With a little over a minute remaining in regulation of a tie game, the Kings found themselves with clean possession of the puck as the Golden Knights made their final line change of the game behind the play. Defenseman Matt Roy left the puck for his partner Sean Durzi who carried it behind the LA goal where he was poised to begin a breakout.
But, instead, Durzi waited, and waited, and waited.
I honestly didn’t know he was coming out. If he would have taken it to OT, I would have stood there and waited. There’s no sense in letting him bait me. -Mark Stone
We just assumed he was going to kill the clock and take the point. -Alex Pietrangelo
Durzi had other ideas.
I was hoping he’d come out. We want to play hockey. No one wants to stand there and watch that. We didn’t want to give ourselves up and flush him out though, that’s a sucker’s race. -Bruce Cassidy
After holding the puck for exactly 22 seconds behind the goal with the crowd urging the King to get the puck forward and attempt to win the game, he did just that. Durzi skated out to his left and fired a pass 100 feet along the ice to the red line.
Here’s what he saw as he went to make the pass.
I read it pretty well. I kind of played off the guy because I didn’t think he could make that pass. I was standing beside him (at the red line) and I thought, well this doesn’t make a lot of sense to be standing here. So I kind of let him get over a little bit. Then I jumped the pass and Stevie made a great play. -Pietrangelo
Pietrangelo purposely showed the passing lane…
And then completely took it away.
Petro made an incredible play. I don’t think it was really a bad play by (Durzi), he’s just sending it up the boards. One of our best defensemen makes a great play and it sends us off in transition. -Stone
From there, Stephenson hopped on the loose puck and steamed into the offensive zone. A perfect net drive by Brett Howden pushed back multiple defenders to allow Stone to slip back into a trailer position where he received the puck and fired it through a tiny window and beat Jonathan Quick high stick side.
I think I jumped 10 feet in the air on that goal. If anyone ever says I can’t jump just check the bench on that goal. -Paul Cotter
Then, expressive Mark Stone made his triumphant return to the same arena he experienced the worst of his back pain less than a year ago.
In the end, the Golden Knights had snatched up two points and left the Kings with nothing after 59 minutes of back-and-forth hockey.
The 4th one was just stupidity. Self-inflicted. -Todd McLellan, LAK coach
It’s the perfect springboard to the season for the Golden Knights, and who knows, it might be the point(s) that make all the difference six months from now.
THE hockey GOD
the puck luck has returnth !
THE
FIFTH
LINE !!
Braden
Gotta love it! What a hockey game!
Richie-Rich
Nice to see Mark Stone super pumped again. Last season was miserable as the team struggled on the ice as well as off (injuries).
Could it possibly be this coaching change was exactly what they needed?
Seems to be the catalyst to me!
Tim
I for one figured we’d wind up fourth in the Pacific I’m not afraid to say I might be wrong. A healthy Stone, Eichel, and Kessel addition may pay big dividends. Not to name the rest of the players but you all know there names makes for a nice team that may surprise a lot of people.
Roberto
Really well done by Howden on that goal. Replay shows he took out two defenders, while getting in Quick’s peripheral field of sight. 3(ish) for 1. Probably just selective memory, but don’t recall that kind of work happening a lot last year.
An absolute necessity with the big contracts, but the front office deserves some serious credit for filling in the margins with guys like him free/on the cheap. You dig a hole, gotta fill it in yourself. So it goes.
Oliver Kloskamov
We saw flashes of Howden last year as a prime candidate for a breakout but between the injury and everyone else’s injuries it never came to fruition.
See him with Stone and Stephenson is a revelation. They’re an absolute powerhouse on the forecheck. Love to see it.
Taylor
Great breakdown Ken! So cool to hear their comments. Watched the whole game but didn’t know Petro was waiting for it haha! Awesome!
Ken Boehlke
I LOVED when he told me he kind of baited them into the play. You can totally see it from the shots from behind the goal. So cool to learn what they are thinking out there.
bruce silliman
I sat in 204, Row J with a perfect look at the goal line below me, but even better I had a clear line into the goal at the other end. On two or three occasions last year I saw exactly what Petro did last night, acting like the play was coming his way then intercepting the pass. Either end of the arena these veiw points are great to see plays developing. Down low on the ice you never see these slight moves that the players make. Great start and great coaching job to get them ready for this first on the road game.
bruce silliman
2nd sentence ‘was’ should be ‘wasn’t’ .
3rd sentence change ‘veiw’ to ‘view’.
Larry Berg
Great insights on a great game! Let’s hope we go for the gold all the way this year!
THE hockey GOD
welcome to the jungle Larry B !
THE hockey GOD
Just as Blitz recommended, William Carrier in and Michael Amadio out. Paul Cotter will take Amadio’s spot on the third line. Good call Blitz.