Kings' Brown on playoffs: 'If we deserve to be in playoffs, we'll find ways to win games'
This game could either be one that sparks the run to the playoffs, or the one that eliminates the defending champs all together.
With valuable Pacific Division points up for the taking Saturday afternoon at the Staples Center, the Los Angeles Kings gave them away to the playoff-bound Vancouver Canucks in a 4-1 loss. It was almost a microcosm of their entire season: One goal, one mistake, one loss after another.
From here, L.A. could continue its free fall and take the summer off. Or, they could be desperate enough to start scoring some goals.
The Kings haven't scored more than two goals in a game in their last four tries and the results have been telling: A 1-2-1 record and maybe most importantly, only three points eared - which is two less than they currently need for a playoff spot.
"You've got to produce," said coach Darryl Sutter. "It was a close game. It was a 1-1 game going into the third. We had some great chances and that's sort of how it's been. We've been playing really well but not scoring enough. We just have to find ways to score goals."
The one goal was scored by Marian Gaborik 24 seconds into the second period. A power play snipe from the circle, it was a good start to such an important game. Protecting a one-goal lead for 39 minutes isn't typically anything out of the ordinary for the Kings. But their game this season hasn't exactly been typical.
And it wasn't typical again on Saturday: The best shot-suppressing team in the league gave up 42.
All I do is swipe pic.twitter.com/dQbWtChv6E
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 21, 2015
"Early in the game we weren't as clean coming through the neutral zone, as a result their transition was good," said captain Dustin Brown. "I think that's where they generated a lot of their scoring chances. They were off the neutral zone transition and through the neutral zone."
The one mistake was on the part of Tyler Toffoli, and it's one that essentially cost the game and could cost his bank account.
With the Kings on the penalty kill and tied 1-1 just over four minutes into the third period, Toffoli got a breakaway but his backhander was denied by Vancouver goaltender Eddie Lack. Only moments later on his same shift, Toffoli caught winger Alexandre Burrows from behind and knocked him head first into the boards. Burrows was down on the ice for several moments before ultimately being taken into the dressing room for the remainder of the game.
Toffoli was slapped with a boarding major, a fineable offense under the collective bargaining agreement, and a 10-minute game misconduct penalty, giving the Canucks a two-man advantage.
"I don't really remember what happened," Toffoli said. "It's kind of the way everything turned out and then I came in the room and I haven't really thought about it too much."
They capitalized: Radim Vrbata took a bounce from off the back wall and shot it past both Matt Greene and Jonathan Quick for the game-winner.
"It sucks, I wish it didn't happen," Toffoli said. "I wish we would have won the game and I feel like it's on my shoulders right now and it's not a good feeling."
HIGHLIGHT: Marian Gaborik gets the @LAKings on the board first with a snipe that beats Lack on the glove side. http://t.co/iRIVuSUtMz
— Kings Vision (@KingsVision) March 21, 2015
The Canucks would later add two empty-net goals as the Kings continued to spiral downward.
With 82 points, L.A. is two behind Winnipeg in the Wild Card and two behind Calgary in the Pacific Division standings. A win would have tied them with both Calgary and Vancouver. But the game is in the rearview mirror and the Kings, authors of one of the worst road records in the league, have to find a way to scape for points on this next five-game road swing.
It might be a tall order, as the slate includes games against both New York teams (top teams in the Metropolitan Division), Minnesota (No. 1 Wild Card team in the Western Conference) and Chicago (fourth place in the Western Conference).
"I think it's fair to say that we have a hard schedule but that's what the NHL is all about," Brown said. "Especially down the stretch, it's one of those things that if we deserve to be in the playoffs, we'll find ways to win games."
