Recap: Coreau Gets First Career Shutout Against Kings

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The Los Angeles Kings opened a seven-game home stand in a losing effort to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. The win salvaged a back-to-back series for Detroit who lost to the Anaheim Ducks the night before. The loss kept Los Angeles from winning three in-a-row and gaining ground in the Pacific Division on a night the San Jose Sharks lost in regulation.

In Detroit’s win, backup goalie, Jared Coreau, made 34 saves for the first shutout of his NHL career. Thomas Vanek scored two of Detroit’s four goals to help hand Los Angeles just their fifth loss on home ice this season. It was also the fifth time Los Angeles has been shut out this season.

As Coreau put together a perfect game for Detroit, Kings’ goalie, Jeff Zatkoff, put together a less-than-desirable performance. He allowed a goal on the first shot of the game and three in the first period on the way to allowing four goals on 22 shots faced.

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Head coach Darryl Sutter talked about Zatkoff’s performance after the game, via LA Kings Insider, “You know what? Goalies are goalies. It probably wouldn’t have mattered today.;

For the Kings, they welcome the Minnesota Wild, who are fresh off a 5-4 win over the Sharks, to Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon and Detroit will finish its tour of California in San Jose later that night.

First Period

Teams respond to games on back-to-back nights in different ways. Most think the situation hinders the team’s availability on the second night. That wasn’t the case for the Red Wings against the Kings on Thursday night. Vanek found the back of the net and opened up the scoring for Detroit just 1:42 into the first period.

The Kings’ had an opportunity to tie the game at one a piece when Tanner Pearson was awarded a penalty shot, but the winger was turned away by Coreau.

The first period was a wide-open affair with 26 shots being taken by the two teams. One of those shots was an Andreas Athanasiou’ breakaway attempt that beat Zatkoff.

Detroit wasn’t done there and lit the lamp again when Vanek buried an Athanasiou rebound to beat Zatkoff. It was a poor start that doomed the period for Zatkoff who allowed a goal on the first shot he faced and two goals on Detroit’s first six.

Second Period

The middle frame was a better period of hockey for Los Angeles who held Detroit to just two shots on net over the course of the period, despite giving up a power play opportunity when Jeff Carter took a high-sticking penalty.

There were several quality chances for the Kings who out-chanced Detroit 6-2 during the period, like a Devin Setoguchi partial breakaway or a late chance for Drew Doughty but there was no dice for Los Angeles.

Although the Kings outshot Detroit 13-2 during the period it was much of the same for them. They couldn’t solve Coreau and a team that has scored the sixth fewest goals this season was held off the scoreboard and skated off the ice still down 3-0 with 20 minutes to play.

Third Period

The final period of the game was much of the same. The two teams had a fast back-and-forth pace with Los Angeles getting plenty of time on attack. But it was Detroit who scored just over seven and a half minutes into the final frame.

The Red Wings’ forecheck was able to create some pressure on the Kings and the pressure led to Anthony Mantha finding an open slot in the spot where he received a Tomas Tatar pass to fire high and past Zatkoff.

The figurative dagger in the Kings.

The Kings attempted 69 shots over the course of the game but were still unable to light the lamp in front of their home-town crowd.

Scoring Summary

FIRST PERIOD

DET – Thomas Vanek (8) assisted by Frans Nielsen (12) and Andreas Athanasiou (3)

DET – Andreas Athanasiou (4) assisted by Anthony Mantha (9)

DET – Thomas Vanek (9) assisted by Andreas Athanasiou (5) and Jonathan Ericsson (7)

SECOND PERIOD

No scoring.

THIRD PERIOD

DET – Anthony Mantha (10) assisted by Tomas Tatar (10) and Nick Jensen (3)

THW Three Stars

First: Jared Coreau (34 saves)

Second: P. Tomas Vanek (2 goals)

Third: Andreas Athanasiou (1 goal, 2 assists)

Up Next:

Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings

Staples Center – 1:00 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 7

Broadcast channels – FS-W, FS-N

2016-17 Season Series: 

Oct. 30 – Wild 6 – Kings 3

Up Next:

Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks

SAP Center– 7:30 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 7

Broadcast channels – FS-DT, CSNCA

2016-17 Season Series: 

Oct. 22 – Red Wings 3 – Sharks 0