The Kings fell in overtime for a second straight game to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night at Staples Center, losing 4-3 to open the season 0-0-2.
Here are five takeaways from the season’s second game:
Another blown lead
For the second straight game, the Kings found themselves ahead 3-1 at the second intermission. And for the second game, they failed to protect the lead.
The Wild (2-0-0) scored less than eight minutes into the third after Joel Eriksson Ek buried a rebound with the Kings caught in a line change. And then, moments after the Kings hit the post of an empty net, Wild defenseman Ryan Suter got the puck in the high slot and buried a wrist shot to tie it with 1.4 seconds left in regulation.
The Wild scored late in the extra period as well, when Marcus Johansson’s knuckling one-time shot fooled Quick with 10 seconds to play.
‘Unacceptable’
Coach Todd McLellan struck a much more irritated tone Saturday than after the Kings’ first loss two days prior.
“That’s two games in a row that played out almost identical in a lot of different ways,” he said. “And there’s no reason why we should let either of them get away on us.”
He bemoaned the Kings’ slow start to the game.
He lamented mental lapses that led to many of the Kings’ six penalties. And he added that, “I could see one [game] slipping away, but unacceptable in two.”
Highlights from the Kings’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.
Carter, Athanasiou create chemistry
Just like on Thursday night, Jeff Carter teed up Andreas Athanasiou for a goal on the rush. This time, the two forced a neutral zone turnover that led to a two-on-one, with Carter — similar to what he did Thursday — directing a low shot off Wild goalie Cam Talbot to create an easy rebound for Athanasiou to tap in.
Not pretty
The first three goals Saturday weren’t as pretty. The Wild opened the scoring off an offensive zone face-off 21 seconds into the first when defenseman Matt Dumba’s centering pass ricocheted off Quick’s chest, then Kurtis MacDermid’s leg, then trickled back through Quick’s five hole.
The bounce was unlucky, but McLellan wasn’t pleased with his team’s defensive coverage: “We went over that faceoff probably 10 minutes before we went out,” he said. “And the very first one in our end, they score.”
The Kings’ opening two were also scrappy: a scramble in front Gabriel Vilardi poked in around the crease, and a pinballing deflection by Blake Lizotte on a Drew Doughty slap shot.
Cleared protocol
MacDermid and Sean Walker rejoined the lineup after missing Thursday’s opener because of a COVID-19 protocol-related absence. Cal Petersen also cleared protocol Saturday.
