The LA Kings moved to within a point of a playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday evening at Climate Pledge Arena.
Forwards Kevin Fiala (1-1-2) and Alex Iafallo (0-2-2) led the way with multi-point nights, while forward Carl Grundstrom and defenseman Sean Durzi also scored for the Kings in the victory. Goaltender Pheonix Copley made 25 saves on 26 shots to earn his 24th victory of the season.
After a scoreless first period, in which the teams combined for just one high-danger chance between then, the Kings opened the scoring midway through the middle frame. Forward Kevin Fiala fed linemate Alex Iafallo in the slot, where his deflected pass found Sean Durzi at the back post for the game’s first goal, Durzi’s ninth tally of the season, tying Matt Roy for the most goals by a Kings defenseman for the year.
The Kings made it 2-0 early in the third period, thanks to a terrific individual effort from Grundstrom. As he forechecked in the offensive zone, Grundstrom pickpocketed a Seattle defender in the slot, pulled the puck onto his forehand and snapped a shot bardown from a dangerous area to move ahead by two.
The Kraken got on the board with a power-play goal, just shy of the midway point in the third period, to pull to within 2-1. After the first shot from forward Daniel Sprong rang off the post and sat in the crease, Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov cleared the puck off the line, but Seattle forward Oliver Bjorkstrand got on the end of it for the goal.
The Kings iced the game late through Fiala, who buried the empty-net goal off an Iafallo assist for a 3-1 final.
Hear from Iafallo, Copley, Durzi and Head Coach Todd McLellan following tonight’s game.
Alex Iafallo
Pheonix Copley
On the team’s defensive play tonight to suppress scoring chances against
We were working really hard in our d-zone for a full 60. I think that’s how we’re going to have to win games here coming down the stretch, they’re going to be tight games and they’re going to be hard-fought battles. I think that’s just kind of how we wanted to play defensively and we were shutting things down, keeping things to the outside and that that was really good to see.
On elevating his game off of the goaltending tandem with Joonas Korpisalo
For sure. I think, as a goalie, you want to play and so we’re kind of feeding off that from each other. He’s a great guy and we have a good relationship, so it’s awesome that we’re just kind of battling it out internally, kind of in a good way. It’s been a good partnership.
On if he believes the Kings can thrive off of games like tonight
Kind of like what we did tonight, good defensively, we have skill and we have guys stepping up, like Grundy tonight, and we have that capability. I think if we do the right things defensively, we’ll get our looks and we’ll get our goals and that’s kind of how we played tonight.
On making his biggest saves of the night in the third period, when rare breakdowns occurred
Yeah, that’s what I’m there for. So when that happens, that’s when I need to make those saves and that’s kind of just my job.
Sean Durzi
On his goal tonight and how he got into that position
Yeah, I just chipped the puck in and had enough speed to get to it first. Kev was on the far side, I was just getting up and recovering and I saw the puck come to me and I was lucky enough to put it in. Fortunate bounce, came at a good time.
On a stout defensive performance throughout the evening
That’s a good win and it feels good. Defensively, that’s how we’ve got to play at this time of the year. That’s a division rival over there and I thought it was good.
On Copley’s play tonight and his slide in to defend behind him
That was funny, I was just yelling “don’t move Copper”, I saw it behind his pad and he said “good eyes Durz”. It was kind of just do whatever it takes to keep the puck out of the net and he was tremendous tonight, you just want to make sure none of those dribblers go in.
Todd McLellan
On a hard-fought game without a lot of open ice either way
I didn’t think there was a lot of ice for either team. Both teams played a very tight – I don’t want to say conservative – but smart game. There wasn’t space to make plays and if you had a chance to get it to the net, you better take advantage of it. Fortunately for us, we got the lead and there was only going to be one or two tonight. I felt good about the way we were playing the whole night. I thought we got a real good night from the fourth line tonight, they played a tremendous game and give us good minutes when we needed it. Overall, pretty good team win.
On the group battling through adversity for a big road win
Those are important qualities to have, playoff teams have that in them. Each of the 16 teams that are going to play starting on April 17 are going to have that quality. It’s the ones that bring it out more often and over and over again that are going to have more success. I think our team’s done a real good job of developing those unmeasurable skills, not just the shots and the blocked shots and faceoffs, but the game management skills from the beginning of this season until now. It’s going to have to keep getting better as the year goes on.
On Copley and Joonas Korpisalo elevating each other’s play down the stretch
Yeah, when you think about it, we started the year off with two different goaltenders and now we’ve got these two and they’re both playing really well. Not easy to come to a new team. With Korpisalo and Copley both being on a new team, they’ve meshed well, they support each other well. You’re always worried about chemistry, but it’s sure worked out well to this point with those two. They do push each other but more importantly they support each other.
On if Copley has “risen to the challenge” presented by the addition of Korpisalo
I don’t know that he’s risen to the challenge because I think he’s just stayed where he was. From the first day he put the pads on and played, it’s just been the same Phoenix Copley night after night and that’s what’s reassuring about him, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re going to get. Nothing really fazes him. The odd bad night, he jumps back on the horse he rides it again and that’s a good thing for the whole team, for himself and for Joonas as well.
On Kevin Fiala battling through things to contribute tonight
It’s that time of the year. Competitors do that and Kevin’s a competitor. You know, he’s fine, he’ll give us some really good minutes and he’s fine, he’s able to fight through it. He obviously got injured in Colorado, I’m not sure if tonight even was the same thing to tell you the truth and if it was even relevant, it could have been something else that happened, but he recovered real quick from it and away we went.
Notes –
– Alex Iafallo (0-2-2) notched his fifth multi-point outing of the campaign, with his first assist being the 200th point of his NHL career. In doing so, Iafallo became the 11th different active undrafted skater to reach the 200-point mark.
– Kevin Fiala (1-1-2) registered his team-leading 22nd multi-point game this season. Fiala returned to the lineup tonight after a one-game absense (lower-body injury).
– Sean Durzi scored his ninth goal of the season for his fourth point (2-2-4) in his last four games.
– Carl Grundstrom collected his 12th goal on the year with the game-winning goal early in the third period.
– Pheonix Copley stopped 25-of-26 shots, improving his record to 24-4-3 on the year.
– The Kings will have multiple clinching scenarios tomorrow, sitting one point away from securing a playoff berth for the second consecutive season.
Additionally, the Kings loaned defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to AHL-Ontario, off of his emergency recall from the Reign.
The Kings will not hold a morning skate tomorrow in Vancouver and will return to action tomorrow evening at 5 PM versus the Canucks.
