November 29 Rapid Reaction (feat. Derek Van Diest): Oilers 3, Kings 2

Rapid Reaction, feat. Derek Van Diest of NHL.com

Post-game Quotes

Willie Desjardins, on a difficult loss:
I thought they got up with a couple early ones, but I thought we battled back. It was good to get one on the power play. I think that we had our chances to win that game, and we just didn’t capitalize.

Desjardins, on his first game working with Jonathan Quick in the crease:
Yeah, I’ve seen Jonathan Quick around a lot, and I know he’s one of the best in the league. He showed it tonight. He played well – not just in the net, but handling the puck. It was good to have him back there, and it’s too bad for the game back that we couldn’t get a win for him

Desjardins, on losing a game by inches on the reversed goal call and the puck over the glass:
Yeah, details always cost you. That’s the way it is. They had some other chances they could’ve score [on], so that’s just the way the game is. I think we could’ve been a little bit hungrier, maybe. We just had to find a way. We had that last power play, we didn’t generate enough on it.

Anze Kopitar, on Toffoli’s goal being deemed offside and the delay of game penalty in the third:
I thought we played a solid game, but offside is offside and it’s a tight game. It’s small details that are going to make a difference. We didn’t score on our power play in the third, they scored on theirs. That’s the difference.

Kopitar, on battling back after being down two goals in the first period:
It was definitely a good answer after going down two-cob, but the points are big right now so we’ve got to get points not just come back in the games and then in then end lose them.

Kopitar, on looking ahead to Calgary tomorrow:
It’s a new one tomorrow and we’ve got to get focused on that.

Drew Doughty, on battling back after being down 2-0:
It was big. In this league if you don’t score the first goal and usually if you’re down by 2-0 you’re going to for sure lose. So for us to battle back showed a lot of heart. I thought we had a pretty good second and we even had some chances in the third. Like I said, we played hard, but we’ve got to win games right now so laying hard isn’t enough. We need to bring more.

Doughty, on whether the quick turnaround for the next game will be a good thing:
I guess, yeah. For sure. It’s another big game for us against another division rival. Tonight’s a frustrating one though and it’s going to be tough to forget for the next couple hours, so for sure.

Doughty, on Alex Iafallo’s delay of game penalty:
A.I. makes so many great plays for our team. If anyone is even going to try to get on him about that, that’s not the way it is. A.I. plays amazing for us every night. He works his bag off, he’s a great teammate, he’s a great person, and when guys like that make little mistakes like that it’s on the PK to stop it and not allow that goal to go in.

Jonathan Quick, on how he felt in his first game back since his injury:
We lost. I feel like we lost, so we’ve got to win tomorrow.

Quick, on if it felt good to be back on a personal level:
Personally I lost too, but we’re going to try to get a win tomorrow.

Quick, on what he saw on the last goal:
I feel like it was pretty easy for you guys to see. Shot from the point. Went in.

Quick, on whether this was one of the better all-around games the team has had:
I feel like we’ve played a lot of good games. I thought we played well tonight. I thought we deserved to win.

Post-game Notes

–With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 85-86-39 all-time against Edmonton, a record that includes a road mark of 39-49-18. Since Rogers Place opened at the start of the 2016-17 season, the Kings have gone 1-5-0 at the Oilers’ new home. These teams have two games remaining: January 5 at Staples Center and March 26 at Rogers Place.

–With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 5-9-1 against the Western Conference, 3-3-1 against the Pacific Division, 3-3-1 in one-goal games, 1-13-1 when their opponent scores first, 5-6-0 when tied after one period, 2-2-1 when tied after two periods and 7-9-1 when outshot by their opponent. They fell to 104-45-39 when trailing after two periods, dating back to 2009-10.

–Jeff Carter’s first period five-on-three goal was the Kings’ first road power play goal of the season. With a 1-for-3 performance, they are now 1-for-29 away from Staples Center this season.

–With a 1-for-3 penalty kill, Los Angeles is 17-for-29 on the kill over the last nine games, dating back to the home loss to Toronto on November 13.

–With his assist on Jeff Carter’s goal, Drew Doughty recorded the 333rd assist of his career, moving him into a tie for first place all-time among Kings defensemen with Rob Blake and eighth overall on the list of assists by a King, regardless of position. Butch Goring (384) ranks seventh on Los Angeles’ all-time assist list, which is led by Marcel Dionne (757).

–Mikko Koskinen became the fourth goalie to record at least seven wins through his first 11 starts with Edmonton, joining Ron Low (8), Grant Fuhr (7) and Bill Ranford (7).

–The Kings attempted 63 shots (32 on goal, 22 blocked, 9 missed). The Oilers attempted 69 shots (34 on goal, 18 blocked, 17 missed). Dustin Brown, Derek Forbort and Alex Chiasson finished with a game-high five shots on goal.

–Los Angeles won 32-of-60 faceoffs (53%). Adrian Kempe won 1-of-7, Anze Kopitar won 16-of-26, Nate Thompson won 5-of-8, Tyler Toffoli won 0-of-1 and Jeff Carter won 10-of-18. The Kings, who entered the night third in the league with a 52.8% faceoff percentage, have won the majority in six straight games and 16 of the last 20.

Post-game Highlights

–Lead photo via Andy Devlin/NHLI

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