The Los Angeles Kings will try to rebound from a difficult loss when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
The Kings led 4-2 midway through the third period on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks before surrendering two goals, the second in a 6-on-5 situation with 1:31 left in regulation. Los Angeles went on to drop a 5-4 decision in a shootout.
Holding leads in the third period has been a challenge for teams throughout the league this season.
“Everybody feels like they have a good team and they have a chance to win,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “Maybe, historically, there might have been some teams that were a little bit weaker, and if you had a lead, it was probably a little bit easier to hold it. This year, every team’s got some pretty dangerous players, so they feel like, ‘Hey, we’re still in this.’ ”
The loss prevented the Kings from leapfrogging the Ducks for first place in the Pacific Division.
“We made probably a couple, two or three mistakes, back half of the third period,” Hiller said. “Prior to that, I thought we were pretty clean in the third, so it’s disappointing. They finished and we had our chances, too, and we couldn’t finish.”
Vancouver couldn’t back up its 5-4 win against the Ducks to start the four-game road trip on Wednesday and lost 3-2 at the San Jose Sharks on Friday.
One of the bright spots for the Canucks of late has been rookie defenseman Tom Willander, who had another assist on Friday to give him three in the past two games.
Willander, who had two assists against the Ducks for the first multi-point game of his NHL career, was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on Oct. 28 and has become a regular on the back end.
“You just see it since he’s got here, he’s got a lot of confidence, he’s got a lot of poise and he’s a confident guy,” Vancouver forward Max Sasson said. “He’s flying around up there. He moves his feet really well. He makes really good plays and he’s a great guy on top there.”
Willander, 20, is the youngest player on Vancouver’s roster.
“They’ve done a good job,” Vancouver coach Adam Foote said of his young players. “They’ve been put in some tough places, but they’re also pretty excited to get the opportunity and show their stuff and grow. When we get out of this, these injuries come back, we’re going to be deeper with guys with more experience, so we’ll take it.”
Foote would like to see his entire defensive unit get tighter on their defensive zone coverage.
“Understand when we want to exaggerate our coverage, extend our coverage, and close out guys in the corners a little bit harder,” he said.
Anton Forsberg will likely start in goal for the Kings after Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves in the shootout loss to the Ducks.
Forsberg has played poorly against the Canucks in his career, owning an 0-4-0 record with a .789 save percentage and 5.08 goals-against average.
Jiri Patera could make his second start of the season in goal for Vancouver after Nikita Tolopilo made 21 saves against the Sharks.
Kevin Lankinen is close to rejoining the Canucks after missing the start of the road trip for personal reasons and Vancouver’s No. 1 goalie, Thatcher Demko, is also nearing a return from injury.
-Field Level Media
