Make Way for the Kings LA Kings News and Info
Game 57; 33-20-4
ST. LOUIS — It was a night filled with quality defense but also shoddy officiating as the Los Angeles Kings lose their third-straight game, but not before salvaging a point in a 2-1 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.
A total of 15 penalties were called in this game with all three of the first-period infractions going against Los Angeles. Unfortunately for the silver-and-black, it cost them as Robby Fabbri opened the scoring for the Blues, netting a power-play goal at 11:32 of the opening frame.
After being outshot 16-8 in the first, the Kings turn the tide in the second by outshooting the Blues by a 13-7 margin. However, the Kings were not able to score as Brian Elliott stood tall. Jonathan Quick was just as alert, though, as the silver-and-black entered the third still down by just a single goal.
Early in the third, the Kings tied it on a power play goal of their own as Tyler Toffoli beat Elliott for his 24th. The goal, from Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty, came at 3:25 of the period.
In overtime, though, the Blues won it as, just 1:40 into the frame, Jaden Schwartz beat Quick for just his third of the year to end the game, giving Los Angeles just their second overtime loss this season.
Overall, this was what was to be expected of a meeting between two similar-style teams: a low-scoring, defensive battle. However, said questionable officiating took some of the limelight in this one — so much so that even objective analyst Jim Fox called out the referees on more than one occasion.
Some more bad news for the Kings in this one came on the injury front as Anze Kopitar left the game with a lower-body injury and did not return. His status is unknown at this time. The Kings, though, will hope to have him back in the lineup on Saturday when they close out their road trip by visiting the Nashville Predators.
