For better or worse, the 2014 postseason sensation known as 'That 70's Line' made an impact Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona.
Tanner Pearson and Jeff Carter both scored to give Los Angeles a 2-0 in the first period. The trio of Pearson, Carter, and Tyler Toffoli would account for two goals, an assist, and six minutes in the box. But the Kings' sloppy play allowed the Arizona (formerly Phoenix) Coyotes to claw back in to the game, tying the score at two midway through the second. The game would stay deadlocked at two until the 3:41 mark of the overtime period. Tyler Toffoli hooked down Martin Hanzal in front of the Kings' net, setting the stage for Oliver Ekman-Larsson to bury his first of the season. What was an early 2-0 Los Angeles lead resulted in nothing more than a single point in the standings, as the Kings are still looking for their first win of the 2014-15 regular season.
The Kings would finally score their first goal of the season, and it only took a shade over a minute and a half in to the first period (of game 2 of the regular season). Tanner Pearson stripped the puck off the stick of Arizona's Lauri Korpikoski just above the faceoff circle before beating Devan Dubynk high over the right shoulder. The puck that beat the 6' 6" Arizona goaltender was the first to come off a Kings' stick this season, after they were brutally shut out by San Jose in Wednesday night's opener. Pearson's goal was about all Los Angeles could be happy about with the first ten minutes of the opening frame though, as they were embarrassingly outplayed by the Coyotes. Arizona peppered Jonathan Quick with shots early on, and they did not let up, forcing the Kings' netminder to come up with some big saves to keep it a 1-0 Kings lead. Jeff Cater, after serving two minutes for tripping, took advantage of a smart play by Toffoli to make it 2-0 Los Angeles. Only seconds after Quick and company killed off the Carter minor, Tyler Toffoli's speed lead to a Coyotes' turnover in their own zone. Carter was the beneficiary of this turnover and made no mistake with it as he squeezed a shot just under Dubynk's right arm. From then on, it was all Coyotes in the first period, even after all three members of LA's 'That 70's Line' found themselves with a point.
Tanner Pearson would again find himself on the score sheet late in the first. With only fifty seconds to go in the period, Pearson was assessed a minor penalty for hooking. Antoine Vermette would make that skate back to the bench a long one for the Kings' rookie, tipping a Keith Yandle shot past Jonathan Quick eleven seconds in to the man advantage. The late Coyotes' strike would make it 2-1 heading in to the first intermission. If not for the stellar play of Quick, who made 17 saves in the first twenty minutes of play, the Kings would have found themselves in a hole rather than sitting on a lead going in to the second period. But not even Quick's great play could make up for the Kings' poor effort in front of him.
Things went from bad to worse in front of the Kings' goaltender in the second period. The under whelming effort of the Kings, combined with the tenacious gameplay of the Coyotes lead to a second period completely dominated by the 'Yotes. Arizona outshot Los Angeles 14-3 in the middle frame, outplaying the defending cup champs in all three zones. Quick, who was the best player in white Saturday night, made thirteen saves in the second, only getting beat by Arizona's Mikkel Boedker. After Kings' captain Dustin Brown turned the puck over at the Arizona blueline, Los Angeles inexplicably went for a line change. Keith Yandle found Boedker with a beautiful pass through a seemingly wide-open neutral zone, and the speedy Danish winger snapped a shot past Quick's blocker to make it a 2-2 game.
The Kings played a more spirited third period, outshooting the 'Yotes 11-6 in the final twenty minutes of regulation. But even with two powerplays, the Kings could not solve Devan Dubynk. Dubynk finished regulation with twenty-one saves to Quick's thirsty six. The two goalies would see a combined five shots in the overtime period, but it was Ekman-Larsson's shot that beat Quick, completing the Coyotes' comeback to win the game 3-2.
After two games, the Kings only have two goals and one point in the standings to go with the goose egg that currently occupies their win column. Coach Darryl Sutter's squad heads back to the Staples Center Sunday evening to host the 1-1-0 Winnipeg Jets. This will be the first of three meetings between these two teams, and with Jets' star forward Evander Kane sidelined with a knee injury, this could be an opportune time for the Kings to find their first win of the season. Look for Martin Jones to get the start in net for the Kings', as the Jets will go with their starting goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec. Aside from the change in goal for Los Angeles, we can also expect to see Justin Williams, the 2014 postseason hero, replace Dustin Brown on the top line, playing right wing alongside Marian Gaborik and Anze Kopitar. The puck drops at 7:00 Pacific at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.