”They (the Kings) offer you no room to breathe,” says goaltender Jake Allen after struggling his fifth consecutive loss.
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The Los Angeles Kings style themselves as Stanley Cup contenders this season.
They’re a staff that assaults in waves, pounces on alternatives, has an abundance of offence and customarily retains the puck out of its internet. They are going to be battle-tested enjoying within the powerful and aggressive Pacific Division, the place they’re certainly one of three golf equipment — together with the defending-champion Vegas Golden Knights and Vancouver Canucks — who may very well be the final staff standing come June.
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The Canadiens, clearly, aren’t Cup contenders. And if Saturday afternoon’s 4-0 defeat to the Kings at Crypto.com Enviornment is any indication, they’re possible a number of seasons faraway from that standing. Not that the information needs to be thought of shocking.
It marked the primary time this season Montreal has been shut out.
“They (the Kings) offer you no room to breathe,” goaltender Jake Allen informed journalists in Los Angeles after struggling his fifth consecutive loss — not that the consequence was his fault. Nevertheless, Allen, who made 26 saves, hasn’t gained since Oct. 28 in opposition to Winnipeg.
“When you will have time in area in opposition to these guys, it’s completely totally different than you’ll in opposition to one other staff,” Allen added. “They play in all probability one of the best staff recreation I’ve seen within the league. It’s actually spectacular to observe.
“It’s an excellent lesson for us to comprehend how laborious it’s important to play in all three zones. There’s a cause why they’re having a lot success this yr.”
Ahead Trevor Moore paced the Kings with a pair of targets, giving him 11 in 19 video games. Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Lewis additionally scored for Los Angeles, which improved its profitable streak to 5 video games, pushing its report to 13-3-3. It additionally was the Kings’ fifth consecutive victory in opposition to Montreal.
Street to the Cup
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Pheonix Copley, a 31-year-old Alaskan native who performs sparingly, blocked 18 pictures for his first shutout this season and third of his profession. In six video games this season Copley has a 3-0-3 report.
Offence hasn’t been an issue for the Kings, who scored a minimum of 4 targets for the twelfth time this season. Los Angeles is the NHL’s second-high scoring staff.
The Canadiens have been finishing a three-game swing by California and have been enjoying their second recreation in as many days. Whereas Montreal will depart the state with a commendable 2-1 report, they’ve now misplaced all 3 times throughout which they’ve performed back-to-back video games and have been held to solely 4 targets whereas permitting 14.
“They’re an excellent staff, a deep staff, that performs a very structured model of hockey,” captain Nick Suzuki informed journalists in Los Angeles. “We needed to be on our greatest. I didn’t assume we confirmed that tonight. They gave us a number of hassle by the impartial zone and within the offensive zone.
‘I wouldn’t say we have been that annoyed. We knew what to anticipate.”
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It was laborious to seek out something constructive to say concerning the Canadiens on this present day with Montreal going 0-for-3 on the ability play.
They have been held to a season-low one shot within the opening interval — a clearing try whereas killing a penalty by defenceman Mike Matheson within the twelfth minute.
Of their 18 pictures, Sean Monahan and Matheson every had three.
Defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic had a plus/minus ranking of minus-3, and was responsible of a turnover on the Kings’ third purpose early within the closing interval. Jayden Struble, Christian Dvorak and the Canadiens’ fourth line of Michael Pezzetta, Jake Evans and Jesse Ylönon, all have been minus-2.
Struble, who enjoying his third NHL recreation, was additionally anticipated to be left with what figured to be an infinite post-game invoice because the Canadiens carried out their annual rookie dinner in Los Angeles. The staff may have a time without work Sunday within the metropolis earlier than conducting an early-morning Monday exercise and flying to Columbus for the conclusion of this five-game street journey Wednesday evening in opposition to the Blue Jackets. The Canadiens entertain Florida on Thursday.
“Truthfully, I felt like we competed,” head coach Martin St. Louis informed journalists in Los Angeles. “I felt like we labored. I believe, if something, it’s that the offensive tempo … when it comes to getting pucks again … in our defensive zone once they lose the puck they’re searching to get it again. And there’s not a lot room. You may’t generate that with out all people working laborious off the puck. And all people having some tempo to their recreation.
“That’s what we’re chasing. That’s what we wish to appear to be. After we try this, we’re laborious to play in opposition to. We simply have to seek out extra consistency in enjoying with that tempo after we unfastened pucks.”
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