The Key Three: March 9

It’s tough to say which was more devastating for the Kings: a two-goal loss to last-place Columbus or a late blown lead against a talented, but massively shorthanded, Detroit team. Regardless, the Kings easily could have earned four points and wound up with zero. The difference? The Kings could have awakened this morning in seventh place in the Western Conference, one point behind Pacific Division-leading Dallas. Instead, they’re in 10th place, one point behind eighth-place San Jose, which has two games in hand. The more pertinent question, going forward, is: has the Kings’ psyche been damaged beyond repair? They have 14 games remaining in the season, and there aren’t many games that would be called “easy’’ remaining. It was shocking to see the Kings blow a lead late in the third period, as holding third-period leads has been a trademark in recent years, and it was equal shocking to see breakdowns by top players such as Mike Richards and Drew Doughty lead to game-changing plays by the Red Wings. It’s not too late for the Kings to bounce back, but the days and games are starting to run short. What was the key aspect of the Kings’ 4-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings? I present three options at the link below, and you can vote for your choice…

The Key Three: March 9

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For those who enjoy the traditional game recap, it can be found by clicking here.