FINAL – Kings 3, Stars 4 – Kaliyev, Yawney

The LA Kings were unable to hold onto a two-goal lead, as they fell by a 4-3 final against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday evening at American Airlines Center.

Forward Arthur Kaliyev scored twice, his first career multi-goal game at the NHL level, while Phillip Danault also scored and Cal Petersen made a season-high 39 saves in goal.

The Kings opened the scoring with the lone goal of the opening period, as Danault cashed in from close range to get the visitors on the board. Forward Trevor Moore, positioned below the goal line, hit a crashing Danault in the slot and the centerman made no mistake, firing off the post and in for his 16th goal of the season.

Dallas tied the score inside the first minute of the second period, through forward Luke Glendening. After the Kings were unable to clear the defensive zone, the Stars capitalized, as Glendening worked his way free at the bottom of the circle and went top shelf on Petersen for his eighth goal of the season.

Later in the second period, Kaliyev scored twice in a span of 4:23 to turn a tie game into a two-goal Kings advantage. First, Kaliyev made an outstanding defensive play in his own end to poke check the puck free, before he took it the length of the ice, cut towards the slot and fired through a defenseman’s legs and in for his 10th of the season. Kaliyev struck again, this time on a one-timer on the man advantage, to put the visitors ahead by a pair later in the period.

The Stars surged back, however, with three more second-period goals to take a one-goal advantage into the second intermission.

First, forward Jason Robertson scored off the rush, as he cut inside and snapped his shot past Petersen on the blocker side, through contact in front, to bring Dallas back within a goal. The Stars tied the game at three with less than a minute to play in the second as Ryan Suter’s point shot evaded a screen in front and found its way home to knot the score at three. The Stars capitalized on the man advantage just 46 seconds later, through Alexander Radulov, to take a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

After a third period that didn’t feature many Grade-A chances, the Kings nearly tied the game late, as Kaliyev came inches away from his hat trick, but his effort on a one-timer hit the post.

Hear from Kaliyev and Trent Yawney after the game.

Arthur Kaliyev

Kaliyev talks with the media following his 2 goal game#GoKingsGo | @LAKings pic.twitter.com/k7G1rLReZ3

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) March 3, 2022

Trent Yawney
On how he felt the Kings responded to some of the bad habits he mentioned on Monday
I thought that the first period we were pretty solid. I think we lost a 60-minute game in 20 minutes, that was in the second period and it was mostly self-inflicted. We turned the puck over, we took penalties, and they made us pay. I think the special teams ended up being a wash, but that period led to some frustration and like I said, it was self-inflicted on our part. We didn’t value the end boards and it triggered their transition game and penalties got us into trouble. That one at the end, we won the faceoff, but we got outbattled in the corner.

On if there was one moment in the second period that swung the momentum
I think you get out of the second period tied, as opposed to giving up the goal late……you give up one early, that happens sometimes, they scored a minute into the second and then with 30 seconds left in the second. We’ve got to get out of that tied to have a chance to reset and come out for the third in a tie game, as opposed to down one.

On Kaliyev’s game tonight and the evolution of his overall game
I’ve seen lots of progression in Arty’s game. He’s going to have nights where it’s not going his way, he’s a young man, he’s finding his way in the league. I think those two shots were a pretty good illustration of what his gifts are, and then he had the third one there at the end and their goalie made a really good save. That’s what Arty does. Trying to get his game so that it is a 200-foot game, so there are other elements he needs to bring and he’s worked on it, he’s getting better with it. When he does get those opportunities to shoot, like he did tonight, it shows what a gift he has.

On how he felt the Kings responded to some of the bad habits he mentioned on Monday
I think in the third period, they checked pretty well, but it was the second period that a lot of their momentum came off of the power play and turnovers. That allows their D to get involved and we spent a lot more time in our zone. When that happens, shift length gets longer, with the penalties we didn’t get enough guys in the game who are sitting, so you’re losing momentum all the time. Like I said, if we could have gotten out of that period tied, it would be a 20-minute game and anything can happen. It wasn’t horrible, it was that one period wasn’t up to our standards.

Notes –
– The Kings lost on the road tonight in regulation for the first time in 11 games, dating back to mid-January.
– Forward Arthur Kaliyev scored two goals this evening in Dallas, his first career multi-goal game at the NHL level.
– Forward Phillip Danault scored his 12th goal of 2022, tying teammate Adrian Kempe for the team lead during that span.
– Forward Trevor Moore collected an assist on Danault’s goal, upping his team-leading total to 24 points in 2022, at over a point-per-game in that span.
– Goaltender Cal Petersen made a season-high 39 saves this evening, his most saves since 3/31/21 in Vegas (40).
– The Kings saw their streak for outshooting their opposition end this evening at 21 straight games. That mark is one shy of the NHL record.

The Kings are scheduled to practice here in Dallas tomorrow, before traveling to Columbus later on in the day.