First off, I'd like to apologize for being the person to write this recap. I have to follow up a JP recap which is a hard thing to do. Maybe go read that and replace "Ducks" with "Kings".
Second of all: Why is there a Pacific time zone? Just make everyone out west get up 3 hours earlier and go to bed while the sun's up.
The Maple Leafs were in LA for game 2 of the California road trip. LA's newest players made their debut; the "Michael Jordan of Hockey" Vincent Lecavalier, and former Maple Leafs first round pick Luke Schenn.
LA kicks off the first period dominating possession, letting off 5 shots in the first 3 minutes. The Leafs finally get one 4 minutes in. Shots were frozen at 6-1 for about 5 minutes until there's a scary moment where it appears Rielly trips and falls onto a prone Reimer. Nothing came of it, but with Reimers injuries this year and his luck with players hitting him, it had me worried as it happened.
PA Parenteau has some nice skating and stick work happening tonight, as he's able to deke around some Kings players heading into their zone.
After 13 min shots are 11-2 for LA and Tyler Bozak takes a hooking penalty on Anze Kopitar.
The Leafs do a good job on the penalty kill, limiting LA to just two shots on net.
At the 16 minute mark Lucic does his best to turn Kadri into dust:
Milan Lucic absolutely destroys Kadri, then gets a stick to the groin pic.twitter.com/5tENfikiUM
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 8, 2016
The Maple Leafs gather some life to them near the end of the period where they get about 4 shots on net in a couple minutes. At 30 seconds left Polak checks Toffoli into the boards pretty far from the boards. Toffolis feet are on the edge of the faceoff circle when he gets hit.
Polak boarding major pic.twitter.com/NlmjDPAK9a
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 8, 2016
A scrrum ensues, and Polak is given a boarding major and a game misconduct and Toffoli eventually makes it off the ice on his own feet. Milan Lucic ges 2 for roughing in the scrum, and we'll start the second at 4 on 4. Except it's a rough night. A referee Sutherland gets hit by Jake Muzzin as he's heading in to get the puck away from Matt Hunwick. He leaves the game after that with the assistance of the Kings trainer.
incredibly concerning injury for the referee pic.twitter.com/SmuAbunrcA
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 8, 2016
The first period ends, shots are 15-6 for LA.
Sutherland is back to start the second period.
4 on 4 for the first minute and a half is all LA in the Leafs end but they only get 2 shots off. Lucic comes out of the box and the Kings get 3 minutes of Polaks major to play 5 on 4. While the Kings are controlling the puck through most of the power play, they only manage one shot in the 5 on 4.
After a few minutes in the Kings end - with no Leafs shots - Trevor Lewis breaks out and streaks down the neutral zone. Phaneuf catches him in the Leafs end and forces him to take a shot from the perimeter that Reimer grabs and holds onto.
Kadri gets a pass while waiting at the Kings blueline, turns and trips over Jake Muzzins stick. Muzzin is called for 2, Kadri draws another penalty, and the Leafs head for the powerplay.
The Maple Leafs passing isn't too clean on the powerplay, and they clear the zone themselves a couple times. They manage one shot on the PP, and at the 30 minute mark only have 9 shots on goal to the Kings 19.
With 5 minutes left the Kings get to great chances but Reimer stops both of them:
Two minute later Kopitar and Toffoli come in on a 3 on one but the Leafs back check and stop the play.
Luke Schenn takes a boarding penalty, just a 2 min minor, and the Leafs head to the power play for..20 seconds when Brad Boyes gets a hooking penalty for pullng down Dustin Brown. Back to 4 on 4.
With less than two minutes left, Komarov and Doughty get into it at centre ice. Komarov and Doughty play slash and tap across the Leafs zone, Doughty goes down and Leo pushes his head into the ice. The refs weren't looking however, and Doughty got a penalty for retaliating:
what made drew doughty mad pic.twitter.com/VCDKAwEKgk
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 8, 2016
which led to the retaliation penalty pic.twitter.com/KOIy9OxZ2R
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 8, 2016
The Leafs Work in the Kings end for a half minute until Schenns penalty expires and we're back to four on four. Schenn and Phaneuf get into it in front of the Leafs net, but nothing comes of it.
The second period ends 0-0 - Second period shots: LA 11 - Toronto 9 - Total shots: LA - 26 - Toronto - 15
The third period begins with four on four, then an LA powerplay briefly, but nothing happens there. Back to full strength a minute into the period, we're seeing even play in both zones. The Leafs, in their second of a back to back, seem to be taking time to warm up in the game, slowly becoming more and more of an equal to LA.
There's some play around the Leafs net and Muzzin takes a pass from Lecavalier, and scores from the point. Mike Babcock challenges the goal due to goaltender interference, with Mersch being in Reimers crease at the time of the goal.
The goal is good after review - 1-0 LA Kings.
Minutes later, the Kings are in the Leafs zone, Gaborik gets the puck in the corner and and skates just enoguh towards the net to draw Marincin away from Jeff Carter who is in front of the net. Gaborik passes the puck and Carter taps it in for the Kings second goal.
At 9:23 Trevor Lewis gets a slashing penalty so the Leafs get a power play to try and kick off their goal scoring.
At 9:52 of the third the Peter Holland takes a pass, gives a little fake shot, takes another step, shoots, and scores! The Leafs make it a one goal game, on their second shot of the third period.
The Leafs give control of the game back to LA, they have been having turnovers, and giving Kings players breakaways and streaks through the neutral zone all night and Gaborik comes into the Leafs zone alone but Reimer makes the save.
The Maple Leafs have a face off in the LA zone and Babcock pulls Reimer with 3 minutes to go. The puck heads back down to the Leafs end and Kopitar is in control until he gets knocked off the puck and the Leafs bring the puck back to the Kings end. Kadri comes close to scoring, but Quick makes the save.
Dwight King takes a shot at the empty net, but misses. The Leafs bring it back but the Kings send it away. The LEafs bring it back for a flurry of shots but the Kings hang on to win the game 2-1.
Third period shots: LA 13 - Toronto 9 / Total Shots: LA 39 - Toronto 26
Overall was an alright game for the Leafs. The Kings controlled play for most of the game, keeping the Leafs shots low and away from the net. James Reimer played fantastic in his return to the crease making 37 saves on the night.
The Maple Leafs have tomorrow off and will wrap up the California trip Saturday night in San Jose against the Sharks at a decent time.
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