Doughty Scores Big Points By Breaking Stick – Kings Lose

By Jim Ellis
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Updated: December 30, 2016

Thank you Drew Doughty for your stellar play at the very end of the third period of Thursday’s Los Angeles Kings loss to the Edmonton Oilers, 3 – 1. The way you busted that stick completely in half over our goalposts after the Oilers scored that empty netter was the most relief a Kings fan could hope for … at that time.

Drew showing the frustration that every Kings fan is feeling. #LAKings pic.twitter.com/DEwtq0Kv1S

— Matt DeBlasi (@MattDeBlasi) December 30, 2016

We were looking for other relief for most of the game, pulling and hoping for some sort of spark. The past three games – losses to the Dallas Stars and then Vancouver Canucks and now to the Oilers – has spelled a gruesome completion to a grueling 9-game road trip, as the team ended the trip 3-4-2. It’s been tough. But nothing a stick to a goalpost wouldn’t soothe. At least a bit.

The Kings, at 17-15-4, now stand in fifth place, seven points behind Pacific Division leading San Jose Sharks. They next face off against those same Sharks, Saturday, December 31 at the Staples Center.

Kings net-minder Peter Budaj played well, saving 33 of 35 shots, though once again he didn’t have the help from his team’s scoring offense. After a scoreless first, the Oilers’ Patrick Maroon found himself alone in front of the net on a power play, getting his 11th of the season at 2:32 of the second period.

The Kings, which had 29 of their own shots, were silent in scoring until Nick Shore scored unassisted at 3:05 of the third. After a blocked slap shot from Doughty, the puck slid towards Shore who fired a surprise forehand wrist shot over Cam Talbot’s glove.

Shore understands what most Kings fans know – the team is on a scoring slump. Through LA Kings Insider, Jon Rosen, Shore said, “I think it’s just a matter of sticking to our plan and executing. I think when we’re on our game, they’re low scoring games but at the same time when we’re executing we’re able to put pucks in the net.”

It didn’t take long however for the Oilers to take the game back on a play in which the Kings looked like a bunch of six-year-old kids playing soccer. All five Kings ended up moseying over to the puck, leaving alone Jordan Eberle whose shot was blocked into the air, where Eric Gryba was able to bat it in at 6:58.

Said coach Darryl Sutter, through LA Kings Insider, “We played our asses off and we got beat by one goal. Hey, we played a hell of a hockey team in a tough building. You should give the Oilers a little bit of credit.”

Add in a bit of an urgent flurry by the Kings (why does the urgency show up always at the end), as well as an empty net goal by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at 19:46, and you’ve pretty much got the game wrap up. Oh, and add in that Doughty stick breaking. That was one of the best plays they had all night.

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