Toronto Maple Leafs force overtime but Los Angeles Kings top in shootout 3-2 -NHL Update
Toronto made the equaliser early in the third period but Los Angeles topped them in the shootout as Dustin Brown capitalised on the only attempt to lift the Kings over the Maple Leafs, 3-2, Monday night, December 19, 2011, at the sold out Air Canada Centre
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
As soon as Justin Williams made the opening goal of the night nearly midway through the first period, tensions rose between the two teams as two of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) heavyweights, Jay Rosehill and Kyle Clifford, exchanged fists in the next
few seconds for one of the most thrilling brawls of the 2011-2012 regular season so far.
The Maple Leafs came back with John-Michael Liles scoring his fourth of the season and the home teams’ first of the night to bring them right back into the match.
Simon Gagne had control on the right side of the ice with less than six minutes remaining in the second period as he found Dustin Brown open in front of the net, sliding him the puck quickly and moving upwards while Brown potted the power play goal for Los
Angeles to take the lead and bringing up his point total this season to 18 (7 goals, 11 assists).
Los Angeles certainly was not having a good month by losing two of their past eight contests including some very disappointing performances by the veteran filled team and when Matt Frattin made his fourth of the season in the opening three minutes of the
third and final period of regulation to level the score, it looked like the Maple Leafs were going to come back and take from them the win once again.
Both teams failed to score in the remaining 17 minutes, which forced an uncertain overtime, that too being fruitless for either as the competition got harder in the shootout.
Los Angeles and Toronto missed on both of their first attempts but it was Dustin Brown who potted the Kings second chance and took the match as Phil Kessel and Matt Frattin failed to add the equaliser on Jonathan Quick.
The Kings have the next at home against state rivals, the Anaheim Ducks, while Toronto has one more at home against Buffalo Sabres on Thursday before taking off on a four-game road trip.
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