The Los Angeles Kings deserved to win that game. Despite it being the second leg of a back-to-back for the Kings, it sure didn’t look like it during the first 20 minutes. Missed opportunities allowed the Calgary Flames to hang around before they were opportunistic enough to come away with a 2-1 win.
While the Kings’ fast start made it feel like they hadn’t played the night before, the fatigue became apparent throughout the second half of the game. As soon as the Flames started to push in the second half of the second period and beyond, it was pretty easy to tell the Kings were playing their sixth period in two nights.
“We didn’t execute great the second half of the game I didn’t think; even in the third we were bobbling a lot of pucks at 5-on-5,” said head coach Jim Hiller.
That was the sixth back-to-back for the Kings this season, who were 5-0 in the second half of them before last night. It’s all the more frustrating when you are the better team but just can’t find the back of the net no matter what you try. The Kings led in shots, time of possession, and scoring chances, but only managed to beat Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf once, who had a heck of a game, stopping 31 shots.
“We worked, we had energy, we played our game, but you have to bury your chances […] I thought they were opportunistic, to be honest with you, and their goalie played good, so I thought we could have played better, (but I) thought we deserved to win,” said Hiller.
Kings Couldn’t Capitalize During Fast Start
It was probably the most one-sided, dominant period the Kings played all season. The ice was so tilted in the Kings’ favor in the first period that it’s shocking they couldn’t put the game away. Even though they outshot the Flames 17-4, had two power plays, led in scoring chances 13-9, and led in high-danger chances 7-5, the only thing the Kings had to show for it was a Jacob Moverare shot from the point that beat Wolf.
Beating Wolf was the problem. The Californian-born goaltender who grew up idolizing Kings legend Jonathan Quick stood on his head, making life extremely difficult for the Kings.
There are shades of Quick seen through Wolf with him being a shorter, more acrobatic, and agile goaltender. It could have easily been three or four nothing after the first period if it wasn’t for Wolf, who made more than a few crucial saves.
It wasn’t the first time the Kings had gone up against that 23-year-old brick wall. He stopped 28 shots the first time these two teams met this season on Nov. 11 in a 3-1 Flames win.
The Kings had the chances, effort, and energy for most of the game to be able to extend their winning streak to six games but their inability to finish and execute on a lot of those chances in the first period snapped their winning streak at five games.
Kings’ Sloppy Second Period Proves Detrimental
The Kings’ performance in the first and second periods was night and day. After coming out buzzing and immediately taking it to the Flames in the offensive zone, they took a step back, especially in the latter half of the second period.
The neutral zone was wide open for the first period and a half. The Kings had virtually no difficulty moving the puck up the ice and gaining entry into the offensive zone. They got so comfortable and used to the space they were given that when the Flames started to be more aware and locked that area of the ice down, it was like the Kings forgot how to adapt and forecheck.
Only by registering five shots on goal in that second period did the Kings allow the Flames to ease their way back into the game. It was the only period where the Flames led in shots on goal and scoring chances.
Regardless of the Flames leading in those categories, it wasn’t by that big of a margin. The Kings took their foot off the gas pedal offensively but didn’t fall apart defensively, aside from Matt Coronato scoring the Flames’ only goal in the second period thanks to a turnover by Moverare along the boards. Other than one unfortunate giveaway, the Kings barely gave the Flames anything.
“Second period they started forechecking us, we didn’t forecheck, we started trying to skate through them and they just broke it up and forechecked us and then they carried the play a little bit […] second period I didn’t like because we got forechecked and we should be doing that,” said Hiller.
Special Teams Made the Difference
That’s two games in a row now where the Kings have had multiple opportunities on the power play to take control of the game and make it count on the scoreboard. In the last two games, the Kings have gone 0-for-6 on the power play. While it didn’t kill them against the Winnipeg Jets, it did end up being the difference maker in the loss against the Flames.
The Kings opened up the game on the power play and it was one that looked promising. It was the best they looked on the man advantage in a while, moving the puck around and actually getting pucks toward the net. The Kings had nine shots during that first power play but couldn’t solve Wolf.
Whether they look good on the power play and are generating chances or they are discombobulated and unable to even set up, one thing has remained constant and it’s their inability to capitalize and finish. That first power play looked terrific and then the next two were beyond atrocious. The Kings had zero shots on the next two power plays and gave up a shot instead.
“Tonight, the entries gave us problems after the first power play […] you don’t have the entries, you don’t have puck support, you don’t have the puck, and then you can get frustrated pretty quickly and that’s what happened,” said Hiller.
The Kings didn’t take advantage of their power plays which didn’t help their efforts in trying to walk out of the Scotiabank Saddledome with two points. It didn’t help that the Flames’ game-winning goal came on the power play.
I said after last night’s game that, sooner or later, the Kings’ inability to make the most of their special teams was going to cost them games. Boy, did it come sooner than later.
Huberdeau on the PP. What a difference it makes when you can capitalize on the PP. 2-1 Flames in a game where the Kings have controlled pretty much all of it. #GoKingsGo
— Raz Devraj (@razdevraj) January 12, 2025
“I feel like we’re there at times and at times it’s just super frustrating […] they trust us to go out there, be offensive players and you know, (in) tight games, 1-1 games, we got to be the difference, so that’s on us, and we got to be better on the power play,” said forward Quinton Byfield.
Related Link: LA Kings Game Notes: 2-1 OT Win vs Jets Extends Winning Streak to 5 Games
The road trip against divisional opponents continues on Monday (Jan. 13) as the Kings head up north to Rogers Place to take on the Edmonton Oilers for the second time in just over two weeks. The Kings haven’t lost two games in a row in regulation since Nov. 13 and a win against the Oilers will be extra important as just two points separate the two teams in the standings.
