This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to a couple of old guys — Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty — of the Los Angeles Kings.
In a day and age when many pro athletes frequently change teams, Kings captain Kopitar and defenceman Doughty have spent their entire careers with Los Angeles. Kopitar, 37, is in his 19th season with the team, having been selected 11th overall in 2005. Doughty, 35, is in his 17th season after being drafted second overall in 2008.
Good drafting, veteran leadership and stability. Perhaps that’s why the Kings have made the playoffs the last three seasons and captured two Stanley Cups over a three-year period, beginning in 2012. Of course Los Angeles also has failed to advance beyond the first round in each of those three seasons.
Nobody’s perfect.
At least they got out of the snow for several days: Trips to California have generally proven to be the Canadiens’ Waterloo over the years, and this season was no exception. Three games in four nights ended in a predictable result on Wednesday, with Montreal losing 6-3 to the Kings at Crypro.com Arena. The Canadiens return home having lost two of three, and while plenty of hockey remains to be played, it now appears highly unlikely this team will qualify for a wild card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
The dream was nice while it lasted.
Enough already: The Kings have now won nine of 11 against Montreal, including the last eight. Indeed the Canadiens haven’t won in Los Angeles since March 5, 2019.
His bubble has burst: Rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes was the talk of the town when he won his first five NHL starts. But now he has lost three straight, including his first on the road.
Wake up (Part I): Is this any way to start a game? Defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov started the goal onslaught only 99 seconds following the opening faceoff. And the shots favoured the home team, 12-1, following seven minutes. Yes, the Kings had been idle since Saturday while the Canadiens played Tuesday night in San Jose. Nonetheless, there was no excuse for this. Los Angeles peppered Dobes with seven shots before two minutes had elapsed.
The future is now: One night after forward Owen Beck dressed in place of Michael Pezzetta, defenceman Logan Mailloux got the call over Jayden Struble. Mailloux’s trip of Warren Foegele in the second period resulted in a penalty shot — and a 2-1 Kings’ lead. But Mailloux also scored his second NHL goal in the third period, narrowing Montreal’s deficit to 4-3.
News you need (Part I): The Kings have an NHL-leading 16-3-1 home record.
News you need (Part II): The Canadiens are now 6-2-1 in the second game when playing twice in 24 hours.
They got the memo: Los Angeles has allowed a league-low 31 first-period goals. The Canadiens weren’t about to upset the apple cart on this night.
Every shot has a chance: Mike Matheson scored Montreal’s first goal, early in the second period. His harmless-looking point shot deflected off Doughty’s back before glancing off the leg of Akil Thomas.
Dumb penalty: Adrian Kempe hooked Juraj Slafkovsky in the offensive zone in the second period.
Was that necessary: Gavrikov, also in the same period, boarded Josh Anderson.
News you need (Part III): The Kings are now 18-0-2 when leading after the second period.
Wake up (Part II): Los Angeles scored on its first shot of the third period. The goal, from defenceman Brandt Clarke, came after only 15 seconds.
This is why teams lose: All three Canadiens goals came from defencemen: Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Mailloux.
Pass of the night: Alex Laferriere to Kevin Fiala in the third period, providing Los Angeles with a 4-2 lead. The play started with Quinton Byfield, 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, running over 5-foot-9, 162-pound Lane Hutson.
Momentum … schmomentum: The Kings required only 45 seconds to regain their two-goal cushion after Mailloux scored.
Next time, decline the penalty: The Canadiens went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Quick stats: The Canadiens had 22 hits — four of them from Kirby Dach — and won 57.1 per cent of their faceoffs. Nick Suzuki went 10-7 on faceoffs while Christian Dvorak won seven of nine. Slafkovsky, Matheson and Joel Armia each had three shots. Dobes’s save percentage was .865.
This close to history: Had Armia scored a shorthanded goal for a third successive game, he would have become the first player to accomplish that feat for the Canadiens.
Don’t look now, but:Patrik Laine has gone eight games without a goal.
They said it: “I think we were playing catch-up that whole game,” Jake Evans told journalists in Los Angeles. “We had some bright spots but when you’re chasing the game sometimes your defensive game starts to lack. That’s what happened. I don’t think we were ready to go and they were. They were all over us. That’s how we want to play, be annoying to play against and take away all the options.
“Is (the schedule) annoying? Yeah,” Evans continued. “It’s not an excuse obviously. I felt fine. A lot of guys felt fine. We have to be ready to go from the start. Obviously the travel is annoying. You’d rather play here and then in Anaheim. That’s just what we have to deal with. Everyone felt fine. We’re pros.”