In Los Angeles, the Kings’ Adrian Kempe hit for a double on Saturday, once off an LA power play, and once off a Vancouver Canucks’ power play i a 6-3 win for the Kings. 
The Kings improved to 41-25-11 off their third straight win.
LA moved into the third spot in the Pacific Division, one point clear of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Cam Talbot made 39 saves in the win.
“Good mood, good vibes,” LA’s Kevin Fiala said. “We had another win tonight against a good team, you know, maybe against a potential playoff matchup. It was just great to show up tonight to win this game. This was one game, and we just have five more games to try to win.”
Kempe potted his first of the game at 2:48 of the opening stanza, scoring off the power play from the right circle.
Drew Doughty pushed the lead to 2-0, scoring off a second power play with a shot from the left circle at 5:45.
“The two power-play goals early were a little undisciplined, and then you’re chasing the game,” Tocchet said.
Vancouver replied with a goal from Brock Boeser midway through the first to tie the trim the deficit to 2-1.
In the middle frame, LA’s Alex Laferriere responded to that marker with a strike at 2:09, scoring off a deflection of a shot form the point.
Fiala extended the advantage to 4-1 at 8:49, scoring off his own rebound.
“When things are tough and it’s gut check time and all the pressure is on you, that’s when the top guys step up,” Doughty said. “That’s why they’re top guys and why they’ve been top guys basically their whole careers. Because in the big moments they step up, and we’re going to need to continue that to go far this season and in the playoffs.”
The Canucks dropped to 47-22-8 off their fourth loss in six matches.
“You can look at the six goals and think it’s bad, but I actually liked the effort,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “Guys were trying hard. Just too many egregious mistakes, and then it’s in your net. But, yeah, we had a lot of chances and just didn’t convert. They did.”
In the third period, the Canucks’ Dakota Joshua closed the gap to 4-2 at 7:23, he rushed the crease and scored off a rebound of a shot from J.T. Miller.
The Kings’ Trevor Moore scored midway through the frame to give LA a 5-2 lead.
“You know, I don’t think when we made that trade (with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020) we expected 30 goals out of him, no offense,” Doughty said. “That’s amazing, and for a hometown boy who obviously loved the L.A. Kings growing up, it’s pretty special for him and his family, but it’s special for all of us, too.”
The Canucks tried to rally again with a shorthanded goal by Teddy Blueger at 12:35 to make the score, 5-3.
Kempe collected his double with a shorthanded marker at 17:16, scoring off a breakaway for the 6-3 final count on the scoreboard.
Casey DeSmith made 23 saves in the loss.
“We seemed to crack more than they did, and they won the special teams game,” Miller said. “I know each team got shorties, but they capitalized on the power play and we didn’t.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.