Game 68: Red Wings 4, Kings 3 (FINAL)

The Kings’ Central Division tour continues tonight, as they face the Detroit Red Wings. All the action will be on KCOP Ch. 13 and on 1150-AM and affiliates, with all the game updates here as well…

THIRD PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick vs. MacDonald.
Kings 3, Red Wings 2: The Kings took the lead with 5:54 remaining, on Dwight King’s goal. With the puck in the Kings’ zone, Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg went down with an apparent injury. After a clearing attempt by the Red Wings, Jeff Carter won the puck at the blue line and flipped it toward the net. King was in front and whacked the puck past MacDonald from close range.
Kings 3, Red Wings 3: Blown defensive coverage cost the Kings as the Red Wings tied the game with 4:02 remaining. Henrik Zetterberg kept the puck in the Kings’ zone up top, and then defenseman Brendan Smith found open ice in the slot. As two Kings defenders converged on Smith, he passed to a wide-open Valtteri Filppula, who beat Quick with a high shot from close range.
Red Wings 4, Kings 3: Detroit took its first lead of the game with 1:13 remaining. Johan Franzen held the puck behind the net, then got a centering pass just beyond the stick of Rob Scuderi. Darren Helm outmuscled Drew Doughty at the front of the Kings’ net and knocked in the puck.
End of period: The Kings had a 6-on-4 advantage in the game’s final 23.2 seconds, but couldn’t score and fell to 1-2-0 on the road trip.

SECOND PERIOD
In goal: It’s still Quick vs. MacDonald.
Kings 2, Red Wings 2: The Red Wings put an increasing amount of pressure on the Kings in the second half of the period, and it paid off with 4:23 remaining. Valtteri Filppula carried the puck through the middle of the ice, between Drew Doughty and Rob Scuderi, and flipped a pass to Henrik Zetterberg. Zetterberg got off a quick shot from close range that deflected off Quick and into the net. Niklas Kronwall also got an assist.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Red Wings 7-5 in the period. The Red Wings scored two goals on their first six shots on goal. The Kings will be on the power play for the first 45 seconds of the third period.

FIRST PERIOD
Officials: Steve Kozari, Dan O’Rourke (referees); David Brisebois, Don Henderson (linesmen).
Lineups: Davis Drewiske, Jordan Nolan and Kevin Westgarth are the Kings’ healthy scratches. Justin Abdelkader has been scratched by the Red Wings.
In goal: It’s the Kings’ Jonathan Quick against the Red Wings’ Joey MacDonald.
Kings 1, Red Wings 0: The Kings took the lead with a power-play goal 7:29 into the period. Anze Kopitar picked up a loose puck in the slot and hit the post with a shot. MacDonald couldn’t immediately locate the rebound and Jeff Carter, parked to the right of the net, took two whacks at the rebound and slid the puck over the line. Kopitar got an assist.
Kings 1, Red Wings 1: The Red Wings tied the game on their second shot on goal of the period, with 5:20 remaining. After a bit of a scramble in the Kings’ zone after a failed clearing attempt, Valtteri Filppula made a nice cross-ice pass to Henrik Zetterberg, who was left unmarked in the right circle and rifled a one-timer into a wide-open net. Jiri Hudler also got an assist.
Kings 2, Red Wings 1: The Kings regained the lead with 2:19 remaining in the period. Dustin Brown held the puck in the neutral zone, then pushed a pass into the neutral zone, in Justin Williams’ direction. With a burst of speed, Williams chased down the puck near the right boards, then quickly flipped the puck to the net at a tight angle and beat a surprised MacDonald. Brown got the assist.
End of period: The Kings outshot the Red Wings 9-3 in the period. The Kings went 1-for-1 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

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