Global Series Game Thread – Kings @ Coyotes, 9/22

Los Angeles Kings 3, Arizona Coyotes 5
0:21 Left, Third Period
Game Preview
WATCH: NHL Network, ESPN+
SOG: LAK – 37 ARI – 20
PP: LAK – 1/4 ARI – 1/2

Third Period
20:00 – Third period begins with the Kings on a carryover power play and David Rittich between the pipes for his first action of the preseason.
15:13 – Terrific vision from Byfield, who hits Mikey Anderson crashing in from the left point. Anderson’s shot is shouldered away by Ingram from a dangerous area in the slot.
13:25 – Kings still trail by a goal as we hit the first media timeout of the third. Better of the play in the first, sloppy in the second, best chance early in the third.
10:24 – Trevor Moore takes a penalty for roughing in the corner and the Kings will get another look on the PK midway through the third. Good to get reps.
9:41 – We’ll go 4-on-4 as Schmaltz is whistled for interference. Kopitar/Kempe the first pairing over the boards with the extra ice and an offensive-zone faceoff.
5:55 – Final media timeout. Kings mixing and matching lines a bit while they have time to experiment. Fiala/Kopitar/Arvidsson for a shift, Byfield/Dubois/Kaliyev for a shift. Also saw Dubois paired with Danault skating 4-on-4. McLellan said we would see the centers played together here and there to get them more ice time. Good example of how that could play out there.
2:10 – LAK net is empty for the extra attacker. 11/9/80/22/9/8 are the chosen six.
0:21 – ARI Goal – Empty netter for the Coyotes, who will take the preseason opener here in Melbourne. 5-3.

Second Period
20:00 – Back at it for the second, Kings and Coyotes still in search of the first goal of the game.
18:12 – ARI Goal – Coyotes forward Clayton Keller opens the scoring for Arizona. Skating behind the goal line, Keller banked his shot off the back of Kings netminder Pheonix Copley and in. Nifty play, 1-0 for the Coyotes.
14:32 – Kings hit the iron early in the second period, as they continue to generate offensive opportunities, without much reward thus far.
13:20 – Trevor Lewis takes the first Kings penalty of the game, a slashing minor, and we’ll get a look at this newly imagined LA Kings penalty kill.
11:38 – ARI Goal – Power-play goal for the Coyotes on their first PP of the game. Maccelli walks in from the left-hand circle.
10:52 – LAK Goal – Kempe pulls the goal right back less than a minute later. Got himself into a dangerous area and does what he does best. Nice shot from #9, 2-1 hockey game.
8:41 – ARI Goal – Coyotes quickly turn around a failed clearing attempt in the Kings defensive zone and make them pay. Bjugstad finds Crouse, who shoots first time, past Copley, for his first of the night from the slot.
8:20 – ARI Goal – Logan Cooley picks up the first goal of his professional career, in his professional debut. Preseason edition, sure, but good for the young man. Kings concede twice in 21 seconds.
5:27 – LAK Goal – Kings get one back through Viktor Arvidsson. Careless turnover by the Coyotes in their own end, Arvidsson gets a deflection on the resulting point shot from Kevin Fiala and pulls LA within a pair. 4-2.

3:48 – LAK Goal – Trevor Moore grabs another back for the Kings. Cross-ice pass from Arvidsson through the neutral zone, Moore keeps it himself down the left wing and snaps his shot past Connor Ingram. 4-3 game.
0:00 – Seven goals in the second. Sheesh. Trying to ease into this one. 4-3 Arizona after 40 minutes of play in Melbourne.

First Period
20:00 – Hockey is underway in Melbourne!
18:16 – Fiala draws a penalty in the offensive zone, good cycle work down low between he and Pierre-Luc Dubois. A first look at the Kings PP, which consists of Drew Doughty alongside Fiala, Anze Kopitar, Viktor Arvidsson and Adrian Kempe.
15:46 – Kings don’t score on the PP, though they had a couple of half chances. Doty and Brown take matching roughing minors after a get together in front of the Arizona net.
13:40 – Big Boy Bout. Doty and Brown drop the gloves in the neutral zone, fresh out of the penalty box, and engage in a lengthy fight near center ice. Crowd certainly enjoyed it. Doty is arguably the toughest customer in the AHL and has earned a ton of respect from his NHL teammate and coaches. Legitimate chance to play NHL games this season.
9:54 – Media timeout just past the halfway mark in the first, still 0-0. Kings had the game’s first 9 shots on goal, a few really good looks, but it’s flattened out a bit since.
7:40 – Best chance so far falls to Spence, who hammers a shot, but it’s turned aside. Kopitar and Kempe with some great work along the wall to gain the zone and make it happen.
6:25 – Coyotes get a 2-on-0 off a turnover but get too cute and don’t get a shot on goal.
3:10 – Really nice shift below the goal line from Lewis and Doty. Latter fed the former with a good centering feed, but was just a little too tight to raise the puck. Fourth line has had a nice period.
0:00 – No goals to report in the first. Kings doubled up the Coyotes in SOG’s and had a number of chances to open the scoring. Good start here in Melbourne.

We. Are. BACK! The LA Kings kick off the 2023 preseason in Melbourne, Australia as the 2023 NHL Global Series gets underway. Unlike a typical preseason opener, we’ll see the bulk of the Kings veterans here on Night 1. While there are still a few camp battles to be sorted out, this is a good look at 20 skaters who are in contention for a spot on the roster for Opening Night. If there’s perhaps one “surprise”, consider it to be forward Jacob Doty, who has continued to earn himself opportunities and respect at NHL camp. Good to see 45 in the lineup tonight and if you’ve been listening, it’s not all that much of a surprise.

In terms of broadcast coverage, today’s game is on NHL Network and ESPN+ for fans in the US. The stream on both broadcasts will be Kings talent, with Nick Nickson on play-by-play, Jim Fox as the analyst and Daryl Evans as the rinkside reporter. For those who can’t watch, I’ll have updates here in the Live Thread throughout the game as well.

Today’s Kings Lineup –
Byfield – Kopitar – Kempe
Moore – Danault – Arvidsson
Fiala – Dubois – Kaliyev
Lewis – Lizotte – Doty

Anderson – Doughty
Gavrikov – Roy
Englund – Spence

Copley
Rittich