First Period

The first period had both teams getting some good offence going, and it was pretty much even.

Brandon Carlo was suddenly in a fight:

Oliver Ekman-Larsson was clearly tripped and it wasn't called. You'll have to imagine this, as I can't find a video. It was likely borderline accidental but it should have been called.

Scott Laughton with the best Leafs chance, but he had two defenders bracketing him, and he couldn't get a strong shot off.

Max Domi took an offensive zone penalty when Anze Kopitar was a bit (a lot) too much for him along the boards and he tried to subtly hold Kopitar's stick. This is exactly the kind of penalty that will always get called because the offending player is doing it because they've been beat clean.

The LA power play is not very good, so this wasn't a big deal.

After one it was zero-all. Leafs with 78% Expected Goals, and a good but not great offensive game against a fairly tepid Kings team.

Second Period

Will the Kings come out strong? Hmmmm, I wonder.

Kings goal two minutes in.

William Nylander went to the box for hooking on Kopitar. Same sort of situation as the Domi penalty but in the defensive zone at least.

Mikey Anderson planted his butt on Darcy Kuemper's head and kicked him in the face – he was trying to check Matt Knies not his own goalie. Kuemper did not leave the ice, and no one seems to worry about goalie concussions anymore.

Leafs with a very good cycle drew a penalty as Trever Moore had to sit for two.

Kings got a two on one with Auston Matthews back, who knows to take the pass, he just... didn't quite. Stolarz to the rescue. Not a very good power play by the Leafs.

More hard forechecking from Matt Knies got the Leafs some zone time, but nothing came of it.

After two it was 1-0 Kings.

The Leafs did well at the offence from hard work stuff, but lacked some spark to actually get good chances to score.

LA looked to me (in this game) like a team where every forward is Matt Knies. That's not bad, but it's missing some zing. Unfortunately the Leafs also seem to be missing that zing so far tonight. Maybe that's from playing against so many guys like Knies, eh?

Kings with a better than usual power play, but their goal came at five-on-five.

Third Period

Anthony Stolarz opened the period with a great save while John Tavares was in the box for hooking against, and you'll be shocked here, Kopitar.

Auston Matthews, on the PK, got a shorthanded chance that Kuemper stopped, but the second try went in.

LA challenged for the puck being played with a high stick prior to the goal. By Matthews, but not the shot that went in.

The result was that the puck was not struck above the shoulder, which... okay! It's a goal!

Almost immediately Mitch Marner drew a penalty defending the still-active power play.

The Leafs mini-power-play at the end was exciting, but didn't result in a goal.

A reasonably rare goalie penalty as Kuemper just swept the feet out from under Matthews. It was a four-on-three as Nylander and Gavrikov had a thing earlier and were still in the box.

Kuemper was really dialled in – obviously.

JT got it done!

JT with the ENG with over a minute left.

Final score was 3-1 Leafs.

The truer picture of the offence with the all-situations view. Five-on-five, both teams kept the opponents away from the net.

Next game is tomorrow night in Anaheim – 8 pm start.

Game Coverage