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Kings Beat Flyers 3-2 in Shootout for 3rd Straight Win

(Featured photo by Richmond Time-Dispatch)

I have always wanted to go to Philadelphia and check out the ‘City of Brotherly Love.’ I have been to Pittsburgh, (to cover the 2016 Stanley Cup Final), Hershey, (because my wife loves chocolates), and Erie, Pennsylvania, (not Transylvania), and those places were a lot of fun, but Philly has always caught my eye and visiting there is high up on my traveling bucket list. I’d definitely check out the Liberty Bell and other significant American historical landmarks. I would most definitely love to get a pic of me with the statue of one of my all-time favorite fictional, cinematic characters of all-time, Rocky Balboa. I would even want to run up of those stairs that you always see him run up every time he had a big fight coming. (Which Kings’ legend Daryl Evans actually did!)

 

I’d even go check out this dive of a former bingo hall, the 2300 arena (formerly ECW Arena) because of it’s historical landmark status for professional wrestling/sports entertainment, as being the long-time home of ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) in the mid-’90’s to early 2000s, plus ROH (Ring of Honor), Evolve and CZW (Combat Zone Wrestling). That would be so much fun. But the number one reason for me to go to Philly, because unlike New York City, Boston, Detroit, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo, and Anaheim, it’s another city where I haven’t invaded to go cheer on and help support our Los Angeles Kings in person against that city’s hometown team, (I’ve been to Los Angeles a few times too, but that obviously doesn’t count since we’re the home team), which in Philly is of course the Philadelphia Flyers. And last night’s game was a perfect example. (Man, I wish I was there for this barn burner. What a game!) Regardless if I was there in person or not, the Kings didn’t need any help anyway because they took care of business themselves by defeating the Flyers 3-2 in an epic shootout to win their 3rd straight game in a row!

(The Athletic)

So before the game starts we learn that Jeff Carter is still not in the line-up. He also didn’t skate during practice, so now it’s looking like Carter might NOT be able to play a game during this road trip, as it might take a little longer for this injury to heal. (Sigh) Matt Luff is also a healthy scratch, (and now has been sent back to Ontario), so in goes the tough as nails, Nate Thompson and the speedy Austin Wagner. Interim head coach Willie Desjardins must of read my last few articles because Dion Phaneuf is scratched, with Fantenberg switched to the left side to play with Paul LaDue. In net, is the legendary Jonathan Quick and this game is off and runn… I mean skaking! (And for the first time since this eastern road trip swing started, I’m actually watching the game on time! Progress!)

 

Almost right off the hop, the Kings get tested early as former LA King (and hopefully future LA King, (well I can dream right!?!?), Wayne Simmonds attacked but Quick was able to stop him at every turn. Then for the second game in a row, one of our Kings gets hit in the FACE with a stick, as Alec Martinez took a heavy shot that he didn’t see coming, from a recklessly, stick swinging Flyers’ player. Like Dustin Brown in the previous game, “Marty” was escorted to the locker/quiet room as per the NHL’s concussion protocol. And also like “Brownie”, he would return back later in the game.

 

Now Kyle Clifford didn’t take too kindly that “Marty” got cheap shotted, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and bring some justice to this game, like Clint Eastwood’s “Man with no name” character would do in those classic spaghetti westerns, (but without the cool poncho, cowboy hat, and boots, spurs, horses, six shooters, draws (not drawing), etc.), by skating up the wing and setting up a one-timer for Austin “The Flash” Wagner for his 5th goal of the season at 8:46. 1-0 Kings! “Cliffy’s” assist was his second of the year and Sean Walker‘s 3rd.

(bastillepost,com)

But our favorite “Big Red Dog,” didn’t think that that was enough, so he was back on the attack and ALMOST scored on an impressive breakaway where “Cliffy” completely decked out Philly’s goaltender, Anthony Stolarz, but the puck hit the post instead. So no goal, but that was one heck of a heroic effort and move by Clifford.

(3BL Media)

Later, there was a funny moment on commentary when a Flyers’ player fell on his own, but near some Kings, and the Philly crowd thought that it should have been called as a penalty for the Kings. Since there was no call, (why would there be as he fell on his own?), they all started to boo heavily, which led the Kings’ longtime color commentator and legend, Jim Fox to say, “The fans need better eyes and the Flyers need a better skating coach right now.” Classic! (Never change Foxy, never change).

At the end of the first period, there was almost some controversy as it seemed that the Flyers had tied the game up as the period ended. The referees waved it off right away but decided to review it, just in case it was a goal, but they had made the right decision on the ice and the Flyers didn’t protest it. In the replays, you can see that the period clock had already reached 0:00 before the puck even got close to the net. So no goal.

In the second period, the Flyers then really tied it up 1-1, with a backhand goal by Sean Couturier at 7:00, but the Kings would regain the lead 2-1, at 12:33 with a goal by the red hot Adrian Kempe. It was his 9th goal of the season and his 4th goal in 3 games. It was a beauty of a goal too, as the also red hot Tyler Toffoli cleared the defensive zone by getting the puck up ice to a streaking (not LET’S GO STREAKING), Brendan Leipsic and create a two on one attack along with #ElKempe/#KidKempe. It ends with Kempe getting a perfect pass to set up his one-timer for the goal. It was Leipsic’s 11th assist and Toffoli’s 14th.

I should also note that the Kings were ALL OVER The Flyers so far in this game, and were outshooting them 31 to 20 by the end of the second period. Now the Flyers still had many grade A opportunities to score, but Quick was on his game and robbed them blind. Jakob Voracek came the closest to scoring but he hit the post. But overall the Kings were in control. Well, until the 3rd period when the roles got reversed and Philly started applying the pressure. It also doesn’t help the Kings when they start taking penalties too. But during one penalty kill, Toffoli broke loose with the puck, cut into the slot, which cleared a lane to the net and rifled a wrister right past Stolarz and right off the crossbar. (Ugh. That would have been such a beautiful goal… (and yes, that’s me foreshadowing things).

(macon.com)

Anyhow, the game starts winding down with our Kings holding on to a fickle 2-1 lead, but somehow Philly must have known about LA’s kryptonite, (which is the Kings are at their most vulnerable in the FIRST or LAST 5 minutes of EVERY period! Why? Who the heck knows?), and they took advantage of it by pulling their goalie for the extra attacker and scoring with :18 seconds left in the game, when Voracek finally got revenge for hitting that post earlier. 2-2 tie and we are heading into 3 on 3 overtime… where no one could score, so now we are off to the dreaded SHOOT-OUT!!!

The Flyers get to go first with Claude Giroux and he scores with a backhand. 1-0.

Now it’s the Kings’ turn with Ilya Kovalchuk and he sneaks the puck into the net very “Ocean’s 11” like. 1-1.

Voracek’s turn next but Quick stops him.

Then Captain Anze Kopitar got stopped by Stolarz.

Nolan Patrick then scored to give Philly the shootout lead 2-1.

And then for some reason, I thought the game was over and the Kings had lost! I raged out! I banged my fists into my chest and angrily roared about how the Kings blew this game with :18 seconds to go. They should have won it! It was in the bag! UGH!!! Then I posted on social media how angry and disappointed I was before someone kindly reminded me that the game wasn’t over yet. The shootout was still going on. Oh. My bad. So I calmly sat back down and noticed that she was correct. Anyways, I guess I missed out on Kempe tying it up 2-2, Quick stopping James van Riemsdyk, and then (O’Captain, Always and Forever My Captain, Downtown) Dustin Brown missing his shot, which makes me all caught up now. Sorry about that.

Philly’s Travis Konecny was next but he also missed his shot.

Alex Iafallo did as well.

Couturier then got stopped by Quick and the whole game was on the shoulders of the next shooter in line. A player who has scored 4 goals and 6 points in the last 3 games. The one and only Tyler Toffoli. And like when two cowboys are ready to draw against each other, (with guns not by drawing pictures), in some classic western film with Clint Eastwood, I can hear the wind blowing in the background, and feel the heat from the high noon sun, and can see the tumbleweed bouncing along the desert in the background, while this song plays on the soundtrack…

With his fingers lightly gripping the weapon of choice, (a hockey stick), Toffoli made his move. Skating down Stolarz’s right flank, Toffoli pulled inside so Stolarz can position himself, but he holds on to the puck for just long enough so Stolarz is forced to move. Then Toffoli patiently held on even longer so Stolarz can fall to his stomach and desperately try to stretch out a pad, but it was too late. Stolarz was beat and out of position and he knew it, and the puck was roofed into the net for the shootout game-winning goal! “The man with no name,” wins again, (well, he has a name, it’s Tyler Toffoli but you know what I mean). The Kings take the victory AND get another 2 points for their 3rd straight win in a row! Boom!

That was epic!

And with that victory, the Kings now have 50 points overall and are now only 5 points away, I repeat, 5 points away from a wild-card playoff spot. Which hurts their chances at being able to select a top 5 draft pick in this year’s entry draft, but that’s a worry for another day. Jonathan Quick also picks up his 304th regular season career win.

Next up for the Kings’ on this (so far) very successful eastern road trip is a matinee (or more like a mat-a-oh no! Am I right?) game against the Boston Bruins in Boston this Saturday at 10:00 am pacific/1:00 pm eastern time! Let’s see if the Kings can make it four wins in a row!

So until then, I have been JD Stylz but now, I am out of here!

GO KINGS GO!!!

 

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