Here are some observations from the game:
• This game was decided by special teams. The Devils gave up a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal in the contest. Even though New Jersey scored a power-play goal, it finished at minus-1 in the special teams game on the night. And that was the difference.
“We had our opportunities in the third period," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "It came down to special teams at the end. Their special teams were better than ours.”
• Goaltender Nico Daws was the star of this game. Daws, who was making his third start in four days, made at least three highlight reel saves in the game. He made a split glove save on Kopitar in the first period. In the second period he made the save of the season with a split high glove save on Adrian Kempe on a quick pass to the slot. Everyone in the building, including Kempe, thought the puck was in the net. Finally, Daws made a split pad save on another cross-slot pass to deny Viktor Arvidsson.
“I felt pretty good out there," Daws said. "I don’t usually make a lot of big glove saves like that. They’re fun when I make them. I felt pretty decent tonight.
“(My confidence) is building. I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself, and let the highs get too high. But I’m laying with a lot of confidence now.”
• The Devils’ power play was a bit of a mixed bag against Los Angeles. It didn’t start so well for the Devils, who entered the game having gone just 1 for 29 in the past 10 games. New Jersey surrendered a shorthanded goal to Kopitar to open the scoring in the game. But on the ensuing power play, Toffoli evened the score with a goal.
• Jack Hughes and Arvidsson had a great run in during the game. It started when Arvidsson threw a late elbow into the head of Hughes, who responded with some pushing and shoving. Both were adjudicated penalties. When they came out of the penalty box Hughes caught a pass for a breakaway with Arvidsson clutching him the whole way to the net. The heat was boiling between those two throughout the night.
• The Devils expected a good effort from the Kings after they suffered an embarrassing 7-0 to Buffalo in their previous game. And the Kings played a lockdown and suffocating style, utilizing a 1-3-1 neutral zone deployment. The Devils were held to just five shots in the first period and seven in the second.
“They kept a lot of people back," Ruff said. "We didn’t get to enough pucks. We didn’t win enough battles to create anything. In the third period we were better at bringing the puck up ice.”
