Iafallo Helps Kings Beat Wings 3-2 in OT
- Updated: November 15, 2019
(Featured photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Alright, alright, alright. This recap is going to be a quickie (not Jonathan), as my CaliSports News colleague and brother from a different mother, Ryan Cowley and I are going to cover the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony and events, that are starting today, so here is the rundown of last night’s game where our Los Angeles Kings defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime, thanks to Alex Iafallo’s OT winning goal.
Captain Anze Kopitar started the festivities in the first period when he scored his 7th goal of the season at 5:47, to take a 1-0 lead.. Alex Iafallo (more on him later), and Sean Walker got the assists. The play started when Captain Kopi carried the puck into the offensive zone, before drop passing the puck to defenseman Walker. Walker shot it on net which deflected off of Iafallo, making the puck hit the post. But Wings’ (and former LA Kings’) goalie Jonathan Bernier didn’t know where the puck was, but Kopi did and he tapped the puck into the net, right from behind Bernier to get the goal. (Sorry not sorry Bernie)
In the second period, the wings came back, tying the game 1-1 after a goal from Tyler Bertuzzi, (who is the nephew of former NHL player (and goon?) Todd Bertuzzi), at 4:36.
Though the Wings had tied the game, the Kings continued their forechecking attack and were outshooting the Wings in the first two periods, but Bernier had made some strong saves to keep the Kings from getting the lead. At the other end of the ice, Jonathan Quick was doing the same, looking like the Quickie of old.
As sharp as Quick has been in the last two games, (thank the Hockey Gods), the Kings’ defense around him were not as sharp. After Walker had turnover the puck behind Quick’s net, the Wings’ were allowed to circle the puck around the net to Dylan Larkin, who set up the streaking Bertuzzi, (yes him again), who knuckle balled the puck into the net, (as if he was Ace Pitcher, Eddie Harris from the film Major League!) It was Bertuzzi’s 8th goal of the season, and second of the game. 2-1 Red Wings.
(photo : paramount pictures)
The Wings took full control in the 3rd period but Quick and the Kings held them at bay. And then in vintage LA Kings’ style, Adrian Kempe, returning to the main roster after being a healthy scratch in the last game against Minnesota, ties the game up 2-2, when he scored his 2nd goal of the season with only 1:48 remaining in the game. Matt Roy and Kopitar provided the assists. The goal was a beauty too. Kopitar got the puck to the point for Roy, who then blasted it towards the net. Bernier made the save but gave up a huge rebound right to the stick of a wide open Kempe, who backhanded into the net to tie it all up. This was a huge goal for Kempe because of how badly he has been struggling this season so far. Before this game, and before he was a healthy scratch in the last game, Kempe only had 1 goal and 3 assists in 17 games. Hopefully this goal and Kings’ victory can get him and his game back on track.
(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images)
So off to overtime we go and 0:23 into the extra period, Captain Kopitar won the face-off in the offensive zone, drop passing the puck to “The Hulkster” Drew Doughty. Doughty skated to his right, trying to find an open lane and blasted the puck towards the net. He totally missed, but with the events about to follow, which are normally the types of puck luck that usually go against the Kings, the puck bounced right off the boards and into the front of the net to an open Iafallo! Bernier again did not know where the puck went, but when he did it was already too late, as Iafallo made no mistake of it and banked the puck into the net to win the game in OT, 3-2! It was Iafallo’s 4th goal of the season, with assists by Doughty and Kopitar.
And just like that, the Kings have won two games in a row, with Quickie providing some more quality goaltending, making 19 saves in this game. Captain Kopi had a goal and two assists, and has now scored in three straight games, extending his points streak to 5 games, while Iafallo had a goal and an assist, with his goal being the OT winner of course.
The Kings next play the rival (and struggling) Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow at home for a matinee (ugh) game at 1:00 pm pst. So until then my friends …
GO KINGS GO!!!
Stay with us at Calisportsnews.com as we will keep you up-to-date on all things Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and the rest of the SoCal sports teams! All Cali, All the time!
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