Ducks at Kings: Things are Looking Up

The Kings and Ducks meet up for a rematch, and it was a better game with a better result for the Kings this time around.

The first period saw both teams scoreless, with Jonathan Quick making some spectacular saves to keep the Kings in it. Come the 2nd period, and Emerson Etem from, you guessed it Long Beach, puts the Ducks on the board. Why must he be so good while also not being on my favorite hockey team? It’s a travesty.

But then comes Tyler Toffoli in his favorite goal scoring situation: the penalty kill. Toffoli notched ANOTHER shorthander for his 4th of the year making 50% of the goals he’s scored shorties. Who does this? How does he do this?

The glow of tying it up is short lived when Ryan Kesler scores one, and we all sit around cursing his name, reminded of our intense dislike for him.

The Kings were down one going into the 3rd but an excellent showing on a power play (?!) tied it up. I’m more used to the man advantage being a disadvantage, so what a world when instead the Kings make some nice quick passes until Kopitar rockets it past Andersen.

Special teams were the name of the game for the Kings which is something that I’m very not used to. 23 seconds into overtime, the Kings go on another power play, and once again, good things happen. After a terrible showing on Wednesday, Jarret Stoll redeemed himself with some uncharacteristically excellent play. He drew a penalty instead of taking one, was the other man in the rush leading to Toffoli’s goal, and then he snagged his first goal of the season with the tiniest little tap of his stick in OT.

After a high-scoring but dismal game against the Ducks followed by being shutout by the Stars, the Kings are looking much better. Baby steps in the right direction.