In Los Angeles Wednesday night, the Kings came out of the All Star break and promptly played one of their better games in weeks as they defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, on a late goal from Jake Muzzin.
Jeff Carter added two goals and three points for the night as the game’s number one star.
“You obviously enjoy playing the Blackhawks,” Carter said. “Every time you play them it’s an intense, exciting game. If you can’t get up to play them, there’s something wrong with you.
“They’re a top team, and they have been for a long time. Hopefully it’s a big confidence boost for us. After having some ups and downs, hopefully we can build off it and keep it going.”
Chicago opened a six-game road trip in LA and felt good about their effort but obviously disappointed in the outcome.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. “We hung in there. It was looking pretty good for us with that 3-2 lead late in the third. We just found a way to blow it.”
The Kings got Tyler Toffoli back in the lineup after a bout of mononucleosis sidelined him.
Toffoli scored the Kings third goal after Andrew Shaw had given the Hawks a 3-2 lead early in the third.
“I think I was a little rusty at times, a little tired toward the end of shifts,” Toffoli said. “[But] I think it was expected. I thought I was going to feel like that. I’m glad we got the win … tonight was a night that we wanted to prove to ourselves that we could win big games and we did it tonight.”
Jonathan Quick stopped 26 shots for the win while Corey Crawford took the loss.
“We had a perfect spot,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had a perfect third period going and we don’t get the puck out when we should have got it clearly out. They got the momentum back on that play and scored off the faceoff. It was definitely a tough loss.”
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