You all have heard this story before, the Los Angeles Kings once again found a way to respond to a loss with a win. Dropping two games in a row is rarely in the Kings’ vocabulary. With the way the last game went against the New Jersey Devils and the trouble the Kings had with generating shots and offensive chances, you knew that was going to be the main focus for them to start the game. The Kings came into Madison Square Garden wanting to get back into the win column and they had no difficulty doing so as they cruised past the New York Rangers 5-1.
We talked last game about the Kings’ need to simplify their game and get back to the type of game that has resulted in their success this season. The Kings got back to that simple game: get the puck in deep, cycle, activate the defensemen, and just get shots through to the net. Once again, it proved successful. The Kings had 17 shots on goal after the first 20 minutes, more than they had for the whole game against the Devils.
It was that crucial start that allowed them to build up that momentum. They had the Rangers on their heels for the whole first period leading the scoring chances 10-3 and not allowing the Rangers a single high-danger opportunity.
“It was a tough game for us last game […] we’re big bodies, can work down low, good off the cycle so just wanted to get back to that, get it to the D, simplify it, get to the net, tons of shots, honestly just dumb it down and good things happen that way,” said forward Quinton Byfield.
A Confident Byfield Showed Up
A hot topic surrounding the Kings this season has been the underwhelming production from Byfield. I have established why the cause for concern is unwarranted and why it’s too early for that conversation to be happening and against the Rangers, he proved exactly why.
Related: Kings Shouldn’t Be Too Concerned With Byfield’s Lack of Production
Byfield does so many little things away from the puck that sometimes goes unnoticed by a lot of this fan base. He continued his stellar defensive play and support in the offensive zone along with a goal and a beautiful assist. We saw a confident Byfield possess the puck, distribute the puck, and shoot the puck. Hitting the net has been something that he has struggled with a lot this season but it was a quick release right past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin that gave the Kings a 3-0 lead 2:46 into the third period. It was that goal that opened the floodgates as the Kings went on to score two more goals in under three minutes to run Shesterkin out of the building.
It was his nifty work in the corner that led to Warren Foegele’s eighth of the season late in the first period. He used that big frame and silky hands to create space behind the net before finding Foegele in the slot. Just a small glimpse of that crazy raw talent everyone knows Byfield has.
Kings Controlled the Neutral Zone
On both sides of the puck, the Kings have done a pretty good job controlling the neutral zone this season. Against the Rangers, their speed through the neutral zone allowed for easy entries into the offensive zone and ultimately goals off the rush. The Kings don’t generate a ton just off the rush as they prefer to dump it in, forecheck, and create offense off the cycle. With the amount of space the Rangers gave the Kings through the middle of the ice, it was very easy for the speedy Kings forwards to attack the net off the rush.
Four of the five goals the Kings scored came seconds after they entered the offensive zone. Moving the puck out on the breakout efficiently and quickly led to some of the best puck movement we have seen from the Kings. Although that hasn’t been their go-to type of game, they recognized the room they had and exploited it. It speaks to the ability of this group to adapt and find multiple ways to score goals. All five Kings on the ice were touching pucks in an attempt to score a goal.
It all starts in the defensive zone for the Kings, an area where this group has thrived.
“We kind of frustrated them, not really giving them much off the rush and they made mistakes and we started having rush chances,” said Foegele.
Alex Turcotte Can Succeed Anywhere
Before yesterday’s game, the Kings announced that forward Trevor Moore would not play due to injury. That allowed Alex Turcotte to make the jump to the first line alongside Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, a place where he had played before this season.
It doesn’t seem to matter where Turcotte plays, he’s finding success and making a positive impact no matter where he slots into the lineup. That being said, while it doesn’t matter where Turcotte plays regarding the team, he has been able to produce the most when he’s playing in the top six. And why wouldn’t he, he’s being surrounded by high-end talent. That production came alive against the Rangers as he opened the scoring finishing a 2-on-1 with Kempe early on in the first period.
His effort on Kempe’s goal in which he picked up an assist was perfection. He started the rush by skating the puck out of the defensive zone and then got it back as the Kings entered the zone before sifting one through to Kopitar.
Kempe blossomed playing on the top line as a young player as did Byfield. Turcotte has proved he has what it takes to not only keep up with playing on the top line but also create offense. Why not keep him up there and allow him to be surrounded by Kopitar and Kempe who will only make him better?
“I thought we played great […] we were supporting each other, we were playing with confidence, and playing with those guys is always a treat and I have had a good amount of experience with that this year so it felt really easy with them,” said Turcotte.
After three games the Kings will finally leave the state of New York and head to Pennsylvania where they will continue their road trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday (Dec. 17) and the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (Dec. 19).
