LOS ANGELES — The Seattle Kraken took down the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 on Monday night in a defensive battle where scoring only took place in the first period.
The Kings would put in their only goal of the game just under two minutes after puck drop. After an initial shot from defenseman Kyle Burroughs — who was filling in for an injured Joel Edmundson — the puck popped out behind Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord. Center Quinton Byfield then poked the puck in with one hand to make the score 1-0 for the home team. This was Byfield’s 20th goal of the year, which ties his most goals in a season with five games to play.
The Kraken would respond with two goals in the final 1:30 in the first period which would be all the scoring in the game.
“I thought we started with really good energy,” head coach Jim Hiller said. “We had a minute and twenty seconds —what ever it was — where we made two really poor plays, they score on both of them. They really didn’t have much at all in the first period.”
The first goal for Seattle would come from center Matty Beniers. After a feed from former-New York Ranger winger Kaapo Kakko to the far side of the ice, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak ripped a pass into the crease for Beniers to knock into the goal, tying the game at one.
Less than a minute later, defenseman Brandon Montour would light the lamp to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Kraken. After a pair of roughing calls was issued to each team, the Pacific Division foes would go four-on-four for the final minute. The Kings had the first rush, but a good defensive stand meant the Kraken would move left-to-right with numbers and speed. On a three-on-two, winger Jordan Eberle launched a pass to Montour on the left circle who took a wrist shot that flew past Kings’ goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
Despite giving up two goals, Kuemper finished the day with 26 saves on two goals against. Daccord had 28 saves on 29 shots for the Kraken.
There were no goals scored in either the second or third periods, but both teams battled hard with numerous good chances. Hiller, though, had a few thoughts about the second frame.
“The let down for me was the second period. We just didn’t push at all,”
Hiller would go back later in the post game conference and talk more about what he deemed a bad second period, but also mentioned the team’s play in the third.
“The second period… we weren’t on pucks, yeah it was a little confusing for me. But the third period, I really did think we were going to get one. I thought we put plenty of pressure on them, but [it] wasn’t our night.”
Los Angeles will play against the rival Anaheim Ducks on Thursday at 7 p.m.