Iginla Wears the Kings Crown Well in Victory

By Jim Ellis
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: April 2, 2017

He hasn’t been one of the Kings for long, but he sure has fit into his crown well.

Forward Jerome Iginla, a March 1 trade from the Colorado Avalanche who showcases the energy and presence of a winner, scored the winning goal helping the Los Angeles Kings take a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Friday.

The win gives the Kings 81 points, eight points behind the Nashville Predators, the only team the Kings can catch for a playoff spot. With five games remaining for each team, if Nashville goes on a losing streak and the Kings embellish on its modest two-game victory streak, they would make the playoffs if the two teams tied in points. Those are some big “ifs.”

For now, the Kings will take the two points, on a shutout by Jonathan Quick, who made 35 saves.

After a lackluster start for LA (they DO know it’s a MUST game, right?), the tide turned in the second period, as the LA team capitalized on a powerplay. At 12:48 Alec Martinez took a slapshot that was tipped in front by superhero Iginla.

Through the Kings Insider, Iginla said, “We got some good breaks in there. It was a great shot by Marty; he might have scored anyway.”

Later in the period at 16:38, on a rush, Tyler Toffoli took a pass to the right side before sniping a shot over the right shoulder of Ryan Miller, who made 24 saves on 26 shots in the game.

LA kept the energy up in the third, with a couple of dead-to-rights shots somehow being missed, including a wide-open-net shot by Jeff Carter. He will be laying in bed tonight picturing that net … and his shot going wide left.

Quick was solid and steady in the third, frustrating the Canucks and maintaining the shutout, his second of the season.

Said Iginla, “Hopefully we can keep going. There is no give up in here, and now it’s onto the next game.”