LOS ANGELES, CA– The Kings smothered the Islanders with tough defense, 4-1.
In a grueling, low-scoring defensive battle, this game would come down to power plays. As the Islanders received eight power-play opportunities, it looked dim for the Kings on paper.
However, the Kings recorded a penalty kill for every New York power play. Los Angeles took away a major advantage the Islanders had in this game.
The activity of the defensive line was vital for the Kings as they recorded 20 blocked shots. Drew Doughty and Andrei Kuzmenko both had three blocked shots each.
As important as the Kings’ defensive line was, their goaltending was even better. Darcy Keumper had an incredible performance with 33 saves, which accumulated a .971 save percentage.
The Kings may not have had their most fluent effort of the season, but they were able to get the job done. Penalty kills and goaltending stood strong as they helped Los Angeles pull out the victory.
Despite the Islanders’ loss, Anders Lee scored the only goal for New York. Adam Pelech and Jean-Gabriel Pageau were credited with an assist on the play.
This victory extends the Kings’ winning streak to three games. Now for the Kings to continue this momentum, they withstand the top team in the East, the Capitals.
Los Angeles will host the Capitals at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday. The Kings have a chance to put the NHL world on notice with a win over the best team in the league.
