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Kings Out Hustle the Hawks 3-1 in Chi-Town

(Featured Photo: Jeff Haynes, AP)

After losing three straight games during this seven-game, eastern road trip, the Los Angeles Kings have now won two in a row after defeating the Chicago Black Hawks 3-1 at the United Center.

Much like the previous game against Buffalo, the Kings stormed out of the gate and found a way to score first, (I know right???), when Nate Thompson intercepted the puck along the boards, and made a slick behind the back pass right to the rushing Mitchell, who scored with a slap-shot at 8:31. With the assist, Thompson earned his first ever point as a King. Kyle Clifford not only received the secondary assist, but he did a fantastic job of screening Hawks’ goaltender Anton Forsberg as well. 1-0 Kings.

Later at 16:27, The Kings took advantage of a Chicago turnover in their defensive zone after Christian Folin blocked a shot. Andy Andreoff then picked up the loose puck and charged a 3 on 2 attacks with his red-hot 4th line teammates, Jonny Brodzinski and Mike Amadio. Andreoff entered the Hawks’ zone but then drop passed the puck to Amadio, who quickly (not Jonathan) drop passed the puck to Brodzinki, as Andreoff charged towards the net. Brodzinski then put the puck on net, where Andreoff was able to tip it into the net for the goal to make it 2-0 for the Kings. (What a beautiful play!) It was Andreoff’s 3rd goal of the season and the 5th point on this road trip. Both Brodzinski and Amadio earned their second assists of the season.

This game was another strong showing by the ‘Triple Threat’ fourth line of Andreoff, Brodzinski, and Amadio. So strong in fact that I believe that this is the Kings’ best and most productive line they have at the moment. One has to wonder if Coach John Stevens is going to tinker with this line or not, once Trevor Lewis returns from injury? I love Lewis but I sure hope not, as the chemistry between these players has been strongly on point. Why fix what isn’t broken?

The Kings then ended the first period with 15 shots to Chicago’s 4.

(AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

In the second period, the Hawks got a penalty when Lance Bouma got called for interference on Jake Muzzin at 2:46. On the ensuing power-play, the newly acquired Dion Phaneuf scored with a shot from the point at 4:04. It was Phaneuf’s 5th goal of the season (and second with the Kings in his three games with the team). Both Alec Martinez and Adrian Kempe earned their 12th assists of the season, while kudos goes out to Tanner Pearson for doing a fine job of screening the goalie, (I’m sensing a positive trend here).

It is so far so good when it comes to Phaneuf, as so far, he has done exactly what GM Rob Blake and company were hoping he would do, and that’s to be a calm and veteran presence on the blue-line in the second defensive pairing unit with Martinez. He is intimidating for the opposing teams, can crush someone with a check, or help out with the offense as he has in this game and in his debut for the Kings against Pittsburgh. No, he isn’t the best defensively, but he isn’t the worst either. Those that still call Phaneuf a pylon and think he should be on the Kings’ 3rd defensive pairing, (or should not have been picked up by the Kings at all), should take a closer look at his game, and be honest. Is Phaneuf any worse at coughing up the puck then Muzzin, Martinez or Derek Forbort are? No, I didn’t think so. Without the fishbowl-like spotlight on him, as he had in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa, Phaneuf can now just play his game without the pressures of having to carry a whole team. Plus he really wants to play and do well in LA and that alone should strike fear in the hearts of every Kings’ opponent.

Also, like against the Sabres in the previous game, the Hawks started waking up in the second period before becoming a force and dominating the Kings in the 3rd period by outshooting them 13-3. And like that game in Buffalo, the Kings were still able to hold on and win the game, gaining two much-needed points. The Hawks were able to get one back early in the 3rd, past Jonathan Quick, (who was playing superbly), when Patrick Sharp scored with a one-timer at 1:42, to make it 3-1.

Playing like a man possessed, Quick made 27 saves out of 28 shots, including a highway robbery type save on Brandon Saad from his one-timer off of a short-handed, two on one attack, (Saad also took another shot off the rebound but he missed the net. Though he missed, Quick was ready and in position to save that one as well, as he was in the ZONE!) A bit later he stopped Artem Anisimov too. He also robbed former San Jose Shark Tommy Wingels from point blank in the slot. This was Quick’s 23rd win of the season and he sported a .964 save % in this game. After his strong performances as well in the Tampa, Pittsburgh and Buffalo games, this is the best Quick has looked since the first half of the season.

(AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

Speaking of Wingels, he had a collision with Drew Doughty during the second period, that looked innocent enough in real time, as well as in the replay but Doughty seemed to have been in pain from it. He didn’t go to the back, but instead just sat on the bench for a while before shaking it off (not Taylor Swift) and getting back into the game, (Whew! The last thing this team needs is for Doughty to be injured). He seemed to be alright after that.

This was the Kings’ second straight victory and third overall from this long road trip, making them 3-3. Their final game of this trip is tonight against the tough Winnipeg Jets, (who have won 3 games in a row, including a 7-1 thrashing of the Florida Panthers and a 6-1 beating on the Colorado Avalanche), and the Kings will have to play a full 60 minute team effort in order to beat them, OR at least take the Jets into OT for the extra point. They most definitely need a stronger effort and showing in the 3rd period, avoiding at all costs the burned out collapses they experienced against the Hawks and Sabres. An area that the Kings were quite dominant with during the first half of the season. With the Anaheim Ducks winning, and the Calgary Flames earning a point last night, the Kings are still outside of a playoff spot and looking in with 69 points, and can’t afford to lose too many more games down the stretch in order to make the playoffs. As my colleagues Scott Cahill and Augie Loya have said many times on LA Kings Road Talk Radio, it is going to be a dogfight, (not Top Gun. But get it? Since Winnipeg are the Jets??? Oh forget it.)

I am also expecting that the Kings will go with Darcy Kuemper in net tonight, considering it’s the tail end of a back to back, and Quick has started the last 5 out of 6 games. Either way, the Kings have no choice but give Winnipeg everything they got and more!

And with all that said, I have been JD Stylz and now I am out of here!

GO KINGS GO!!!

(AP Photo/Jeff Haynes)

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