Los Angeles Kings take 3-2 victory over Anaheim Ducks
In the 99th meeting between the rivals, Willie Mitchell tallied a goal in the final period to help Los Angeles Kings control Anaheim Duck, 3-2 at Honda Centre on Wednesday night.
“That is something we are starting to do a better job of because we are not a high-scoring team,” Mitchell said. “That is something we really have to focus on and have it be the strength of our hockey club.”
Ryan Smyth and Anze Kopitar each also posted a goal for Los Angeles, which stopped a two-game slide. Goalie Jonathan Quick saved 25 of 27 shots in the victory.
Kings finished their ten-game road trip, during which they went 6-1-3.
"It's been a great road trip. That's 15 points out of a possible 20 - that's a nice road trip," Kings head Coach Terry Murray said. "It's important that we keep our focus on how that happened. The hard work, the intensity, the concentration every
game to bring it ... to bring it every day and do things right. Now we have to do the same thing tomorrow at home."
Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry both notched goals for Anaheim, which has lost four consecutive games. Curtis McElhinney allowed all three goals on 18 shots in the defeat.
Ducks played without Captain Ryan Getzlaf, who tweaked his groin muscle in practice on Monday.
“Those are tough guys to step in and fill voids for,” right winger Bobby Ryan said. “But the guys did a good job and we had our chances. We got the puck to the net and there were rebounds to be had. So the outcome could have been a little bit
different, but the guys worked hard.”
At 12:13 mark into the game, Smyth got Kings on the board when he whacked in a rebound off a shot from Jack Johnson.
Less than two minutes later, Selanne tied the game at 1-1 when he scored by redirecting Toni Lydman’s point blast.
Kopitar made it 2-1 for Kings with less than three minutes to play in the opening stanza, when he banged home a rebound on a rush play.
Anaheim equalized the game again at 2-2 half through the middle frame when Perry tallied his 31st goal of the season.
In the third stanza, Kings restored their one-goal edge, 3-2, when Mitchell had a clear lane from the left circle and blasted a slap shot to beat Ducks net-minder.
Quick needed to save only six shots in the final period, and Kings did not give Ducks a power-play in the stanza to hang on for the victory.
"It was very disappointing. I think we played good enough to win the game. The goals matter. They got three and we got two. It was a better effort and that is what we have to build on. We have to stay positive." Selanne said.
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