The Los Angeles Kings (15-10-9) snapped a four-game losing streak with a gutsy 2-1 road win against the Tampa Bay Lightning (18-13-3) on Thursday night. Adrian Kempe scored both goals in the second period, while Anton Forsberg stopped 31 of 32 shots. The Kings get a two-point lead in the first wild card spot in the Western Conference while the Lightning slip below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.
Game Recap
The first period went the way of the Lightning. At 11:41, Kempe drew a minor cross-checking penalty, giving the Lightning a chance on the power play. They took advantage, with Oliver Bjorkstrand finishing a shot right on the doorstep for a 1-0 lead at 12:54.
However, the Kings were not scared. Kempe took the game into his own hands, scoring two goals in the second. He had a great shot that got past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy with 5:21 in the second, and around ten minutes later, Kempe took a Pontus Holmberg turnover all the way to the back of the net at 15:58.
The third period didn’t feature any goals, but Kings winger Corey Perry had a rough third. At 18:55, he was charged with holding the stick of Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous, giving him a minor. Unfortunately, he earned a misconduct penalty as well for that. That gave the Lightning a six-on-four power play, with Vasilevskiy going to the bench. Unfortunately, the Lightning couldn’t capitalize in that tiny time frame, sealing the game.
Stars and Schedule
The Kings ended a four-game skid and finished their road trip. They are rewarded with a three-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets (Dec. 22), Seattle Kraken (Dec. 23), and Anaheim Ducks (Dec. 27). The Ducks game could be crucial for the Kings in their pursuit to be the top dog in the Pacific Division.
Related: Revisiting the Dan Boyle Trade That’s Still Impacting the Lightning
Meanwhile, the Lightning, despite a few players returning from injury, are on a three-game losing streak and have just two wins in December. They at least stay at home against the Carolina Hurricanes (Dec. 20) and the St. Louis Blues (Dec. 22) before facing the Florida Panthers (Dec. 27) on the road.
