Los Angeles Kings add to Anaheim Ducks woes, hand another loss 2-1 in shootout -NHL Match Update
Starting off the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season, the Anaheim Ducks performed like they usually did with a few straight wins and some losses here and there, but ever since November kicked off, the Ducks cannot seem to win and were handed
another loss by the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, in a shootout.
The Wednesday night contest at the sold-out STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California, United States, had the crowd going wild due to the well know state rivalry between the two teams.
Making a late goal in the third and final period of regulation in order to tie the match, the Anaheim Ducks were able to force an uncertain overtime extension, which could have played out in their favour, but lost, in a hectic shootout.
Newly acquired player over the offseason from the Philadelphia Flyers, Mike Richards, shone brightly for the Los Angeles Kings when he scored his fifth of the regular season and allowed the home team to take a lead nearly midway through the second period.
After a rigorous third period, the Kings had managed to keep the Ducks scoreless for nearly the entire period but it was Anaheim’s veteran forward, Teemu Selanne, who potted the equaliser at the 16:35 mark with less than four minutes left to play off an
assist by Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf to eventually keep them in the game and alive.
The five-minute overtime extension proved to be fruitless for both clubs as either failed to score, which had them headed into an even intense shootout decider.
After both teams missed on their first two attempts with Anaheim goalie, Jonas Hiller and his counterpart, Jonathan Quick, on the edge of their nets to do all they could to block, Jarret Stoll fired the puck through Hiller to score for LA, which sent the
home crowd roaring.
Anaheim had a last chance and by luck, Getzlaf capitalised on his opportunity and levelled the series once again.
Both teams missed on the following three more attempts each, but it was Justin Williams who scored on LA’s fourth chance to win it followed by a miss by Anaheim’s, Kurtis Foster.
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