The Kings got revenge on their Freeway Face-Off rival on the Saturday night. Just four days after falling 3-1 to the Anaheim Ducks on the road, the Kings countered and returned the favor with a 3-1 victory of their own on home ice. The win also moves the Kings to 97 points on the season, keeping them alive for their potential seventh 100-point season in franchise history with four possible for the taking in the final two games.
It was a slow first period for each team on Saturday that saw no goals and 19 combined shots between the two teams. It wasn’t until the second period that the offense kicked in and it began with the Kings power play. Following a loose puck battle in front of the Ducks net, Pierre-Luc Dubois eventually found the puck on his stick at the side of the net and potted his 16th goal of the season and reached the 40-point mark on the season (16-24=40) for six time in his career. Later in the period Matt Roy added to the Kings lead with a point shot for his fifth goal and 25th point of the season. Assisting on the goal was Akil Thomas which was his first career helper.
Up by a pair entering the final 20 minutes of regulation, the Ducks struck first to make things interesting when Trevor Zegras buried his second goal of the week against the Kings with 8:42 to go in the game. Fear not, Kevin Fiala responded and put the Kings back up by two as time wound down with a wraparound goal for his 29th of the season, helping seal the victory.
David Rittich made his 24th appearance on the season and picked up his 13th win with 28-save performance.
