LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Fiala had a aim and an help, and Adrian Kempe and Viktor Arvidsson scored power-play objectives within the second interval of the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Gabriel Vilardi additionally scored in the course of the Kings’ three-goal second interval, and captain Anze Kopitar had two assists. Cal Petersen made 26 saves in an encouraging bounce-back victory for Los Angeles, which had misplaced three of 4 after a strong begin to the season.
“Special teams are huge always, and the fact that we were able to come on top of that is big, especially against this team,” Kopitar mentioned. “I don’t think we gave up too much. We put up four again and were playing the checking game that we need to play, and the result is there.”
Fiala got here by with one other large offensive recreation in his first season with the Kings, highlighted early within the third interval when he robbed Rasmus Sandin of the puck and skated in on a breakaway for the sport’s last aim. The prolific Swiss scorer has 9 factors in 10 video games for LA, together with three multi-point outings up to now.
“Obviously, Kevin coming in has added a dimension,” Kings coach Todd McLellan mentioned. “I thought him playing in the position he did tonight balanced things out a little bit more. He’s been able to create with workers and creative players in his career, so he did a real good job there.”
Petersen additionally had his greatest efficiency after yielding 12 objectives in his first seven intervals of motion this season.
Captain John Tavares had a power-play aim and Pierre Engvall additionally scored for the Leafs, who’ve misplaced three straight on their West Coast swing.
“We lost confidence a little bit the last three games,” mentioned Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov, who stopped 25 photographs. “We need to (get it) back. … Hard to say (why), but whenever you’ve lost three games in a row, for sure your confidence will be lowered. You don’t have more smiles.”
Tavares stuffed residence his fourth aim of the season within the first interval on the rebound after William Nylander shot the puck off the again boards. Although Toronto scored a recreation’s opening aim for under the third time in 9 video games this season, the Leafs struggled to get the puck out of their zone for lengthy stretches of the Kings’ robust second interval.
Los Angeles claimed the lead with a pair of power-play objectives. Kempe, who performed his four-hundredth profession NHL recreation, put a one-timer into the highest nook off a cross-ice move from Fiala earlier than Arvidsson cashed in a setup from Phillip Danault precisely six minutes later.
Vilardi then sneaked into the slot and buried a outstanding backhand move from behind the web by Kopitar, the franchise’s profession scoring chief.
“I think for the most part, we’re getting the other team’s best version of themselves,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe mentioned. “LA is coming off a tough loss. They were going to be dialed in defensively here after giving up six the night before. They made it hard for us to get off the wall. I thought we spent too much time on the boards. Yet I thought at 5-on-5, it’s a pretty even hockey game. The difference is special teams and you know, we did give them some gifts for goals, you know, that they didn’t necessarily give us so that’s really the difference.”
Engvall trimmed the deficit to 3-2 late within the second together with his first aim of the season off a free puck in entrance after a Kings turnover.
DEBUT
Leafs defenseman Filip Král made his NHL debut with 16 shifts, together with time on Toronto’s penalty kill. Král apeared in 71 video games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies over the previous three seasons.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: At Anaheim on Sunday evening.
Kings: At St. Louis on Monday evening.
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