In Ottawa, the Los Angeles Kings rode a four-goal first period to a 5-2 win over the Senators on Tuesday.
Viktor Arvidsson hit for a double in the first period outburst.
“I think we played fast and we executed,” Arvidsson said. “They did too, but I think we made better decisions with the puck and we were more effective.”
His two goals extended the Kings’ lead, at the ,time to 4-1.
LA improved to 14-10-4.
“I thought it was a complete game by everybody,” Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. “We didn’t have to rely on just one or two people, starting with the goaltender. I thought he played really well and gave us some confidence.”
Pheonix Copley made 31 saves in the LA win.
“Felt good,” Copley said. “It was nice. Guys played well in front of me so that’s always nice and, yeah, it’s great to be in the win column.”
Within a little more than two minutes, the Kings had a 2-0 lead on strikes from Matt Roy and Mikey Anderson.
“Just flat,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. “Gave up way too many chances, didn’t check hard enough. You know, that’s on me. Our preparation to start the game starts with me as the coach, and that’s certainly unacceptable. My job is to make sure these guys are ready to play.”
Drake Batherson stopped the early run by the Kings when he scored for a 2-1 deficit.
“We weren’t ready to go, right off the bat,” Batherson said. “We kind of left the goalies out to dry there and, obviously, we can’t afford to do that at this point of the season.”
Arvidsson then added his pair of markers.
“They were strong and it wasn’t at the cost of anything going the other way,” McLellan said of the Arvidsson- Moore-Phillip Danault line. “I thought they managed their shift length really well tonight. ‘Vintage’ is probably a pretty good way of putting it.”
Kevin Fiala made it 5-1 in the middle frame.
Ben Chariot scored off the power in the third period for the 5-2 final.
“You’re not going to play perfect every single night,” Chabot said. “But once you start a game and you see it’s not going your way, then I think you take a step back as a team and you play a system. You play the way we know we can have success, and we didn’t do that tonight.”
Cam Talbot got the start for Ottawa and surrendered five goals and made nine saves into the second period when he got the hook.
Anton Forsberg, who made 14 saves in relief.
“For us to come out that flat and just [not help] ‘Talbs’ like that is just unacceptable,” Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said.
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