In Los Angeles, the visiting Seattle Kraken scored twice in the middle frame off goals from Brandon Tanev and Alex Wennberg to take a 3-1 lead over the Kings on Thursday night.
“We have some work to do,” Los Angeles center Phillip Danault said. “We’re not playing a full 60 minutes. We’re kind of sloppy with a couple passes, and little details we haven’t capitalized as well. I mean, it’s not that we’re not trying. We tried really hard today, but it wasn’t enough.”
The Kings do indeed have work to do. They dropped to 0-2-0 on the new season with the loss.
Seattle’s Adam Larsson added a late shorthanded, empty-net goal for the 4-1 final score.
Martin Jones made 26 saves for Seattle in the win.
“They play a difficult system and a trap that’s tough to break. But I think when the simplicity of the game of getting pucks in, forechecking and being physical makes it easier,” Tanev said. “I think when you’re out there with guys that understand the way we need to play it makes the game easier, and you just read off each other and communicate try to make things easy.”
The Kraken lost in overtime in the home opener, to the Anaheim Ducks, and improved to 1-2-1 with the win.
Alex Iafallo was the lone striker for the Kings; his goal tied the game, 1-1, in the first period.
“Game management,” Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. “Three O-zone penalties tonight, game management. It’s something we’ve been harping and harping on, and those are essentially impossible situations to practice so they’ve got to take care of it.”
Seattle took an early 1-0 lead off a power play goal from Jaden Schwartz.
“In six periods of hockey, we played 5 1/2 good periods,” Schwartz said. “There are a lot of good things to build on.”
Jonathan Quick made 18 saves in the LA loss.
“We dressed six defensemen tonight. I know he wasn’t six, pretty sure he wasn’t five and I don’t believe he was four either. So, that’s what I thought of him. I thought he had a real good night,” McLellan said.
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