Kings Loss More of the Same

Rebuilds are difficult. Clearly. The Kings team that maybe had hoped a few games ago (I stress the team did, personally this is exactly how I thought things would go) seem to be slipping further and further behind. Like last time they played Washington, it was obvious which team were the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, and which team is going to get a shot at Hughes next draft. Even when the Kings do things right – it was clear they’d worked on their passing, something that had been sorely lacking in previous games – they still just can’t make it all work. The Capitals, who lost to the Ducks 5-2 last night, played their backup goalie Copley, and he looked like a backup with a 3.03 GAA. Which made it all the more frustrating when the Kings good chances just weren’t going in. Copley almost scored for them on a bad pass! They even ended up with a puck behind the goalie in the blue paint but still couldn’t scramble up a goal. A hooking penalty Kopitar drew on a particularly dangerous shift didn’t lead to anything, but Forbert’s penalty moments after the power play ended did. Obviously. Because Alex Ovechkin has (now) 41 goals this season and the slot there on the power play is so much his home he should pay rent on it. What wasn’t obvious was the goal 20 seconds later eerily reminiscent of Saturday’s final minutes. Lewis, LaDue, and Carter combined for an extended shift in the offensive zone to attempt to make up for it but again, to no avail. Given the King’s woes this season, it was expected but still disappointing.

The second wasn’t much better. Too much traffic in front of Campbell for my liking, though he was making some good saves. Being on pace for 57 goals this season however, there is no slowing down Ovechkin. The Kings gifted them a power play when Carter accidentally tripped Vrana in his attempt to reach the puck, and sure enough, Ovi set up house in his spot and scored again. It felt like a puncture in a tire for the Kings. Not even a power play could boost their spirits, nor their chances. They didn’t have a shot on goal from 7:29 to 19:52. More long stretches began the third; the first whistle came over 4 minutes in. And the first King’s goal came 8:20 in, from Iafallo cleaning up Brown’s shot on the rebound. Unfortunately, it would be the only King’s goal, even as they sent Ovechkin to the box. He joined Wilson, who had some words with Clifford before the puck dropped and then some pushing, shoving and continued words thrown through the penalty box walls. To be perfectly honest, trying to read their lips was more entertaining than what was happening on the ice. They pulled Campbell with about 90 seconds remaining, which for once actually paid off! I’d still put Ovechkin as the more successful Russian on the ice but Kovalchuk did do what was necessary when it counted – unfortunately, it was too little too late, as the goal game with 28 seconds remaining on the clock, and the Kings just couldn’t quite pull it off. They continue to sit firmly at the bottom of the Western Conference, with 52 points in 59 games, still needing 8 points to leapfrog over any team in the Wild Card spot. They’d be relying on divisional losses there too, and some Central Division losses too. So stay tuned Kings fans. It’s not likely but it’s still technically possible.