In Vancouver, the Canucks’ late season slump continued with a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.
LA took a 2-0 lead into the third period before Brock Boeser scored off the power play early in the third to trim the deficit to 2-1.
The Kings replied with three goals to take the 5-1 win.
Cam Talbot made 22 saves in the win.
The Kings improved to 30-19-10, and snapped a two-game skid.
“That was definitely the best 60 [minutes] of the year for us from start to finish,” Talbot said. “I can’t think of one fault in our game. We were fast in the offensive zone, taking the puck side to side, really controlling the tone of the game. In the [defensive] zone, we were defending, keeping them to the outside, blocking huge shots even in the last minute. That’s what it takes to win in this League every night, and that was definitely one of the best all-around games we’ve played all year.”
Drew Doughty staked the Kings to a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza at 13:19, scoring from the right side.la.
“I just got the one-timer back,” Doughty said. “Guys are making good passes to me, obviously, and then always guys screening in front of the net. When I have that, just as long as I can get the puck up, a lot of times it’s going to go in and they’ve been going in for me this year, and I’m pretty proud of that.”
In the middle frame, Anze Kopitar pushed the advantage to 2-0 at 5:14, hitting from the left circle.
“Me and ‘Kopi’ played together a long time, there’s not a guy that I look for more than him,” Doughty said. “My entire career, there is not a guy that I’d rather play with than him, and for it to be on his goal, I think that makes it extra special.”
The Canucks dropped to 38-17-7, and have one win in their last seven matches.
“We’re losing those battles,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “Maybe it’s getting harder. Guys have to realize that’s the game that’s going to be out there from here all the way to whatever. You’ve got to learn, just the technical part, but also the will to get those pucks. That game was puck battles and they won more than us.”
After Boeser’s goal, the Kings replied with a power play strike by Kevin Fiala at 4:27 for a 3-1 lead.
“That was a great pass,” Doughty said. “That was kind of vintage L.A. Kings tonight, me and ‘Kopi,’ I thought stepped up and pulled it out with the rest of the guys.”
LA’s Brandt Clarke added a marker at 12:31 to stretch the lead to 4-1.
“That’s what we’re best at, when we’re frustrating teams like that, especially their top talent, made it tough to come through the neutral zone,” Talbot said. “They had to give up the puck a lot and that’s not something they’d like to do. They carry the puck and create off the rush and we didn’t really allow them to do that tonight, so you could definitely sense the frustration.”
Trevor Moore the hit off a breakaway at 15:38 for the 5-1 final count on the scoreboard.
Thatcher Demko made 15 saves in the loss, and was left to dry by his defense on several odd man rushes.
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