Despite still being on a seven-game road trip, the Kings were back in Southern California on Sunday night to play the Anaheim Ducks. Playing the Ducks for the first of four times this season, the Kings came out victorious at Honda Center with a 4-1 win. The Kings win now moves their record to 3-1-2 catapulting them up to third in the Pacific Division.
It was a slow start to the game offensively for both teams that saw a total of 11 combined shots in the first period (6-5 in favor of the Ducks). The Kings were unable to find their footing in the first 20 minutes and thanks to two strong penalty kill efforts, the Kings went into the first intermission tied at 0-0.
The second period also saw no goals from either side, but the Kings were able to get to their game and outshot the Ducks 13-4, setting the stage for more momentum in the final 20 minutes.
Finally able to break through, the Kings controlled the third period handily in puck possession, the shot count and most importantly, on the scoreboard. In a period that would see the Kings outshoot the Ducks 20-5, it took just three minutes to break the scoreless tie. Breaking the tie for the Kings was the Duck Hunter Adrian Kempe, who added to his outstanding numbers against the rival to the south. Kempe, who had 29 points (15-14=29) in 33 games against the Ducks entering Sunday cashed in on a contested breakaway after Anze Kopitar sprung the winger with a long distance breakout pass. Kempe went with his trademarked five hole shot and gave the Kings a lead they wouldn’t give up. The Kings took a 2-0 lead on the Ducks just prior to the halfway point of the third period when a pesky and aggressive Alex Laferriere picked off a breakout pass in the Ducks slot and quickly ripped a wrist shot past the very busy Lukas Dostal. Up a pair of goals, a trio more found the back of the net in the final two minutes. The Ducks did make things interesting with a Ryan Strome goal with 1:44 remaining, but a pair of empty net goals from the Kings; one from Kevin Fiala and second from Mikey Anderson closed out the game.
