Welcome Back… Kings Still Can’t Score

The Kings woes continued against Tampa Bay, one of their final opponents before their bye week where they lost in a shootout. While this game came close, the lack of Drew Doughty was apparent, and the Kings inability to hold on to a lead/play 60 minutes/score came back to bite them. Again. In the first minute there were 6 hits and 1 shot (4 Kings hit, one shot from Jeff Carter), so the fact that there were more hits than shots in the game came as no surprise. The tone was set early. And the Kings came out strong, making promises they couldn’t end up keeping. They even had the first power play and the first goal. From Tyler Toffoli of all players! Some fabulous stick handling in front of the net and a slick shot that sailed past Vasilecsky 6:44 in. Half way through the period it was like they didn’t miss Doughty at all – the Kings had 7 shots to the Lightning’s 1, and 9 hits to the Lightning’s 7. They were playing so well it was inevitable that something would derail them – cue a penalty kill and a slide into mediocrity. The momentum swung heavily to the Lightning, and while Jonathan Quick kept them in it, the intermission was welcome.

1:18 into the second it appeared the intermission had done them good, and perhaps this game wouldn’t be disappointing! The Kings had perhaps already played through the slump they usually have early, and Iafallo’s ‘nothing but net’ goal put them solidly in the lead. 4:30 later, however, a rebound past Quick who’d come too far out of his crease cut the lead in half. And a penalty kill 5 minutes after that ended the lead entirely. Not for lack of trying. Quick was putting on an absolute CLINIC, Iafallo saved a Hedman goal, Brown saved a Stamkos goal, Ryan saved a Kucherov goal and defense was all around phenomenal. Except Quick could never cover, the rest of the Kings couldn’t clear, and that shift lasted the entire power play. It was inevitable that the Kings would get tired and be unable to starve off the onslaught entirely. Stamkos made it 2-2 with 8:02 remaining. Some after whistle – let’s say disagreements – followed as the Kings vehemently disagreed with the Lightning’s treatment of Quick, but no penalties came of it.

It was clear once the third was going that the Lightning had the speed the Kings lacked. And that while some of the Kings had speed (cough Wagner cough) they didn’t have the finish (yes that’s you again Wagner.) 4:13 in came their third unanswered goal, beating Quick clean and essentially ending the Kings hopes. Oh wait, that would be the fourth unanswered goal. The challenge for offside gave them slightly more life, but they just couldn’t gain traction. Once again I had the thought that Quick deserves better. He was pulled a couple of minutes before the official time of death, again to no avail. Just another game like all the rest.