s just not 100 percent right now. We’ll see what the next few days brings, a couple days, but he’s not a guarantee.
The Kings have a scheduled day off tomorrow. The team will return to the ice for practice on Monday, October 6, at 11 AM at Toyota Sports Performance Center.
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