Kevin Fiala scored twice to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.
The Habs ended their three-game California road trip with one win and two losses.
Jakub Dobes was hung out to dry by his teammates. He allowed five goals on 37 shots, including one goal on a penalty shot.
Montreal struggled to create chances against the defensively sound Kings. Two of the team’s three goals came from somewhat flukey shots. The third was by Logan Mailloux, who was inserted into the lineup over Jayden Struble. It was a rare night where the Habs dressed three right-handed defencemen: Mailloux, David Savard and Alexandre Carrier.
Mailloux was already in the neighbourhood, having just played in the AHL All-Star Game in nearby Coachella Valley. Owen Beck also did double duty, following up a three-goal performance for the North Division All-Stars with a solid performance on the 4th line for the Habs.
The Canadiens faced a barrage of eight shots in the opening 1:39 of the game, capped by a Kings goal off a point shot by Vladislav Gavrikov. The Habs went 7-5 in shots the rest of the period but still trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes.
In the second period, the Habs got their equalizer at 3:51 on a strange hop as the puck went off goalie Darcy Kuemper’s mask and in. Mike Matheson was credited with the goal. Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson picked up assists.
The Kings reclaimed the lead 1:32 later when Warren Foegele beat Dobes on a penalty shot. Mailloux tripped up Foegele on the initial breakaway attempt.
Just 15 seconds into the third, the Kings delivered a demoralizer thanks to a Brandt Clarke point shot that beat Dobes cleanly. 3-1 Kings.
The Habs took goals any way they could get them, and with hopes fading Carrier surprised Kuemper with an unconventional floater that Josh Anderson may have tipped to reduce LA’s lead to 3-2.
The line of Quinton Byfield, Alex Laferriere and Kevin Fiala skated circles around the stationary Canadiens all night, so it was appropriate the trio teamed up to give the Kings a two-goal advantage with under 10 minutes to play. Fiala’s 19th put the Kings up 4-2.
Montreal refused to fold. Mailloux scored his second goal of the season, in just his sixth game. The Habs were down by a goal once again.
The one-goal deficit was short-lived. Fiala responded with his 20th just 35 seconds later to reinstate LA’s two-goal lead. 5-3 Kings.
The Kings added an empty-netter.
Los Angeles entered the game on a cold streak, losers of seven of their last 10, but they have Montreal’s number. They’ve now won eight consecutive games against the bleu-blanc-rouge. And despite the occasional back-and-forth, the Kings were the dominant club from the opening draw. It’s been a familiar refrain at home for them all season: LA has a 16-3-1 record at the arena formerly known as Staples Center.
If the California swing was a litmus test for whether the Habs will compete for a playoff spot this spring, the results were pretty dismal. They barely scraped by the bottom-feeding Sharks, they let an easy bucket slip away against the Ducks, and they were thoroughly outclassed against a heavy Kings team that seems to be built for the playoffs more than the regular season.
The Habs remain five points back of the Lightning for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. It might be premature to call them must-wins, but if they don’t bank some points during this weekend’s two-fer before the 4 Nations Face-Off, they’ll return from the break with little to play for but pride.
Thanks again to the Liveblog commenters for burning the midnight oil with me.
3. “Strange game by the Hab’s, Just too soft in all aspects of the game. LA’s transition game just killed them tonight. They won’t be happy but I’m sure they are glad to be going home. This West Coast nightmare is over.” -Doug Kirkby
2. “We could have come home with 4 points on this trip, if we hadn’t completely screwed the pooch with Anaheim.” -Derek Stevens
1. “I think we’re going to have to regroup after during the break. Can’t see getting much out of this weekend based on what we’ve seen the last couple of weeks. 6-3 and I’ve seen enough.” -HabsSki Fan