The Kings had a tough loss on the road in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. There were positives and negatives that Los Angeles showed were analyzed their game grade.
Here’s a breakdown of tonight’s performance for the Kings:
Positives
One of the best takeaways for the Kings tonight was the return of Alex Laferriere. After missing the previous four games, Laferriere made his presence known by tallying an assist on the goal to Quinton Byfield. This was the game tying goal which forced overtime.
Along with Laferriere, the offense itself was aggressive and controlled the tempo. The kings totaled 33 shots, which was nine more opportunities than the Blue Jackets had.
Negatives
Although there were some good aspects to the Kings performance, it is also worth mentioning the bad part, the Goaltending.
Darcy Kuemper only saved 21 of 24 shots, which resulted in a .887 save percentage. Elvis Mirkzilis saved 31 of 33 shots and recorded a .939 save percentage.
In comparison, the Blue Jackets had the superior goaltending despite fewer offensive opportunities. This sole mismatch for the Kings was the biggest reason as to why Columbus pulled away with the victory.
Recap
The goaltending may have been weak for Los Angeles, but that was the only flaw in this loss. Alex Laferriere returned and was able to help the offense produce. The Kings also walked out of the first game of the road trip with a point. The offense showcasing some prowess and delivering a last minute goal in regulation is enough to say this was a solid performance.
