After a very successful 4-0-1 road trip, the Los Angeles Kings welcomed the Detroit Red Wings for their first home game in 12 days. The Red Wings were looking for their third straight win, while the Kings hoped to pick up their first home win of the season.
Marco Kasper and a dominant special teams performance from the Red Wings that saw them go 2/3 on the power play and 3/3 on the penalty kill led them to a 3-1 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.
Game Recap
Despite having one of their best starts of the season, with more than two-thirds the amount of the shots they had last game against the San Jose Sharks, the Kings weren’t able to find the back of the net at all in the first. Both teams remained scoreless.
The Kings kept up the pace to start the second, along with the Red Wings, who seemed to have found their legs, resulting in many quality chances for both squads.
Alex Laferriere, who’s had multiple shorthanded opportunities through 12 games, finally got one to go, opening the scoring on the Red Wings’ first power play, halfway through a second period that saw both teams trade chances back and forth.
Seconds later, on the same power play opportunity, Alex DeBrincat tied things up with a vintage one-timer from the left circle.
The power play goals continued for the Red Wings with Marco Kasper tipping in a shot from rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka just over three minutes after DeBrincat’s tying goal, to take a 2-1 lead into the third period.
The third was more of the same, with both teams creating chances. Kasper scored his second goal of the game in the back half of the third period off a sweet tic-tac-toe play to increase the Red Wings’ lead by two.
The Kings had their chances in the third, with two opportunities to tie the game up on the power play, which also involved 10 seconds of a 5-on-3, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
With less than three minutes remaining in the third period, the Kings did what they have done a few times this season, coming back down multiple goals. Corey Perry kick-started the comeback with his fourth goal in six games. Less than a minute later, it was Quinton Byfield’s turn, ripping one from the slot past ex-Kings goaltender Cam Talbot to tie the game up at three apiece.
In a situation the Kings have been in more than any other team in the league, both teams were headed to overtime. The Kings were given their fourth power play opportunity of the night with just three minutes left in overtime. Kevin Fiala thought he played hero with a nifty little play in front of the net, but it was called back due to goaltender interference.
Lucas Raymond provided the only goal in the shootout, giving the Red Wings their third straight win, minutes after thinking they had lost in overtime.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Red Wings as they take on the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow, while the Kings will wait to welcome the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in search of their first win at home.
