FINAL – Kings 0, Sabres 1 – Danault, Kempe, Hiller

The LA Kings were unable to build upon Saturday’s win over Detroit, falling by a 1-0 final score on Wednesday evening at Crypto.com Arena.

The first 40 minutes came and went without a goal, or a ton of offense in either direction, as the teams remained deadlocked at 0-0 after two periods. The teams combined for seven power-play opportunities in total, but neither side was able to convert with the man advantage, leading the game up for grabs entering the third.

Less than a minute into the third period, the Sabres opened the scoring for the game through forward Jason Zucker. Skating 5-on-4, Zucker worked his way to the top of the crease, stationed himself in front and got a deflection on a shot from defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, tipping it past Kings netminder David Rittich and in to put the visitors ahead by a goal.

The Kings outshot and outchanced the Sabres over the final 20 minutes, but were unable to find the game-tying goal, despite a total of five power plays on the evening.

Hear from forwards Phillip Danault and Adrian Kempe, as well as Head Coach Jim Hiller, following tonight’s game.

Phillip Danault

Adrian Kempe
On his takeaways from tonight’s game
I think it was a pretty even game back and forth, like I said in the intermission, not a ton of chances or a ton of shots from either side. I think we fought well at the end, had some chances, definitely should have put one, at least one in, but, yeah, frustrating coming out of this game with the loss and zero goals. Obviously Ritter played one hell of a game back there. As a forward and as a guy that wants to score goals, that’s very frustrating when you can’t get on the board for sure.

On the team’s performance on the power play tonight in the defeat
I thought we moved the puck. Obviously they have a very aggressive PK, it’s hard to play against, just like we have been really good in the PK all year against some top power-play teams and top players in the league. It’s really hard when people come skating full speed at you all the time, but I thought we were moving it well. I thought we had our looks, had our chances to score, same with the 6-on-5 at the end, I thought we were moving it well. I missed the wide open net and it could have been 1-1. Obviously it’s frustrating, but I think chances were there, I think we were moving the puck well on the power play.

On if he felt the team made one too many passes in shooting situations
I thought at the end of the day, I think we had good enough chances to put the puck in the net. Obviously, we talked about it after the first couple power plays that we wanted to look to shoot it a little bit more, but it’s hard sometimes, when you have that pressure on you, you don’t want to just shoot the puck to shoot the puck, especially when you don’t have guys sometimes around the net, you’re trying to get possession before position sometimes and sometimes we don’t have a guy in the net front that’s maybe when some guys don’t take the chance to shoot and maybe pass it another time until we get a better look. Like I said, I think we had good enough chances to score tonight for sure.

On needing someone to step up offensively in a game like this
Yeah. I mean, sometimes for sure, obviously, this is – I don’t know if this is the first game we’ve been shutout all year -but I think sometimes you need those type of players, those types of plays happening. Like I said again, I think the chances were there, they just didn’t go in. Their goalie played well, our goalie played well, just frustrating for sure.

Jim Hiller
I thought they were a little bit better than us in the first and I thought we were a little bit better than them in the second and third, despite not scoring. I thought it was a really good game, it was a high level game there tonight. Yeah, we had enough chances to score, but their goalie played well.

On the performance of the power play tonight
We had looks, right? I mean, we had some really good looks, so I would like to be talking about how it was great, that they got a big and important goal, but that’s the difference in the game, clearly. They scored one, we didn’t get any despite all our opportunities and that’s a difference maker, both positively and negatively. Right now we’re not getting it done there, that’s the bottom line.

On the play of forward Quinton Byfield
I mean, he’s had chances that he hasn’t scored right at one right at the end at the back post, had two [in total] at the back post tonight, just not quite, but close. I’m not concerned. I mean, I understand why he gets evaluated on points, that’s the easiest thing to do, the easiest way to evaluate him and that’s usually how people get paid, but we’re patient with him. He’s trying, he’s doing his job as best he can for the team, so we’re not concerned. We’d like him to see him score more, I’m sure he feels that too.

On the shorthanded 2-on-1 late in the second period
Just one too many passes. We thought Mooresie should have shot it. If the pass gets through and Phil taps it in at the back door, then we’re saying wow, what an incredible goal. You can’t take that decision making off the players. They have to play hockey and choose what’s right in the situation. Sometimes, when you are struggling, it’s easier on a night like tonight, where it was hard to find a goal, you don’t want to pass too many up. Maybe that was one that we passed up.

On the high-sticking play against Danault late in the third period
Yes [the linesman blew the play down], he went right away looking for blood, because if there’s blood, he can call a double minor. As soon as he saw there was no blood, there was nothing he could do, so the right call was made.

On needing a moment of magic from a top offensive player
Anyone, anyone ,you know what I mean. But, typically, the guys who score the most goals are the guys that come through in those occasions. They’ve come through plenty of times. There’s nights that I’m really frustrated with how we’ve played. It’s hard to be disappointed with the guys tonight. They tried, it didn’t go their way, I’m gonna live with it and move on.

Notes –
• Forward Anze Kopitar registered six shots on goal in tonight’s contest, the most that he has recorded through the first 20 games of this season. This marks the captain’s highest shot total since he scored four goals on seven shots in the Kings’ 6-5 shootout victory on Feb. 28, 2023 in Winnipeg.
• Forward Quinton Byfield skated in his 199th career game.
• Goaltender David Rittich turned aside 18 of 19 shots faced tonight.

The Kings have a scheduled, team day off tomorrow. They will return to the ice on Friday, November 22 at 11 AM at Toyota Sports Performance Center.