FINAL: LA Kings 3, Vancouver Canucks 0
Fights saved this one.
For the Canucks there were some individual milestones at stake in the hockey game in Los Angeles and a chance for Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet to get yet another look at what Vancouver personnel he might like or not like.
Canucks star centre Elias Pettersson entered the game needing just one point to reach 100 for the season, what would be a first in his five year NHL career. His previous career high of 68 points came last season, one in which he got off to a very slow start after missing training camp.
He wouldn’t get there Monday night. In fact, the Canucks failed to light the lamp or create many opportunities at all. They haven’t scored since the 1st period against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
For the Kings, this game meant battling to hold on to 3rd place in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles stayed two points ahead of the Seattle Kraken, winners over the Arizona Coyotes 4-1 on Monday night.
Netminders: Collin Delia started at one end for the Canucks while Joonas Korpisalo wore the pads at the other.
— There were very few scoring chances in the 1st period. The lone power play belonged to the Kings and they failed to muster a shot on goal. Vancouver out-shot Los Angeles 9-5 in the first 20-minutes. It was dull hockey.
2nd Period
— Nothing doing for the Canucks. The second period wasn’t that much more exciting than the first, other than a J.T. Miller breakaway scoring chance and an outstanding old school fight between forward Sheldon Dries of Vancouver and D-man Sean Durzi of Los Angeles.
— The Kings opened the scoring off a scramble in front at 15:13 of the 2nd period on Arthur Kaliyev’s 13th goal of the season.
— Moments later Miller and Adrian Kempe dropped the mitts for a relatively spirited fight with Miller getting the edge.
3rd Period
— Nothing doing again. Vladislav Gavrikov scored at the 4:03 mark to give the Kings the 2-0 lead and all the insurance LA would need.
— The venerable D-man Drew Doughty scored an empty netter from 190-feet away for the final margin.
— Vancouver plays Tuesday in Anaheim against the Ducks.
