Erik Portillo stands tall for Kings over Ducks in NHL Debut

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Los Angeles Kings goaltender Erik Portillo will always remember this American Thanksgiving.

Portillo learned on Thursday that he would be making his NHL debut against the Anaheim Ducks on Black Friday, and after picking up his parents when they arrived from Sweden at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving night, he only had one option for a celebratory family feast.

“I was able to make them my bolognese because everything was closed,” Portillo said. “I always have my pregame pasta before, but yesterday, I had to make it myself. We had a good meal yesterday, and then they were here today.”

The small bit of routine in a quick whirlwind seemed to help, as Portillo made 28 saves and Alex Laferriere scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period to help the Kings down the Anaheim Ducks, 2-1, at Honda Center.

Ryan Strome put the Ducks ahead in the second period on a rebound goal, and Laferriere assisted on Alex Turcotte’s equalizer later in the period.

“It’s pretty cool when guys play their first game,” Turcotte said, “and he kept us in it, made a lot of huge saves for us. I’d say he’s the main reason we won this game. We’re happy to have him, and we’re really happy for him.”

John Gibson made 16 saves for Anaheim in his first regulation loss of the season. Gibson started consecutive games for the second time since recovering from a preseason appendectomy. The veteran netminder is 4-1-1 in six starts.

The Ducks outshot the Kings, 31-18, and held the edge in third-period chances, 7-5, and high-danger chances, 4-2.

“I think if we played the way we did and the way we have on most nights, we’re gonna get good results,” Strome said. “We have been in a lot of games this year and I think it started to move in the right direction, and I think everyone can see it and feel it on the bench that we are on the right path.”

Los Angeles (13-8-3, 29 points) hosts the Ottawa Senators tomorrow in a back-to-back affair.

Anaheim (9-10-3, 21 points) hosts Ottawa on Sunday.

The Kings went ahead one minute into the third period on a messy play in transition for the Ducks.

Phillip Danault drove wide left and forced a puck to the middle, which went off Gibson. Laferriere outmuscled Radko Gudas in the slot to smack home to go-ahead strike, 2-1.

From there, Portillo shined.

The 6-foot-6 netminder, a 2019 third-round pick by Buffalo out of the University of Michigan, made string of Grade-A stops to deny the Ducks their sought-after equalizer.

On three consecutive possessions, Portillo stopped a tip from Cutter Gauthier, a rush shot from Sam Colangelo and a one-timer from Strome off a wheel play by Troy Terry. Portillo then stopped all four shots on a Ducks power play, including a slapshot from Trevor Zegras and a rebound in the slot by Mason McTavish.

“It’s the details,” Portillo said of the differences between the AHL and NHL games. “When they get a scoring chance, they’re really good at finding ways. You just got to be a little more detailed, be a little quicker and be a little bit ahead of the game.”

Portillo had one small hiccup when he lost skate blade and was forced back to the locker room, but he returned to slam the door on Anaheim.

With Gibson pulled for the extra attacker, Terry came up with a puck on the door step with 15 seconds left, and as he made a move to his backhand to tie the game, Portillo sprawled to extend his left leg and seal the victory.

“I don’t think you have time to think,” Portillo said on that save. “You just got to compete and find a way to get the job done. (Long legs) helps me out.”

Where the Ducks have been accused of not waking up for these Black Friday matinees in the past, Anaheim came out with strong energy and tested Portillo in the opening frame.

The 6-foot-6 Swedish netminder fought off a one-time blast from Olen Zellweger, as Isac Lundeström circled from behind the net. The Ducks also peppered a three-shot flurry on the power play, and Portillo held off a jam by Strome at the right post.

The Kings also came up empty on the man advantage, as the Ducks killed off their 14th consecutive power play against.

Anaheim took the lead in the second period off a half-boards cycle. Ryan Strome finished off a rebound chance from his own deflection of a Drew Helleson point shot, 1-0. Troy Terry earned his fourth point in three games with a secondary assist.

Strome’s goal was his first in six games and first by a goaltender in 13 games. Strome collected an empty-net goal against Detroit on Nov. 15.

“I thought we played well,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “We’ve been on, I don’t know how many games it’s been, but I think we’ve been on a pretty good path, in terms of playing with an identity and competing.

“The common thread that ties those two (offensive and defensive zone) together when you are on the good side of those battles is the compete level, and I thought we did a good job there.”

Los Angeles got on the board with its own drought-snapper off a Ducks turnover. A missed pass in the neutral zone sprung an odd-man rush, where Alex Laferriere fed Alex Turcotte for the equalizer, 1-1.

That was Turcotte’s first goal in 15 games, a tally on Oct. 16.

Ducks Game Notes

• Anaheim played in its 20th consecutive Black Friday matinee, hosting each one since 2002. The Ducks are now 9-10-4 at home on Black Friday.

• Forward Leo Carlsson missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. He is considered day-to-day after missing the last 25 minutes of Monday’s loss to Seattle.

• Defenseman Cam Fowler (lower-body) remained on injured reserve. Fowler practiced on Tuesday and travelled with the team to Seattle on Wednesday, but he missed his 11th straight game on Friday.

• Forward Brock McGinn (lower-body) and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen (upper-body) remained out. McGinn has missed the Ducks last five games, and Vaakanainen has missed the last seven games.