Tag Archives: Milan Lucic

Game report: Kings 2, Bruins 1

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Key play: Defenseman Alec Martinez’s goal early in the second period proved to be the game-winning score as the Kings held on for a 2-1 playoff-clinching victory Saturday over the Boston Bruins at Staples Center. The Kings returned to the postseason after a one-season absence.

Pivotal performance: Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick made several spectacular saves among the 27 shots he stopped to bail out his teammates. His best might have been a right toe save on the Bruins’ Brad Marchand in the first period to keep the game scoreless.

Between the pipes: Quick appeared in his 58th game of the season, with his career high of 72 still within reach. Tuukka Rask returned to the Bruins’ net after Jonas Gustavsson suffered the loss in a 4-0 defeat to the Ducks on Friday. Rask made 18 saves.

Quote, unquote: “A lot of credit goes to our first period, our goaltending and our penalty-killing,” Kings left wing Milan Lucic said. “That’s the goal of the season, to clinch a playoff spot as early as you can. Last year, falling just short, definitely gives you motivation. There are still 11 games and we want to finish as high up as we can in the standings.”

Dropping the gloves: The Kings’ Dwight King and the Bruins’ Adam McQuaid fought a lengthy battle in the first period, with King sending McQuaid’s helmet flying with a haymaker. McQuaid landed several punishing body shots with his right hand. In the end, it was a draw.

LA Kings thinking about the franchise’s first division championship since 1990-91

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The Kings last won a division championship in 1991.

That’s also the only Kings division title.

Winning in 2016 would be a pride thing for the Kings.

It also would be a seeding thing.

The top finisher in the division receives no worse than the No. 2 seeded spot for the Stanley Cup playoffs next month. As it stood Friday morning, it meant home-ice advantage for the first-place Kings for the first two rounds of the playoffs and a first-round matchup with the Nashville Predators.

The second-place Ducks and third-place Sharks would face off in the opening round.

“We’re trying to be a playoff team,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter has said again and again.

He’s used that to answer questions ranging from the team’s power play to El Nino.

Or so it’s seemed.

Others have offered deeper insight into what it means to finish first.

“You play all season long for that home-ice advantage,” left wing Milan Lucic said after Wednesday’s overtime victory over the Washington Capitals returned the Kings to first place. “That’s what the season is all about, finishing as high as you can in your division and in your conference.”

Home-ice advantage meant nothing to the Kings during their run to the 2014 Stanley Cup championship. They won a winner-take-all Game 7 three times, each on the road, before dispatching the New York Rangers in five games with home-ice advantage in the Final.

Two years earlier, the Kings became the first team to advance from the eighth-seeded position to Stanley Cup champions. They didn’t have the home-ice edge for any of the four rounds of the playoff tournament, defeating the New Jersey Devils in six games.

“We want to get home ice,” Kings forward Jeff Carter said of the push for first in the Pacific. “We’ve seen the last few times we’ve been in the playoffs how big Game 7s are. When you have it in your home rink, it’s a big advantage.”

LA Kings left wing Milan Lucic’s quote of the day

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Here’s some of what ever-quotable LA Kings left wing Milan Lucic said after a 3-2 loss Saturday against the Ducks at Staples Center: “We know they’re a really good power-play team, especially as of late. We did a good job of keeping our discipline by only taking two penalties, but they capitalized on both opportunities. It was a hard-fought game and a tough one to swallow.

“Right off the get-go, guys were sticking up for each other and that shows a lot of team character and willingness to play for one another and that goes a long way down the stretch of the season. Like I said, when you lose a game like this, the biggest game of the year up to this point, it is a hard one to swallow and you just have to do your best to bounce back as quick as you can.”

Kings left wing Milan Lucic suspended for Sunday’s game against Sharks (Video)

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The NHL suspended Kings left wing Milan Lucic for Sunday’s game against the San Jose Sharks for roughing Kevin Connuaton of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period of Saturday’s game in Glendale, Ariz. Lucic was penalized for roughing and given a game misconduct at 6:55 of the third period of the Kings’ 3-2 loss.

In addition, Lucic will forfeit $32,258.06, based on his average salary.

Here’s the link to the NHL’s video explanation: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=799406&navid=DL|NHL|home

Game report: Kings 3, Stars 2

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Key play: Milan Lucic drifted into the slot, accepted a centering pass from Anze Kopitar and scored the tiebreaking goal 6:17 into the third period and the Kings went on to a 3-2 victory Tuesday over the Dallas Stars at Staples Center. Jake Muzzin had the second assist on Lucic’s 12th goal of the season.

Pivotal performer: Kings center Vincent Lecavalier scored his third power-play goal in as many games. Lecavalier has three goals in six games since the Kings acquired him and defenseman Luke Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers for forward Jordan Weal and a third-round draft pick.

Quote, unquote: “The standings show we’re playing better than them, but there’s so much that can happen,” Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said of the team’s lead over the rest of the Pacific Division, which grew to 12 points. “There are almost 40 points left. … You can never be comfortable. All those other guys, all those teams are going to want to catch us and they’ll do whatever it takes.”

Line shifts: Kings coach Darryl Sutter shifted center Jeff Carter to right wing for Tuesday’s game against the Stars. It fueled speculation was suffering from an unspecified upper-body injury and would enable him to avoid taking faceoffs, which could cause him pain.

Breakaway move: Stars defenseman John Klingberg skated ahead of the pack on a second-period breakaway, but was denied on a vintage Peter Forsberg-like move by Kings goalie Jonathan Quick at the moment of truth. Klingberg faked Quick to the ice, but couldn’t slip the puck by him.

Game report: Kings 2, Islanders 1

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Key play: Milan Lucic scored the tiebreaking goal in the opening minutes of the second period and the Kings held off the New York Islanders for a 2-1 victory Thursday at Staples Center. Lucic scored his fourth goal of the season, with assists from Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter.

Pivotal performer: Kings backup goaltender Jhonas Enroth was sharp in playing in relief of Jonathan Quick for only the third time in 16 games this season. Enroth made a number of fine saves and was aided by the goal post, a goalie’s best friend, on a third-period bid by Brock Nelson. Enroth made 31 saves to improve to 3-0-0 this season with a 0.34 goals-against average and a .979 save percentage.

Quote, unquote: “Just got in on the forecheck, the puck went toward the net and I tried to handle the puck and kind of went down and all of a sudden the goal horn went off, and I didn’t know what happened,” Lucic said of his go-ahead goal. “I thought ‘Tof’ or ‘Carts’ jumped on the rebound. Nice to have one go off me and in.”

Lineup change: Kings defenseman Christian Ehrhoff returned to the lineup after sitting out for two games as a healthy scratch. Ehrhoff, who had four assists and a minus-7 defensive rating going into the game, replaced Derek Forbort in the lineup.

Milestone moment: Drew Doughty’s first-period power-play goal was the 32nd of his career, moving him past Lubomir Visnovsky into third place on the Kings’ all-time list for defensemen. It also was Doughty’s second goal overall this season.

Special teams: The Kings killed off a 5-on-3 situation that lasted 45 seconds during the third period, after Brayden McNabb was whistled for tripping and Drew Doughty followed him to the penalty box with a hooking infraction at 3:50.

Kings left wing Milan Lucic’s quote of the day

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Here’s what Kings left wing Milan Lucic said Saturday about clicking better in recent games with linemates Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli: “I think we’re supporting each other well, coming up the ice together. We’re giving and going. We’re just knowing how, I guess, to get out of each other’s way and getting open for each other. I think that’s what’s working really well.”

Game report: Kings 4, Panthers 1

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Key play: Jeff Carter’s second-period goal tied the score and propelled the Kings to a 4-1 victory Saturday over the Florida Panthers. Carter should have been whistled for interference on the play, knocking over the Panthers’ Quinton Howden and creating open ice for a one-timed shot.

Pivotal performer: Kings center Anze Kopitar’s second-period goal was the 223rd of his career, moving him past Charlie Simmer for seventh place on the franchise’s all-time list.

Line shifts: Kings coach Darryl Sutter demoted struggling wingers Dustin Brown and Marian Gaborik to the third line from the first, teaming them with center Nick Shore. Brown played a team-low 3:53 in the first period and Gaborik played only 4:17.

Quote, unquote: “It’s definitely getting better,” Milan Lucic said of meshing with the Kings. “It’s gotten better, especially the last 10 games, after that 0-3 start, and I’m starting to figure out the system, where it’s becoming second nature and I’m not having to over-think what I’m supposed to do.”

Lineup shuffle: Kings defenseman Christian Ehrhoff was scratched for the first time this season. He had four points, all assists, and a team-worst minus-7 defensive rating in 13 games. Derek Forbort replaced him in the lineup after recorded his first NHL point with a second-period assist.

Injury update: Forbort was said to have suffered from an illness Oct. 22-27, which was why he sat out for four games.

Game report: Blue Jackets 3, Kings 2

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Key play: Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno fired a shot off the shin of teammate Brandon Dubinsky  to break a 1-all tie in a 3-2 victory Thursday over the Kings at Staples Center. Dubinsky was credited with the goal at 18:13 of the first period.

Pivotal performer: Blue Jackets center Gregory Campbell scored an insurance goal midway through the third period, beating goaltender Jonathan Quick with a shot from the left wing after a drop pass from ex-Kings defenseman Jack Johnson.

Quote, unquote: “It definitely wasn’t our best effort from how we’ve been playing of late,” Kings left wing Milan Lucic said. “So, hopefully, we can learn from something like this, where no matter who your opponent is, there’s so much parity in this league and everyone is coming to play, we’ve just got to be better around the scoring areas.”

Between the pipes: Quick returned to the Kings’ net one game after backup Jhonas Enroth shut out the Blues on Tuesday in St. Louis. Sergei Bobrovsky started in goal for the Blue Jackets, making his 12th appearance of the season.

Dropping the gloves: Foligno objected to Alec Martinez’s tough check on teammate Scott Hartnell along the boards and then dropped Kings tough guy Kyle Clifford with a straight right hand after they fought at center ice moments later.

Record watch: The Kings tied a franchise record by holding the Blue Jackets without a shot on goal in the second period.