A slow start for a tired Los Angeles Kings team was not enough to keep them out of the win column, but it took some doing to accomplish that.
Milan Lucic picked up the game-winner with just over six minutes left in regulation to send the Kings past the Dallas Stars, 3-2.
“We just talked about getting the emotional level of our game up,” Lucic said. “I talked about getting in on the forecheck and creating some zone time. It felt like it was kind one-and-done, or we weren’t getting to the puck … bit of a slow start on our end, and it’s going to happen at times, and it’s just how you respond to it.”
Jonathan Quick made 27 saves in the win and the revitalized Vincent Lecavalier scored his third power play goal in as many games for the Kings.
“I think a lot of people wondered what he was going to bring this team,” Lucic said of Lecavalier. “A lot of question marks with him coming in. But you can tell he’s having fun again. The coaches have put him in a position to succeed, and obviously that’s something that he’s earned.”
The Stars are slumping and in January they are 1-5-2 and Lindy Ruff is pointing fingers.
“I think the biggest thing is our big boys haven’t been converting,” Ruff said. “It’s tough on the rest of the lineup when they’re not on the scoresheet. When they’re on the scoresheet, we’re going to win games. They’re having a little bit of a tough time right now.”
Cody Eakin and Ales Hemsky scored for the Stars and Kari Lehtonen had 26 saves in the loss.
“The teams in the League are getting better,” Antoine Roussel said. “They aim at us. They look at the Stars and say, ‘We’re going to beat those guys.’ At the start, we were a surprising team. I don’t think it’s like that anymore.”
Drew Doughty also scored for the Kings and Anze Kopitar had two assists giving him 20 points n the last 12 games.
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