Knights Win “First Round” Against Kings 1-0
- Updated: April 12, 2018
(Featured photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
If any of you watch any combat sports/arts like boxing, MMA, Thai-boxing, kickboxing, etc, you will notice that sometimes the two fighters against each other, will use the earlier rounds in the fight to test each other out. To get a feel for their opponent and see what they can do. Last night while watching the LA Kings take on the newbie Vegas Golden Knights, I noticed the same mannerisms. Though this first game of the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs did have some exciting action, hard hits, (Vegas’ William Carrier had 10 hits while Adrian Kempe, Trevor Lewis, and Alec Martinez had 7 hits each, and Dustin Brown, Nate Thompson and Oscar Fantenberg had 6 each, more on Carrier later), and huge goaltending saves, it still felt like both teams were strategically holding back a bit. To test each other out and see what each other can do. The Knights won this round against the Kings, 1-0, with game two tomorrow night, but I fully expect things to pick up, (think the LA vs St.Louis series in the 2013 playoffs), from one hundred percent to a thousand, in potentially what might be, the most hardest hitting and bruising series in these NHL playoffs so far. Time will tell.
(AP Photo/David Becker)
In a moment that is quite familiar to the Kings and their fans, the Knights scored the first goal of the game,(and in franchise history), with a deflected shot by Shea Theodore at 3:23 of the first period. And that was it when it came to scoring. It wasn’t as if the Kings didn’t have some great chances and looks to tie this game up. Heck, they had three power-play opportunities (as did the Knights), but they couldn’t take advantage of having the extra man to tie the game up.
The closest to score for the Kings was the “Comeback Kid”, Dustin Brown who missed a wide-open net with his one-timer. There were other changes as well, but Knight’s goalie Marc-Andre Fleury held the fort by making 30 saves to get the franchise’s first ever playoff victory and shutout.
(Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
Jonathan Quick was no slouch himself, making 27 saves and finished with a .964 save% but his boys couldn’t help him out with a goal or two, (or twenty-seven).
(AP Photo/David Becker)
Tyler Toffoli did register 6 shots on goal, but no one else came close. The Kings, who have 928 games of playoff experience and 19 Stanley Cup rings in their squad, are notoriously slow starters (in both games and playoff series), and I have no doubt that Round 2 is where we are going to start seeing some heated fireworks between the two teams, which would help wake the Kings up from their atrophy. For example, despite the geographical locations, and that they both compete in the Pacific Division, the Kings and Knights haven’t become rivals yet. At least not true rivals. But as this series continues, and things start to get a lot more personal, (like with Drew Doughty hitting Carrier in the head, forcing him to leave the ice and the game), then it is going to get really intense and brutally physical out there. So beware everyone, this series will not be for the faint of heart, (especially if the NHL (or more like former Kings’ and Ducks’ player George Parros), decides to suspend Doughty for that head shot on Carrier). Let’s also not forget that the Kings had 5 players all making their NHL playoff debut last night as well, with Kempe, Fantenberg, Tobias Reider, Paul LaDue and Alex Iaffalo. So their playoff jitters (if any) should start to fade away too and let these players get back to business.
(AP Photo/David Becker)
But for now, Vegas takes the first game, fair and square. Kind of like how George Foreman won the first round against Muhammad Ali in the “Rumble in the Jungle” fight. Ali, sweaty and bruised, knew he lost the round, but he also knew that there were still many more rounds to go and he and the LA Kings are only just warming up.
(AP Photo/David Becker)
Hopefully, Doughty doesn’t get suspended and Jake Muzzin will be back soon. I’m sure not about Derek Forbort though. His injury might be more serious, so we will all have to just wait and see what happens!
So until then everyone… STAY TUNED FOR ROUND 2!!!
GO KINGS GO!!!
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